I like the service grips with a T grip. I have that on my Chief's Special.I landed a Model 15 on GB that looks like it is going to rapidly be one of my favorites, and for a price I was quite happy with. It is a 15-4 (made the same year as me by the serial number) with just the right amount of wear to make it a good shooter, but seemingly fired very little. It seems to shoot great with my go to HBWC and DEWC loads over bullseye, although I have only had a chance to run about 100 rounds through it and haven't fiddled with the sights to correct those rounds hitting a little low.
It came with the target grips on it, and they are not great for my hand. They are very wide, so I am gripping the sides, rather than the front and back straps. I prefer a grip that is narrower and longer so I am forcing the backstrap into the web of my hand with pressure on the front strap, rather than clamping it between my fingertips and palm.
I think I have narrowed it down to a few options to try for grips:
- Magna grips with a T-Grip - it seems like the Tyler T-grip is hard to come by/expensive, I would appreciate recommendations of other brands ($25 for some grips, and ? for the t-grip)
- Ahrends retro combat, or boot grip - not sure how I feel about the finger grooves, but these seem to get rave reviews, plus they are pretty ($100 with the tung oil finish)
- VZ 320 in black cherry - despite being composite, these do look nice in the pictures, and would be more durable. Review seem to be that they are on the thinner side, and people seem to like them ($80)
I don't like the way the houges look on a square butt, and I am not a big fan of the pachmayr grippers. The finger grooves don't seem to hit quite right for me. Sorry for the long winded post, and if this has been done to death, but any insight or thoughts on those options or other options I am missing would be greatly appreciated!
C&L
Well the nickel plated one is looking mighty stylish with those stag grips while it's blued brethren has that classic walnut grip thing down pat!
I have these Pachmayr’s on my model 19-4 and 17-3:
Pachmayr Gripper Grips for S and W, K and L Frame Square Butt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002INPFM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_LfaC4LZtLOmwl
View attachment 935000
They aren’t sexy but the give me a much better grip that the factory target grips. I have big hands but never cared for the wide bottom of factory target grips.
Regarding the BK “t-grip”.
I have a BK on my model 10 and had one on my model 36. They help with your grip if you have Magnas, but as I said before I have big hands so I find that on my model 10 I have to readjust my grip sometimes while shooting. I am looking for new grips for it but I refuse to lose the lanyard ring do that makes grip selection a little hard.
Both my BK grip adapters needed minor fitting to snug up to the gun frame. A small file made short work of that as the grip adaptor is plastic. Take it from me - Don’t use a Dremel tool.
Here is my model 10-7 C&E revolver with the BK adapter.
View attachment 935002
Here is my model 36 before installing a Hogue Monogrip. I am thinking about putting the Magnas back on with the BK adapter.
View attachment 935001
I hope you find a grip solution. It can be a pain to find what works for you. I am actually considering Altamont grips for my K frames but I do like the feel of the Pachmayr grip when shooting.
Cocked & Locked---Don't you take your wood grips off to clean the moisture from sweat, condensation etc. also ?
View attachment 938152
Police trade in came with the Pachmyers. Not fancy, but they work well.
I don’t know the grip measurements they do feel long and thin compared to most other grips. When I say long I mean fore and aft. Thin means right and left to me.
Thank you for catching the powder load mistake. I editEd the post. I used 3.4 grains of Bullseye. I had no leading. I don’t know the bullet hardness number, but a finger nail won’t dent them. The bullets were labeled 358. I did not size them . I can not push them through the throats. I can push a 356 bullet through with a pencil.
I agree these are very fun to shoot. Smooth triggers and actions, very accurate. Everything about them seems first class.
I do like the look of those Pachmayr presentation grips. The reviews say they are quite wide, although I have never actually put my hands on a set. If you know, how do the dimensions compare to the magna grips, factory target grips, or Pachmayr grippers?
Also, 5.6 grains of bullseye under a 148 DEWC, that has to be .357 right? I am trying to dial in a DEWC load for my Model 15. It has very tight throats and bore, to where I am almost thinking I could resize to .357 before loading. I considered opening up the throats to .358, but then it would have a pretty big squeeze down in size in the forcing cone. I haven't spent the time to get a good measurement on groove diameter, but it is smaller than the throats, and the throats are right at .357. Pushing a cast .358 DEWC through by hand pressure is almost impossible.
I got some leading the last time I used it, but shot 148 HBWC over 2.8gr, and 148 DEWC over 3.2 and 3.5gr, so I am not sure which load did the leading. I will pay more attention next time, I just got too caught up in the enjoyment of shooting a nice old S&W.
Sorry, I digress...
I used to like the Altamonts, but I'm not now liking laminated grips as much -- carved grips seem more natural (and the wear causes character, not chips like on laminated stocks).
If you want good accuracy then your throats need to be .001" larger than your overall barrel bore diameter. Since most .38/.357 barrels are near enough to spot on .357 your cylinder throats need to measure .358 as should your lead projectiles. A one thou squeeze is nothing and is the way most .38/.357 revolvers are designed. If your throats measure .357 then they have been manufactured to small. Performance and accuracy should greatly benefit if the throats are carefully reamed out to .358.
At the moment you're pushing .358 projectiles through .357 throats which then will not seal in a .358 diameter barrel. Consequently you get gas bypass which melts your projectiles and leads your barrel.
high country
I also found that the finger grooves on the Pachmayr Gripper grips didn't quite line up properly with my smaller size hand. So I filed, sanded, and gradually reshaped the grooves so that they're a much better fit now.
]