Altamont grips

[sousana]

Hammer, virtually all my revolvers, about 90% wear Altamonts, either super rosewood or Silver Black. Only one like that was on a set of Silver Black smooth for a new mod 36LS, called Altamont and sent them back, got replacements 24hrs after they received mine, they were perfect.

 

[chief38]

Altamont makes grips that will serve the purpose however they are not "my cup of tea" and I'd not personally buy any. If I needed to replace a worn or beat up set of original grips, there is nothing like another pair of originals. Still available on eBay, gun shows and even some LGS.

That is just my personal feeling and I am aware I might not be in the majority here - so if they float your boat - buy them. If they don't then get a set of originals. We still have a choice!

 

[65Whelen]

I find myself looking to replace the rubber grips on an N-Frame. If not Altamonts, what grips do you recommend? Would like to find something as close to original which was the RF Combats.

 

[sousana]

Altamont makes grips that will serve the purpose however they are not "my cup of tea" and I'd not personally buy any. If I needed to replace a worn or beat up set of original grips, there is nothing like another pair of originals. Still available on eBay, gun shows and even some LGS.

That is just my personal feeling and I am aware I might not be in the majority here - so if they float your boat - buy them. If they don't then get a set of originals. We still have a choice!

I am a great fan of the large Combat grips. Today at my LGS I found a consecutive numbered pair of mod 64 2" REVOLVERS RB, sitting in the $5bin was 3 sets of RB to SB combat conversion grips. Also found 8 glock 17rd mags, 12 17rd BHP FDE mags, 21 18rd mecgar 92fs mags along with 6 beretta 84f mags and 2 23rd beretta 92 mags. At $5 a mag, what a haul. BTW the 64 2" revolvers ran me 392 each plus tax, the revolvers show absolutely no sign of use and the combat stocks look awesome. Now I'm debiting on whether to keep the smooth pachmyers on my other 64 2" or put the 3rd pair of combats on.

As to grips, I say go with what works for you.

 

[SWFan27]

I know this is an old thread, but my Altamont grips fit my modern Smith & Wesson K frame revolvers perfectly. Maybe the new grips are not cut for the older revolvers? Mine do not have the gaps the OP pictured.

And there may be nicer grips out there than Altamonts, but they are three to four times the cost. I almost ordered some Eagle grips yesterday. What stopped me was the price. For a modern revolver that is a shooter, $350 is a lot of money to spend on grips/stocks. My Altamont grips are fine and less than a hundred dollars.

 

[Harv 24]

I too ordered a Pair from Altamont. I have to wait for my 617 to come back from S&W and then we'll see how they fit.

 

[wproct]

My only experience with Altamont grips was a pair for my Smith & Wesson Victory semi-auto. Fit was very good and overall quality I felt was good. It turned out that I could not use them because of the shape of them, kind of squared off and bothered my arthritic hands, but that's on me. My main experience with revolver grips has always been Hogue, and their fit and finish has always been excellent, as is their customer service. The only caveat with Hogue revolver grips is their method of attachment which is a screw going up through the bottom of the grip so that causes the shape of the grips to be a little longer than they otherwise would have to be.

 

[francoisallais]

It was a littel bit difficult for me to purchase Altamont grip since they do not export outside USA (I'm French)

Thanks to a friend, I finaly succeeded in purchasing a wonderful grip made of rosewood for my model 22-4.

Reading this post I checked the ajustment of this grip.

That true: it could be better à the level of the bud.

Nevertheless the way I position my hand (rather small) avoids any probleml when shooting.

So I go on in loving this grip

 

[SLT223]

I never like the Altamont decorative panels. I assume they were designed by a non-shooter. Definitely not someone who shoots 44 Magnum. They are way too narrow at the back strap. Also not a fan of their recreative attempt at what Smith used to produce in-house. The bear hug grips on the new Mountain guns are a step in the right direction but still lack a high end aesthetic of the old grips.

 

[maxfam]

Altamont quality control has gone downhill and is picking up speed. They sell seconds on GB and eB, but don't indicate that in their listings. Altamont used to "Burn" their name on the inside of first run grips, but not on the "seconds". I guess now all of their grips are "seconds".

 

[francoisallais]

I never like the Altamont decorative panels. I assume they were designed by a non-shooter. Definitely not someone who shoots 44 Magnum. They are way too narrow at the back strap. Also not a fan of their recreative attempt at what Smith used to produce in-house. The bear hug grips on the new Mountain guns are a step in the right direction but still lack a high end aesthetic of the old grips.

Thanks for your opinion.
Mine is not one of a shooter, more perhaps one of gun lover who is rather seduced by the esthétic than by the functionality.
As I said I have rather small hands and when I shoot whit my mod 22-4 .45 acp caliber, its easier for me with the Alamont grip than with the origin oine.

