Need some new grips

[Matt Griffin]

Hey folks,

I'm in the market for some new grips on my 625, the rubber junk that came with my gun isn't cutting it any more. In particular:

1. They feel very skinny to my hands

2. The gun flips a heck of a lot more

3. It is easy to get a too-low grip, and not easy to get a high grip

With this in mind, can I get some anecdotal evidence for or against various other grips? I'm a lefty, and right now my reload method shouldn't exclude any particular design.

Thanks,

H.

Edited April 28, 2008 by Houngan

[David Sinko]

I just went out of my way to re-acquaint myself with rubber grips and I'm sorry I did. I still can't think of any serious use for them.

I'm going to order a Hogue Lamo Camo without fingergrooves. They seem to be a little thicker than the Miculeks I've been using and the laminated pattern should work well with any modifications or sanding I'd need to do without looking too ugly.

To me rubber offers no performance advantage whatsoever.

Dave Sinko

[Carmoney]

This is a matter of highly individual preference. I've used rubber Hogues for years and really like them! Nice and grippy, fit my hand well for a nice high hold (everybody's different, though), and they give a little cushion on the top left corner where the gun recoils against the base of the thumb.

[Revopop]

I also didn't care for the Hogues, mostly because I can't get my grip high enough. Carmoney gave me the Ahrends grips from a 627 to try, and I really like them. The placement of the finger grooves is a much better fit for my hand with a high grip. Recoil is definitely more noticeable than with the rubber grips, but I'm a virile young stallion and I can take it. One of these days I'll try some Jerry grips.

[Cherryriver]

I love wood (I'm a carpenter) but I use rubber when things need to go fast. I may not be able to stand the sight of them, but I have even more trouble looking at targets with deltas and threes (don't say "mike"!).

As for the Miculek grip, it's an excellent speed-shooting handle for lighter loads.

I and a number of clubmates agree that they're too punishing for extensive use of full-power loads.

A hundred .357s in a Model 19 will have most folks calling it a day, with a wince.

[wlktheduk]

Houngan: I switched back and forth between the Hogue's and the Pachmayrs (Grippers or Compac) several times on my 625.

I (for now, anyway) have settled on the Pachmayr Grippers. They seem to be flatter (front to back) then the Hogues and seem to twist less in my grip.

FWIW: I'm a south paw B class in USPSA Revolver.

[HighVelocity]

I like the wood Hogues with finger grooves and prefer the square butt profile. The rubber grips are too sticky but if I had to use rubber grips, I'd choose the Pachs because they're less sticky than hogue rubber.

Hogue also makes a hard nylon grip that's just as good as the wood imho and a lot cheaper, just not as pretty.

[David Sinko]

Those of you who shoot the rubber Hogue Monogrip... how in the world do you prevent it from sticking to the base of your thumb and then tearing the skin during recoil? That grip is just too sticky! After about three cylinders full of 165 PF it rips the skin on my thumb and I bleed. The only thing I can think of is putting Armor All on the top so that it won't stick to my thumb and leaving the rest of it sticky. I'll try that since I don't have anything to lose. If that doesn't work then I'll quit them forever. I really do like the shape though once you grind off those fingergrooves.

Pachmayr Presentations are better and not as sticky but they keep the finger farther away from the trigger. This alters the handling and gives the illusion of a heavier trigger pull.

Dave Sinko

[Carmoney]

Those of you who shoot the rubber Hogue Monogrip... how in the world do you prevent it from sticking to the base of your thumb and then tearing the skin during recoil? That grip is just too sticky!

It doesn't move in your hand if you hang on good and hard!! Squeeze that handle!!

[Cherryriver]

Hmnp. I just shot the excellent Bend of the River USPSA match yesterday in Niles, Michigan, using my Hogue-rubber-equipped four-inch Python, firing 110 rounds of 158 grainers going over 1100fps.

Then I went down to my own club and touched off another hundred or two of mostly .38s.

The only thing that was sticking was the brain.

