How to grip a J-frame to avoid thumb hitting cylinder release?

[s&wchad]

This technique works for Jerry!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIwVK_FxGZk[/ame]

 

[walkin' trails]

The grips play a big part depending on the size of your hands. First and foremost, a thumbs down and locked grip keeps the thumbs clear of any protrusions to hit on, such as the cylinder latch. I currently use Hogue Bantam boot grips because they seem to be just wide enough to keep my thumbs far enough out to start with. Can't say those grips are perfect, but they're the best mix of shooting control, comfort and concealability I've found yet. But start with locking the shooting thumb down with the support thumb. Its difficult sometimes especially when you also have semi autos on the menu and use a thumbs forward grip for them. I wouldn't recommend switching my semi auto grip to match a revolver because of the different characteristics of the guns.

 

[L-2]

I've got various grip/stocks on my various J-frames.
My largest j-frame grip is my favorite to shoot with but sometimes too large to carry:
shorturl.at/FIJOR (copy & paste for the Amazon link)

I've also filed down the bottom edge of the cylinder latch on a couple of j-frames (newer latches). The blood & pain was just too annoying when the latch cuts into my thumb. I think I also knocked down the height of the checkering on those latches, too. See attached photo, below.

 

[rockquarry]

The Pachmayr and similar rubber stocks help a lot in shooting, but, as mentioned, take away from the designed compactness of the revolver. If such large stocks are needed, seems it would be more practical to move up to a K-frame snub nose .38 and use the standard factory stocks.

 

[Old cop]

As a south-paw this was never a problem for me & I only became aware of it when teaching a newbie how to shoot one. Have you considered wrapping a band aid or adhesive tape around the thumb?

 

[Muss Muggins]

Actually, he’s correct. Have you considered that you may be the bot?

I know you, you copy and paste this reply to every thread mentioning the polymer bodyguard 38. Or you are a bot. I'm sorry you had bad experience with this revolver, but not everyone has had the same experiences as you.

 

[MajorD]

I lay my thumb of the shooting had on the top left edge of the frame, just a bit higher than your picture

 

[mod57]

Lefty Here - my thumb is on the other side!
I also like Pachs and similar grips.
Here’s set on my 640.

Who makes that holster!

 

[S-W4EVER]

T he Bodyguard 38 isn’t a J frame: it’s an action that isn’t used in any other gun.

It jams reliably : a design defect Smith won’t fix.

I sure wouldn’t buy it for sd.

To be honest, I’ve never touched one. I can’t see how the J Frame could be improved, in my lifetime anyway.

When I bought my Chief’s Special in ‘76, the recoil (with the stock grips) would take the skin off of the knuckle on my left thumb when I fired it. A set of Pachmayr Compacs solved that issue. Since I’ve had good luck with the Boot Grips that came on my newer JFrames I recently replaced those grips with Boot Grips (more concealable).

 

[chief38]

Rubber grips are a double edged sword! Yes, they tame recoil on the small J Frames, they give you a much better purchase on the gun with stiff recoiling rounds but they also make it harder to conceal, stick to clothing and (specifically Pachmeyer's) have cause rust on two of my guns due to the metal insert cutting through the rubber and touching the guns grip frame. Check them often to make sure this doesn't happen to yours! IMHO the old Uncle Mikes were metal free and better than the Pachy's.

Therefore..... When I carried a J Frame M60-7 for many many years, I did not use rubber grips for very long. I used custom made grips along with a Tyler T. Yea, the recoil was a bit more pronounced but at least for daily EDC I had no issues of sticking, bulk or rust. I practiced with standard velocity 158 grain RNL or FNL and stoked it with either Buffalo Bore +P or Gold Dot +P for CCW. I don't really see a J Frame as a recreational every day shooter.

 

[pmandayam]

I can’t see how the J Frame could be improved, in my lifetime anyway.

The J-frame can be improved by moving the cylinder release to the top of the gun so that the cylinder release doesn't rub against the thumb, which is a common problem with old J-frames.

Another way it can be improved is by covering the metal backstrap and the backstrap edge with rubber so it feels better on the palm and web of the hand.

Polymer revolvers are also cheaper and lighter. And they may even absorb recoil better if it's true that the polymer flexes to absorb some of the recoil.

And thus, the bodyguard 38 is an improvement to the original J-frame.

 

[mod57]

It’s just my opinion but I find the 38 Bodyguard inferior in every way to the J frame. It is definitely not my cup of tea . I especially dislike that it does not use conventional J frame stocks. Besides it is ugly and life is too short for it and yes I dislike the Ruger polymers too.

 

[rockquarry]

It’s just my opinion but I find the 38 Bodyguard inferior in every way to the J frame. It is definitely not my cup of tea . I especially dislike that it does not use conventional J frame stocks. Besides it is ugly and life is too short for it and yes I dislike the Ruger polymers too.

You're right on all counts. Most know how to hold the J-frame guns with the thumb in the proper place, just as the guns were designed, seventy or so years ago. S&W has made a few of these guns and did it right, but it takes the expert newschoolers to lodge a complaint on poor design.

And yes, looks are worth something to many shooters, but hideous is okay to others.

 

[Muss Muggins]

And thus, the bodyguard 38 is an improvement to the original J-frame.

I'm just spitballing here, but isn't your original post full of what's wrong with the j frame and why you can't shoot the bodyguard without malfunction?

 

[pmandayam]

I'm just spitballing here, but isn't your original post full of what's wrong with the j frame and why you can't shoot the bodyguard without malfunction?

My original post was asking how to hold the old style J-frames such as the 442, 642s, etc. I held one at the shop and I could never figure out how to get a proper, comfortable grip with the stock grips mainly because the cylinder release was hitting my thumb.

But when I tried the bodyguard 38, I found that the grip was completely natural and satisfactory for me.

 

[S-W4EVER]

T

I’m glad you found a revolver you’re happy with.

I am perfectly happy with my J Frames, so much in fact that I own close to a dozen of them in various configurations. In the past, I always felt like I needed to modify them in some way to make them more user friendly (usually with better grips) but the newest ones, my 442-2 and 340PD are perfect out of the box for me. Dark finish, smooth trigger, no lock, improved thumbpiece, & boot grips make up the perfect little revolver for me. YMMV.

 

[556A2]

See attached

 

[Muss Muggins]

My bad . . .

My original post was asking how to hold the old style J-frames such as the 442, 642s, etc. I held one at the shop and I could never figure out how to get a proper, comfortable grip with the stock grips mainly because the cylinder release was hitting my thumb.

But when I tried the bodyguard 38, I found that the grip was completely natural and satisfactory for me.

 

[FLJoe]

See attached

I was holding my J frame like this until I saw a video by Jerry Miculek, and he advocated wrapping the thumb of your support hand around the top back of your other hand in order to control recoil. I switched to this hold and saw a definite improvement in my speed and follow up shot accuracy.

Go to 8:04 in the video below:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEHNZFTfSD8&ab_channel=JerryMiculek-ProShooter[/ame]