Revolver CCW: wood/rubber grips

[greyhound]

So with CCW just around the corner after I move, I posted a gun belt question in General Gun Discussion, and though I would address the grip issue in Revolver!

Seems the general consensus is that wood grips are better for CCW, since rubber can snag on clothing, both causing trouble with printing as well as fast draw,

however, I have wood service grips on my Model 64 and they always seem slippery to me, though that's probably just in my head. So in a SD situation, I feel like I might fumble the revolver due to slippery grips.

Also, I hear a lot that the general public wouldn't "make" you if you were screaming "I have a gun" so I am not so worried about printing with rubber grips.

The snagging during fast draw is another issue. I am sure practice and training will help a lot there.

In any light, I have ordered a set of Pachmayr Professional Compac grips to go along with my wood service grips. (The Model 64 originally came with Pachmayr Gripper grips so I am familiar with rubber).

I guess I am leaning toward the rubber due to my "slippery wood" isue, but any advaice would be appreciated. My plan is to "practice carrying" (and drawing) at home for a while before I get my Alabama CCW.

( Have to find a job and all before I start worring about CCW {I know, I should get my priorities straight!} . Counting my blessings for the insanely seller's real estate market in Maryland that let me move with no job!)

 

[ChristopherG]

If the service grips on your 64 are the kind that just fit the grip frame, then the slipping you're experiencing is typical; they're too skinny for anyone's hand. The Pachmayrs are great for shooting, but the advantage of wood for CCW is real, and there's a way you can keep your grips and make your gun easier to hold. It's an old gizmo (though still produced) called a Tyler T-grip. It's an aluminum deal that fills in part of the area between the trigger guard and the grip and makes a remarkable difference in how easy the gun is to hold onto. You can see and buy them HERE .

 

[MrMurphy]

Pachmayr Decelerators are a harder, non-snaggy type rubber/plastic grip and give a good grip. The Hogue monogrip is excellent for recoil reduction but not concealed carry.

There are wood checkered grips out there. Try www.brownells.com, www.nill-grips.com. These give you smooth grips but the checkering keeps it in your hand.

 

[Marshall]

Forget the pic quality, the grips from Pachmayr work nice though for CC.

 

[Dienekes]

Generally speaking, a proper set of wood grips is the way to go for CCW. They will not drag or print but (ought to) fit your hand well enough to where the gun feels right. Another advantage is that if you come out with a slightly wrong grip you can shift things into line along the way and do ok. With a hard grip as you should have anyway wood works fine. Witness Bill Jordan and Mickukek's smooth grips.

A middle compromise that I can live with are pebbled nylon grips like Hogue used to make for revolvers. I have a set on one DA wheelgun and they work very much like wood in that respect.

Pachmayr may have sold billions of sticky rubber grips but that didn't mean they were the right answer.

 

[russlate]

Once upon a time there were more gripmakers than knifemakers.

Today there may be Herrett's left - I'm not sure. With a few small scale makers coming and going.

Pachmayr ( and it's imitators ) killed them. If it was up to me I'd string Pachmayr and Uncle Mike's up for what they did to an entire industry.

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's greyhound and Welcome To The Heart Of Ole' Dixie!

I prefer Hogue's "Bantam" rubber grips on my old (S&W .38 SPL)
model 60. Seems to work rather well in these HOT and HUMID
climates of the southeast.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Gunmeister]

IMHO---wood grips work better for mildly overweight folks who live in a hot humid region of our country, such as I. In Florida most folks seldom wear an undershirt under their outer shirt. Having said that, while carrying a CCW IWB, rubber grips tend to irritate bare skin while smooth wood does not. Coursely checkered grips can be irritating but not to the degree that rubber irritates.

 

[Stainz]

Another welcome to C.A.... I live just NE of Birmingham. BTW, when you need to shoot, consider the 'FOP Range, Inc' in Pleasant Grove, just off (~3.3mi) I-59's Exit 115. They are having a fall membership drive... day use range is open to the public, too. 'FOP' is just their name... and, they have a good website. It is a 65mi roundtrip for me, but well worth it. I work as a part-time RO on their public-use range there on the weekends, too.

Another head's up locally... the Alabama GunCollector's will have their fall show at the Jeff County Civic Center (downtown - by the freeway) this Sat & Sun... a good gun show (No off-topic stuff!). Again, welcome!

I bought a police trade in 3" 65 this year - great little .38 (I don't load .357M's in mine...). I have a Hoque goncalo alves finger groove wood monogrip on it, and it is an easy acquisition - and, a reliable 'hold'. The fg-less style may be better... but, I recycled them from my 66. I have wood on everything... and, most of my S&W's are 2001 and newer, so they were purchased after the revolvers. My first choice in rubber, which I still have on my 296 due to it's recoil, is the backtrap enclosing Uncle Mike's Combats, available in rounded (Current new 10's, 64's, etc.) or squared (Recent 66's.) from S&W for $30 or so.

Stainz

 

[Ala Dan]

Where Customer Satisfaction Is ALWAYS #1-

Simmons Sporting Goods
2001-2nd Ave North
Bessemer, AL 35020

PX: Area Code (205) 425-4720

Family owned and operated, in the heart of Bessemer, AL at
the corner of 20th street and 2nd Avenue North. Ask for:
Clay, Ray, Barry, Dale, Mike, Jerry, Johnny, Charles, David.
or yours truly Dan.



A huge selection of not only handguns and long guns; but cross bows and hunting and fishing accessories as well.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Doug Add]

I immediately replaced the factory grips on my Ruger SP101 (they were too small) with a Hogue rubber finger groove grip. Shoots nicely, but I really do prefer wood.

So, when I started carrying it I replaced the rubber grip with a Hogue cocobolo grip. Far better. Still easier to handle while shooting than the factory grip panels, no fabric grab as with the rubber, and the look of the gun improved by several magnitudes.

 

[TonyB]

I carry an SP101 with a Houge Monogrip(rubber) and have had no problems printing(I wear loose shirts)....maybe I'm the exception,but I love these grips.I'll never go back to the stock grips..I MAY end up getting a wood Houge just for looks....I saw one locally for the SP for about $40....

 

[greyhound]

Thanks for the reccomendations, fellas. I'll definately check out and probably join FOP, and I'll go to Simmons shop too. (Unfortunately, I won't get down there till 10/31 so I'll have to miss that show, but I'd be curious as to how a AL show compares to a MD show).

As to the grips, I think I'll try them both and go with what I like best. I've spent the better part of the day practicing carrying while packing (packing for the move that is! ) and trying to convince myself that the wood grips aren't "slippery".....

 

[Standing Wolf]

Today there may be Herrett's left - I'm not sure.

http://www.herrett-stocks.com

Trust me, eh?

 

[The_Shootist]

CCW Grips?

After lots of experimenting (Hogue rubber, Eagle wood secret service grips etc) I settled on Pachmayr hard rubber/lightly pebbled on my SP 101.

I've never had a problem with printing and they make the gun fun and comfortable to shoot in a range session.