Question for you older guys

[BRush]

I'm from the same era. The factory wood generally doesn't work for me but my solution depended on the gun. I would no more comment on a persons taste in grips then comment on their taste in mates, but over the years I have come to my own preferences - in both.

I like rubber grips on snubies and short barrels like this 19-3. Yea, hammer and trigger jeweling was the rage back then too. While I too jeweled a few back then, this 19-3 came from a retired cop who carried it for years as is. It has one of the smoothest double action pulls that I have experienced.




I like these made to order Herretts on this 29-2 5". I paid the extra bucks for the fancy walnut. It fits my hand like … well like it was made for it, which it was. Wish I had ordered a few more back then at those prices.



These are the best mass produced grips I have found for my N Frames. I Liked them so well that I bought several pairs. Still have a couple of pairs in their original boxes, which don't identify the maker and, darn, I can't recall who it was.

 

[Pilgrim]

Do you guys just like them for their originality to the gun.Or are you shooting with them on.

yes.......

I'm 68

 

[zeno338]

I'm 80 years old and still do a lot of shooting. Back in the old days when
there was a lot of bulls eye shooting going on, you bought a K-38, new or
used, and put on a set of Herrett's grips. Then you were good to go.

Zeke

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Fuzzy Farrant

These are the best mass produced grips I have found for my N Frames. I Liked them so well that I bought several pairs. Still have a couple of pairs in their original boxes, which don't identify the maker and, darn, I can't recall who it was.

[/QUOTE]

Those look very similar to grips made by Fuzzy Farrant years ago. Here is a set on my 4" Python.

I usually stay with the factory grips that came on S&W revolvers but sometimes I switch them up for something else.

 

[Laketime]

@BRush.... Your bringing back some memories.I too remember the jewel hammer/trigger jobs.slick action jobs and even magnaported barrels. At the time all of these additions increased the value on the guns when you bought them from the used counter.

 

[hoc9sw]

I buy what I like, and shoot what I buy. Have never replaced grips except with factory equivalents. Something to do with inspections in a previous life ;(

 

[vytoland]

I have pachmayr presentation grips (small size) on all my S&W square butt revolvers.................they work well for me.................

 

[Larry from Bend]

I replaced a lot of factory grips in the 70s with Herrett's Shooting Stars and Ropers and Pachys but I shot steel in the mid-70s with a 3 Ts Model 19 and I used the original "football" target grips .

I used a round rasp/file to rout out the football for better speedloader access on several of those old 19s. That would be heresy today but not too many years later, S&W was doing the same thing.

 

[S&W Fan]

I just turned 58 a couple of weeks ago and when I was around 21 or so the first thing I did was swap out the grips on my revolvers-Pachs for the round and square butts. I shortly transitioned over to semis though always had a J of one model or another and those all ended up with either the original stocks and a T-grip or later on some version of the boot grip.

Roughly 10 years ago or so I started shooting revolvers again for recreational purposes. The standard targets work best for me on N frames and if I'm shooting .38s in my L. I put a Hogue rubber grip on my 686 if I want to shoot mags and I use the standard magnas with a T on my 64.

 

[PALADIN85020]

For hard-recoiling J-frames, in my opinion, nothing beats a set of Herrett's "Shooting Star" grips, handmade to your hand pattern. I bought this set back in the mid-1960s to fit on a Model 60, now long since gone in the mist of memories, but I kept the grips. They now adorn this 640, equipped for holsterless carry as illustrated.

The grips give a good handful in a minimum package, and distribute recoil well. Although I like smoothies, the checkering would aid in retention if there were a struggle for the gun.

John

 

[sodacan]

I have had scores of rubber grips that came on guns that I purchased, and have spent a small fortune on wood replacement stocks. S&W magnas and target stocks don't work for me, but I keep them so my guns can remain original. Herrett's "Shooting Star" stocks are my first choice for most of my revolvers, and I find myself swapping them out for my guns that don't have them when I go shooting. I have a bunch of Pachmayr's currently for sale on this forum, along with two sets Ahrends in cocobolo.

 

[jack the toad]

I'm not an expert but am definitely an "older" guy.
Back in the day it seemed that pachs were the rage around my shooting circles with an occasional Herrett shooting star or Jordan trooper for the big-paw guys. If you were on a tight budget, you bought a Tyler and went about your business.

 

[Muley Gil]

I usually swapped out the factory grips for the rubber ones. The other option was smooth targets. I used the factory cleaning rod, the brush, the swab, the SAT, and would use the two halves of the box to sort my brass for reloading.

 

[Jim NNN]

I never understood the appeal of pachmayr grips. They never felt right, so I like the stock wood grips better. Not saying there's no better handling grips than stock, but if a k frame has stock wood targets, that feels about as good to me as anything.

I did buy a 1964-ish model 15 with pachmayrs recently that felt decent, but I think they were older pachmayrs that were a little thicker.

 

[PR24]

My pops had zebra wood grips on his M-28 he carried on duty. Then he started wearing Pach's on it after the dept. allowed .357 Mag ammo. (There was a misguided .38spl rule in ALL service revolvers until a new chief saw the light.) Then the PD started issuing those new fandangled Mod 66's & the first thing to go was the OEM target stocks for Pach's. He admitted that lumber is prettier but hard on the hands during training & didn't handle getting bumped around in a duty holster. So, Pach's it was until he started carrying a Sig P220.

My carry wheelguns have Pach's too. But, my fun guns have wood.

 

[keithherrington]

I'm 62 and don't use factory grips...ever

If S&W still made Cokes I'd have them on all my N frame square butts. However, since they don't and the ones for sale are way above my comfort level in terms of price I don't concern myself with them. Instead I use Nill Classic grips on my carry N-squares and Nill Hemphill PPC grips on my target revolvers.





On those revolvers that I carry, I almost always use Spegel Extended and Checkered Boot Grips





The only exception is a pair of factory Target grips in Rosewood from the early 70s. For some reason, I find them very similar to Cokes and very comfortable.


I used Pachmayr rubber grips for years in the early 80s but as I got wiser and better with a revolver, wood became my only choice.
Keith

 

[mikemi1951]

My favorite gun was the 25-5 the factory grips were perfect for me.

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[JM4151]

Wod Grips on a revolver

Wood grips really look sharp on a nice revolver. The problem with wood grips is that the seat belts would destroy them, even if you didn't wear the belts. The female part of the seat belt was made of metal or a hard plastic and would scratch the finish up in one night of use. That's why a lot of guys went to the rubber grips. The brown Hogue finger grip grips were made of a hard plastic, that looked like wood. They held up fairly decent.

 

[Laketime]

If S&W still made Cokes I'd have them on all my N frame square butts. However, since they don't and the ones for sale are way above my comfort level in terms of price I don't concern myself with them. Instead I use Nill Classic grips on my carry N-squares and Nill Hemphill PPC grips on my target revolvers.





On those revolvers that I carry, I almost always use Spegel Extended and Checkered Boot Grips





The only exception is a pair of factory Target grips in Rosewood from the early 70s. For some reason, I find them very similar to Cokes and very comfortable.


I used Pachmayr rubber grips for years in the early 80s but as I got wiser and better with a revolver, wood became my only choice.
Keith

Beautiful grips

 

[machuee]

In 1983 I bought my first S&W. It was a 681. At that time with the agency I worked for during your first year you had to carry revolver. After that you could carry whatever was on the approved list as long as you qualified with it. Wish I still had my 681......it was sweet.

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