Spencer4006
Member
J frame Delta Grip review
The Delta Grip is a very unusual looking grip to put on any gun, let alone a classically styled S&W revolver. Purists will cry, yet those who are daring enough, may be in for quite a nice surprise.
I first encountered one of these grips at a local shooting range. I used to work at a LGS and got to know quite a few people in the firearms community this way. One of my old customers happened to be shooting in the lane next to me and we got to talking and trying out each others equipment when he whipped out a S&W 642 with a delta grip. He told me to try it out with the hand loaded +p full wadcutters he had and I ran it with some factory +p hollowpoints I had with me. I was hesitant because of how off the grip felt in my hand, but I did notice one thing right off the bat. I have an issue with my trigger finger hitting the tip of my thumb while pulling the trigger on most small frame revolvers (which is why I like sp101's, they don't do that to me) but with this grip, I did not experience that. So my hopes rose a bit. Then I actually pulled the trigger... The design of this grip finally made sense to me. Obviously, the extra rubber around the grip frame made a difference in felt recoil, but the magic seems to happen in the odd were shaped grip. And I do mean "magic".
The way the grip sits in the hand makes the hand stretch more around the top of the grip, making the muscles more tense in the wrist and strengthening the tightness in the wrist, while the bottom of the grip gets smaller to prevent the fun from rolling back or slipping back in the hand. This also seems to make it easier to keep an even amount of pressure from both sides of the grip and the front. I often times find with small framed revolvers with full sized grips that my pinky pulls my shots low if I don't concentrate because of how used to boot grips I have become. Again, this is something I didn't have to concentrate on with this grip.
Forward to present
I received the Delta grip I ordered from Amazon yesterday and I immediately threw them on my new 642-1 I bought for armed security duty when I'm just sitting in the guard truck and for executive protection as another backup gun to my 3" Ruger Sp101. I was finding the exposed grip frame was really slamming the bones in the web of my hand which I why I ordered a different grip.
I only had the time to run 50 rounds of range ammo and 5 rounds of my duty ammo through my 642 with Delta Grip. I didn't really feel any difference with the standard .38 LSWC reloads I make, but shooting the super hot S&W brand 90gr .38+p jacketed lead soft points I carry on duty was a while different story. These rounds are some of the hottest loaded and snappiest .38 special round I have EVER fired, and feel more like +P+ or factory .357 mag ammo. These grips really took away the shock to the bones in the web of my hand that this ammo always gives me. The extra rubber on top of the grip frame is a big help but the lack of motion in my wrist and the tight grip the Delta Grip provides really changes the way recoil is felt. I didn't notice any real change in accuracy but 50 rounds is hardly a full evaluation coming from a accuracy standpoint.
I also expected to have problems with speed loaders just basked in the picture of the grip on the internet. Again, my worries were put to test, and in case nobody wants to believe me, here is the proof that a safariland speed loader works:
One of the main things I was worried about with this grip was being able to pocket carry it or conceal it in general. Pocket carry seemed like it was going to be impossible, but the shape of the grip actually makes it quite easy. The somewhat naturally round wedge shape somewhat hides the shape of the revolver in the pocket and if it prints, it does not look like a gun, but more of a cell phone, and with an actual pocket holster, the best way I can describe how it looks is that it looks like nothing and anything. Nobody is going to think " that guy has a gun in his pocket" if they are on the bus with you or pass you by on the street because it is such a funky shape. Tyre it in my pocket and asked my dad and my wife where my gun was on me and they actually thought it was in the pocket my wallet was in. My old gunstore co-worker also couldn't tell me where it was and overlooked it, assuming that I had it IWB. When trying it out in various holsters and positions, I found that this grip really doesn't print at all. This unusually shaped grip seems to make no real shape unless it's owb with a tight t shirt.
One of my favorite ways to conceal hammerless and bobbed hammer revolvers is crossdraw. I love serpa holsters but there really aren't any for small framed revolvers except J frames. So I jumped on the chance to get one at a good price. I decided to set it up for crossdraw belt carry for when I'm just sitting in the stationary guard truck all day. Makes for a very comfy and safe rig. While carrying on duty yesterday, it got quite cold so I threw on a zip up hoodie. The first thing I noticed is that my 642-1 just disappeared under the hoodie and literally didn't print at all except for a small crease where the barrel was... Even the boot grip printed more than that! I have NEVER had that kind of luck with using a serpa holster in a concealment role. This is because of the round and scheme as shape the Delta Grip is designed with.
