Smith and Wesson 686 Wood Grips

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firemanstrickland

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Hello all,

I need some help, I have just purchased a brand new smith and wesson 686 from buds gun shop and it should be shipping soon. I want to put wood grips on it and I have some concerns. First I dont know if it is a round or square butt. Does anyone know what the new 686's are? Secondly, I have found some older model 686 square butt grips on ebay and have fell in love with them, Will they fit a new 686?? and thirdly if you had to suggest another wood grip what would it be??? cocobolo? rosewood? walnut? something else? how about a manufacturer?

I NEED HELP!!!

Thanks, Dave
 
All new S&W's, except for a very few 'Classic' reproductions are round butt now.

The old old Square butt grips will not fit them.

If you are not in love with the ill-fitting S&W target grips of yore?

Look at Hogue wood grips.

http://www.getgrip.com/main/overview/fancy.html

There are many other manufactures making very nice wood S&W grips too, but it's getting too late to find them all on Google tonight.

But you can if you want to stay up and look.

rc
 
I do not see 686's listed on Bud's website. I would guess round butt though. I had heard all new L-frames are. Perhaps someone smarter will come along to confirm

No reason any L-frame round butt grips wouldn't fit.

Check out Ahrend's grips - http://ahrendsgripsusa.com/index.htm
 
They are a couple of guys from Thiland in eBay that sell some beautiful ones for a really good price. I have bought 2 and have been very happy.



Seen some threads on the s&w forums and most people have good things to say. I have seen s couple of reports of them warping, but the seller seems to make good if this happens (which seems to be rare anyway)
 
Since the death of the old Coke bottles, S&W's factory grips have been atrocious, ending with the current rubber monstrosities most of them ship with now. I would heartily suggest hitting up Herrett's for some Roper stocks.

http://www.herrett-stocks.com
 
Nills Grips are beautiful also. Functional too

If you want colored laminate, Altamont and Badger Grips are both nice products.
 
Rubber grips may be fugly, but they are functional and comfortable to shoot. There is a reason why many revolver shooters (like me) prefer them over "pretty" wood grips.
 
Definitely second the motion for checking out Hogue, Ahrends, and Herretts grips. I have been very satisfied with their quality and overall fit and finish.
 
There is a reason why many revolver shooters (like me) prefer them over "pretty" wood grips.
Click to expand...
Most don't know any better. Most believe the myth that rubber grips soften the blow. Most have only experienced the atrocious wood grips that manufacturers have foisted upon us for the last 50 or more years. Most have never gone to the expense of having a set of custom grips made to fit their sixgun and their hand. Most would find that a set of "pretty wood" grips made to fit their hands were vastly more comfortable to shoot with than those thin rubber monstrosities like the Hogue monogrip with those uncomfortable ambidextrous palm swells. I used to think Hogue's were comfortable too, before I knew any better.

A great many use condescending statements like yours to make their choice seem somehow superior. As if only real shooters who really use their guns in the real world use rubbers. Those with pretty wood grips have lace on their drawers. It's a farce.

No, you won't find a more comfortable grip than that made to fit YOUR hand but unfortunately for some, they don't come in rubber and cost more than $15.
IMG_0925b.jpg


Ahrends' Retro Targets are not bad but they're a bit too thin for me.
IMG_8747b.jpg
 
Yeah, I agree with Craigc. Properly designed wooden stocks are a pleasure to shoot with and won't snag on clothing like rubber stocks do. My favorite is the Jerry Miculek model:

IMG_0016-1.jpg

The slim, narrow shape nestles the backstrap deeply into the pocket of your palm for excellent recoil control and sure grip. That they look a lot better than rubber is just icing on the cake.
 
I like Herretts "Jordan Trooper" grips. They work well if you have slightly larger hands and are very comfortable on my 629.

For average size hands, I would recommend the Herretts "Roper" grips they have the same general configuration as the Bill Jordan grips, but are slightly smaller in size.

