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Grips


Chicken George*

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Let's talk revolver grips. Why do you change your grips other than to make your gun prettier? Do aftermarket or custom grips help your game? I can understand changing grips if you have unusually large or small hands that you would want thicker or thinner grips. Is there a way to measure or something to get grips that fit your hands better or is it just a personal preference thing and you got to try a bunch until you find what "feels right" to you? I do think checkering could help with slipping so I'm tempted to try to do that myself. But I would buy some if they really were "better" and reasonable. 

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Both my wife and I have checkered grips on our revolvers.  They are Ruger factory grips with laser-engraved checkering.  After shooting in downpours at Winter Range we got our grips checkered.

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Quote

 

 

Hi George,

 

     I've changed my grips because they sometimes break or I want to try something with a better grip but mostly because I want something that looks cool!

 

Right now I've got faux stag grips from Altamont:  they look cool and I get a good grip!  :lol:

 

Mo

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When your wife makes you custom grips to fit your Colts for your 50th birthday you dang well put them on your pistols and learn to use them and love them.

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41 minutes ago, Straight Arrow Hombre said:

I change grips to facilitate hitting targets faster. I put zero consideration into how they feel and not too much in how they look. 

Please elaborate. What kind of grips do you use and how do they help hitting targets faster? 

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I put grips on that don't slip and fit my hands better.  As a gf you can't shoot well with slippery grips.     I do not use powder so the grip has to be good to go on its own.   You'll never see a pair of skinny wood or plastic grips on any of my match guns. 

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16 minutes ago, Chicken George* said:

Please elaborate. What kind of grips do you use and how do they help hitting targets faster? 

Grips have to contribute to a “dynamic natural point of aim”. It doesn’t matter how they feel or work at rest. What matters is how they settle in after recoil and cocking, while also facilitating easy quick cocking for the next shot. I found grip size/shape a bit more forgiving when shooting traditional. When I switched to duelist I put more effort into finding what works for me. Currently using bisleys with checkered gunfighters. 

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Went to Eagle checkered gunfighter grips on my OMV's because the gun now fits my medium size hands 'mo-better'.

Wood doesn't get as slippery with sweaty hands, like plastic does........

Wood will age with use and show character with age.

Plastic-Well it will always be plastic.......

OLG

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1 hour ago, Chicken George* said:

Are checkered wood grips easier to grip than checkered plastic ones? 

That's a personal preference plus it depends on the finish of the wood grips.  

  It's been so long since I've  used either I couldn't tell you for sure.   

  I use antler grips that I stripped the finish off of. I've used the same pair for main match now for over 5 years. Ive yet to have them slip due to rain sweat or snow.

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You said other than making the gun prettier, so to date, I have changed grips only twice, once each for the following reasons...

 

The original grips were broken and needed to be replaced.

 

I don't like the feel of the birdshead grips on an Uberti clone I have, so I am changing them to a more standard plowhandle grip.

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I like the grip surface of elk antler grips. As a gunfighter I believe the rough surface of the elk antler enhances my grip probably similar to checkering on a grip would.

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I still have the original black plastic grips that came on my Gaucho's.  They fit my hand well, and are checkered enough to provide a good grip.  I would love to install a better looking set of grips, but the high prices I find just so my pistolas would look better can't be justified right now.

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I change my grips to fit the size of my hand.  I am a bit different in that I don't care for checkered grips.  Not sure why, just don't care for the feel.  I happen to like Giraffe bone grips or elk with light or no bark.  They get a bit expensive though.

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7 hours ago, Straight Arrow Hombre said:

I change grips to facilitate hitting targets faster. I put zero consideration into how they feel and not too much in how they look. 

I'm the opposite. I put almost all consideration into how they look, then how they feel. Just a few examples:

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I have been employing Munden Recoil Control Grips for about 20 years shooting frontier cartridge duelist.  My one-piece grips are fashioned using a tracing of my hands; the most recent grips crafted by Chris at Chisel and Plane Workshop.  The shape of Munden grips is the key element to recoil recovery aiding in better rapid-fire duelist shooting.  Each grip has small raised panels just above where the middle finger contacts left and right grip panels.  The panels limit the amount of slip/roll of the revolver in your hand.  The Eagle Gunfighter grip has these same raised panels and are available off the shelf. 

 

 

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I did not care for the faux ivory grips that came with my Ruger Bisleys. Put rosewood grips from Altamont on. Then I found s pair of Big Horn Sheep grips that I could not pass up. They are pretty thick, but I have big ole paws. Plus the natural finish is very grip-able, even wet or sweaty. 

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3 minutes ago, Boomstick Bruce said:

can you sprinkle sand into wet clear on your grips to make them more grippy-er?