One more big gripe about carrying crossroad is that I always find that whatever gun I am carrying is easier to get to while standing, mostly because of the angle and shape of 99% of handgun grips out there. Again, the Delta Grip knocked it out of the park with this one. Having such an extreme angle on the front strap of the grip puts the grip nearly horizontal when the 642 is carried crossdraw and can be drawn easily while standing or seated. I find the extreme angle and wedged shape of the grip keeps the grip in what I call the "comfort zone" in nearly any position as long as the holster is on a good, stiff belt. I really gotta say, the Delta Grip paired with a serpa holster set up for crossdraw carry is a very comfortable say to carry if you spend a lot of time in vehicles, or just like carrying crossdraw. What turned into an expierament for me to assess and review my firearm and grip turned into finding a very sensible rig for light vehicle duty (i do this 5 days a week).
Here is a picture of my 642-1 on top of my 3" sp101 with bobbed hammer for a size comparison:
Conclusion:
My father always taught me that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. I never really listened, and this just kills his point, except in the looks department... For the money, the Ergo Delta Grip is one of the best grips on the market for the J frame S&W revolvers, and probably the most functional grip designed to date. It allows the user to have a small gun with a full size grip, that can be carried In any manner, works well for casual pocket carry, IWB, and especially owb crossdraw. It prints less than any grip I have ever seen and when it does print, it does not look like the grip of a gun, or much of anything else for that matter. This is a product that was very well thought out and executed. I especially recommend this grip for the Airweight S&W J frames for anybody who is serious about shooting snubbies or carries their gun in more than one position in any given day.
I am going to try to hit the range later today to run at least another 200 rounds through my 642-1 so I can get a better idea of the recoil reduction the Delta Grip actually gives. I will post some pix of my 5, 7, 15, and MAYBE a group from 25 yard if I feel daring.more to come...
Here is a picture of what the grip looks like in my hand.it's very cofortable.
The Delta Grip is a very unusual looking grip to put on any gun, let alone a classically styled S&W revolver. Purists will cry, yet those who are daring enough, may be in for quite a nice surprise.
I first encountered one of these grips at a local shooting range. I used to work at a LGS and got to know quite a few people in the firearms community this way. One of my old customers happened to be shooting in the lane next to me and we got to talking and trying out each others equipment when he whipped out a S&W 642 with a delta grip. He told me to try it out with the hand loaded +p full wadcutters he had and I ran it with some factory +p hollowpoints I had with me. I was hesitant because of how off the grip felt in my hand, but I did notice one thing right off the bat. I have an issue with my trigger finger hitting the tip of my thumb while pulling the trigger on most small frame revolvers (which is why I like sp101's, they don't do that to me) but with this grip, I did not experience that. So my hopes rose a bit. Then I actually pulled the trigger... The design of this grip finally made sense to me. Obviously, the extra rubber around the grip frame made a difference in felt recoil, but the magic seems to happen in the odd were shaped grip. And I do mean "magic".
The way the grip sits in the hand makes the hand stretch more around the top of the grip, making the muscles more tense in the wrist and strengthening the tightness in the wrist, while the bottom of the grip gets smaller to prevent the fun from rolling back or slipping back in the hand. This also seems to make it easier to keep an even amount of pressure from both sides of the grip and the front. I often times find with small framed revolvers with full sized grips that my pinky pulls my shots low if I don't concentrate because of how used to boot grips I have become. Again, this is something I didn't have to concentrate on with this grip.
Forward to present
I received the Delta grip I ordered from Amazon yesterday and I immediately threw them on my new 642-1 I bought for armed security duty when I'm just sitting in the guard truck and for executive protection as another backup gun to my 3" Ruger Sp101. I was finding the exposed grip frame was really slamming the bones in the web of my hand which I why I ordered a different grip.
