BFR Grips

[bns454]

Have any of you seen anyone who makes custom grips for a BFR.I hate shooting mine anymore,my fingers bleed and if I wear a glove to stop that it still beats my palm up bad.I tried tight holds,loose holds,its all bad.I have shot the same loads in the Smith &Wesson 500 and they are manageable.So,is it the grip shape or the style of the butt that makes it different ? Any Ideas ? I read on the Magnum Research site the custom wood grips they offer break after a few shots.But they are pretty.

[44man]

Strange indeed. I have 3 BFR's and the worst is the .475 L, worse then my JRH. But the guns have never hurt me and I shoot bare hands.
A friend would get his trigger finger cut from the front of the guard smashing against it but I have never had it happen. My palm never gets rubbed.

[AK Caster]

Have any of you seen anyone who makes custom grips for a BFR.I hate shooting mine anymore,my fingers bleed and if I wear a glove to stop that it still beats my palm up bad.I tried tight holds,loose holds,its all bad.I have shot the same loads in the Smith &Wesson 500 and they are manageable.So,is it the grip shape or the style of the butt that makes it different ? Any Ideas ? I read on the Magnum Research site the custom wood grips they offer break after a few shots.But they are pretty.

Save your money and send the revolver to Jack Huntington and have him do his grip mod. Then he will custom make a set of wood grips to match. Turns an ugly hideous revolver into a thing of beauty and makes it much easier to hold onto and shoot accurately.

[ole 5 hole group]

If you taking a beating with gloves on, I doubt any grip shape/material is going to help much. Sounds like you need a little less bullet velocity. Maybe Jack's modification might help, but I doubt it.

Sounds to me like you're shooting a hot 454 and that's a torquie sucker to begin with. I've got one and use cut down 460 brass and shoot mainly hot 45 Colt loads, when I feel the need - otherwise 300 grainers at 900 to 1,000 fps is a nice soft shooting load with that heavy framed revolver.

I don't know about BFR's wood grips but their early Micarta's weren't worth a damn, as I busted 2 with a death grip on over the top loads with the 500 JRH. They modified their micarta's since then and have a small rubber ridge insert all around the grip to absorb a little torque.

On real heavy loads I use a glove, as without one, I draw my own blood from my trigger finger and it bites that finger with vengeance.

[bns454]

Save your money and send the revolver to Jack Huntington and have him do his grip mod. Then he will custom make a set of wood grips to match. Turns an ugly hideous revolver into a thing of beauty and makes it much easier to hold onto and shoot accurately.
I found his website I will give them a call,Thanks for the tip.

[bns454]

If you taking a beating with gloves on, I doubt any grip shape/material is going to help much. Sounds like you need a little less bullet velocity. Maybe Jack's modification might help, but I doubt it.

Sounds to me like you're shooting a hot 454 and that's a torquie sucker to begin with. I've got one and use cut down 460 brass and shoot mainly hot 45 Colt loads, when I feel the need - otherwise 300 grainers at 900 to 1,000 fps is a nice soft shooting load with that heavy framed revolver.

I don't know about BFR's wood grips but their early Micarta's weren't worth a damn, as I busted 2 with a death grip on over the top loads with the 500 JRH. They modified their micarta's since then and have a small rubber ridge insert all around the grip to absorb a little torque.

On real heavy loads I use a glove, as without one, I draw my own blood from my trigger finger and it bites that finger with vengeance.
I am/was shooting full power 500 S&W loads,I know what you mean about finger biting.I can always load down I guess.

[Whiterabbit]

This is what worked for me:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146929&d=1439911874

hogue makes it for a reasonable price. Works like a champ.

If you've never used one before, your pinky will feel ridiculously out of place...at first. Now, for me it's the only way to fly. Bonus points that it forces my hand to be in a very consistent position. It's not a grip for everyone, but I love it.

