Lets talk about J-Frame Grips......

Gtoppcop- Those grips look amazing! And that is some excellent shooting too!

As far as J-frame grips go, I'm currently using the hogue micarta grips, they are decent. I would pay a lot of money for ahrends to make me a sccaled down pair of their finger grove tactical grips to fit a J frame.
 
I use these banana grips on my Bug.
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All,

Thanks for the kind words about the Spegels and the Chiefs. It's my idea of simple and effective armament. As many of us here have surmised, there are many, many shades of grips for the venerable J-Frame revolver.

I have evolved on the subject over a period of many years. I still like the old (without emblem) Pachmayr COMPACs for the J-Frame Round Butt. These are for gun that are in a hip or IWB holster. They are the best of the oversized grips for the model IMO.

I will allow that the J-Frame Service Panels (S/B or R/B) have their place, but must be used with a T-Grip or Pachmayr grip adapter. I use them on my 1998-vintage Model 38-2 Bodyguard (detailed much earlier on this Forum).

I use this Bodyguard Airweight for pocket carry (with a pocket holster!) around the house. As you can see, the Service panels allow for near seamless carry in a front jeans pocket.

I did pick-up a new shooting style for these small guns from our esteemed Jerry Miculek. The high "1911 Thumb" was something I came up with, or learned from Clint Smith. I can't recall exactly. The result is a impediment-free trigger action that can deliver five shots in about 1.5 seconds (if that's your thing...).

It may look weird, but I urge each of you to try it. Some of you will like it, others won't. Just another arrow in your quiver, if you will.

When I volunteered at my local SoCal gun shop, I cringed when the well-meaning husband would buy a J-Frame Airweight or worse, an Airlight for 'Mama Bear'. It never got used and often found itself back in the case unfired for a heckuva good price.

These are Expert's Guns. Many people who have these as a first gun, don't devote the training required to attain a modicum of proficiency with them and quickly lose interest.

When I was an LEO, I trained with this Bodyguard and a Centennial all the time. We had a range downstairs in the Sally Port, so when blizzards or torrential rains hit the Mile-High City, I was able to train sitting down (to simulate accessing my Mitch Rosen Duncan's Ankle rig while seated in my Patrol Car), or supine. Like the venerable 1911 or K-Frame S&W, I can't remember a time in my life I've been without a J-Frame.

Knowing and being able to manipulate the piece under stress, or at least have a level of proficiency and knowing the envelope to employ it in are the biggest parts of learning the J-Frame. I am in no way an expert, but rather an "informed user" of this wonderful weapon system.

Whew!




 
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All,

Thanks for the kind words about the Spegels and the Chiefs. It's my idea of simple and effective armament. As many of us here have surmised, there are many, many shades of grips for the venerable J-Frame revolver.

I have evolved on the subject over a period of many years. I still like the old (without emblem) Pachmayr COMPACs for the J-Frame Round Butt. These are for gun that are in a hip or IWB holster. They are the best of the oversized grips for the model IMO.

I will allow that the J-Frame Service Panels (S/B or R/B) have their place, but must be used with a T-Grip or Pachmayr grip adapter. I se them on my 1998-vintage Model 38-2 Bodyguard (detailed much earlier on this Forum).

I use this Bodyguard Airweight for pocket carry (with a pocket holster!) around the house. As you can see, the Service panels allow for near seamless carry in a front jeans pocket.

I did pick-up a new shooting style for these small guns from our esteemed Jerry Miculek. The high "1911 Thumb" was something I came up with, or learned from Clint Smith. I can't recall exactly. The result is a impediment-free trigger action that can deliver five shots in about 1.5 seconds (if that's your thing...).

It may look weird, but I urge each of you to try it. Some of you will like it, others won't. Just another arrow in your quiver, if you will.

