What do you think of rubber grips?

[THE PILGRIM]

I was just closely inspecting the 25 year old set of Pach Presentations, small size, square frame K/L.
The only wear I can see is on the left side in the molded checking.
I am LH so that would have been exposed to hitting- rubbing against things during holster carry.
I have used on several guns, including my blue 19.
I had much rather have the wear on the Pachs than my diamond Targets!

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I have found Pachmayrs to be the best off the shelf Q&E solution. S&W grips do not fit me at all. And on my 4" nickeled M-27 they provide a pleasing contrast to the finish.

 

[loknload]

What do I think when I see rubber grips?,,,, They gotta go!
I do not like rubber grips on a handgun! They need to have nice wood!

 

[cmort666]

I have Pachmayrs, Hogues or some other rubber grip on all of my revolvers that see regular use. They cushion the recoil and give me a secure grasp on the gun.

 

[Rpg]

They are fine, as long as they improve practical usefulness.

Many make it easier to shoot on the range.

Unfortunately, many are impractical for sd in the real world.

My experience is that less is more for serious work.

There is a big difference between what's easiest to shoot well and what's likely to be readily available if needed.

 

[Donn]

Don't like the way they look compared to stock furniture, but they work. Make my Model 29 and Redhawk 41mag a lot more user friendly, especially the 44mag. On the other end of the spectrum, my snubbies are much more housebroken as well.

 

[WardenRoss]

If you've ever rapid fired a revolver with wood grips IN THE POURING RAIN, you will find out why they make rubber grips.

The pistol will act like your are shooting watermelon seeds (Southern expression). The pistol will literally pop up out of your grip.

 

[DeathGrip]

Hello friends,
Here are my thinkings of the night.... protypes I mean
Using 3 layers of bicycle tubes...cheap and very ugly.
For the efficiency results, I will have to go to the range but not before the next week.
Ruger used to make on the GP100 a sort of bi-component wood/rubber on their stocks....
By the way, my two revolvers are square butt...
Jack

From what I saw in your previous thread you have some nice original grips. I wouldn't dare to wrap them in bike tubes.

I see that you're mostly putting the build upon the back strap and note also that you most likely aren't using your guns for concealment.

How about some shooting gloves or even some bike or driving gloves?

Take care of those originals, They are part of the original package and therefore need to be preserved.

May God bless the people of France.

 

[kthom]

I've got a couple large zip lock bags full of Pachs to fit J, K, & N Frames with some others installed on various revolvers. I started using them when I first became aware of them back in the late 60's or early 70's. I saw an ad for them in a magazine and wrote a letter to the company with some questions. I was a NM State Policeman at the time and the company generously sent me a set of Presentations (maybe the only model of revolver Pachs they made at the time?) to try and report back to them about my experience. I was carrying a Model 19 at the time with the wood Targets installed. They were nice looking but just did not fit my hand really well, and after some months of wear, between the seat belt buckles in the howl car and bumping them on door frames as I walked through, the grips were not so pretty any more. I installed the Presentation grips and really never looked back. They were not as pretty, but they stood up to the wear and tear of every day hard use, plus they felt better in my hands. Back in those days, there were not a lot of choices for grips. Magnas with a Tyler grip adapter or one from Pachmayer were about the only choices other than the Targets. I was concerned more with function, and the Pachs required little attention beyond constant use.

When Pachmayer started making different models, I would try them. I never warmed up much to any grip with finger grooves. None of them seemed to fit my fingers exactly, but I really came to appreciate the Compact size for J and K frames. I still like and use some of the Pachs today, about 50 years later. But I have come to appreciate the full sized grips made by Uncle Mike for a time and which came from the factory on K Frames with round butts. Didn't much care for the banana shaped ones, but the ones pictured by Mojave30cal fit my hand really well and handle all aspects of shooting very well for me. Still not a good choice for attendance at anyone's BBQ event, but for every day use, including concealed carry, I find them to be a very good choice for me. Doesn't take long to replace them if I need to do so to go eat somebody's BBQ, but then again, I've got a dedicated BBQ gun or two that I don't use for EDC so usually all I have to do is maybe change holsters.

Hands are different, personal preferences are different, but few things work well for every circumstance. So my grip choice depends on whether I'm styling or working, shooting long at the range or just carrying. Any time I'm carrying though (which is when I'm not sleeping or at the Post Office), the grips of choice for me are the ones that I shoot best with. Not much sense in wasting a beautiful set of grips on a concealed handgun!! And I'd hate not to give a predator my best shot! Predators deserve nothing but the best!!!! So rubber grips definitely have a place in the theme of things, unless one never actually uses their handguns. If they are just for looking at, then by all means dress them up in their Sunday go-to-meeting grips in whatever style you think is appropriate. Sometimes using guns just need to wear a pair of overalls or good sturdy jeans that are appropriate for the job at hand. Ain't it grand that we have such a great many good choices these days? Good shootin' to all of you. This has indeed been a good thread. Thanks to all who have contributed.