[Lloyd Smale]

gloves or big fat grips allways made shooting my guns worse. I don't shoot bfrs though. My experiences are with linebaughs built on bisleys. Dustin linebaugh does a bit of reshaping and fits a bit slimmer grip to them and it makes a world of difference shooting full power loads. Basically though anything that hampers a big bore gun from rolling in your hand a bit will just make it come back harder on you. If I use anything for a long range session I use pair of thin leather gloves with the fingers cut off. I know 44man likes the standard Blackhawk grip frame and the bfrs but hes the exception. A good bisley frame is much more controllable and comfortable for most shooters.

[bns454]

This is what worked for me:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146929&d=1439911874

hogue makes it for a reasonable price. Works like a champ.

If you've never used one before, your pinky will feel ridiculously out of place...at first. Now, for me it's the only way to fly. Bonus points that it forces my hand to be in a very consistent position. It's not a grip for everyone, but I love it.I looked on their website and did not see those.do I have to call them ?

[44man]

It is my huge middle knuckle from shooting heavy bows all my life. I NEED a filler behind the guard.
But what you want is a FIRM grip, not a death hold. I want the gun to raise my hands and arms and to keep the gun in the same position.
Had a friend with a huge revolver with slippery micarta, Bisley grips. It rolled on him and the barrel split the top of his head wide open.
Another friend let it happen with my .475 and the Ultra Dot split his forehead and hit his eye for a real pretty shiner.
Once a rubber grip slips and starts to rub your palm, you just need more strength. To squeeze until you shake makes hitting worse. Some can not handle the bigger calibers but to tell the truth a light .357 can hurt too. Friend has a light BH in .41 and I don't like it.
Some say the grip was designed to ROLL, holdover from cowboy days to get the hammer closer to cock. If so, why the Bisley? The Bisley was actually designed for one hand, off hand target shooting, popular in the old days, so the barrel was more in line with the eye. It was not for recoil since BP was mostly used.

[Whiterabbit]

I looked on their website and did not see those.do I have to call them ?

Yep. They are friendly and helpful.

[dubber123]

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh83/dubber123/IMG_0051.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/dubber123/media/IMG_0051.jpg.html)

I find these pretty darn comfy (for a full power .475). The load is a 440 gr at 1,350 fps. These do roll, no stopping it, but nothing gets bitten, and no blood loss. :)

[bns454]

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh83/dubber123/IMG_0051.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/dubber123/media/IMG_0051.jpg.html)

I find these pretty darn comfy (for a full power .475). The load is a 440 gr at 1,350 fps. These do roll, no stopping it, but nothing gets bitten, and no blood loss. :)How much different are those grips than the factory black ones ? Its the top of my trigger finger that gets beat up,so am I getting too much roll,or lack of it ?

[dubber123]

These follow the frame front and rear, where the factory ones fill in behind the trigger guard, and I believe the backstrap. These give you a bit more room behind the trigger, but most people consider the factories better for protecting the middle knuckle. I was surprised at how well these worked, but the biggest reason I made them was that the factory grips were just too fugly for the owner to tolerate. ;)

[44man]

I use a low hold on SA's, you need to see how your trigger finger goes to the trigger. I hold so it is a straighter line.
I see some hold so the finger is near 45° to the trigger and that is what will get your finger along with poor pulls. Off hand my pinky will be under the grip. Don't try that from bags though.
Now my one friend has such short, fat and stubby fingers he can't reach with about any gun so he always pulls shots left. His finger will be tight to the frame so he can't pull straight. Even on his 1911 he has a problem.
Dubber, those are beautiful and there is room to the guard.
Your choice of grips sure depends on your hands and many can shoot what I can't and the other way around.
I always said try things and change if needed.
One I hated was the square guard on the SBH with wood panels. I told this story before so hang on! We were at the range when a guy came next to us and asked to set a target. Sure, so he went out 10 yards and set one. I looked at Pete when we seen him take out a SBH! He could not hit the big paper.
I asked to shoot his gun, used my loads in it from Creedmore off the bench, turned the sights up and busted gallon jugs every shot at 200 yards. At every shot I got a new cut on my middle knuckle and blood was all over me, the gun and bench. I was tough as nails and never missed.
I cleaned his gun up and told him to file the sharp edges off, then use Scotch Brite to blend it.
He never said a word, packed up and left. I would have loved to work with him but some are like that!

