I use Pachmayr's when I actually shoot my revolvers, but once they're cleaned, I have to put the factory wood back on. I've tried Ahrend's and other wood grips, but only factory wood with those S&W medallions look right to me. The target grips leave a lot to be desired as far as actual shootability, but they just look right to me on my 66 and 686. Anyone else agree?

There are a very few aftermarket grip makers that produce a product I like better. Most don't. So I tend to agree. I like factory wood grips and mostly detest the mass produced aftermarket wood grips. I do like Ivory, and they can't be had from the factory. Rubber grips, aka Goodyears, are just ugly.

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Dick Burg

If Kim Ahrends would install factory silver medallions in his grips.....I would have nothing else. Ever.

I sort of agree - as an adolescent, I was used to seeing pictures of the M29 with target grips, and most of the others with Magnas. I strongly prefer to see S&W grips on a revolver, but not targets. They are so nonfunctional that I keep my blue 29-2 with Pachmayr Presentation non-medallion grips on them all the time, and consider that a classic. The target grips I consider a classic ******. Most of my revolvers have Magnas and a Tyler, partly for looks, partly because they actually work well that way.

But...but...but...

What if the factory grips are Rubbers?

I agree 100% with everyone so far. Factory targets are possibly a perfect example of a "universal" part - they sorta fit everybody but don't exactly fit anybody. But nothing looks nicer on a Smith & Wesson than an attractive set of target stocks.

I have four sets of Ahrends and now have just one set on a gun - finger-grooved combats on a 2-1/2" 66. I even have a set of grooved tacticals in Goncalo Alves that are still in their package. I just can't bring myself to take the targets off the gun I ordered them for.

To me, the most comfortable grip is the rubber Hogue Monogrip and I have them on the revolvers I use for hunting. But all the paper-punchers wear targets.

Ed

Agree 100% and the only time I differ is when I "put in work" with my J's. Those are carried with the factory magnas and a T-Grip (now BK Grips from a Forum member), I shoot them like they're carried. To do otherwise just gives me a false sense of security.

All of mine are wearing other than original grips,mostly aftermarket, a few with OEM combats installed.I often find the originals to be the weak link in the beauty appeal of Smiths,one that is easily remedied.
If you like the look of factory targets,Nill classic targets are something special.If you like pretty wood and appealing checkering,nothing beats a set of Keith Brown Ropers.

I prefer the Magna grips on my 442 also, guess it's the old school in me....

See, the magnas only look right to me on a gun they were designed for, like the model 10. Put a set of targets on a model 10 and it just looks "off". Put a set off magnas on a 66 and it also looks "off".

Same here. Rubber just plain sucks for pocket carry.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

This is an interesting thread that KMB has started. The past six months of reading this forum, drooling over the pictures of beautiful revolvers with different grips, reading about other shooters’ grip preferences, my range time, and an accumulation of different revolvers; has all influenced how I “grip” my guns. So this input is about individual tastes.

Factory grips certainly seem to be visually correct. To me the S&W medallion is important. Target grips look best on those revolvers with adjustable sights; magnas on those with fixed sights. Rubber grips, factory or aftermarket, are immediately replaced with wood. The visual and textural appeal of wood and steel together seem important - the same as with upland double guns and with a quality bolt action rifle.

For me how grips feel in hand is an overriding consideration: as much as the visual appeal. The S&W target grips and any rubber grips do not feel good to me, so they are replaced with Ahrends’ Retro Combat grips on the long barreled guns that are shot single action. On the short 2 & 3” barreled double action shooters, the magnas and the Tyler grip adapter provide the preferred look and feel. If the grips are original to the gun, so much the better. Accuracy concerns are sort of secondary, since old eyes and relative inexperience will not permit 2” groups anyhow. The feel of the oil-finished smooth grips is preferred on the long barrels. Checkered and smaller grips seem functionally and proportionally correct for the 2 and 3” guns. In either case an 8” paper plate at 15 yards absorbs nearly all the rounds, with most near center for the 6 & 8 inchers. The distance for the 3” and shorter barrels is limited to the 7 yard range.

The revolvers with 4” barrels can go either way – Retro Combats, Targets or Magnas all seem appealing. For Christmas, Santa brought a set of Kurac Targets in Coco Bolo with the S&W medallion. They are beautiful and will go on a blued Model 15. I can’t wait to see how they feel on the range. I have no “safe queens”.

