Lightning grips

[Papaw]

Bianchi Lightning grips on my model 36 no dash. These are very hand filling and quite heavy. I think they would work well on a 357 j-frame. They are a little large for pocket carry. You can cock the hammer with these on.

 

[dscampbell]

I have a set on my model 65 3” 357 magnum and they work great

 

[elm_creek_smith]

My Model 13-3 with Bianchi Lightning grip.


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[NCBeagle]

I bought some, just be cause they were unusual, for J and K frames. Made my Model 10 weigh 15 pounds.

 

[MCorps0311]

My Model 13-3 with Bianchi Lightning grip.


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Nice grips.

 

[326MOD10]

I had a 360J converted to shoot 9mm (as well as .38) and put a pair on it.

They do add some weight but they tame the zip of the 9mm nicely.

They also conceal the exposed hammer.

I also have a pair for the K Frame, and like NCBeagle, bought those because I thought they were old school cool.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

I tried them on my Model 12-2 Airweight and they threw the balance all out of whack. However, they tame the recoil of Magnum ammo through my Model 13-3. Not for every gun, not for everyone.

I bought some, just be cause they were unusual, for J and K frames. Made my Model 10 weigh 15 pounds.

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[Jtown]

I hope they shoot better than they look. I like wood

Walt

 

[KEN L]

They actually do!

 

[Bucky]

I personally don't really like them but a good concept. I see them on eBay sometimes seems the very dark brown or black ones get a premium also seems harder to find the J frame ones.

I tried some on a snub 10-5 but I just didn't like the feel or look of them.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

Apparently they were made for post 66 D frame Colts, but I have never been able to find a picture of a pair.

 

[NCBeagle]

Apparently they were made for post 66 D frame Colts, but I have never been able to find a picture of a pair.

I have something like a lightning grip for a post-66 D Frame Colt. It shrouds the hammer and extends the grip a bit. I can post a photo tomorrow.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

I personally don't really like them but a good concept. I see them on eBay sometimes seems the very dark brown or black ones get a premium also seems harder to find the J frame ones.

I tried some on a snub 10-5 but I just didn't like the feel or look of them.

I've open carried my 3 inch Model 13 with the Lightning grips through gun shows and had people follow and stop me just to ask "What the Hell is that?" [emoji23]

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[bananaman]

I bought a set of them in J, for my son's 36. He did not want them, and I have no J's. That is why I have an extras box, as many do. Bob
Sold them on Armslist.

 

[rednichols]

I hope they shoot better than they look. I like wood

Walt

They were originally of wood, called 'JR Grips' and sold by Bianchi. 'JR' was John's son John Richard, long dead now, great kid. The grips were made by Mustang Grips which was quite close to the Bianchi factory in Temecula in the '70s. The hammer shroud on the left side broke off easily so John, knowing the Pachmayr people, came up with the idea of having them make them for him. Pachmayrs were new and 'hot' then.

Inside Pachmayrs are steel stampings, cupped for strength; and that's real rubber around them. So the weight gain is understandable. I sculpted both the J frame and the K frame around my own hands, then Pachmayr made the moulds. His process is the most excruciatingly slow way to make a mold you can imagine: the grip was converted to a hardened steel duplicate and then crushed into the steel die set -- vvvvveeeeerrrrrryyyyy slowly.

They were not ever made for the D frame Colt; why would we, they were created specifically because Colt's had an adaptor and the Smiths didn't.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I have something like a lightning grip for a post-66 D Frame Colt. It shrouds the hammer and extends the grip a bit. I can post a photo tomorrow.

I would love to see them.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

I’m considering laser scanning mine and seeing if I can make a set on a 3-D printer. They would be lighter than the originals and not nearly as likely to break as wood ones. If they could be made light and strong enough, they could turn Airweight or Airlite guns with external hammers into real concealed carry guns.


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[Loyaljeeper]

They were not ever made for the D frame Colt; why would we, they were created specifically because Colt's had an adaptor and the Smiths didn't.

The only reason I ever thought that they were is because they were is the box was marked for post 67 D frames.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I’m considering laser scanning mine and seeing if I can make a set on a 3-D printer. They would be lighter than the originals and not nearly as likely to break as wood ones. If they could be made light and strong enough, they could turn Airweight or Airlite guns with external hammers into real concealed carry guns.


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That is brilliant!

 

[rednichols]

The only reason I ever thought that they were is because they were is the box was marked for post 67 D frames.

An unfamiliar bit of info that reminds we don't all remember as well as we should . The D frames did not ever reach production tho.