Why are revolver grips shaped the way they are?

[RimfireChris]

I'm just curious, after all, as long as the spring fits inside the grip frame, you could make that frame any shape you want, right? I was thinking about this last night at work, and if you think about it, grip design hasn't really changed in over a hundred years. Did any manufacturer try anything new, only to have it shot down? I was thinking a revolver with a 1911 shaped grip would be sort of neat.

 

[PabloJ]

While when it comes to autos newer can mean better trying to improve the revolver leads to disasters. Look at Metaba or Chiappa Rhino.

 

[BADUNAME37]

How about if the grip is on top and the barrel on the bottom.

That would be different, alright.

Could it be they are the way they are because that seems to be the most efficient and best-engineered way to have them?

 

[rcmodel]

Colt designed the best revolver grip yet invented for rapid manipulation of a single-action percussion revolver in the mid-1800's.
It rolls up in the hand each shot, and puts your thumb almost back on the hammer for recocking.

Early DA designs of the late 1800's sort of tried to use it, but that doesn't work in DA fire, as you need the gun to stay put in your hand each shot, not roll up.

Later still, Colt & S&W started putting the hump at the top of the back strap to prevent the grip from slipping down each shot.
S&W more so then Colt.
Early Colt DA's are harder to hang onto in rapid DA fire then S&W's, for me at least.

Later still, harder kicking DA revolvers came along, and grips were extend further up on the frame, (S&W Magna grip) or made even larger to fill in the space between the grip and the trigger guard to keep your knuckles from getting smacked. (S&W & Colt Target grips)

At this point in time, the DA revolver grip is a refinement of trying what worked, and what didn't work over the last 100+ years.

A semi-auto style grip on a DA revolver would not be so cool, as it would make SA cocking difficult, and heavy recoil sting would kill your hand without the semi-auto action soaking up some of it first.

rc

 

[doc.lonestar]

Ruger LCR IMHO has the best grip on a revolver. The Houge grip really tames the recoil and makes it more enjoyable to shoot. I will be looking at picking up a SP101 in the next month or so and will be picking up a pair for them as well.

 

[RimfireChris]

Ok, I get the point, I guess. What's so bad about the Chiappa Rhino though? The only bad comments I've heard are about it's ugliness, which I won't deny.

 

[Cosmoline]

The semiautos are the ones that have to make concessions. Revolvers can have any grip shape you can imagine, so long as it works. There are very large "coke bottle" style stocks, stocks with finger grooves, stocks for big hands and stocks for deep concealment, stocks that wrap your hand for target shooting, and a lot of others. You can also add T-Grips to change the profile. I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that all revolvers have the same stocks.

So you certainly could put square 1911 style furniture on a revolver, but it would be pointless because there's no stack of .45's in there you have to cover up. Plus it would reduce the leverage on the trigger and put the hammer spur out of reach.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Old, but new. Farrant grips circa 1978-1980.

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[Broker]

SharpsDressedMan beat me to it. Fuzzy Farrant's grips were the best ergonomic wheelgun grips ever made. Smaller where the shortest fingers were, & the top of the grip built up to make them point more naturally. Only downside was the bottom front of the gripframe had to be cut on most guns.

 

[Gerstleguy]

I've had this discussion with old timers before; grips mirrored what people did for a living; their hand muscles were developed and trained for the best control with that shape. So the colt single action "plowhandle" gave great control to anyone who had spent hundreds of hours behind a two handled plow. Once that shape was used, people who learned to shoot with it, even if they never saw a plow, developed the best control with it.
I grew up swinging a hammer; for me, combat grips on a k frame felt great. With the size of my hands, almost every auto gives me either hammer bite or slide bite. One of the few exceptions is the 1911, and I'm told one of the few modifications colt made to it was to enlarge the beavertail to avoid it.

 

[WebHobbit]

Did any manufacturer try anything new, only to have it shot down?

YES. Ruger did with the GP100 & SP100. It basically has NO GRIP FRAME -only a simple post design. The grip can BE ANY shape/size a grip maker can dream up. That is the ULTIMATE revolver grip innovation. Too bad the grip makers have largely dropped the ball here - especially with the GP100 With few exceptions all the GP100 grips available this side of ultra-expensive custom wood are pretty damned BIG. Perfect for you large handed shooters but not so good for us little guys.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Most revolver grips you see are still based on a pattern originally designed for one-handed shooting...it is just traditional.

The first modern handgun manufacturer who tried to change this was the original Dan Wesson .357 Mag revolvers that mounted the mainspring in a narrow stud that the grips attached to. Their Pistol-Pacs included a Target grip (traditional), a Combat grip (finger grooved) and a grip blank already inletted to the stud.

