Custom grips on DA revolvers.........

[BobWright]

A recent thread here about grip adaptors prompted me to post this. I had a Colt New Service revolver, a .44 Special which I had loaded fairly stout handloads. Some of these left my shooting hand looking like fresh hamburger meat, so I tried a Pachmayr grip adaptor. This looked awful and did nothing to help my grip. So, I made a set of grips from scrap walnut. Not too pretty, but they sure helped tame the gun.



I liked the Colt target grips that came on the Python and other target grade Colts:



I tried my hand at grip making again in making this pair for a S&W Model 625 .45 ACP:



When I carried a S&W Model 19, these grips from Eagle Grips were my choice, the Secret Service grips in rosewood:



I don't usually like finger grooved grips, but these combat grips from Smith & Wesson have wrked for me:



So, what about yours?

Bob Wright

 

[BigBlue 94]

I dont like gloves, so the grips on my old python always chewed my hands up. And i dont have soft hands... So i replaced them with the not-as-classy-looking hogue monogrip. I shoot it much better now.

 

[wcwhitey]

As you can see I like Hogue. These are Range/Hunting Guns so concealment is not a priority with these. A good example of how grips affect shooting is the 629 at the top. The factory stocks were meat grinders as were a pair of Altimont that I returned. These Hoque grips are not only comfortable but they drastically improved the trigger feel as they place my hand in the perfect position. Took what felt like a heavy trigger and made it quite nice by putting my finger in the right position for best leverage and control.

I have other revolvers, I like boot grips for carry on my small frame guns. A few like another Model 66 and Model 15 get factory target grips for shooting standard pressure .38’s. My Charter Bulldog is a whole mother story. I have compact grips of all types and materials for occasional carry but for range shooting the only stocks that make it fun are Charter Target Bulldog Wood Stocks.

Grips are personal as all of our hands vary so much. I am at the point now if I know the gun is a shooter and will be seeing full house loads I buy Hoque. They fit me!

 

[UncleEd]

I dont like gloves, so the grips on my old python always chewed my hands up. And i dont have soft hands... So i replaced them with the not-as-classy-looking hogue monogrip. I shoot it much better now.

Shooting a gun much better is no excuse.

What a drudge.

 

[Speedo66]

This was the transition for me: stock grips, too small for full on .357, have to go.

Pachmayr Gripper grips, excellent recoil absorption, good size for me, looks yuck.

Thai rosewood grips, good shape for my hand, does okay with recoil, much better looks than the Goodyears.

 

[Boattale]

 

[Pat Riot]

Nicely done making those grips.

I really like the Altamont “Roper” grips on my S&W K frames. My model 25 wears factory grips made by Altamont. But, that’s more “aftermarket” than custom. Edited my post.

 

[Old Dog]

My favorites have always been Kim Ahrends coco bolo finger-groove stocks on K and L frames. Fit me as though made for my hands.

 

[9mmepiphany]

When I carried my Python as a duty gun, I immediately replaced the factory grip as they were tapered backwards…being wider at the bottom than at the top. The only worst grips were the S&W Target grips that came on my M-19. I switched them out for Pachmayr ones. As soon as the Hogue Monogrip became available, I switched over to them. As a work gun, rubber was the only thing that would survive the daily dings and crashes. I tried to get a pair of Fuzzy Farrant grip, but they were unobtainium at the time.

For fast DA work with a S&W, Im sold on the Miculek grips…but they are a “hate’em or lov’em” proposition

 

[gobsauce]

I've thought about trying to make micarta grips for a while, for my model 10, just for kicks. Maybe someday.

 

[nofendertom]

Kim Ahrends grips for the win !

 

[.455_Hunter]

The more pronounced the finger grooves on grips usually equates to less that I like them.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have cheap rubber Hogues on my IDPA revolvers. I like the small size but not the finger grooves. If I wanted to pay for wood, they will make them with one groove or none.

 

[DR505]

Kim Ahrends grips/stocks for me....perfect fit, but I like Cordia wood:


S&W 25-9 .45 Colt 4"


S&W 25-9 .45 Colt 6"
S&W 625-7 .45 Colt Mountain Gun 4"


S&W 657-2 Classic Hunter .41 magnum 6.5"


S&W 657 .41 magnum 3"

 

[Biblethumpncop]

These Herretts feel great! I'm thinking of refinishing them though to refresh the finish.

 

[.38 Special]

@BobWright I still have not found anyone who will make Magna-style conversion grips for an N frame, and the ones I modified are imperfect, so I have been thinking about getting started making my own. The fly in the ointment is inletting. How do you do it?

 

[CraigC]

My DA grip journey actually started before that of SA's. My first big bore was a Redhawk .44Mag in 1990. Those factory grips weren't very good and none of the aftermarket rubbers were an improvement. It wasn't until I started shooting S&W's a few years later that I discovered something that worked. In those early years I was satisfied with Hogue hardwood grips but that wasn't on anything with any appreciable level of recoil. It wasn't long before I was doing all my big bore shooting with Ruger Bisleys so all the DA stuff was relatively mild. Then one day I found the DA grips that changed everything. A local shop had bought all the old stock from another shop that was closing down. Among the loot were brand new sets of Herrett's grips, including these fancy walnut Ropers.



From that point on, I knew what I needed for happy DA shooting. They weren't too thick like the old checkered target stocks, nor too thin like the Skeeter Skelton style. They were just right. From that point it was just a matter of getting together with the right gripmaker. For several sets, that was John Culina. First we did a few sets in fancy walnut. I asked for an overall thickness of 1.2" at the center of the swell and he delivered them perfectly.


He cussed me after making three sets in antique paper micarta. This was inspired by an engraved and nickeled model 29 in Taffin's work.


Then I discovered Keith Brown and the ready-made grips sold on Ebay were perfectly comfortable as-is.








S&W's were easy. The challenge was finding someone that made this sort of grip for grip stud Rugers. I tried the grooveless Hogue's and the shape was so terrible, they gave me a flinch on the .480.


I hit up Zane Thompson after he started making S&W grips and he agreed to try the Rugers. I ended up with three sets of them.


Culminating in perfection for the SRH.