What a difference grips make!

[AnthonyB]

I bought a Ruger Bisley 454 before I retired and moved back home. The revolver is unfired, just because I have yet to get a roundtoit. Picked up a 480 today that I had ordered, and the grips are much slimmer and more comfortable in the hand. I never knew why the 454 didn’t feel “right” until I held the 480. Will be casting and loading for this one this weekend. I can’t believe the difference in feel just between two different sets of grips.
BTW, the 480 grips are a better fit to the frame than the those on the 454. Neither are worth writing home about.
Tony

[Wheelguns 1961]

I recently purchased a single seven. Same deal. It just didn’t feel rght. Awhile back, I bought a blackhawk, and it came with those black plastic factory grips. So, I ordered a set of wood grips for the blackhawk, and when I got them, they didn’t feel right. I looked at them compared to the ones on the single seven, and they were much thicker. So, I swapped the two. Now they both feel great. Funny how things work sometimes.

[stubshaft]

Grips are like shoes. Some fit and some fit better...

[tazman]

I can't speak to grips on single action revolvers since none of them work well for me. I recently purchased a S&W 686 with a 6 inch barrel. The factory grips didn't feel quite right. The gun didn't shoot any better than average and I was a little disappointed.
I put a set of Pachmayr presentation grips on the revolver and what a difference. Now it feels right and shoots really well for me.
Properly fitting grips make all the difference sometimes.

[engineer401]

I have a set of Ahrends retro combat grips for a 586. They are some of the most comfortable grips I’ve used to date. It certainly makes a great difference.

[Drm50]

I know guys who order grips for the looks without taking into consideration whether they feel right
or not. They usually end up with Pachmeyers. I've got small hands and grips make a big difference
to me. Some of the big targets there is no way I can shoot them. The Tyler T inserts make most
big revolvers perfect for me.

[oso]

I tried several grips on my S&W 67-1 before I made my choice. It wasn't just the feel - my groups shrank instantly!
Sometimes change does make a difference!

[Maven]

A big +1 on the grips! Nice to see you back AnthonyB!

[str8wal]

I find I like a fatter grip, especially on a gun that kicks some. You might like the feel of the slimmer grips at first but when you fire that 454 that opinion may change

[Shuz]

Tony--I just traded a guy my "had to have, .44 mag Ruger Lipsey special 3-3/4" bbl with the Bisley grip frame", for a Smith model 69, with a 4-1/4" bbl. I just couldn't get used to the Bisley grips and found out after purchase that none of the bigger grip mfr's makes a hand filling rubber grip to fit the Bisley frame! I just love the Hogues on the other Supers I have, as well as my Smith 629's and 329PD and now the model 69. Grips are the most important feature in any revolver I pick up.

[oldpapps]

What you hold on to has got to feel good. If it doesn't, point of aim suffers.
Bisley in my hand sucks but not as bad as those birds head grips. Just don't feel right to me.
Back when.... I put a pair of those grossly over-sized S&W 'Target Grips' on a S&W Model 19, 'K' frame. Hated them, so I too a file to them. When I was done, I had cut down to metal is some places but the grips felt good to me and I think I shot better. All of the checkering was gone but I could get a good solid grip on them. They didn't look bad after I put a finish on them and carried them on duty for several years. Well till the City bought S&W Model 67s and I had to have the issue grips.
I have fat fingers. No, I'm not putting my fingers on a diet. The standard 1911A1 panels work very well for me with the flat spring housing. I much prefer Colt Model 'P' grips in the 'Gun Fighter' shape, or some call them 'thin' grips, I don't care as long as most of that swell is removed.
What all of this amounts to is everyone has the same general hands. But those hands vary a lot and holding on to a pistol of any type is a personal thing. Better hold is better control is better accuracy and a better feeling as a shooter.

Enjoy and take care,
OSOK

[RED BEAR]

Had to put a set of pachmyars on my snub nose 41 mag at only 23 ounces the factory grips were just to small but the new ones make all the difference.

[Golfswithwolves]

Each shooter needs grips which fit his/her hand properly. It just adds difficulty to shooting otherwise as you try to compensate for a bad fit and feel.

[Walks]

I bought New VAQUERO in .45COLT W/5.5" bbl, when they first came out. They had the skinny cheap plastic "gunfighter" style grips that they now put on most single actions.
They are so stupidly thin that my 2nd & ring fingers wrap so completely around the grip & frame, that I can't keep a tight grip. The recoil will break my grip with every shot.

My Buddies found the same problem when they shot it.
So much for the idea of buying another one to have a pair for Cowboy Action Shooting.
I made a pair of fatter Walnut PANELS. Easier to shoot & better grip. But I won't buy another. I'll stick to my old VAQUERO'S with the hand-filling Stag grips & 7.5" bbl's. Or my COLT SAA's. I guess growing up shooting Single Action's with proper size grips has spoiled me for the tiny sissy grips.