 

[Beemer-mark]

They're ugly, they suck, they offer (in fact detract) nothing for gun control.

 

[astigmat2000]

From what I saw in your previous thread you have some nice original grips. I wouldn't dare to wrap them in bike tubes.

I see that you're mostly putting the build upon the back strap and note also that you most likely aren't using your guns for concealment.

[I]In France, the legislation forbids carrying guns. When you drive to the range, your handgun must be stored in your car boot, with a trigger lock and ammo in another bag, different from the one where the gun is.[/I]

How about some shooting gloves or even some bike or driving gloves?
[I]I tried to use a shooting glove, it is efficient but a lot too thick for a good feeling. Otherwise, I've a pair of very old driving gloves which make the job.[/I]

Take care of those originals, They are part of the original package and therefore need to be preserved.

May God bless the people of France.

Many thanks for your remark but keep in mind that in France, there is a separation between "the state and the church" signed in 1905. It is a law. You are free to have or haven't a religion but only in the private circle of your home. There is no reference to God in anything in France as you have on your banknotes for instance. At present, a few people here would like things to be different...bonkers.
I put my answers directly in the quote window...
Jack

 

[johngalt]

I have hogue monogrips on mine. I find the shape of the stick wood grips nearly impossible to hold onto.

 

[astigmat2000]

Hi Johngalt,
But the Hogue monogrip is only for round butt, isn't?
Lafayette...., a week ago, I was on a little boat navigating next to the frigate Hermione (a replica obviously made from the original drawings) who came to Brest (my town) for a one-week old sailing boats festival. L'Hermione was the ship on which Lafayette went to America...a bit of History...
Jack

 

[Kronos]

All of the square butt Hogue grips are open along the back strap so you can write those off.

The grip for the .500 mags are for round butt only (it's a round to square conversion)

Your one choice is Pachmayr's the "presentation" with no finger grooves is about the biggest they have that's for square butt revolvers,it's still slim though.

If you want bigger and fatter you'll have to drop the coin on custom wood or modify something else or find the Trausch Grips used (since they are French you may be able to do that easy) and see if they work for you.

I mess with guns a lot so if I don't know it I can find out with some digging and I'm always open to helping folks on forums I go to.

So right now that's where you stand-you might try a different cylinder lock button or get it trimmed as well to see if it might help you.

*ETA*

I dunno if this would work/I dunno if the guy would ship international but I mention it because I was looking at these for a Smith I had-they look to cover the back strap and seem huge:

K-N Dymoundwood - Custom Pistol Grips and Kits - CollinsCraftGrips

Won't hurt to ask him if he'd get some to you if you like it.

 

[P.44]

There was an older "rubber thread"
http://smith-wessonforum.com/concea...-thoughts-pachmayr-rubber-grips-n-frames.html
and -thanks to aphelion- in post #21 is a picture from a
Pachmayr Presentation grip in large size on a 4" M 29-2.

But I fear, they are out of production...

If I remember correctly, they were stamped / marked: "SN-L"
S for S&W, N for N-Frame and L for large size.


P.44

For comparison:The Pachmayr Presentation in post #60
is "small size" and marked SN-S (see package)

 

[astigmat2000]

Hi all,
Even so it is the solution to use a S&W rubber grip like this one Product: Model 500 Impact Absorbing Hogue Square Butt Conversion Grips
it won't be shipped outside the USA anyway. It is only for round butt therefore I cannot use it either. I would have prefered something in rubber but Nill can also be a good option.
An old brocken anatomic Nill grip, originally fitted on my Manurhin .38 match, is under modification and adaptation... see the pictures.
Jack

 

[P.44]

As for the pudding the proof is in the eating,
the proof for the grips is in the shooting...

I think, we'll all anxiously waiting for the range report and a few
"after" pictures from the modified Nill. If the grip works for you, all is good
and perhaps...an oil finish may "shine up" the wood grain.

P.44

 

[astigmat2000]

Exact....and I won't miss to share my results...
Have a good weekend. I'll be sailing with friends but the weather is so so...
I cannot manage to update my profile in here. Do you know how to do it?
Jack

 

[Kronos]

Click "user CP" there'll be a list to the left.

 

[Watchdog]

My opinion of rubber grips?

Same as my opinion of canned meat, animal abuse, strip mining, red light cameras, and clear cutting forests.

And "Presentation Grips" made of rubber? Really? I'm trying to imagine rubber grips on some of the richly decorated and engraved handguns presented to presidents and other dignitaries. They're a joke played by Pachmayr on possibly millions of gun owners for decades.