 

[SWFan27]

I never like the Altamont decorative panels. I assume they were designed by a non-shooter. Definitely not someone who shoots 44 Magnum. They are way too narrow at the back strap. Also not a fan of their recreative attempt at what Smith used to produce in-house. The bear hug grips on the new Mountain guns are a step in the right direction but still lack a high end aesthetic of the old grips.

Tyler Gun Works does the new Mountain Gun grips, and not Altamont.

 

[SLT223]

Tyler Gun Works does the new Mountain Gun grips, and not Altamont.

I'm aware. Regardless of who makes them it's a step in the right direction…..away from altamont.

 

[francoisallais]

Altamont quality control has gone downhill and is picking up speed. They sell seconds on GB and eB, but don't indicate that in their listings. Altamont used to "Burn" their name on the inside of first run grips, but not on the "seconds". I guess now all of their grips are "seconds".

Inside the grip of my 22-4 it's mention "NRP", that all.
Thanks for your information.

 

[Jcon72]

A few years ago I ordered two sets of Altamont grips directly from them. All I can say is that the products were very disappointing when they arrived, and the resulting experience with their customer service was absolutely maddening. Weeks (or months) later they FINALLY refunded my money after I returned them.
Never again.

 

[francoisallais]

When I was a student, I took a course on tools at the Sorbonne in Paris. I learned that in the past, tool handles were made by the worker using them, so that they would fit perfectly in their hand.
Of course, this was before the industrial era.
Today, we expect standardized products to meet personalized requirements.
However, demanding precision in the stock details for a standardized weapon shape is a minimum. A perfect fit for the hand is another story, as everyone has a specific hand shape. This is probably why there are different manufacturers of stock at different prices, which must also be taken into account when choosing.

 

[Drm50]

I've had no problems with Altamont and had to make a very small adjustment on a CZ-75 for magazine release. Other than that the others went on like they had eyes. Have them for 1911s, S&W J-K-N in both Magna and Target style. Also on M41 & M39.
I happy with them and their CS is very good.

 

[AudieMurphy]

the ones Altamont sells on GB are mostly seconds and dont line up or are offset some from the other side. thats why they're so cheaply listed....I found that out

 

[Drm50]

the ones Altamont sells on GB are mostly seconds and dont line up or are offset some from the other side. thats why they're so cheaply listed....I found that out

I haven't found that to be the case with ones I've gotten from their listings on eBay. I've got several sets at present, around 10 that all sold for $10-$15. I have 1911, K&N Magna that were all straight from factory. I bid on them all the time to replace grips on guns I get that come with rubbers. I can find no fault or difference in the eBay grips, and I compare them to those bought new from Altamont. I'm sure as with any product a bad one gets past inspection once in awhile. It doesn't even make sense that a company would sell substandard product. That would only result in bad PR. The sale of 20-30 sets of grips wouldn't be worth it.
You don't find that out by buying one set of grips.

 

[SWFan27]

I haven't found that to be the case with ones I've gotten from their listings on eBay. I've got several sets at present, around 10 that all sold for $10-$15. I have 1911, K&N Magna that were all straight from factory. I bid on them all the time to replace grips on guns I get that come with rubbers. I can find no fault or difference in the eBay grips, and I compare them to those bought new from Altamont. I'm sure as with any product a bad one gets past inspection once in awhile. It doesn't even make sense that a company would sell substandard product. That would only result in bad PR. The sale of 20-30 sets of grips wouldn't be worth it.
You don't find that out by buying one set of grips.

Altamont told me that they use EBay to sell discontinued items and things like that.

 

[pokey074]

Every single pair of Altamonts I've tried have been junk. Sent everyone back. Poor design, poor fitting, poor materials.

 

[MelvinWalker]

Every single pair of Altamonts I've tried have been junk. Sent everyone back. Poor design, poor fitting, poor materials.

I have had several factory S&W grips that didn't fit and weren't anything to write home about either.

I have several factory target grips that I really like and several Altamont grips that I really like. I have a set of Bateleur rosewood Altamonts on a Model 64 that are some of the best fitting and designed grips I have ever shot.

 

[Harv 24]

Well...Thanks to all of you enablers... I decided I wanted a second set of grips to try, so I took a shot at the ones on Ebay that come from Thailand. So when my 617 comes back from S&W in a few more weeks (I Hope...) I can try them both and see which ones I like the best.

 

[buffalobillh]

I have a couple pairs of Altamont that I beveled the corners/edges down the backstrap and in the front of the left panel near the thumbpiece, and I took off those corners at the top of the backstrap. It worked fine, and no refinishing needed. Needless to say, I was not thrilled that those adjustments were required.

 

[Jcon72]

Well...Thanks to all of you enablers... I decided I wanted a second set of grips to try, so I took a shot at the ones on Ebay that come from Thailand. So when my 617 comes back from S&W in a few more weeks (I Hope...) I can try them both and see which ones I like the best.

Some of those Thai grips are actually very nice. I only spent about $50 on these, and they fit almost as snugly as a set of Craig Spegels that I also own.