[am44mag]

I'm a stickler for grips. They have to look nice, and feel great. For double actions revolvers I tend to prefer the classic target style grips with finger grooves for large guns, or the birds head style for carry guns. I'm also not the biggest fan of traditional diamond pattern checkering. I've seen it so much there's not really anything special about it, and I've carried it enough to know that it's not comfortable when it starts digging into your side throughout the day.

[Green Frog]

Well, to go the other way, sometimes I get used to the grips if I really want to shoot a specific gun, other times I change the grips to make the whole thing more comfortable for me. If you shoot a military type 1911, you adjust to those grips, if you shoot international pistol matches, your grips are fit to your hand like a glove. For small revolvers, I have a Baby Chief with the original tiny grips... I deal with them because they conceal so well. OTOH, I put a set of smooth finger grip combats on my Model 60-4 and they fit my hand perfectly. I guess the answer is that there is no single answer.

Froggie

[HABCAN]

S&W must have somehow used my hand when they designed their 'Target' revolver grips. Perfect! And Razor Arms aftermarket rubber slip-ons make a Tokarev into something completely different. Another WOW. To each his own, for sure. Above comments about how the proper grip can affect YOUR handgun accuracy are spot on.

[tazman]

Each shooter needs grips which fit his/her hand properly. It just adds difficulty to shooting otherwise as you try to compensate for a bad fit and feel.

^^^^^ This says it best. Grips are a very individual decision. That said, it is amazing how the manufacturers get a standard set of grips to work reasonably well for so many people.

[Hardcast416taylor]

And to think that they thought Bill Ruger was nuts for making a .22 auto with a grip angled like a Luger was?Robert

[Crash_Corrigan]

As a recruit in the NYCPD in '64 we were not allowed to alter the grips on our S&W's or Colt's revolvers. However we could add a Tyler T grip adapter if we wished. They only cost about $4.00 in '64 and I bought 2. One for my Smith Model 10 4" duty revolver and another for my Smith Model 36 2" off duty revolver. They made a world of difference in my ability to shoot either revolver well and I kept them on my S&W revolvers ever since. For such a tiny piece of aluminum to make such a difference in the shootability and comfort is a triumph of the inventor. They still sell these but now the cost is about $35 for one. I have and carry for my CCW permit, here in Las Vegas three different weapons. My primary is a SCCY 9MM CX-1 with a 3" bbl. It is quite light and carries 10+1 and along with a pair of 10 round magazines and it all conceals well even in the hot weather hereabouts. Along with the high performance 9 MM ammo easily available I do not feel undergunned at all. My 2nd choice is a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug 2" bbl in .44 S&W Special. It also is light and even easier to conceal than the SCCY. However the grips on this revolver were tiny and were tough to hold on to when firing the potent .44 Special with a 240 gr lead boolit. I again went to Tyler T Grip adapter and found them on the interweb and they had a set for my revolver. I bought them and another set for my .41 Magnum S&W. The ballistic performance of the .44 Special is better than the 9MM but the downside is capacity. It only holds 5 rounds. So along with the revolver a pair of strip clips hold another 12 rounds for longer engagements. The 3rd choice for me is a Browning Hi Power in 9 MM with a 15+1 capacity and with a pair of 15 rd magazines (my El Paso leather magazine carrier will fit either the SCCY or Browning mags) and it is easily concealed with either a IWB holster or a custom shoulder rig by Andrews leather of Florida. Yes it was expensive but the rig will also accommodate my 1911 .45 ACP and/or my Browning. It also took over a year for him to put together for me but the quality of the rig is out of this world. He has videos on youtube under his name to expose his method of making a quality rig. I also spent another $500 for a shoulder rig for my Smith Model 57 .41 Magnum revolver 4" tube. His rigs are the most comfortable shoulder rigs I have ever tried out. My total bill for two shoulder rigs was over $1,100 and it was money well spent. The rig for the 9mm/45 has two different weak side carriers for ammo. For the 9mm it has provision for 3 magazines as well as a knife sheath for my Mini Ka-Bar knife. The .45 ACP has a custom built magazine carrier for 8 single stack magazines along with the same knife sheath. The .41 Magnum rig is fitted with carriers for 3 speedloaders along with the same knife sheath. I tend to wear the shoulder rigs in the cooler weather here in Las Vegas under a vest or a light to medium jacket. They are well balanced and very comfortable for all day wear. The rig for the .45/9MM cost more than the price of my Taurus 1911 back in '06. It was money well spent as I pretty much carry everywhere all the time. I even keep the SCCY on my belt when inside my residence. I would go without shoes before I went around defenseless. I am 76 and my days of hand to hand fighting are long a distant memory. With COPD and diminished health a 12 year old kid could take me out and that would be an embarrassment.