Up your nose with a rubber Hogue

[vanfunk]

Catchy title? I thought so. Then again, I amuse easily, especially when I am amusing myself! Ok, so… last week I was shooting my recently acquired S&W 629, 4” barrel and I, uh, overdid it. I was having such a good time I didn’t realize what a bad time I was having. I fired 250 rounds of mixed factory .44 magnum ammo, including some fire-breathing Remington 180 grain JSP at 1650 fps. I felt ok until the next morning, when I could barely hold my coffee cup. It almost felt like I had dislocated my thumb a little bit. I bought some padded motorcycle gloves and headed back to the range a couple of days later with my 629 and 6” Anaconda. Not so good. I made it through 5 rounds of Winchester 240 grain soft points and I’d had enough. Determined to find a solution, I found the Hogue “tamer” grips for sale online for $26 and figured I’d give them a try. The Tamers arrived yesterday and of course it took all of 13 seconds to get them on to the 629. I could immediately tell the difference, with the Tamers having a “squishier” backstrap than the OEM (Hogue too?) grips. Despite the squishiness, it was still easy to get a solid firing grip on the revolver. I don’t generally like finger grooves but these feel ok. Proceeding to the range today, I fired 50 rounds of 240 grain Winchester JSP through the 629 and…. Big difference. My hand is still sore from my previous abuse but this limited range session proved that these grips are transformative. I really wish Hogue would make these for the Colt Anaconda too; they’re that good. I like to shoot a lot when I’m at the range and I have every confidence that these grips will allow me to do that without having to ice my thumb for a few days. I’d love to have some beautiful wood grips on my magnums but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Anyway, thought I’d share and I hope this is helpful for other overdoers out there!

 

[Hartkopf]

I’ve got a tamer on a Ruger Alaskan. Definitely easier to shoot lots of rounds than with the standard hard grips.

BTW that pain in your hand is transitory just like inflation. It’s supposed to be getting better but somehow it keeps lingering!

 

[Col. Harrumph]

Yeah, I love the look of wood but the revolvers I actually shoot wear oogly rubber.

 

[shoebox1.1]

I hope my simulated ivories don’t hurt.. they’re so slick I’m hoping the recoil with “roll” in the hand with magnums. This gun isn’t fun to shoot w hot magnums anyway.

 

[doubleh]

Sometime ago someone posted that wood grips are for show, rubber for go. That has been my opinion for years.

 

[Jim Watson]

I don't much like the finger grooves but I do like the palm swell and the fact that they are cheap and I could get the same handle on all my DAs.

 

[drband]

I don't much like the finger grooves but I do like the palm swell and the fact that they are cheap and I could get the same handle on all my DAs.

At one time Hogue made rubber grips w/o finger grooves. Not sure if available anymore.

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

I usually look for a set of Pach's presentations, if not available; Hogue gets the call.

 

[Hartkopf]

At one time Hogue made rubber grips w/o finger grooves. Not sure if available anymore.

They’re called “combat” grips I believe. I know they’re available for a few Rugers but not sure of any others. I’ve got one for my Alaskan but it’s a bruiser. Hard as a rock and smaller and I can only use it for a few rounds.

 

[JDeere]

I put Hogues or Pachs on all of my revolvers. I shoot the heck out of all of mine and they help tremendously.

 

[bannockburn]

These are for show:

These are for go!

 

[Mizar]

At no time Hogue offered rubber grips - they are all PVC... If you want real rubber, then go with the classic Pachmayr models.

 

[Walkalong]

Catchy title? I thought so. Then again, I amuse easily,

Well, I liked it.

 

[paul105]

If you don't like the finger grooves, they can be removed with a sanding drum on a dremel, belt sander or a sanding block. These were done with a knife sharpening belt sander. I got impatient but if you take your time a much more aesthetic outcome will result. In addition, I rounded the butt on these. Shown on a S&W m69 L Frame 44 mag.
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Another view on a K frame 357
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Paul

 

[dickydalton]

My model 69 has Pachmyr "Compac" grips. A fat version that makes magnums feel lots better! I have the same Compac grips on my SP 101s for the same reason.

 

[drobs]

Catchy title? I thought so. Then again, I amuse easily, especially when I am amusing myself! Ok, so… last week I was shooting my recently acquired S&W 629, 4” barrel and I, uh, overdid it. I was having such a good time I didn’t realize what a bad time I was having. I fired 250 rounds of mixed factory .44 magnum ammo, including some fire-breathing Remington 180 grain JSP at 1650 fps. I felt ok until the next morning, when I could barely hold my coffee cup. It almost felt like I had dislocated my thumb a little bit. I bought some padded motorcycle gloves and headed back to the range a couple of days later with my 629 and 6” Anaconda. Not so good. I made it through 5 rounds of Winchester 240 grain soft points and I’d had enough. Determined to find a solution, I found the Hogue “tamer” grips for sale online for $26 and figured I’d give them a try. The Tamers arrived yesterday and of course it took all of 13 seconds to get them on to the 629. I could immediately tell the difference, with the Tamers having a “squishier” backstrap than the OEM (Hogue too?) grips. Despite the squishiness, it was still easy to get a solid firing grip on the revolver. I don’t generally like finger grooves but these feel ok. Proceeding to the range today, I fired 50 rounds of 240 grain Winchester JSP through the 629 and…. Big difference. My hand is still sore from my previous abuse but this limited range session proved that these grips are transformative. I really wish Hogue would make these for the Colt Anaconda too; they’re that good. I like to shoot a lot when I’m at the range and I have every confidence that these grips will allow me to do that without having to ice my thumb for a few days. I’d love to have some beautiful wood grips on my magnums but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Anyway, thought I’d share and I hope this is helpful for other overdoers out there!

