Shooting with wood grips

[TAROMAN]

Tyler T grips. Problem solved.

Yep:

 

[fredg19]

Tyler T grips - Just my opinion... but those things are even uglier than rubber grips!!

Again.. only my opinion, I know a lot of folks like them.

 

[.45mtngun]

I had some rosewood grips on my 442-2 (no-lock) and they were ok for solw fire with lead bullet hand loads, but in rapid fire with Speer 135 grain GD +P ammo the gun moved too much for me to get the groups I wanted. I put the factory rubbers back on and all is well again. The wood looked great but under actual use for it's intended purpose with carry ammo they just didn't work out for me. One or two range sessions will give you your answer! Good luck1
Jim

 

[TheTinMan]

Wood grips look great. Some are shaped well for my hand like 1960-ish Colt grips, but traditional S&W wood grips don't work well for me. A T-Grip is an option if appearance is important, but it's not with a revolver I'm going to carry in my pocket. The "combat style" with finger grooves are better, but rubber just works for me. I just took rubber Hogues off another N-frame and put them on a new-to-me 625 and my shooting improved measurably.

I've got Hogue Round Butt Rubber Bantam grips on my M&P 340 (same frame as 642). Better fit to my hand than the factory grips. Still easily pocketable.

My older 642 has after-market rubber grips on it too (Uncle Mike's?) but I like the Hogue Bantams much better. There's a slight bulge in the middle that seems to help get my hand in the same place every time.

FWIW the Bantam grips for K-frame Smith & Wessons also are excellent.

 

[andyo5]

I recently bought a J Frame 642, and took the black factory rubber grips off and replaced the with wood grips.

I shot a box of 50rds today, and realized that the wood grips make it a fair amount more difficult to shoot...Being a snubby, I expected it to be jumpy, and with the wood grips its much more difficult to handle... especially with follow up shots.

Aesthetically speaking, I think the grips look beautiful and really make the gun. But performance wise (especially as a CC gun), I think the rubber grips make much more sense.

What are your thoughts and experiences?

I came to the same conclusion with my 642. It is a carry gun, not a barbecue gun. I carry it in my pants pocket. It shoots so much better with the rubber Hogue grips. So that's what it wears.

 

[youngda9]

I put rubbers on all of my handguns. Keeps the gun planted to your hand when shooting and not jumping around.

 

[Magnum-Krazy]

I generally keep what ever grips that comes on the guns from the factory.
Especially like the Target Grips !


Ernie

 

[Green Frog]

With the small framed I- and J-frames I use for CCW, I carry the original wood grips. For some reason I just can't seem to hold onto any of the rubber grips.

When I go to a K-frame, the old factory smooth finger groove combats work well for any and all applications. A Model 10 snub with round grip combats fit me "right down to the ground."

The foregoing applies to me... but everybody's hand is different, so your grip needs are different as well. Your mileage really MAY vary!

Froggie

 

[Alnamvet68]

OP, stick with your current setup...you have one of Altamont's nicer, and a wee bit larger boot grip without having to go whole hog on those ginormous oversized grips they offer. For general shooting with very mild loads on the range, they're fine. If you intend to spend some real time on the range, like I do once a month, and intend to fire a hundred rounds or more on your J frame, then do what I do...I change out the grips for the Uncle Mike's or S&W branded full size rubber combat finger grooved grips, which make shooting my snubbies a lot more pleasurable. When done, remove said rubbers, thoroughly clean and oil your J frame, and replace the grips with some wood. In a real defensive situation, your hand and your brain will never notice the perceived discomfort of shooting with wood grips.

As a side note, while I like the retro look of Tyler-T's, boot grips with finger grooves solved that issue.

 

[Pilgrim]

I don't like rubber grips for pocket carry. Makes it hard to get out of the pocket quickly.

 

[David LaPell]

These never seem to bug me at all, even with +P loads. Bubinga grips from Ahrends.

