Rubber grips and revolvers

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sgt127

sgt127

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Jeez. Maybe I'm getting old or my pain threshold has gone down. Went shooting the other day and discovered that my 3" 65 and Mod 58 Smith both hurt to shoot. Hard nylon smooth grips on the 65, Herrett shooting stars on the 58. They are both getting me just to the left of the web of my hand against the thumb joint. My snub Ruger SP-101 doesn't get me there and I assume its because of the wrap around rubber grip. Going back out in a few days and we'll try it again with a set of Uncle Mikes rubber grips on the 65 and the Houge's back on the M-58 (Never had a problem with those grips on there). Maybe the grips that were on there made the gun turn just a little bit in my hand allowing the recoil to bite me.

I don't want to like rubber grips. The M-58 has always been a ferocious recoiling gun to me but I was done after 12 rounds out of each of them and went back to a .22 PPK/S.....

Anybody else get smacked with the recoil right against the thumb joint? Solutions?
 
You have my sincere sympathy. Having been born when Truman was president, I believe age is creeping up on me.

Lately when I've fired my wood stocked 3" M65 with 125 gr. magnum loads I've winced with pain. The hand also swelled.

Changed the stocks to Uncle Mike's rubber and downloaded to light magnums. Helped quite a bit. When a further step and frequently shoot .38 Special +P's.

After shooting dip your hand in hot water for about 5 minutes. Maybe use one of those hot wax hand baths. A little bit a pain /swelling medication may also help. Also try a B complex vitamin once a day.

One other thing - stay off the computer! The typing and mousing aggravates the problem.

The M65 is probably my favorite revolver. Don't want to give up shooting it.
 
I prefer Hogue monogrips, even on lightly recoiling guns.

I feel I get MUCH better control over the gun no matter what the caliber or the recoil level.

The only S&W I currently have factory grips on is my 24-3 in .44 Spl. For some reason the set of plow handles that came with it fit my hand very very well, whereas the same factory plow handles that came with my Model 28 or 58 couldn't stink worse. They are dimensionally different.

I even have Hogue wraparounds on my 1911 and my High Power.
 
Rubber's for me too!

Grant it, it took a while for me to warm up too them;
but after I did, I wouldn't have anything else on my
revolver's. :D Maybe, the only exception would be
a "show gun"; better described as a typical
conversation piece? :uhoh: You know, those oldie
but goodie Smith's that came with those impressive
Goncolo Alves; or the beautiful smooth Rosewood's
on S&W N-frames.

But, for all practical purposes give me Hogue
Monogrip's; or in a few cases those rubber's made
by Pachmayr. :rolleyes:

FootNote: the only rubber grips still on my _ list
are those found on the BHP Practical model. Those
are just like Rosie O'; too damn fat!

And the _ don't mean Christmas list~

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I love the look of good wood grips but .... rubber for me too!! Hogues in many cases ..... and, the std grips from Ruger on one SRH work fine and also the grips on my Raging Lunatic .454 . they work well. All the mentioned factory ones are rubber in some form.

My SBH does tho have wood grips but these are ''specials'' and do suit me well even with hot loads.
 
I like rubber grips on heavy recoiling revolvers such as the S&w 640-1, model 29 and Ruger Super Redhawk. Ruger's GP-100/Super Redhawk stocks are the best, followed by Pachmayer Presentation stocks, in my opinion.
 
I prefer sharp checkered wood with a Tyler T, or some other small grip with some traction aids and a Tyler.

I don't like rubber grips because I feel they hinder indexing your hand on the gun as you begin the draw, they stick to clothes, they change feel with temperature, 99% of them are too big and only a very few actually fit my hand decently. There are a few guns that the cushioning helps, but I find a smooth polished grip that will slip in your hand works as well as a rubber cushion on most guns.
 
I'm contending with both arthritis and computer wrist, and am growing more sensitive to recoil with age. I've found it helps to take a couple aspirin before leaving for the range, as well as stretch my upper back on a foam wedge and shake my arms and hands.

I've found it helps to shoot thumb-up rather than -down. Except for my carry gun and Walther PPK, all my guns wear stocks with thumb rests when they go to the range, and in fact, only one doesn't have its own target stocks. Stocks that fit your individual hand will deliver less perceived recoil than those that don't—and apparent comfort in a gun shop isn't always a good indicator of fit on range.

Personally, I've never tried a pair of rubber grips that were any more comfortable to shoot than well made, well fitted target stocks—but to each his own.
 