When I volunteered at my local SoCal gun shop, I cringed when the well-meaning husband would buy a J-Frame Airweight or worse, an Airlight for 'Mama Bear'. It never got used and often found itself back in the case unfired for a heckuva good price.

These are Expert's Guns. Many people who have these as a first gun, don't devote the training required to attain a modicum of proficiency with them and quickly lose interest.

When I was an LEO, I trained with this Bodyguard and a Centennial all the time. We had a range downstairs in the Sally Port, so when blizzards or torrential rains hit the Mile-High City, I was able to train sitting down (to simulate accessing my Mitch Rosen Duncan's Ankle rig while seated in my Patrol Car), or supine. Like the venerable 1911 or K-Frame S&W, I can't remember a time in my life I've been without a J-Frame.

Knowing and being able to manipulate the piece under stress, or at least have a level of proficiency and knowing the envelope to employ it in are the biggest parts of learning the J-Frame. I am in no way an expert, but rather an "informed user" of this wonderful weapon system.

Whew!

Great story and a beautiful snub. I'll have to give your hold a try.
 
Ok, now I am officially jealous of two of your snubbies. That dovetailed big dot on your bodyguard is flawless.
 
Thanks Square. Snubs are fun. Not sure if you guys have frequented snubtraining.com by Michael DeBethancourt. Good place to go to get little life hacks. He speed loads his guns different than me. if it works for some by all means...

I use the Universal Reload on all of my revolvers (J through N Frame). On the J-Frames the grips I choose have to work with Speed Strips and my JET Loader. I also train with the 2X2X2 pouch. Decently fast, but something that takes a fair amount of practice. I have many dummies that I load up on the press, so it's easy to do while watching TV.

The Speed Strip is good, but I'm experimenting with round configuration(s). I normally have a full six rounds, but as of late, I'm staggering the five rounds. Still working at it...

 
I'm also going to try that hold. While on duty my j frame is in my pocket. I always carry a speed loader for it and I have two speed strips in an old phone case I carry.


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There's a set of flat steel grips on a 640 on a auction site right now. Very unique...
 
I like shooting j frames with that thumb over the top of my hand, but I'm always worried that if I trained that way, I might do that under stress with an auto.

Interestingly enough, I've seen a guy espouse you should do this with K frames too and claimed there are people teaching that technique. I'm not sure of what I think about that.
 
I'm afraid the questions you ask about most comfortable Jframe grips is impossible to answer, because everybody is different which is why so many types of grips are sold for the same guns.

I have carried a Jframe for many years and currently carry a 340PD. Mine wears the Hogue Bantam, and I find it to be the most comfortable even on the rare occasion I shoot 357s. I ordered a beautiful set of Craig Spegel grips because everyone said they are the ultimate Jframe grips. They were extremely beautiful, and extremely uncomfortable for me to shoot with my 340PD. As far as a pocket carry grip I have never found anything as good as the Bantam grip, but that's just me. Ask around the forum to see if there is anyone near you that would mind meeting you at the range to shoot some grips before you tie up a fortune in testing.
 
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This banana grip is very comfortable and just fits my hand.


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I just ordered a set of Pachmyr Compacs. The Tamers are getting moved to my Mom's Bodyguard .38. And I'll try these pachs. I'm liking boot grips more and more, but in order to get my fingers to all work, there needs to be something over the backstrap to get my fingers back a little. I've been wrapping rubber bands around boot grips to add that girth. I see other people wrap other stuff. What do you guys wrap?
 
Here they are:

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I'm not sure how I like them yet. They are a tad wider in the bottom end then the hogue tamers. They don't cover the backstrap all the way. And they're heavier. But they feel really good and for some reason I feel like I have more trigger control with them.

I also painted my front sight white. So it got kind of a facelift. I plan on going shooting Tuesday, so... I'll see how they feel then.
 
The older Uncle Mike combats feel good. I wouldn't mind ordering the factory rubber combats to try out but they're out of stock.

2Pxq5Dh.jpg
 
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