 

No clear coat just polished nice and shiny :D  I like them smooth, I believe it aids in initial hand/grip placement when drawing.  The Munden recoil panels and exact fit to my hand provide just the right amount of roll to snag the hammers.  Just my opinion, your mileage may vary...

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I replaced the standard ruger wood grips on my ruger new vaqueros because I didn't/don't like the ruger emblem embedded in them. Got plain black grips that I like better with the stainless vaqueros. Down the road am looking at having custom grips made and having the guns engraved with a daughters name on each so that they can each have one, one day. 

 

Since the standard plow handled grips fit my hands well, if I was all about function, I would have just slapped some skateboard tape on them like a semiauto and been done with it. But something about an old SAA style sixgun asks for more. Then again so does a fine 1911 or old Browning Hi-Power. 

 

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23 hours ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

After shooting in downpours at Winter Range we got our grips checkered.

This is the exact reason I am looking at changing or modifying my grips. At this last WR, because of the rain, my guns were slipping around like crazy. Also, it took the finish off my grips. Thought I may modify them a bit before I put a new finish on. I can't justify spending a lot on something like grips. I could if it was just me but my wife and kids would want new ones too. 

 

12 hours ago, Boomstick Bruce said:

can you sprinkle sand into wet clear on your grips to make them more grippy-er?

I was looking into what finish would be the grippiest and had the same thought. They often put silca sand in paint for traction on steps and things. Thought if you could find some clear aggregate to mix in your urethane or whatever you coat it with. I was thinking a wood finish for floors because they have better anti slip qualities compared to standard wood finishes. But I don't think adding anything to the finish that creates texture is allowed after finding this by PaleWolf Brunelle:"Textured spray-on/brush-on coatings are NOTon the list of allowable grip/stock modifications." 

 

Anyone have any experience with grips from  https://classicsingleaction.com/index.php? They claim that their grips "have a unique finish that makes them stay put in your hand. They will resist rolling/slipping under recoil. Checkering is not needed. The finish "breathes" so the grip will not become slippery in your hand with moisture. It actually stays in place better. Over six months of testing went into creating this finish"

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13 hours ago, Tame Bill #30699 Life said:

Each grip has small raised panels just above where the middle finger contacts left and right grip panels.  The panels limit the amount of slip/roll of the revolver in your hand.  The Eagle Gunfighter grip has these same raised panels and are available off the shelf. 

This is a great explanation and makes sense to me. I can see why the Eagle Gunfighter grips seem to be everyone's favorite. The stock wood grips on the NMVs do what you are explaining a little bit and they probably feel the best out of all the grips at my household. Your middle finger does most of the gripping so I can see that this style focuses on keeping your middle finger in the right place and therefore your whole hand. It also makes sense that you would have more of a grip around these being that they are pretty thin. Just wish they weren't so expensive. 

 

Anyone willing to post some measurements of the thicknesses of the different parts of their grips so I can get an idea how to shape mine? 

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Cody has a pair of grips we had checkered by a lazor engraver at WR.  However, they cracked a good size chip off when shipped back after some work from Ruger.  We had them checkered after a good rain at WR a few years back.   We are looking for one grip to replace the chipped grip:  synthetic ivory with the Ruger emblem.   This year he shot the match with stock wood grips from Ruger.  Says he liked the checked grip better when wet.  I changed to  a slightly different design grip last year because I felt they helped me better grip them the same way each time.  Thats whats nice about CAS; everyone is willing to let you try their firearms.  Good luck.  Sure was fun watching the family at EOT.  

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1 hour ago, Kirk James said:

Cody has a pair of grips we had checkered by a lazor engraver at WR.  However, they cracked a good size chip off when shipped back after some work from Ruger.  We had them checkered after a good rain at WR a few years back.   We are looking for one grip to replace the chipped grip:  synthetic ivory with the Ruger emblem.   This year he shot the match with stock wood grips from Ruger.  Says he liked the checked grip better when wet.  I changed to  a slightly different design grip last year because I felt they helped me better grip them the same way each time.  Thats whats nice about CAS; everyone is willing to let you try their firearms.  Good luck.  Sure was fun watching the family at EOT.  

Kirk, I tried to send you a PM but I think your mailbox is full. 

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Of course, one could argue why I changed these mother of pearl grips...

 

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To these [unregulated wooly mammoth] ivory grips....

 

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Officially, it's cuz I didn't like the look of the pearl.

 

But the fact that I can't forget General Patton's opinion of pearl handled pistols was also a major factor.  That and the replacements are wicked cool.

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CG-Try sending to gkirkham@iccs-k8.org.  Look forward to hearing from you.  Kirk

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