[str8wal]

Save your money and send the revolver to Jack Huntington and have him do his grip mod. Then he will custom make a set of wood grips to match. Turns an ugly hideous revolver into a thing of beauty and makes it much easier to hold onto and shoot accurately.

I 2nd Jack's grip mod. He reshapes the handle to fit your hand, it is much more than just a set of panels.

[44man]

I 2nd Jack's grip mod. He reshapes the handle to fit your hand, it is much more than just a set of panels.
I held one of his and it sure felt good but I never got to shoot it.

[ole 5 hole group]

How much different are those grips than the factory black ones ? Its the top of my trigger finger that gets beat up,so am I getting too much roll,or lack of it ?

I think your grip position may be a little high causing the finger discomfort. I shot DA revolvers for many years and you can't seem to grip high enough on those puppies - but when shooting SA cannons with full-on loads and then some, a high grip at times can cause discomfort to your trigger finger (top of finger nail) and maybe the webbing between the thumb and forefinger. If your hand webbing gets bit by the hammer, you really need to lower your grip and use just a tad more pressure.;)

[dubber123]

The grips I made for that BFR will roll, they are slick, and gripping till you shake is always a bad idea. They do only roll up until the hammer rests on the web of you hand, but not a hard hit. My 4-3/4" F/A .475 will leave hammer marks or cuts pretty frequently. The BFR is a 6.5", and weighs a little more, but the difference in comfort is dramatic between the 2 guns. I will shoot the BFR 1 handed, I have never considered trying that with my F/A/ ;)

[birch]

My 450 marlin BFR gave me a flinch that I'm still trying to unload. Ouch!

[44man]

My 450 marlin BFR gave me a flinch that I'm still trying to unload. Ouch!
I didn't get the extra cylinder for my 45-70 because of the problems getting the big case to work in the 10" barrel and finding a powder. I did not want larger.
Same with the .500 S&W, no need for so much for deer, the JRH is too much!

[Messy bear]

Take a look at the mainframe above trigger. Where it and the gripframe meet sometimes there is a sharp edge. That gets the top of my trigger finger. That area is wider on a bfr as compared to a ruger.

[Whiterabbit]

My 450 marlin BFR gave me a flinch that I'm still trying to unload. Ouch!

I'm going to take a wild guess here. Did you try to unload your flinch by loading random shells (heavy, light, empty) in the cylinder so you never know what's coming then fire a bunch of these?

I have a theory about this "method" of flinch "management"

[snowwolfe]

When Jack modifies the grip and installs custom wood panels he also rounds off any sharp edges. Here is a close up of my ex BFR in 500 JRH

[ole 5 hole group]

My 450 marlin BFR gave me a flinch that I'm still trying to unload. Ouch!

Ha! That 450 Marlin in a rifle, beats hell out of a person, I would think it's right up there with the 50 Alaskan in a handgun for pure self-abuse.;)

[bns454]

When Jack modifies the grip and installs custom wood panels he also rounds off any sharp edges. Here is a close up of my ex BFR in 500 JRHThat looks great,I see the smoother edges.I might call Hogue,if no luck there I guess I send it off to get fixed right,and thanks for all the Ideas you guys came up with.And I refuse to only shoot reduced loads all the time !

[Lloyd Smale]

sure is some pretty wood there!!
When Jack modifies the grip and installs custom wood panels he also rounds off any sharp edges. Here is a close up of my ex BFR in 500 JRH

[snowwolfe]

Lloyd,
Yes, leave it to Jack to do a great job. Those wood grips are his regular "stock".

[Whiterabbit]

That looks great,I see the smoother edges.I might call Hogue,if no luck there I guess I send it off to get fixed right,and thanks for all the Ideas you guys came up with.And I refuse to only shoot reduced loads all the time !

100% on board with this.

If there were no non-lead laws in my state, I would have exactly one load for my BFR. And it would not be "trapdoor strength!"