[..]

Finally found a 686 with my name on it. While I'm waiting for it's arrival I'd like to order a set of wood grips. Gun will be for range/home defense. Recomendations?

[chickenfried]

I like ahrends http://ahrendsgripsusa.com/
here's a set on my 586

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/74/153880247_763e4c6a3d_o.jpg

[Zundfolge]

One word; Nill (http://www.nill-griffe.com/).

[..]

Thanks fellas. Chickenfried, she's purdy. :D

[..]

I'm sure Nill's are nice, but too expensive. I'm leaning towards a darker color, the revolver is stainless.

[SJshooter]

I think the best grips are still the vintage wood grips, which are widely available. Depending on which style you choose, you can radically change the appearance of the same gun. The below gun is a K-frame 66, but close enough to show you the styles. They are, in order:
1) With factory magna grips
2) With factory magna grips and Tyler-T
3) With factory smooth target grips
4) With factory traditional checkered target grips
5) With factory combat grips

http://bushnell.smugmug.com/photos/177717552-L.jpg
http://bushnell.smugmug.com/photos/177717558-L.jpg
http://bushnell.smugmug.com/photos/177717563-L.jpg
http://bushnell.smugmug.com/photos/177717589-L.jpg
http://bushnell.smugmug.com/photos/177717576-L.jpg

[Starter52]

IMO for classic good looks nothing beats a pair of factory target stocks. Prices for K/L-frame targets are still reasonable on the auction sites. Prices for N-frames are nutz.

IMO for shooting nothing beats a set of Pachmayr grippers.

[19-3Ben]

I'd go with Kim Ahrends. they are really nice.

[KINGMAX]

I have a 686-1, been part of the family a long time, :confused: so long I can't remember how long. :rolleyes: I think some where in the mid 70's. It was at one time a service revolver for a very large :what:Deputy-Sheriff from Cumberland County North Carolina. :fire: It served him well until he went to a 9MM. :eek: :evil:I,m glad he did. :evil:

[hexidismal]

I'm a big fan of Badger Custom grips. Nobody has mentioned them yet. The thing about badgers is that they arent for everybody. They have a very certain feel, which it seems like someone is bound to either love or hate. Ahrends are also quite nice, though perhaps a bit on the.. blander side compared to Badgers.

Here's a pic of two of my guns that wear Badgers. And the second pic to give you sort of an alternate angle to see the somewhat unique shape. They are better looking in person then I seem to be able to get on film.
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j110/hexidismal29/badgerboth-10-2c.jpg
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j110/hexidismal29/1911and686-1b2.jpg

[ravencon]

Ahrends for me, without finger grooves.

[BlindJustice]

I have the 686P 4" Bbl.-it has Guy Hogue K/L Compac with
finger grooves/checkered in Rosewood. Unlike the full
size the Compac taper in diameter toward the butt of the
grip allowing the little finger full purchase. I'll email you a
pic if you request it

[Frenchy]

Ahrends...

[..]

Blindjustice, a pic would ge great. Thanks

As of now I'm leaning towards Ahrends smooth target. Wish I could get them in something a bit blackish instead of cocobolo.

[Iggy]

Call them.

[MarshallDodge]

How about Eagle grips? http://www.eaglegrips.com/index.htm

[Frenchy]

Here's some pics of Ahrends on my Smith 625. These are the "round to square" configuration. The wood is Brazilian Moradillo.

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1885401

[chickenfried]

How about ebony? Wish I could get them in something a bit blackish instead of cocobolo.

[hexidismal]

How about ebony?

Ahrends doesn't do revolver grips in ebony, only 1911s for some reason. Eagle Grips does though.

[Sunray]

They need to fit your hand before anything else.

[Snapping Twig]

Here's a set of Hogue rosewood finger grips.

http://http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/P8180001.jpg

[jad0110]

I guess I'm weird in that I prefer shooting with wood instead of rubber, even 357 Magnum.