The you don't hear much about them tells you how resistive the buying public was. The next manufacturer to follow DW's lead was Ruger with their SP101, GP100 and Super Redhawk

 

[Mizar]

WebHobbit, the original GP 100 grips were perfect even for small handed shooters. I think that this grip was one of the best feeling factory grip put on a modern DA revolver. Except for personal preference I think that there was no real need for a shooter to replace it. But they were not designed for target practice...

Boris

 

[WebHobbit]

I agree those grips are NICE...the only reason I couldn't use 'em (same as on the SP101) is I MUST have the tiny bit of metal behind the trigger guard covered as it hurts my hand to contact that under magnum loads.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I agree those grips are NICE...the only reason I couldn't use 'em (same as on the SP101) is I MUST have the tiny bit of metal behind the trigger guard covered as it hurts my hand to contact that under magnum loads.

Ever try using shooters gloves?

 

[WebHobbit]

No sure haven't. Never occurred to me.

 

[bikerdoc]

Only time will tell if the Rhino is inovation or novelty. I choose not to be the beta tester.

 

[Rexster]

I'm just curious, after all, as long as the spring fits inside the grip frame, you could make that frame any shape you want, right? I was thinking about this last night at work, and if you think about it, grip design hasn't really changed in over a hundred years. Did any manufacturer try anything new, only to have it shot down? I was thinking a revolver with a 1911 shaped grip would be sort of neat.

People's hands have not changed in a hundred years. The grip of an 1873 SAA fits me just fine. A 1911 is a marvel of engineering, but the 1911 grip shape is a compromise with the need to fit a removable box magazine.

The original GP100 grip is the best-ever shape for a DA revolver for my hands, though just a tiny bit large. The SP101 is also very good for my hands, though just a bit small. I just bought several original GP100 grips through evil-bay, to install on my Super Redhawk Alaskan and a 5" GP100 that were equipped with horrid Hogues, and to replace some badly worn grips on my oldest GP100 sixguns. Most Hogues have finger grooves in the wrong place for my hands, and the palm swell is far too low on the grip.

 

[Rexster]

Somewhere, I saw a photo of the Rhino's innards. It looked to be VERY complicated internally, with many, many small moving parts. I won't be a beta tester for them, either, though I do find the concept interesting. If I didn't have so many irons in the financial fire, approaching retirement, and buying photographic equipment, I might have tried a Rhino.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Somewhere, I saw a photo of the Rhino's innards. It looked to be VERY complicated internally, with many, many small moving parts.

I have a hunch if the Rhino fails in the market, all those bitty parts will be most of the reason; I've also heard the trigger feels more like a semi-automatic's, which wouldn't endear it to me.

Yes, it would be possible to make a revolver with a 1911-style grip, complete with thumb safety, grip safety, et cetera. I think it would probably fail in the market first and last because it would look different. We shooters talk innovation, but we like it to be incremental, not sweeping.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

if you think about it, grip design hasn't really changed in over a hundred years

Actually, it has changed dramatically -- compare a modern revolver grip with the grip on a Colt SAA , for example.

Two major changes are filling in the space behind to trigger guard to prevent bumping the knuckle of the middle finger, and making the grips smaller toward the little finger, causing the revolver to recoil into the hand.

 

[MrBorland]

Why are revlolver grips shaped the way they are?

ehhh...because this design never caught on.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

That's a Polish Army revolver -- all those I've seen are in great shape, only fired once.

 

[revolversrbetter]

YES. Ruger did with the GP100 & SP100. It basically has NO GRIP FRAME -only a simple post design. The grip can BE ANY shape/size a grip maker can dream up.

I read an article quoting Jerry Miculek saying that most revolver grips have it backwards; ie, they should be fatter on the top and skinny on the bottom.

If I get myself organized, I'll post a photo of a GP-100 that I modified with rubber bands. Yes, rubber bands.

I spent $1.99 on a package of wide rubber bands and spent an hour or so one night twisting and fitting them on the grip so they fit just perfect. And, I mean perfect. This was a couple of years ago and they are still on the grip, haven't moved, and work great.

I was shooting some 180gn Buffalo Bore when I first put them on. No kidding, offhand shooting, 25 yard range, bullseye first shot! Jerry is right, they should be fatter on top and you don't have to spend a mint modifying your gun.

 

[Zoogster]

YES. Ruger did with the GP100 & SP100. It basically has NO GRIP FRAME -only a simple post design. The grip can BE ANY shape/size a grip maker can dream up. That is the ULTIMATE revolver grip innovation.

This is the truth. You can vary distance to the trigger a lot, use a lot more shapes, and really have more options than with other revolvers.


However as mentioned not many manufacturers have chosen to take advantage of this opportunity. So while it enables someone to use an endless number of designs, most manufacturers have decided to stick with almost the same thing people are forced to use on other revolvers.