Shooting large bore revolvers: Rubber or wood?

[CDR_Glock]

I want to be able to control my revolver without feeling it smack me in the palm. I thought I could handle hunting loads in my 629 3" Deluxe but wood grips gave me a beat down. After two cylinders of 240 grains I had to take a break. I also want to be able to use hot Buffalo Bore 44 Magnum cartridges. This wood has to go.

I had to switch to Hogue Rubber grips.[emoji23]

How many of you prefer rubber over wood in your large bore revolvers?

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[eb07]

I tried rubber. The small comfort factor can't help me get over the fact that it is ugly so my vanity says wood. Common sense says rubber.

 

[colt_saa]

Wood that fits my hand is preferable to rubber.

Rubber is preferable to wood that does not fit me.

Fortunately the old Factory Combat stocks are just right for me.

Unfortunately they are getting harder to find and much more expensive as the years progress.

Fortunately (again) if I order Hogues with no finger grooves they also fit me just right.

I often order the contrasting butt cap and white line spacer, but that is mostly for the looks.

 

[eTripper]

I use the Hogue's on my N-frames, really help with comfort, and control factors. Not the greatest pic, but here are two my big bores. Just make sure you take them off during a regular cleaning, as dirt and contaminants will collect underneath these.

 

[S&W629]

grips

I consider myself fortunate....while most rubber grips with the finger groves do not fit many....they do fit me like they were molded to my hand. With that said....I sure do have a preference to beautiful wood.
So....my deep blue M19...M17...and M29...wear wood....

leaving my M686...M617...M629....wearing houge rubber...

best balance I can get...

 

[Protocall_Design]

For me, the wood ones are fine if they have some width at the top where the frame is nearly vertical. This spreads out the recoil and makes a wide rounded area for the web of the hand.
The ones that are fairly thin at the top or don't match the frame well have a thinner and sharper corner profile which translates into a more painful recoil impulse.

 

[DonD]

Responded to this on glocktalk.com. Don

 

[Shark Bait]

If they're really beating on you, try the X frame Hogue grips for the big revolvers. They provide cushion at the back too.

 

[Spartan 2]

Love the look of wood but nothing but rubber on my S&W 500 Magnum.

 

[Dobie406]

For me, a good fit in the hand is more important than grip material. If a gun fits well in the hand recoil is mitigated well enough I don't have to look at ugly grips

 

[old&slow]

As I've said many times in the past.. I love the looks of ivory ,, wood,, bone ,, etc.. But my shooting' guns have ugly rubber grips.

 

[revolver686]

I love the look of wood, but not the feel when shooting .44 magnums. My 3" TALO 629 wears Pachmayr Diamond Pros now.

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[Mr.Harry]

I have found that great wood works. But I cannot be so arrogant as to say that it works better than the rubbers. truth only.

 

[Paul105]

The human hand comes in a multitude of configurations. The way that hand holds the revolver is also unique. Handgun grips are extremely personal and will only fit your hand optimally thru trial and error (particulary with DA revolvers). What works for one person may or may not work for you.

I can't remember all the different grips I've tried over the last 50 plus years. In addition to all of the various rubber pachmayr and hogue models, I've had custom Herrett Jordan troupers made to a drawing from my hand, and grips that I meticulously hand shaped/reshaped. For handguns with minimal or moderate recoil, you may not notice the difference (this includes some intrepid souls whose recoil tolerance is not human).

For heavy recoiling revolvers grip selection will make the difference between reasonable comfort or outright pain.

Personally, I can't do wood or any grip with an open backstrap – they just hammer the bone at the base of my thumb.

For the last decade plus, I've found the Hogue S&W 500 X Frame grip (the one with the covered backstrap) provides comfort with heavy loads. Most recently I've comfortably shot over 800 rnd thru the new 2 ¾" S&W M69 (mostly 240/265gr over 23.0gr H110).

Just my personal experience of course.

Bottom line is that it may take some trial and error to find grips that work for you. Of course, you'll probably end up with a box full of grips to go along with that box full of holsters that didn't quite work.

FWIW,

Paul

 

[CDR_Glock]

The human hand comes in a multitude of configurations. The way that hand holds the revolver is also unique. Handgun grips are extremely personal and will only fit your hand optimally thru trial and error (particulary with DA revolvers). What works for one person may or may not work for you.

