686 grip question

[fencr]

Can anyone tell me who makes the grips on the new 686s? I'd like to get a set.

I went by the LGS and they had a couple new 686s on the wall. The rubber grip was much better in my hand than the Pachmayr Gripper that I have now. The shop thought they were done by Uncle Mike's but they don't list any on their site.

Pachmayr also has a Gripper Professional that's smaller but I liked the contour of the current issue.

These aren't the Hoague's (sp) that are shown in the S&W store. The finger grooves are more subtle.

Anyone? Bueler? Bueler?
thanks,
Marc

 

[jack the toad]

I thought they were Hogues but maybe not???

 

[rrr2]

My 686+ pro series came with houghe monogrip. Very comfortable for large hands.

 

[chief38]

AFAIK Hogue has been making the rubber grips and Altamont has been making the "wooden" ones for Smith.

NOTE:

Ebay, GB, and other sites STILL have many older grips available for someone seeking them out.

 

[jstanfield103]

Hogue, Grips several on ebay.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

The newest standard production M686's have S&W proprietary neoprene/rubber grip. I thought these grips were sold on S&W's web site, but all I see now are the Hogues you can get anywhere for half the price. These new S&W grips are traditional two piece, unlike the Hogues which are mono-grips.

 

[fencr]

Yep.. this are the ones I'm interested in. Ty Kernel.
These have a nice contour on the sides that seems to fill the palm while not being as thick at the top and bottom. The side-on photos can't capture it well.

I gather they aren't being offered anywhere?

I'm generally not a fan of grips with finger grooves. They don't seem to fit me well.

 

[Mike_Fontenot]

I've replaced the stock grips on both my Model 69 and Model 686 with the 500 Recoil-absorbing monogrips. They are Hogues, but are sold only through S&W. Slightly larger than the stock grips, but handle the recoil much better. Just about everyone who's tried them seems to like them a lot. They DO have finger grooves, though, and generally take a while to get (about 2 months for my last order).

 

[ridgewalker]

Hi fencr. It is a good question. I wondered who makes them too. I find them more comfortable than Hogue Monogrips.

If you call S&W customer service, you can order them. If you do, and find out who makes them, be sure to let us know.

But for my hands, I still prefer Pachmayrs. I like Pachy Grippers and Decelerators.

 

[fencr]

Thanks Mike..

I'm looking for something smaller than the stock grips. The Pach Gripper Professionals are advertised as smaller than the Grippers.

I did try Hogue's. I found their deep finger grooves dictated a grip that didn't suit me. But, now that I've seen the latest incarnation of the stock rubber grips I want to see if I can find some.

Ridge.. I will call Customer Service.. i'll report what I find.

 

[fencr]

Ok, just talked to Customer Service. The skinny is this: The grips supplied with the current issue 686s are made by Uncle Mike's. Interesting because UMs doesn't seem to offer any grips on their site. S&W Customer Service has one (maybe more) in stock.. he said $27.75. I said sold. I got into the specifics to make sure he wasn't sending a set of Hogue's and he said no these the current stock issue and are from Mike's. He was calling this a "round frame to square conversion."

He then said that the new 686s are all round frame and the grips require a round frame to square conversion. My 586 is a square frame. So.. no joy. So close and yet so far.. But, this may work for others.

Now, I'm on to heckling Uncle Mike's to help those of us with square frames.
Marc

 

[fencr]

Ok, this gets better and better. After calling Shop at Uncle Mike's and discovering that they are just a franchise selling UM's products and getting redirected to UM's customer service which is actually a sub of Bushnell. I'm told that UM's does NOT make grips for S&W. I pointed out that S&W thinks that you do and they are currently selling something they identify as coming from you. I asked when did you stop making grips? CS said 2-3 years. CS said UM's may have an agreement to make something for a particular company but nothing that we keep an inventory of (or some such thing). He was not as helpful as a I was hoping for.

Marc