Fortunately, as individuals we get to make choices, and we are not all so similar in our tastes as to make things boring.

I like a variety. For 3-4 handguns sticking with wood is fine but as collections start to expand you need variety to spice things up.

Count me the same as Sealevel. Fixed sight guns all wear Magnas. Would like to add some polished T-Grips if the Tylers can ever get that enterprise out of the mud.
My big bore N-Frames and K-Frames with adjustable sights wear Ahrends for shooting. I like warming up with my 18-4 before going to the CFs so the same grip feel is beneficial there.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Targets are fine, but with the many different aftermarket grips makers that produce a much better product than factory grips around the same price as the factory grips sell for.
I like factory combats on round butts but the price keeps me from puttin them on everything. The factory combat fit and finish leave a lot to be desired especially when you can get a set of Herrets custom made for the same price with much better fit/finish and much better wood.
If you spend a little more Than factory combat grips (120-150) you can get nill grips which are amazing. On sq butt kurac makes grips that factory targets could never live up to and on n frames the price difference is only like $20 is you sold the factory targets.
I have a lot of factory grips that the medallions are poorly installed and with gaps all over the place. I'll let the collectors have those, I'll take the kurac, Nill, Herret, executioner and spegal grips.

Factory grips look right, Hogues and Herretts feel right.

On all my revolvers that came with factory Target Grips with the S&W medallion's stays on and is never taken off. Love the looks of the wood as well as how they feel.
The rest of my S&W revolvers that came with rubber grips also is never taken off.
Same goes for all my Colts, Rossie's, Taurus's and other manufactors revolver factory grips.
Recon i'm not one for change -----------
Authough some of the revolvers i've seen on this forum on others revolvers, other than factorys, looks super good as well !



Ernie

A queen safe is one thing but who really cares what a "working gun" looks like? Although the Smith targets with the medallion are nice to oogle at, they're non-functional when the gun is doing what its made to do. Ahrends are unbeatable in my book but I would also like to have the medallion on them!

I don't know what "looks right" to others but to me factory grips look about as right as a set of thumb screws. Pure torture to use and they look it. 6 shots of .357 with targets and I'm done for the day. And magnas? Double ouch. Anything that hurts like that doesn't "look right" to me. I know different people have different hand sizes and factory grips work for some, but if you have to remove them to shoot, what's "right" about them?

Uncle Mike's and Pachmayr Presentations and Grippers "look right" to me. (I'm not a hater of wood grips, just factory wood grips. Kuracs are a pleasure to shoot and are about as good looking as grips get.)

I remember this conversation. Only it was 30 years ago and we were talking about Japanese motorcyle grips. What we understood then was that grips were the most personalized part of a motorcycle. The Japanese invested precious little time or money in developing nice grips for their motorcycles knowing full well that most folks were gonna change 'em anyway. They just put grips on that would "do the job" and not look too butt ugly.

Seems someone in the gun industry learned a lesson. And they even get a piece of that pie by occasionally selling a grip someone might like. All I know is that I have a box full of factory Firestones that I hate.

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NRA Benefactor

These are the Altamonts that came with my 586. They kept the medallions, and I love the look.

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I like the Smith target grips of old. All my big Smiths wear them. I find them comfortable and easy to shoot. On the other hand the "new" target grips on the classic series really are horrible. They are too long and too skinny in the shoulder area. I think those are made by Altimont. My $0.02.

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S&W Accumulator

I have thirty nine J Frames. All of the have some style of magnas. My frequent shooters also have grip adaptors.

I just mentally looked over my (admittedly meager) collection of both long and short firearms, and there are only two items with factory "handles". All else wears wood of my own making or has been otherwise made to suit my hands and eyes. This includes my Kel-Tec P-11, air rifles, .22's, S&Ws, Rugers, etc. I don't own anything that I don't shoot, and nothing I have is particularly collectible, so I don't have any qualms about personalizing. My two favorites are my M28 and Ruger 77/22 rifle:

The factory rubber grips had to go on this Model 642 from the start. I'm another who detested the rubber grips provided for both pocket carry and the wretched appearance.


I like to see and use Smith & Wesson revolvers of bygone times (1980s or before) equipped with their factory stocks.

And I thought I was maybe overdoing it with eight. Thanks for making me feel better.