Pachmayr vs. Hogue

[TAROMAN]

One thing they have in common is that they all land here:

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

It's all a matter of fit to YOUR hand and the answer isn't the same for every frame size. For me, Pachmayr makes the better grip for J frames, and good ones for K, L and N frames. But for my 325PD, the Hogue was a real lifesaver. You have to try them yourself. In some cases, you can't even be sure which is best until you fire the gun. I wouldn't rely on anyone's advice without knowing his exact hand size, although some of the posts above do mirror my experience. You must try them out yourself.

 

[bgrafsr]

Any gun I have gotten that had Hogues on it was immediately cleansed of the Hogues. I do not like them at all, either for fit or looks. My 25-7 came with hogues and when I removed them there was rust on the bottom of the grip frame from the clip that goes on the stock pin. I will use only Pachmayrs if I want rubber, or better yet, Herrett's Jordan Troopers.

 

[snubbiefan]

Plus one....the one-piece Hogue traps any moisture and I have already said that I do not like the "bailing-wire" approach to their mounting system.

 

[pasquale51]

What difference is there between Pachmayr decelerator grip and Pachmayr regular rubber grip? I can see the difference in the presentation grip. I have only viewed the grips online.

 

[mbliss57]

I have found the Pachmayrs fit my hands better. They also seem like the quality of materials are better than Hogue's.
But my favorite for my J frame round butt are Uncle Mike's.
Mike

 

[Gorenut]

For rubber, Hogue all the way. I think they're the standard for rubber grips, especially with so many gun companies using them as well. The only exception is the one I have on my Glock since the Pachs I got get rid of the finger grooves. Otherwise I've had nothing but positive experience with Hogue both as a company and their products as long as they fit my hands. They have one of the best customer service too. They've gone above and beyond to make sure I was a satisfied customer.

Pachs on the other hand, all the grips I've gotten with the exception of the Glock sleeve I mentioned above had been a negative experience. The most recent was a pair of Decelerators I got for my 627. It had extra mold "flash" that was really sharp that I had to trim off with a knife. The grip screw provided was way too long and the grip itself felt like a sponge instead of solid grips. When i contacted Pachmayr about my screw being too long, they told me it was easy to modify. When I cut the screw just short enough to not stick out on the other side, it was still loose. When I contacted them about it again, they told me they couldn't give me a refund because I modified the product.

 

[VN Vet]

I grew up liking the Pachmayrs, but lately I too find their quality in question. The medallions are not inserted into the rubber straight as they used to be.

I like the Hogue rubber grips for my 1911s. I like rubber grips for my shooting pistols. The wood grips are for my fancy BBQ pistols.

Safe shooting,
Vv

 

[jppezz23]

I have pachmayr on my S&W 357 revolver and i like them.I have Hogue on my Ruger 357 revolver and i like them.So it's whatever you prefer.

 

[team sidewinder]

Since my first post I have also added Hogue rubber grips ( these are S&W Tamer grips made by Hogue sold by S&W ) to my 629-6 5". They work the best for me and have great customer service. No need for me to try anything other than Hogue.

I agree rubber grips are ugly but for my outdoor working guns they fill the bill better than any other grip material. Absorb recoil better and provide a better grip even when wet. IMHO.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

I have Bianchi Lightning grips (made by Pachmayr) on my 3 inch Model 13-3. While they are brown and ugly, they make concealing and shooting it easy.

I have Hogue Bantams on my nickel Model 37, but I'm going to put smooth service grips and a polished aluminum Tyler T-Grip on it. The Bantams aren't bad, but they're sticky in the pocket and..., well, they're rubber.

My brother has a pinned and recessed 4 inch Model 65 that came with butchered/mutilated N-Frame target grips (made to fit with Plastic Wood). I sold him Pachmayr Grippers for it, and he loves 'em. (The Grippers came off my wife's Model 681 when I put CT laser grips on it.)

ECS

 

[M3Stuart]

I own several Hogues and a one set of Pachmayrs. I've had a handful of other pachs but have since gotten rid of them all.

The Pachs are better if you want the backstrap covered for magnums.

Hogues are better for everything else - unless they don't make a grip for something. For example, Hogue makes nothing for a square butt J frame - so you have to go with the Pach.

