Alternative for J frame Round Butt Pachmayr Compac Grip?

[Redleg2814]

My Smith 60-10 came with Uncle Mike Combat Grips and a Pachmayr Compac Grips.

I swapped out the UM for the Pachmayr because the grip saved me about 2 inches of height and still had a groove/rest for my pinky finger. The problem with the Pachmayr is that the girth of the grip is much larger than the UM resulting in the shell closest to the frame not ejecting/dropping because it gets caught on the rubber. The grips also require much more precision for using speed strips.

Does anybody know a grip design that gives a pinky finger rest (boot wont do it) but is slim enough to mitigate the problems that come with the Pachmayr girth? I could go back to UM but want to save those 2 inches.

There are a lot of good pictures on the search... But it would help to know somebody's experience... I wouldn't have known about the ejection snag on the Pachmayr Compac just by looking at a photo.

Thanks

[rrobertson]

I personally like the Talo Exclusive grips for the 642 and the CT LG-305's but for a CT LG like what you want would be the LG-405's.

The Talo Exclusive grips are fantastic but hard to find, atleast for me a set took some time.

[wrangler5]

The Crimson Trace laser grip 405 will indeed not interfere with speed loaders or ejection of empties - it is VERY thin. But it has no place for a pinky finger. I also find the 405 to the the most uncomfortable of all the grips I have for my Js - even worse than the boot grip that came on my 442.

I wish I has gotten the 305 instead - it does have a place for the pinky and looks to be chunkier, but I don't know how much wider it may be directly behind a swung-out cylinder.

But I find it curious that you have ejection hangups with the Compacs. I have a set that I use a fair bit at the range (to soften the blow, so to speak, when I shoot a lot with a 442) and have never noticed any problem with ejection. I do try to make sure that the gun is pointed straight up when I push the ejector rod. Any chance that a little change in the orientation of your gun during ejection might make a difference?

I also wonder what you meant by "the grips also require much more precision for using speed strips. " Speed strips usually are used to feed 2 rounds at a time into adjacent chambers in the cylinder, but I always rotate the cylinder so the two chambers I'm loading are farthest from the frame - well away from any interference from the grip, no matter how large it may be. Did you perhaps mean to refer to a speed loader, which loads all 5 chambers at once? I've found that I have to do a bit of fiddling with speed loaders (both Safariland and HKS) with almost all of the grips I've tried on my Js.

[Redleg2814]

Thanks for the responses. Does the Hogue Bantam allow the pinkie finger to rest on the grip? Again...just from photos...it doesn't look like it would so I never considered it.

I tested the orientation of the ejection and while holding it up straight helps, the round against the cylinder still catches and hangs up on the rubber. I suppose I could shake it more or pump the ejection rod more than once--it will take some time to get used to.

Regarding the speed strip...because the Compacs are wider, the side of my hand brushes up against the grip (throwing off my aim) when I use the scalpel hold. It changes the way I have to angle my hand (less natural feeling). The UM grips were slim enough that I could naturally insert two rounds each time with the speed strip.

Again...thanks all for the recommendations.

[rrobertson]

I have not found the 305 to be wider then the 405 just 1/2in longer to accomodate for the pinky. It also does not interfere with any of my HKS/Safariland/BobbyMAC/5Star/Tuff/Bianchi speedloaders or speed strips. Same with the Talo grips and any of the boot/combat grips I have tried/owned. There were a couple of the cheap knock off brands, cant remember the names as I threw them out right away, that did indeed interfere and need to be shaven/sliced for the speedloaders to fit correctly. If you stay with any of the grips on S&W's website or the major brands like Sarge/Altamonts/Ahrends/Nill/Hogue/etc etc you shouldnt/wont have a problem.

[feralmerril]

I like these eagle secret service grips on my model 40.

[chuck8388]

IMO Ahrends Combats are the way to go. No clearance problems and fit great. 60.00 + shipping [email protected]

[photoman]

How in the world do the Uncle Mike's combat grips add two inches to the gun?

[Redleg2814]

Originally Posted by Photoman44

How in the world do the Uncle Mike's combat grips add two inches to the gun?

Not sure. When the UM combats are on, the revolver is 2 inches taller.... Measured from top of rear sight to bottom of grip. The Compac adds just under a 1/4 inch in length compared to the UM... Measured from crown to furthest point of grip.

[photoman]

We must be talking about two different grips. As you can see in the pics below, the UM combat grips add approximately 1/2" to the gun.

[4330Inroute]

Originally Posted by Redleg2814

Regarding the speed strip...because the Compacs are wider, the side of my hand brushes up against the grip (throwing off my aim) when I use the scalpel hold. It changes the way I have to angle my hand (less natural feeling). The UM grips were slim enough that I could naturally insert two rounds each time with the speed strip.

What is a "scalpel hold"? I am not familiar with this. Would you mind giving a brief description.
Thanks

[Redleg2814]

Photoman.. . We may be talking about different grips. Mine are not two piece grips. When I get home I'll try and snap a photo.