When you get tired of beating yourself up with 44 mag, try some 44 special or 44 mag cowboy loads.

I too like rubber grips on my revolvers:

 

[CajunBass]

It didn't take me long to figure out why you hear so many tales of 44 magnums being for sale, ammo included, only (insert low number here) rounds fired. Those things kick. And I'm a wimp, so they kick a LOT! So I just gave up shooting factory ammo. I just load up some "Dirty Harry Light Specials" and fire away. I do the same with my 41 magnum. Much less recoil, but I get the fun of shooting the big boys. Heck, even my 38/357's see mostly wadcutters. What can I say? I'm old and delicate these days. Of course even my reloads will stop a paper target dead in it's tracks. They don't take a lot of killing. I'd be in bad shape if I had to actually shoot most anything else.

Even at that, my 29-10 wears a set of Hogues. I just didn't care much for the Altamont grips that came on it, too narrow, and I've used Hogues in the past, and they're inexpensive. I don't think they look too awful either. I think they look like "serious business."

 

[cfullgraf]

In general, I prefer Pachmayrs over Hogues. But, in general, I prefer shooting with rubber griops over wood grips.

But wood grips look good.

Unfortunately, the manufacturers don't make grips I like for all frames. Probably a combination of sales volume and inventory tax.

So, I adapt.

 

[doubleh]

I usually look for a set of Pach's presentations, if not available; Hogue gets the call.

I have found some problems with poor fit from Pach's. I have the presentation one's on a single action revolver that required quite a bit of work with a dremel and a small, pointy, gringing stone to make fit. I like them and they eliminated the middle finger whacking from the trigger guard. I also put the presentations on a Smith model 19 that made the web of my hand hurt even with 38 special. It took a little work with the dremel to get them to fit. I went through several sets of wood grips and a set of rubber Hogue's with no success on the pain problem. The Pach's fixed it.

 

[Bill_in_TR]

I seldom shoot full house magnums in any of my revolvers. I handload so I shoot something I can manage in any of them. I like both the look and feel of a wood grip and so far at my age of 77 what I shoot doesn't punish me. Maybe that will change soon.

 

[roval]

Vinny Barbarino...
i love the hogue tamer grips that came with my ruger SRH. the first time one of the range regulars shot it with mid range magnum loads he was so surprised at the comfort compared to his wood gripped model 29. too bad they didn't have one for square butt n frames. i would have gotten one for my 29-4 and it would. have been cheaper too but i am happy as well with the hogue wood grips that i got instead.

 

[cfullgraf]

I have found some problems with poor fit from Pach's. I have the presentation one's on a single action revolver that required quite a bit of work with a dremel and a small, pointy, gringing stone to make fit. I like them and they eliminated the middle finger whacking from the trigger guard. I also put the presentations on a Smith model 19 that made the web of my hand hurt even with 38 special. It took a little work with the dremel to get them to fit. I went through several sets of wood grips and a set of rubber Hogue's with no success on the pain problem. The Pach's fixed it.

Yes, I've found Pachmayrs not fitting the firearms as well as a couple decades ago. Thanks to the Chinese and to poor quality control from Lyman.

There are some Presentation grips no longer offered by Lyman that I find used on the gun show market. They fit so much better on the firearms.

I've been collecting some K-frame, adjustable sight guns and prefer the used Pachmayr grips I find at gun shows.

 

[CraigC]

IMHO, the Tamers work better because they're thicker, not necessarily because they're squishy. The standard Hogues are terribly shaped, I never liked them, going back to my very first big bore. The way the grip fits the hand is far more important than the material they're made from. Took me years and thousands of dollars in grips to figure this out. Problem is that 99% of all factory grips, both single and double action, suck. They're either too thick, too thin or both.

These are for show......and go.

The factory rubber/insert grips on the Ruger grip stud guns is pretty good. The Ropers they put on the 5" GP's are also pretty good.

These are perfect.

 

[Old Dog]

In general, I prefer Pachmayrs over Hogues. But, in general, I prefer shooting with rubber griops over wood grips.

Yep!

Problem is that 99% of all factory grips, both single and double action, suck. They're either too thick, too thin or both.

Again, yep! Those wood grips on your Smiths in the top pic, and the Ruger (not normally a fan of the new Rugers) in the bottom photo, are just gorgeous.

 

[CraigC]

Yep!

Again, yep! Those wood grips on your Smiths in the top pic, and the Ruger (not normally a fan of the new Rugers) in the bottom photo, are just gorgeous.

Thanks! And they work.