I would add that they both have issues with quality. Pachmayrs often, if not 100% of the time, have a problem with the screw & interface (metal insert that screw goes into). While Hogue seems incapable of matching their production grip with the curvature of the gun butt which the grip is designed for leaving exposed edges that cut into your hand.

IMHO; if anybody wanted to go into this business, they could make a fortune if they took the time to do it right. Tyler can't ship a T grip in less than a month, Hogue, Pachmayr and the rest of them all have serious quality problems. It's all about 10X the pain in the $%^ that it should be - getting grips for a gun that's been in production for 100 years...

 

[Chromedome]

I agree. Compared with Hogue Grips, I prefer Pachmayr Compacs on small revolvers, and Presentations on large, because they're wider side-to side, shorter front-to-back, cushion the backstrap, feel less sticky, and don't have finger grooves. I've also noticed a slip in the quality of newer Pachs, rougher edges on the molding, and a price increase of ~$10 a pair.

 

[European]

As some have already said, it's to a large extent a question of taste and personal preferences.

I don't like the looks of the Hogues and they feel sticky and too soft in my hand but that's just me.

I find the Pachmayr much more pleasant to the eye (although nothing compares to wood). More importantly, the fit my hand perfectly. Another advantage of the Pachmayr, at least for us S&W users, is that they have a wide selection of grips to accommodate virtually any need. I for instance have small hands and use the Compac Professional in my square butt K frames and the Compac in my J frames.

For semiautos, however, the Pachmayr are usually too thick (their grips for the 1911 are the only ones I find tolerable).

 

[Golden Eagle]

I put a Hogue Monogrip on my Airweight BodyGuard and I like it a lot.I had a set of Eagle custom Secret Service grips on it but they were way too slippery for shooting +P ammo.They are beautiful looking rosewood but way too slippery for rapid fire.I carry this pistol in a DeSantis Pancake holster made for the BodyGuard and I have no concealment problems with the Houges.
Golden Eagle

 

[AlwaysUp56]

I favor rubber grips on my shooter guns. And Pachmayr grips suit me better than Hogues.

I second that and I never really considered a Pacy "ugly" it just looks like "business" on both my 586 and 629 I also have a set on my cherished model 16 .32 H&R magnum!

 

[wheelyfun66]

it just looks like "business" on both my 586 and 629 I also have a set on my cherished model 16 .32 H&R magnum!

I agree. I think wood is super nice to look at, nice for concealment (doesn't stick to clothing) and can make a gun individualized.....
but, the Pach Pro Compac, to me, is also concealable, is free of finger-grooves (allowing me to draw and fire more quickly, since I am not committed to the grip's ergos) and is not ugly to me, be rather, business-like. (Tactical for revolvers...)

 

[MikeyB]

I've used Pachmayr and Hogues. Pachmayr just fits my hand better.

 

[shouldazagged]

I have medium-to-large hands which are very arthritic--crooked fingers, lumpy knuckles, the whole deal. Finding the grips that are comfortable and give me good control of the gun takes precedence over my great fondness for walnut magna stocks. Price is also very much a consideration. My EDC for a good many years has been A 640 no-dash. As soon as I bought it I put Pachmayr Compacs on it (I had seen them on a Colt DSII and they felt great) and have never looked back. They give me a higher grip on the piece and much better recoil absorption. A few days ago I sadly removed the magnas and Tyler T-Grip from my 10-5 and replaced them with new Presentations. Haven't shot it yet, but they feel good and, as shipped, fit fine with no QC problems.

I've never liked the feel of Hogues, either shape or the softness. For one thing, finger grooves don't work with my buggered-up paws.

So yes, it has to be a very personal choice, and that's fine with me.

 

[POPPER]

Shouldazagged I'm with you on the goodyears. At 74 my paws ain't what they used to be and I'm too bullheaded to shoot 38s' out of a 357. ( Never did understand why folks bought 357s' so they could shoot 38s' from em' Oh well.) While I confess I miss the wood grips on my 28 and 686 I have to go with the Pachmayr presentation. I still shoot full house maggies. Bull headed I reckon. Also I shoot one handed mostly and my old paws just don't get along with the woods anymore. Two hands no trouble. Lastly my only issue with the Hogues is I have a tendency to split the web open between my index and thumb. The presentations seem to fit the bill better for me.