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Thread: N-frame square butt grips

  1. #1
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    N-frame square butt grips

    I am interested in what people think about fingergrooves. Some people (Grant Cunningham) seem have strong opinions opposing them, and there are many famous shooters that seem to prefer straight stocks. Personally I've never found it to be a big deal.

    I was wondering if anyone knows of a open backstrap grip that is is pretty slim without finger grooves and doesn't extend much below the frame and has "ears" near the hump. A little palm swell would be nice too.

    The one I am are of that comes closest is the VZ grips design (which have no palmswell) or a Hogue fancy hardwood without fingergrooves (though these have fat bottoms I don't like).
    Last edited by curioushooter; 03-07-2020 at 03:48 PM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy DCB's Avatar
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    I like the pachmayr grips this is a set of grippers. I have them on several of my S&W round or square. My ruger 44m has a set of Hogue with out finger grips.
    I prefer the finger grips
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  3. #3
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    Same here. I tried a lot of grips for K and N frame revolvers, and the ones I found that would come closest to matching your stated specifications are the Pachmayr Grippers. Even better, for my hands at least, the Pachmayr Professional Grippers. They also have finger grooves, but do have an open back strap. I'm not sure if they're available for N frames, but are great on K frames. You could research it at the Pachmayr website and on e-bay.

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  4. #4
    Boolit Master


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    They are all too small for My hands.
    Both Pachmayrs & Hogues.
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    I don't know how available they are anymore, possibly ebay would have something listed, but have you looked at the older Herrett grips. I know they used to make a LOT of S&W grips in all sorts of configurations.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Curious -

    Howdy !

    “N”- frame square butt .357Mag’s have been my carry gun(s) for 45yr.

    I graduated to use of Herretts “ Jordan Trooper “ stocks, years ago. These have wood between the backstrap and my hand.

    They offer a “ Roper “ style grip, which has the open back strap you are looking for.

    Herretts at about including features that you want your stocks to have.
    My most recent set feature a generous speed loader access, and a well positioned scallop for my thumb.

    Worth their cost.... worth the wait !


    With regards,
    357Mag

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I don’t carry any N frame S&Ws as SD gun. Most all mine are 6-6.5”- 83/8” and few 4” all with S&W SB targets checkered. I don’t like finger grooves or smooth grips. My K frames are about the same. I’ve got a drawer full of Herrets, Jay Scott’s and other grips that struck my fancy at the time but I always go back to SB checkered targets, even on a couple J frame m34s.

    I’m tight with S&W grips. Due to what they are selling for grips are raped off S&Ws and sold separately. They always slap rubber grips on them to sell.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    .

    FWIW, my choice was a set of Eagle Heritage Rosewood (below), but Eagle sells a plethora of various grip styles/materials for N-frame Smiths:

    https://www.eaglegrips.com/159-n-frame-square-butt (click on the pics of the various types to see everything offered)



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  9. #9
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    My father in law has those Jordan trooper grips. You must have mighty big paws to enjoy those.

    The eagle grip above is just like the factory target grips my 624 an 19-3 came with. I find them too large, clumsy, and worst of all that sharp edge along the bottom strikes my left hand palm violently under recoil.

    The ropers have have the same problem.

    It's odd because on my M19 I find that Altamont's classic panel (like the S&W magna) works great with a KB grip adapter and they have a square bottom. However they are smaller and my right hand wraps around the edge and any recoil is more controllable.

    It seems that the thinking is that bigger grips handle recoil better. That is simply not my experience.

  10. #10
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    Grips really are a highly individualistic thing. Some that don't have much eye appeal feel good in the hand. Some that look and feel good don't handle recoil well. What works for one shooter with a certain model gun may not work well for another shooter, and the same model and type of grip on one model may not work on another model. About all a guy can do is try them out. Personally, I much prefer the appearance of wood grips, and both of the revolvers in my photos came with wood, but in their cases rubber worked much better. We're all in the position that we're unlikely to be able to try a dozen different grips until we hit it just right (expense), but perhaps you can get an approximate idea of what's good by asking to hold various pistols at a gun shop, gun show, or at the range.

    DG

  11. #11
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    It doesn't appear that any pachmayr grips for the N square butt are made with open backstraps like they do with the K/Ls. I guess they figure everyone is going to pound away with them.

    I think the "small" old (without medallions) Pachmayr Presentation of Los Angeles, USA are about perfect for a rubber grip, but there is just too much material behind the hump.

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    Compare these things to the fat oversized things it came with.

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    Since these aren't very valuable grips I was thinking of sanding the rubber down and polishing it out with armor all. Anybody try that?