I only had the time to run 50 rounds of range ammo and 5 rounds of my duty ammo through my 642 with Delta Grip. I didn't really feel any difference with the standard .38 LSWC reloads I make, but shooting the super hot S&W brand 90gr .38+p jacketed lead soft points I carry on duty was a while different story. These rounds are some of the hottest loaded and snappiest .38 special round I have EVER fired, and feel more like +P+ or factory .357 mag ammo. These grips really took away the shock to the bones in the web of my hand that this ammo always gives me. The extra rubber on top of the grip frame is a big help but the lack of motion in my wrist and the tight grip the Delta Grip provides really changes the way recoil is felt. I didn't notice any real change in accuracy but 50 rounds is hardly a full evaluation coming from a accuracy standpoint.
I also expected to have problems with speed loaders just basked in the picture of the grip on the internet. Again, my worries were put to test, and in case nobody wants to believe me, here is the proof that a safariland speed loader works:
One of the main things I was worried about with this grip was being able to pocket carry it or conceal it in general. Pocket carry seemed like it was going to be impossible, but the shape of the grip actually makes it quite easy. The somewhat naturally round wedge shape somewhat hides the shape of the revolver in the pocket and if it prints, it does not look like a gun, but more of a cell phone, and with an actual pocket holster, the best way I can describe how it looks is that it looks like nothing and anything. Nobody is going to think " that guy has a gun in his pocket" if they are on the bus with you or pass you by on the street because it is such a funky shape. Tyre it in my pocket and asked my dad and my wife where my gun was on me and they actually thought it was in the pocket my wallet was in. My old gunstore co-worker also couldn't tell me where it was and overlooked it, assuming that I had it IWB. When trying it out in various holsters and positions, I found that this grip really doesn't print at all. This unusually shaped grip seems to make no real shape unless it's owb with a tight t shirt.
One of my favorite ways to conceal hammerless and bobbed hammer revolvers is crossdraw. I love serpa holsters but there really aren't any for small framed revolvers except J frames. So I jumped on the chance to get one at a good price. I decided to set it up for crossdraw belt carry for when I'm just sitting in the stationary guard truck all day. Makes for a very comfy and safe rig. While carrying on duty yesterday, it got quite cold so I threw on a zip up hoodie. The first thing I noticed is that my 642-1 just disappeared under the hoodie and literally didn't print at all except for a small crease where the barrel was... Even the boot grip printed more than that! I have NEVER had that kind of luck with using a serpa holster in a concealment role. This is because of the round and scheme as shape the Delta Grip is designed with.
One more big gripe about carrying crossroad is that I always find that whatever gun I am carrying is easier to get to while standing, mostly because of the angle and shape of 99% of handgun grips out there. Again, the Delta Grip knocked it out of the park with this one. Having such an extreme angle on the front strap of the grip puts the grip nearly horizontal when the 642 is carried crossdraw and can be drawn easily while standing or seated. I find the extreme angle and wedged shape of the grip keeps the grip in what I call the "comfort zone" in nearly any position as long as the holster is on a good, stiff belt. I really gotta say, the Delta Grip paired with a serpa holster set up for crossdraw carry is a very comfortable say to carry if you spend a lot of time in vehicles, or just like carrying crossdraw. What turned into an expierament for me to assess and review my firearm and grip turned into finding a very sensible rig for light vehicle duty (i do this 5 days a week).
Here is a picture of my 642-1 on top of my 3" sp101 with bobbed hammer for a size comparison:
Conclusion:
My father always taught me that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. I never really listened, and this just kills his point, except in the looks department... For the money, the Ergo Delta Grip is one of the best grips on the market for the J frame S&W revolvers, and probably the most functional grip designed to date. It allows the user to have a small gun with a full size grip, that can be carried In any manner, works well for casual pocket carry, IWB, and especially owb crossdraw. It prints less than any grip I have ever seen and when it does print, it does not look like the grip of a gun, or much of anything else for that matter. This is a product that was very well thought out and executed. I especially recommend this grip for the Airweight S&W J frames for anybody who is serious about shooting snubbies or carries their gun in more than one position in any given day.
I am going to try to hit the range later today to run at least another 200 rounds through my 642-1 so I can get a better idea of the recoil reduction the Delta Grip actually gives. I will post some pix of my 5, 7, 15, and MAYBE a group from 25 yard if I feel daring.more to come...
Here is a picture of what the grip looks like in my hand.it's very cofortable.
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