Inroute... The scalpel hold is one of the techniques for holding the strip. With the strip face down (bullets facing down for reloading in cylinder) your index finger runs along the length of the strip while your thumb and middle finger hold and manipulate the strip. I cant post a link from my phone... Search YouTube for Massad Ayoob Speed Strip. Thats what I used for an instructional video.

[coiler666]

+1 on the Houges...great look as well as fit.Mike

[Redleg2814]

Just to confirm.... Do the Hogue Bantams allow all 3 fingers to grip? Is it the middle and ring finger on the top groove and pinkie on bottom groove?

[Redleg2814]

Ricky... That's a great photo. Really shows the hold. I tok have small hands so hopefully my mileage would be similar. I wanted a grip where my pinky actually has a rest... But i suppose i could get over it so long as i can make contact. At least give it a shot (no pun intended). Youre firing the load I'd be looking at too.

So is the difference between Boot grip and Bantam that you cant wrap a pinky on the bottom of Boot?

[les strat]

Like the picture shows, the Hogues do not allow anywhere for the pinky for any size hands, but for some reason, they control very well for me on my 642. I have them in wood though.

[Redleg2814]

I may be overvaluing the importance of wrapping my pinky finger. Will have to try this grip

[gruntdeputy]

I have been carrying a Model 37 Airweight for over 30-years. I have a very old Pachmayr Presentation grip on it, which appears to have the same profile as the current Compac. It has the scallop at the bottom of the grip for the little finger to fit into.

I practice with Bianchi Speed Strips, Tuff Products Quik Strips and HKS speedloaders. I use the same hold on the speed strips as is described above. I’m sure that I’ve had an occasional empty casing catch on the edge of the grip, but take that in stride. That’s part of shooting revolvers, like not hitting the magazine well straight-on with a semiautomatic. The biggest complaint about J-frame revolvers has always been about the short ejector stroke.

I think the issue is technique more than the grips themselves. Remember that the three most important words in shooting are “Practice, practice and practice.” I recently bought two sets of snapcaps so that I could practice using speedloaders (safely) in my garage, because I cannot use them on the indoor range where I shoot (they bounce ahead of the firing line.)

Good luck.
Frank

[4330Inroute]

Redleg2814
Thanks for the description. I misunderstood the original post thinking it was a hold for your J frame not the speed strip. I use the same method but did not know it had a specific name.
I use the compac on a Model 36 with a Bianchi 3s IWB. They are bulky compared to the factory Smith grips but I tend to be more accurate with them. I really need to have a place for my little finger to go the boot grips are just to short for me.
Let us know what you finaly go with.

[Redleg2814]

I stopped at a Bass Pro and happened to find the Hogue Bantam. Seemed like a sign from a higher power to purchase.

After some wrangling with the Hogue install tool...I managed to get a good fit on the 60-10. I can still get a secure grip, despite not having a pinky rest--it's not natural feeling yet but I think it will over time. I'm going to try shooting some 38 +p 158 grain lswchp out of it and see how well it feels. I'll also try the 38 +p 125 sjhp as well.

Thanks for all the advice so far. I'm waiting for my offset IWB holster to arrive--should be a good match.

[caryg]

I have tried every grip known to man for my J frames, I have big hands and when alls said and done I keep going back to original wood grips that came on gun, conceals good and tames the 38 ok.

[Redleg2814]

Originally Posted by caryg

I have tried every grip known to man for my J frames, I have big hands and when alls said and done I keep going back to original wood grips that came on gun, conceals good and tames the 38 ok.

What type of wood grip are these? My 60-10 was purchased used--all it had were Uncle Mike combats (3 fingers) and the Pachmayr Compacs that were thrown in.

[caryg]

Good old Altamonts, My guns are dated in the sixties.

[turnejm]

Like other people have expressed, the choice of a grip material and shape are a personal choice. My choice is a checkered rosewood or cocobolo. The Mod 60-15 is a favorite and is fun at the range! The wife likes to carry the Mod M&P 360 for purse carry with Hornady Critical Defense 357's.

[M3Stuart]

I hope you like your Bantams.

The K frame bantams have a place for your pinky, the J frame bantams don't - but I like them a lot better than the Pachmayr Compac product for a J frame I'm going to conceal. The Compacs are bulkier.

That said, I prefer the Compacs on my J frame 4" 34. But for CCW, the Bantams win hands down.

[snubshooter]

As to the width of the Packies compac, I have a set of 1970's vintage and a set that is about 2 years old. The new set is about an eighth in. wider than the older set. For ejection I hold the cylinder through the window w/left hand and eject w/right hand (muzzle up) and turn the cylinder slightly to jar out recalcitrant empties.

[AZretired]

For concealment on my 642 I use the Uncle Mike's Boot grips, they work just fine as I wrap my pinky underneath. However I do like the Pachmayr Compacs and keep them on my 638. I don't have an issue loading with Speed Strips. Been doing it for 35 years, but I don't do it the way Mas shows.