On my 686, I prefer my Ahrends round-to-square grooveless stocks. I ordered them unfinished and stained them myself:


http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q139/jad0110/Smith%20and%20Wesson%20Model%20686%20Plus%20357%20Magnum/IMG_1583.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q139/jad0110/Smith%20and%20Wesson%20Model%20686%20Plus%20357%20Magnum/IMG_1587.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q139/jad0110/Smith%20and%20Wesson%20Model%20686%20Plus%20357%20Magnum/IMG_1618.jpg

[dairycreek]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v736/dairycreek/686Bcompresed-1.jpg
Hogue Lamo Camo grips I have had on this 686 for doggone near forever.

[vanilla_gorilla]

Bah. Everybody knows that the best L frame grips are the ones that looks like they were chewed on by squirrels.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b53/vanilla_gorilla911/DSC00020.jpg

[..]

Nothing really talks to me. Maybe I should it the next gun show. Ahrends retro target grips look like what I want, just not thrilled with any of the colors I've seen.

[Blacksmoke]

Nothing weired about prefering wood to rubber. It looks prettier. It feels more solid in the hand. Unless, you have sweaty palms, wood is a better choice. It is a matter of personal taste.

[hexidismal]

Yep, I've got wood on all my revolvers except one. The laminate styled badger customs I mentioned earlier are great for me, except they do get awfully slippery if I'm sweating. I keep rubber compac pros on my carry 2 1/2" k-frame for just that reason. Checkered wood would probably be fine, but I never recommend anyone carry a gun with smooth wood target type grips OR use it for a primary home defense gun. HD situation can make you sweat, and the tiniest slip can mean a lot.

To the original poster, and anyone just starting out looking for wood grips, I'd say you can expect to try out a few different things before you find exactly what you want. Looking pretty is one thing, feeling right is another. Most of us with a bunch of wheelguns have a drawer with a variety of grips in it.. hehe

[..]

Most of us with a bunch of wheelguns have a drawer with a variety of grips in it.. hehe


Never understood that, if you have holsters and/or grips you don't use throw em up for sale in the forum. Or get a grip swap going.

[hexidismal]

That's an easy one.. because we always expect to be buying more guns that we might want to use them on one day ! :D

[ArchAngelCD]

I prefer Kim Ahrends' grips too. Since there are many pictures of his work with smooth target grips I figured I would post a picture of his finger groove grips. These are on my M619 and they tame the recoil even when firing .357 Magnum rounds. I didn't buy them for my M686-2 because it came with the original S&W Square Target grips.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o26/ArchAngelCD/DSCN2079.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o26/ArchAngelCD/DSCN2077.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o26/ArchAngelCD/DSCN2080.jpg

[Stainz]

Here are some square conversion cocobolo stocks by Ahrends on what could be a 3" 686... but actually is a 696. I love those Ahrends stocks!

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/Stainz_2007/IMG_0228.jpg

Stainz

[researchdoc]

I agree with the above posts about Eagle Grips. I had some really nice multi laminated grips on my 686 2.5". The butt of the grip came down too far from the bottom of the grip frame for my concealment taste. Also, they were so wide for my hand. I put some Hogue rubber Bantam Boot grips on there to conceal better, and it does. But Eagle makes a line called Secret Service grips. They come in the ivory type, ebony, rubber and beautiful wood, in the boot grip style, where the butt of the grip is essentially flush with the bottom of the grip frame. I am seriously thinking of getting a pair as it satisfies my dimension needs and the beautification factor as well. They even will make those grips with the American Elk or Stag... not cheap... but beautiful.
http://www.eaglegrips.com/images/styles/secretservice_l.jpg

[ArchAngelCD]

researchdoc,
I had a set of Eagle grips on my J frame and didn't care for them. There's nothing wrong with them and the wood is beautiful, I just didn't like them. I just put them up on Ebay.