Either one would be a good choice. Herretts has been making beautiful, functional grips for a long time and they fit the gun and your hand very well.

Just my $0.02
 
CraigC nailed it.

Also if you like the Square Butt, round to Square conversion grips are offered by many grip makers.
That was one of the reasons S&W went round when they standardized. You can modify grip shape to square from round, with the right grip, but not the other way.
 
CraigC said:
Most don't know any better. Most believe the myth that rubber grips soften the blow. Most have only experienced the atrocious wood grips that manufacturers have foisted upon us for the last 50 or more years. Most have never gone to the expense of having a set of custom grips made to fit their sixgun and their hand. Most would find that a set of "pretty wood" grips made to fit their hands were vastly more comfortable to shoot with than those thin rubber monstrosities like the Hogue monogrip with those uncomfortable ambidextrous palm swells. I used to think Hogue's were comfortable too, before I knew any better.

A great many use condescending statements like yours to make their choice seem somehow superior. As if only real shooters who really use their guns in the real world use rubbers. Those with pretty wood grips have lace on their drawers. It's a farce.

No, you won't find a more comfortable grip than that made to fit YOUR hand but unfortunately for some, they don't come in rubber and cost more than $15.
IMG_0925b.jpg


Ahrends' Retro Targets are not bad but they're a bit too thin for me.
IMG_8747b.jpg
Click to expand...
What are those on the Combat Masterpiece? Those look nice.
 
Smith and Wesson 686 Wood Grips

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello all,

I need some help, I have just purchased a brand new smith and wesson 686 from buds gun shop and it should be shipping soon. I want to put wood grips on it and I have some concerns. First I dont know if it is a round or square butt. Does anyone know what the new 686's are? Secondly, I have found some older model 686 square butt grips on ebay and have fell in love with them, Will they fit a new 686?? and thirdly if you had to suggest another wood grip what would it be??? cocobolo? rosewood? walnut? something else? how about a manufacturer?

I NEED HELP!!!

Thanks, Dave
Click to expand...

Wooden grips make nice gun porn, but to seriously shoot the 686 with magnum ammo, I prefer the Pachmayr soft grips. Actually the branded rubber grips that came on my gun this past year are pretty nice. The Pachmayrs open up the palm more and extend the fingers, if you like that kind of feel.

The 686 is definitely a round butt grip frame.
 
Rubber, wood, laminates, micarta, doesn't matter...grips are like shoes, you gotta have a pair that fits YOU
 
RussB said:
Rubber, wood, laminates, micarta, doesn't matter...grips are like shoes, you gotta have a pair that fits YOU
Click to expand...


^This.

Preference in handgun grips is very subjective, probably because our hands differ so much. Also probably because what looks good to us is so different. Add to that that so many want to personalize their firearm so it's "different" than everyone else's. In all honesty, I believe 80% of grip changes are for cosmetic reasons. Outta that 80% probably 50% of those firearms get shot so seldom grip fit to the shooters hand is not even relevant. Outta that last 50%, probably half of thse folks find their new grips uncomfortable, but leave them on cause one, they cost the $100-$150 and two, they sure look purdy. Kinda like women and shoes. That leaves 4 outta 10 folks that pick grips that fit their hand and are the most comfortable to shoot, be they wood, ivory, horn, plastic or rubber. The argument should not be wood or rubber, but which % of the above you fit into.
 
Most have only experienced the atrocious wood grips that manufacturers have foisted upon us for the last 50 or more years. Most have never gone to the expense of having a set of custom grips made to fit their sixgun and their hand.
Click to expand...

Howdy

Do you include the Goncalo Alves oversized target grips that S&W was using in the 1970s among those atrocious wood grips? I have always liked them.

Model_19-2.jpg


Regarding custom grips, I am familiar with most of the internet wood grips makers, but how does one go about getting grips made that are custom fit to one's hand?

Just curious.
 
I've gotta put my plug in for my favorites. Ahrends. I like the Retro Combat. My K frames are square butt. They make them for both.
 
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