I'm suspecting a biochemical difference, here.

I guess different skins react differently.

[David Sinko]

Both of my Monogrips have little raised S&W logos molded into the grips right where they bother my thumbs. I'm going to sand them off and apply some Armor All to the top.

My hands are very skinny and dry. My witch doctor tells me I don't eat enough EFAs and my skin dries out and cracks because of this. All I know is right now I have so many 625s that putting wood on all of them is going to be expensive. That's a hell of a dilemma, isn't it?

Dave Sinko

[open17]

I'm just a barely B sometimes wheelgunner, and a cheap one at that. My 625 had Hogue

rubber grips on it when I bought it, and I HATED them. Tried a set of Miculeks and another

(can't remember brand) wooden grip. Ended up going back to the Hogues. Grabbed a

die grinder with a sanding drum on it and went to work. Got rid of about 95% of the

finger grooves, knocked off a few other bumps that just didn't feel right. They look

like warmed over crap----but they fit MY hands. Someday I would like to get a set

of uber-cool exotic wood grips made-to-fit, but for now the chewed up Hogues will do.

Bill

I guess they fit at least one other set of hands---friend borrows the 625 for 2 months and

makes MASTER with it.

[swandme]

I just went down this road and I had three 686's with Pachmeyer Gripper Decelerator's and 2 with Hogue

I spent Sun at the range and I came to the decision that for Single Action the Pachmeyer's are the best

nice and sticky soft rubber and for double action the Hogue were far better. I have medium size hands so your milage

may very . I ordered up 3 more hogue's as I am doing all Double action now. and they are easy to change back if I need to.

SWandME

Edited April 30, 2008 by swandme

[pskys2]

Cherryriver, love the looks of your Revo! Seeing a fellow competitor with a well worn blued Revo always gets my attention. It just looks right.

Dave Sinko, I have a similar problem with extremely dry hands during the winter. During that time nothing will help. Once it warms up, and everything heals, I've found the wood grips bang the hell out of my thumb. I've had'em rip open in less than 150 rounds.

As much as I dislike the rubber, and love the wood, (Mike no funnies on that), the rubber Hogues whittled down with a dremel just don't hurt to shoot. I work with my hands all day and they are well toughend up so that's not the issue.

Another thing I've noticed is more flyers with the wood grips vs. the Hogue's. It doesn't matter if I put a death grip on it or try to lighten up either.

I've got to find a match to take my worn m29 to, it's getting lonely and needs to get out and play some.

[David Sinko]

I just put Armor All on the top of a rubber Monogrip and I will re-apply as necessary until it is slippery. I too like to the shape and feel of the Monogrip with the fingergrooves sanded off. If I can get them to stop making me bleed I might be happy.

But I have run into another interesting "problem." I put my Miculek grips on my Mountain Gun and was astounded to discover that with that combination I can not keep my shots in the A Zone shooting double action at 25 yards. I get small groups but they are all to the right. I though I might've Loc-tited the front sight slightly off center but that's not the case. If I shoot off a rest, the groups are dead center. I do not have this problem with any of my other DA revolvers and my 3" full lug 625 is actually easier to shoot at longer ranges and the groups do not wander to the right. I am concluding that the combination of wood grips and the super light barrel are causing the gun to recoil and behave differently in my hands, but the recoil impulse and grouping are obviously the same for all shots. I have experienced this before with rifles that generate severe recoil, but this is a first with a revolver. I don't remember having this problem when I was using the rubber grips. Has anybody else experienced this?

Dave Sinko

[Carmoney]

I put my Miculek grips on my Mountain Gun and was astounded to discover that with that combination I can not keep my shots in the A Zone shooting double action at 25 yards. I get small groups but they are all to the right.

Dave, try filling your left front pants pocket with loaded moonclips--that should get your groups back in the center.

[Cherryriver]

That, of course, would depend on the caliber. It may not work for all.

Sometimes using a rear or cargo pocket may have better effect.