    There is too much material at the "hump" behind the hammer. I like good round ears on my grips but prefer that no material cover the hump or the backstrap.

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    Last edited by curioushooter; 03-07-2020 at 02:22 PM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    The Walter Roper grips on this page are my favorites.

    https://www.altamontco.com/pistol-gr...sson/n-square/

  13. #13
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    Those ropers are gorgeous and are similar to what I want, but they have a sharp edge along the bottom. This is somewhat tolerable to me with a rubber grip, but with wood it is brutal as it pounds into my LEFT hand (the one with the wedding ring) in the flesh in the palm below the pinky finger.

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    These eagle grips seem to have this problem in mind.
    Last edited by curioushooter; 03-07-2020 at 03:37 PM.

  14. #14
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    The finger grooves help me hold on better. I have nerve damage due to my neck/back in my fingers from middle to pinky. Swapped them out on my 41 Blackhawk and makes it much easier for me to shoot comfortably.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master


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    For shooting, especially heavier recoil, nothing I've ever used has beat a Herrett Jordan Trooper. Mine are smooth, no checkering. Finger grooves are ok sometimes, as long as they are pretty close to your actual hand. When they are not, they are the worst of the worst. Smooth grips are never horrible, with or without checkering. I never saw where checkering did all that much on a hard wood grip, it's mostly for looks.

    For standard production grips, the very best is the Pachmayer Presentation grip. I love them.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    For four decades I have used a 45 ACP, N frame as my EDC. Here is the way my stocks are set up.

    And the holster I use.

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  17. #17
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    StrawHat. I too enjoy the Magna panel type grip with an BK adapter. I have it on my M19.

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    They work well with a you short barreled N-frames clearly. But I think they look goofy and undersized on a 6.5" 624. Furthermore, a heavy 44 spl packs a lot of recoil compared to the 45 acp.

    Regarding the sizes...take a look at how different they can be. All these grips are for N-frame square butt. From left to right VZ Grips tactical diamonds, Pachmayr presentation "small", Altamont's "coke bottle" target grip, and the 1980s vintage S&W target grip it came with (which works about as well as a 2x4 would IMO.

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    I sort of like the VZ grip the most since it is the best size and has an open backstrap. I also like the beveled cut on the bottom which prevents injury to my left hand under recoil. The rake is a nice touch too. But it is definitely a little too narrow in the front and along the backstrap. I also wish it had some palm swell.

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    The Pachmayrs are great, but I dislike the closed backstrap. I feel like this would be the best grip if it has an open backstrap. Also the cheapest. I have open backs on all my Smiths and I am used to that grasp.

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    The altamont cokes feel nice and are the upper limit for size for me. They are a sloppy fit, especially at the ears, and are going back.
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    The S&W 2x4 target grip...what can I say. It is WAYYY too fat and looks like something that came out of a high school shop class. This was the end of the era of wood grips on factory revolvers and it shows.

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  18. #18
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    Whoa! Just went to the backyard range to crack off a few skeeter and keith loads. The shooting dynamics are so different. And OUCH those VZs are terrible. Not only do the small ears and narrow back allow the thing to slice into your hand, the extremely aggresive G10 checkers turn your hand into hamburger. The bottom rake and bevel are nice. The size is nice. But these things are just not suited to a hard recoiling N frame. I think the 624 with heavy keith loads may be one of the most heavy recoiling of all since it has a long but pencil thin barrel (so you get a lot of angular torque but no inertia to slow it down) and it weighs around 40oz. Model 29/629s have more mass.

    The Altamonts are better with recoil mitigation, but they are not as good as the Pacymayrs with their closed backstrap and spongy rubber. There is just no comparison, as the Pacs are massively superior in this regard. I've never felt I needed this with my 357s...any of them...but it's a different story with the big bores. The $25 old Pacs off Ebay blow the $80 VZs and the $90 Altamonts out of the water! And the Pacs are relieved for speedloaders (and work with the Safarliand Comp1). I think they look good too...well...as good as a rubber grip can look.

    The winner is...
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    Last edited by curioushooter; 03-13-2020 at 01:37 PM.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    I have switched every revolver I own over to Pachmayr grips. S&W J,K,L, and N frames. Also a Security Six.
    They just work for me.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Think the combat wood grips S&W put on the 3" 24-3 are as useful as a screen door on a submarine. As many of you know this is a round butt frame. The cutouts do not fit my hands. Funny thing is that a nice set of combats can cost upwards of $300. Guess a lot of dealers swap out the combats and install something else. Not unheard of especially on the S&W forums. Frank

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check