Hmm...Ok...I see I'm in pretty good company. I agree with everything negative about the rubber grips, they stick on clothes, they look nasty etc etc. The pain I'm getting is not a "keeps hurting because you beat up your hand" kind of pain, its just the smack from the top of the backstrap on a serious recoiling revolver, and, just in that one spot! It seems the edge of the rubber grip helps cusion that just enough to keep going. What I see from alot of other older revolver shooters is that protecting my hand from that recoil for the next few years may keep me shooting alot longer. That, would be a good thing. Thanks for making me feel alot better about those awful grips...
 
I love the look of wood grips on a blued gun but all of my DA wheel guns wear Pachmayrs. The single action has smooth wood grips.
 
Personally, I prefer a well made set of smooth wood grips on my 357 and 44 revolvers. The only problem with this is that no manufacturer of Quality revolvers equips their products with any such grip. My all time favorite Colt Python came equipped with what I can only describe as "Gorilla Grips". no one with anytyhing resembling normal sized hands would have found it comfortable to shoot. (Early 80s) Pachmyar to the rescue, ugly as sin but a pleasure to shoot. Ditto S&W revolvers of the same vintage. Whoever designed their grips knew little to nothing about the shape of the human hand. The only decent wooden grips IMO were those found on Colt SA revolvers and Rugers too to a certain extent.

In frustration, I took a set of S&W target grips and cut and smoothed them to the point where they were slightly larger than a set of J frame grips, withswells in the palm area. They were exceptionally pleasant to shoot with magnum loads (S&W mod 66) and they didn't snag or print under clothing. Never found a set of commercial wooden grips with the same feel. and as I aged and became more interested in comfort and less in looks, I switched to rubber grips on all my revolvers and sacrificed the snag free properties of wood.
 
The previously mentioned Pachmayr Presentation grips are excellent for hard kicking guns, IMO. They are sufficiently wide across the backstrap to spread the recoil generated across a wider area of your hand.
The Hogue wood grips are also good, but not the Hogue synthetic revolver grips. Not for me at least. They are noticeably narrower than the Hogue wood grips and I have replaced all of mine.
The Pachmayr Presentations are not nearly as pretty as wood, but they make a gun that raises a fuss a lot more comfortable to shoot.:)

http://www.fototime.com/3793648F772339A/standard.jpg
 
I've been dealing w/ the ravages of age as well & although not the prettiest grips available, I do appreciate the recoil absorbtion properties of rubber grips :scrutiny: :banghead:
 
sgt127, I don't believe its your age that is causing the problem. I am the same age you are (+-) since I was also born when Truman was in office. My 65's factory grips are woefully inadequate for 357's and Factory oversize grips seem to be made for gorilla hands. So, you either learn to accept Hogue, Pachhmayr's, or Uncle Mike's in rubber or you get wood finger grooves from Hogue, Eagle etc. for considerably more money.

You bet the rubber snags on clothes but once you get the foul taste out of your mouth regarding the appearance of rubber I think you will find its a joy to shoot. I actually have at least two grips for every revolver I have because if its a carry piece I want the wood finger grips. If I am going to use it for range work in any quantity I actually prefer the rubber grips and I just change them out.

My hat is off to anyone who can use S&W, Colt, or Ruger's factory (service) grips on anything above a 38Spcl for any length of time.

Hang in there, maybe we will get stronger as we get older. Ya think.

Regards,
 
I am opne of those unique individuals who actually the Goncalo Alves S&W N-frame grips. They work well for me except that the checkering gets to me after 100 rounds or so.

What I really love are the large S&W Smooth Goncalo Alves Target Grips.

In fact I am in need of a few sets right now for some older square butt guns. If anyone knows of anyone selling any at a reasonable price please let me know.
 
BluesBear, check out a guy that posts as "cdlubbe" over at S&W forum . He probably has what you want or knows who does. First class fella to boot.
 
Thanks HSMITH.

I'll check him out.

I check out the classified over there at least every other day. I've been a member over there for quite a while but I never post. I'm too busy over here. :D
 
BluesBear:

If I sold you my blue 58, the nickel one would get lonely. Sorry!!

Guys, I was born when Kennedy was in office, don't add more years than I've accumulated honestly! But, my doctor told me.."After the age of 40, if you wake up without any aches and pains, its a sign that you passed during the night." Eight years he went to school for that....
 
'DEM BONES

I cannot see my gun(s) while shooting.

ALL my wheels wear Pachmayr Decelerators. Testing and IPSC, you know..........
 
I don't have a carry permit, so I can't really address the "rubber gets caught in clothes" thing, though it seems to make sense. Also, I don't get to shoot as often as I'd like, so when I go I shoot a lot. Within those limited parameters: (1) wood grips look a whole lot better than rubber, and (2) rubber grips make for easier and more accurate shooting. I've swapped-out wood and plastic grips on three pistols for rubber ones.
 
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