 

[LimaCharlie]

All of my carry revolvers have smooth wood grips. The rubber grips hang up in my pocket or bunch up my shirt if OWB carried. If I go to the range with my carry revolvers or my 1911 carry guns with sharp checkering on the front and back straps, I wear a pair of very thin baseball batter's gloves for the few hundred rounds. If I ever need one for self-defense, I won't notice the grips.

 

[rockyrider]

J frame chief's specials.

I carry a couple of J Frame Airweights , model 37 and 38 ,in a t-shirt holster. I recently pulled the standard round butt wood grips for something more comfortable . I am now using S&W target grips, and a pair of Herrett finger grooves grips . they are both slightly larger and much more comfortable ,still wood, still concealable I hope I never have to use them .

 

[Chris L.]

All of my carry revolvers have smooth wood grips. The rubber grips hang up in my pocket or bunch up my shirt if OWB carried. If I go to the range with my carry revolvers or my 1911 carry guns with sharp checkering on the front and back straps, I wear a pair of very thin baseball batter's gloves for the few hundred rounds. If I ever need one for self-defense, I won't notice the grips.

I generally agree, especially with your last statement.


The stock rubber grips on my 642 get slippery if my hand sweats and I'm concerned about them getting sticky and snagging on my shirt. Wooden grips don't have this problem, but they are inherently more uncomfortable to shoot.

Are the Uncle Mike's grips less rubbery or sticky then the factory grips?

 

[Black_Sheep]

Any j frame I shoot with regularity wears Pachmayr Compac grips, including my EDC. Factory wood grips don't fit my hands well, even with a T-Grip. I shoot much better with the Pacs, function trumps form every time...

 

[Jaymo]

The wood banana grips are some of my favorites.
Boot grips are made for concealment, but are lacking, at the range.
Grips that allow a full three finger grip allow better recoil control than stumpy grips.
I don't recall hearing everyone lament the difficulty of controlling a J frame sized .38 before boot grips became the norm.
One of my Taurus 85s came with banana grips. The other came with boot grips, which I replaced with some full length Uncle Mike's grips.
The boot grips made it more difficult to control with defensive loads.
The banana grips have not, and will not be replaced. They are the best grip Taurus ever put on an 85, and are the best grip I've ever used on a Smith J frame.
My personal J frame is a 31-1, .32 S&W Long. Recoil really isn't an issue. The stock square butt service grips are a little skinny at the top, for my hands.
The old Sile grips I replaced them with, due to preexisting damage, are like a little longer version of the Charter Arms Bulldog wood grip. Very comfortable to shoot.
I'd still swap them out, in a heartbeat, if I could find Smith banana grips that fit a square butt J frame.
The most comfortable grips I've ever used on a 5 shot snub of any caliber, are Pachmayr Compacs.
My .44 Bulldog has them and I wouldn't consider removing them.

I may get some new Smith service grips, or the Altamont fake ivory service grips and use them with a Tyler's T Grip adapter, on my little J frame .32. The T Grip eliminates the problem I have with my middle finger being directly behind the trigger guard.

It's just too bad nobody makes a copy of the Colt 1862 Police/Pocket Navy grip for a J frame sized snub. My little Uberti 1862 Popo feels about perfect in my hand.

Rembmber, boot grips great for deep concealment and bad for recoil control. The longer the grip, the more control you have over the recoil of the gun, due to increased leverage.
Grog say banana grips good.

 

[GUNGHO58]

Grips

I agree that the wood grips look great, but for better grip and control, you can't beat the rubber grips. I think that S&W even make a little longer grip that would fit on that J frame?

 

[TACC1]

OP, the rubber boot grips that came with my 642 work fine
with anything I run thru the gun. 442 needed C-T 305's
for shoot-ability. Factory rubber hurt my hands.
On M36's, (steel frame), I run factory wood and a BKGRIP
adaptor. No problem with the heavier gun. The M36s ran
fine w/o the adaptors, but not quite the control.
I'd get some rubbers on yours, although the wood you've
got looks Great!
JMHO, TACC1.

 

[MikeyB]

My BBQ revolvers sports wood. My carry weapons sport rubber, either Pachmayr or Uncle Mikes.

 

[Old TexMex]

No problem with wood. M38,tylers. 20-50 rds per week.