I can't remember all the different grips I've tried over the last 50 plus years. In addition to all of the various rubber pachmayr and hogue models, I've had custom Herrett Jordan troupers made to a drawing from my hand, and grips that I meticulously hand shaped/reshaped. For handguns with minimal or moderate recoil, you may not notice the difference (this includes some intrepid souls whose recoil tolerance is not human).

For heavy recoiling revolvers grip selection will make the difference between reasonable comfort or outright pain.

Personally, I can't do wood or any grip with an open backstrap – they just hammer the bone at the base of my thumb.

For the last decade plus, I've found the Hogue S&W 500 X Frame grip (the one with the covered backstrap) provides comfort with heavy loads. Most recently I've comfortably shot over 800 rnd thru the new 2 ¾" S&W M69 (mostly 240/265gr over 23.0gr H110).

Just my personal experience of course.

Bottom line is that it may take some trial and error to find grips that work for you. Of course, you'll probably end up with a box full of grips to go along with that box full of holsters that didn't quite work.

FWIW,

Paul

Thanks, Paul.

My other revolvers have the same grip.

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[SLT223]

Wood is fine except Altamont. They are too thin to effectively distribute recoil force.

 

[silentflyer]

If I am going to look at it, wood is very pleasing, if I am going to shoot it my wrist/hands prefer rubber. A bit of arthritis is creeping into these "mature " hands/wrist, making rubber grips far.more practical.

 

[BigBill]

On my carry guns it's the pachmayer rubber presentation grips.(revolvers) I can grip them so tight I sink my fingers into the rubber.

On my carry 1911 I prefer the rubber full wraparound grips.

I did have Herret grips made to my hand for my snubbie police service six. They fit my hand perfect.

Everything else has good looking wood grips on it. The s&w combat grips fit nice too.

 

[Old cop]

Unwritten rule: Wood for EDC & rubber that covers the backstrap for extended range sessions.

 

[AzShooter]

Rubber grips make managing heavy recoil mush easier. I've tried Hogue which are nice but still sting in .357 and in .44.

I switched to Pachmeyer Signature Grips and the sting is gone.

 

[amazingflapjack]

I prefer at least 5 inches of barrel. Having said that, It depends on the shooter and the wood, but rubber wins in big recoil contests most of the time. I like 44 mags in the 12-1400 fps range-so I can use either, depending on the revolver.

 

[BC38]

With the big bores, wood is for pictures - rubber is for shooting (IMO).

 

[292]

I want to be able to control my revolver without feeling it smack me in the palm. I thought I could handle hunting loads in my 629 3" Deluxe but wood grips gave me a beat down. After two cylinders of 240 grains I had to take a break. I also want to be able to use hot Buffalo Bore 44 Magnum cartridges. This wood has to go.

I had to switch to Hogue Rubber grips.[emoji23]

How many of you prefer rubber over wood in your large bore revolvers?

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Thanks for starting this thread, I have Hogue mono grips on my M29. Hate the look, love the shooting.

 

[292]

If they're really beating on you, try the X frame Hogue grips for the big revolvers. They provide cushion at the back too.

X frame grips fit N frames? I'm ordering a set. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Shark Bait]

X frame grips fit N frames? I'm ordering a set. Thanks for the tip.

Yes, as long as they're round butt. I haven't tried them on square butt grip frames, but I doubt they would fit them.

 

[cadmike]

A grip that properly fits your hand is a must for magnum loads, the material shouldn't make a difference. My 629 came with the hogue rubber monogrip and that's what works for me. I see no reason to spend money on wood.

But does anyone know where I can get some pretty wood tires for my truck? I'm so embarrassed to drive my truck around town with those ugly rubbers on it.

 

[CDR_Glock]

I shoot anywhere from 25-50 rounds. I do realize the Snubby is spicier but it shouldn't pound my hand like this.

I have Snubbies in 357 and 454 Casull that have rubber that are comfortable, and have the same grips.

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[jack the toad]

No doubt the general consensus prefers wood as do I but when it comes to heavy recoil like with the full bore 329 and 500 magnums, the Hogue Tamer grips do make shooting bearable.

 

[uncleted327]

I've grown to prefer G10 grips on all my revolvers. VZ usually. These are VZ 320s in black cherry on my L-Comp.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

Rubber is good for recoil. Wood is good for looking purdy.

On a side note. X frame grips will even fit on an L frame. A trick Pizza Bob mentioned. My hands were too big for a rubbered L frame, so i had an x frame grip and used it. It fills the gap perfectly as it adds rubber along the backstrap; to fill my ape-like hands! Lol.

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