On your hunting handgun, which grip type do you favor?

Al: I beat you too it. I put the Hogue back on my SBH and the Pachmayr's back on my Python. Chris

That I shoot full blow Hunting rounds out of, Pachmayr's! Go look at the knife.

...how to vote? I'll have to check permissions in the AM
Over and out.
Al

Jumbo Ivory nothing beats the feel and look. Stopped using rubber 30 years ago after shooting a silhouette match with a Ruger wearing Pachmayr's and my skin came away with the grips!

I voted "other" for the hard plastic grips on my Lipsey's .44 Special and my Buckmark .22. They both fit me great, are durable and cheap to replace if something were to happen.

Wood and exotics that fit are good too.

Rubber sucks IMNSHO. Too sticky, and are usually way too big to shoot well or carry comfortably.

cant beat a pair of herrett's custom made stocks. i like the jordan trooper but lean more on the roper stocks for my smith n frames.

I have Hogue`s on all my handguns, all wood except for rubber on a Redhawk.

i'm partial to sambar stag, although FA's micarta grips and rosewood grips are also quite nice

Stag, preferably the elk variety from Grashorn's Gunworks.

I since have put those Ebony grips from Eagle on my Python so I should add avote for wood but I suppose we'll just let the votes stand as is. Chris

jbenson1150;

Where did you get your Roper grips? I have an N frame 44 special 1950. I read Roper's book years ago, but never decided if I would like them enough. What is it that you like about them compared to the Magna grips from S&W?

Thanks,

Mike

I think Rubber makes the most sense on a pure hunting handgun.....That being said I am not always sensible. I have always had a pride of ownersip mentality and have found stag to give a reliable none slip grip and look cool as hell. The gun alongside my post was done by Hamilton Bowen many years ago and has Eagle American Stag and I could not be happier with it.
 I have a set of narrow fluer de lis checkerd rosewood grips on a .45 colt Ruger Blackhawk I also like real well and am going to add a Hamilton Bowen lanyard loop to this shorty as a good PERFECT PACKIN PISTOL.

Honestly think exotic grip materials are very, very attractive, but also just a little bit too nice for me to take to the field. Rubber, or rubber composite can work, but its about my least favourite. Any kind of checkering/stippling on rubber always annoys more than helps-and when worn smooth, well, they look and feel like an old tire.
Wood is the best-a nice hard wood. Need not be too fancy, color that compliments the steel is more important. These can look classy without loosing their utility, or labelling one as a show off.

That is why I am carrying the checkered wood Ruger more and more and am putting the lanyard loop on. It's checkering is a little fancy but very tasteful aand not overdone. As you said color of the wood is important.
You hit the nail on the head about the stag. I am always worriedabout banging them into something , like gettting in and out of the Jeep! The Hamilton has been turning into more of a BBQ gun.

Stag gun pics to go, Model 29 Smith with Deacon Deason Grips, two views of Blackhack with Rosewood Fluer De Lis checkered grips. They are a narrow gunfighter style but fit my large hands well and is great with 1000FPS 255 grn loads and acceptable with hot 300 grn cast loads.
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

...images of two screws, but these Rugers are just too purty--
AL

Ain't nuthin like ivory or ebony. They feel so nice.
 

Ebony by Joe Perkins at Outlaw Grips.
 

These are my Ebony on my Python. They do look great if I must say so myself, can't tell I'm proud of this gun and grips can you? Chris
 

I do not know what wood the late Deacon Deason used to craft tht grips on the model 29 I have posted above, but the picture does not do them or the S&W justice. I was having camera issues so I took a few quick pictures with the phone and sent to Al to post. The blueing on the 29 is as nice and pristine as any I have seen. Incuding Colt's Royal Blue. And the grips? What more do I need to say than Deacon Deason. There may be a better picture under the post on S&W sights.

I did a nice trade and got a minty 2" 64-2 at the Spokane gunshow on Saturday. It had pachmyers that defeated my pupose for this piece as I want it to have minimal 'print'. I located a real nice set of round butt factory grips at he show and she is good to go. I have become partial to the Remington .38 Special +P Golden Sabre. For a quality carry round (it is the choice of a number of agencies including our local VA police) it is affordable enough to be able to shoot a cylinder or two after practicing with homeloads. In .45ACP it feeds well also. If you have not tried it is worth a whirl. Expansion and weight retention also seem good.

Anyone recall the old FBI load ?
Got into a conversation and the gent referred to what he thought was the best load for the special ever made. Seems it was loaded by Remington, with a lead-no jacket hollowpoint. I've checked out Remington and found they still make a 158gr lead hollowpoint round, in the High Vel green box, both in standard and +P guise. Don't currently use the 38 for anything but punching paper, but these loads might be good in older guns, where the extra wear of the jacket is undesirable.

Yep. I keep the +P load in my bedside M19, and in the snubby when snubbifying around town. Green box, 158 gr. HP.
 
I think Skeeter liked the target wadcutters, base forward.

For looks I put stags and ivory up near the top,  and one piece wood or ivory on the SAA, though the stock eagles are a heck of a grip. And a couple of the ebonies up above have the hook in me. For some reason I've never been able to like rubber. Mushy, sticky, and for me, they seem to increase recoil force, not soak it up. There's no accounting for taste.  One of my buddies wants rubber on everything and he means it. On my K, L, and N frames my prefence is Eagle Heritage grips. They fit my hands very nicely and with medallions are very authentic. I've had some Herrett's and especially 20-25 years ago I had a few sets made that were sublime. One set on my Python--the Detective model,  I think--seemed to take my hand with absolutely no effort every time and become part of it. Had the same version on a square butt Kit Gun with the same magic. On round butt J-snubs I like smooth magnas.