Checkered Pistol Grips?

[PlacitasSlim]

I replaced my stock Vaquero grips with checkered horn grips from eagle. They are about 6 years old now and I am very happy with them. The wife doesn't like them, she says they hurt her hands.

[Irish Dave]

Just acquired a Beretta Laramie.
Replaced the stock wood grips with a pair of checkered "hard rubber" repros for the S&W New Model No. 3.
Made a world of difference.

[Doc Shapiro]

I no longer have checkered grips.  Instead, I have made some with a very aggressive texture.  I like 'em a lot better.

[OKDEE]

I have gone the full gambet!  Both uncheckered and checkered.  I currently use checked grips, and I am getting ready to do my own checkering on 2 sets of wood grips.  StepNMud showd me his and I really like to personal touch on the gun.  Kinda makes it your own, not just another pistol.

Oklahoma Dee - Duelist are the Kuelist

[SmugglerSteve]

I used to use the smooth grips on my old style Vaqueros. One day I was at a match on a blazing hot summer day. It had rained like heck the night before and as it got hotter and hotter the humidity was awful. I'm not used to that anymore living in Colorado so I was soaked with sweat - including my hands. I drew without wiping my hands and the pistol slipped out of my hand! I had my other hand there so I caught it and it never even pointed anywhere but downrange. The only person who noticed was the RO. Later he said, "Good save." I don't know if he tagged me or not on that since I was so flustered I hardly hit anything. At least I kept it safe and that is what matters.

I ordered some checkered grips when I got home and I've found they work great in all weather conditions. I wish I hadn't ordered so quick since I ended up with gunfighter grips. My hands are more like paws so they are awkward even though I've been using them for years. My wife knows of this and I have reason to believe some new grips will be under the Christmas tree.

Steve

[Camille Eonich]

I no longer have checkered grips.  Instead, I have made some with a very aggressive texture.  I like 'em a lot better.

My 1911 has smooth grips but they are blue Mastadon ivory.  The grain of ivory is awesome for gripping but if you do get the grip wrong to start with it's not any problem to correct.  If I could afford it I would have blue mastadon grips on all of my guns.  I love the stuff.

[Old Top]

Camille,

I would think that it would be hard to find a Blue Mastadon, or even a regular Mastadon, now days

Old Top

[Curley Cole]

Camille,

I would think that it would be hard to find a Blue Mastadon, or even a regular Mastadon, now days

Old Top

Is that "Blue Mastadon a 2-door or a 4-door???

curley

[Dr. Bob]

Curley,

Don't know, but I give it a wide berth if I met it on the road!

[Jethro "Black Jack" Harris]

Smooth on my 1970 EuroArms 58 Remmie .36 Navy. Checkered on my new Pietta .44 Remmie.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

                                    NO 

[Camille Eonich]

Camille,

I would think that it would be hard to find a Blue Mastadon, or even a regular Mastadon, now days

Old Top

Aww man!  Actually you can pick up tickets online but Mastadon isn't blue.

[fourfingersofdeath]

All of my SAs have been Rugers so far and had the smooth wooden grips, shot Modern or traditional, never a problem, but I have big hands and have no problem controlling recoil at cowboy power level (mind you, I'm not that competitive, so I ain't noticing split seconds I suppose  ).

My current guns are RNMVs and have the standard checkered gutta percha clone grips. They are ok as well.

I am about to start shooting classic cowboy and the clones I bought have checkered grips. They are in 44WCF and I intend to use healthy loads ( I always do, personal thing more realistic for me) and I will be converting to full power BP loads in the near future.

Shooting duellist would work better with smooth grips, I'm thinking. I have a spare clone with smooth grips, I will swap and change and find out which ones work best I suppose.

I was also thinking of making some smooth one piece grips from some real dense heavy Aussie hardwood to put some more weight in the grips, but this is project no: 24675, so it will be a while before I get around to it I suppose.

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy ffod,

I have been shooting clone revolvers with full case BP 45 Colt loads for a couple of years now.  I have used checkered and smooth grips firing duelist and no problem with either.  I'd try the revolvers with the checkered grips before investing in smooth ones, unless you just want smooth ones.  Good luck!!

[fourfingersofdeath]

Thanks for the thought Dr Bob, but I have a third clone which has smooth grips. Once I get used to shooting one handed and am going ok, I will swap the grips back and forward and have a look see. I', thinking at my level, there will not be much difference either way. Now, I have an article from an old mag which showed how to make 1 piece grips for a Colt. trouble is it is buried somewhere in the garage. Might take a whiles to locate it. ScheeeooooooooooooooT!

[Angel_Eyes]

Good debate guy's! All my revolvers have smooth grips, (factory varnish removed and hand rubbed). I once had a set of staghorns on an ROA--- shot one precision comp with them---almost ripped the skin off my hand-(and that was when I was a fully employed motor mechanic with leather for skin)---sold them to the Brit Govt when they took our handguns in '97.

[Daniel Nighteyes]

Like 'em for 2-handed shooting.  Don't like 'em for 1-handed.

Doc

What he said...

[Pancho Peacemaker]

I had Keno Slim carve fishscale into the factory grips from my Beretta Laramies:

[temmi]

I have black Plastic/Rubber Blackhawk grips... but I have order new smooth wooden grips but they have not arrived.

[Kidd Krystin]

  I shoot gunfighter.  Currently I use RNMV's, slim checkered gunfighter grips and love them.  I used to shoot '72 Open-tops with Army grips and loved those.  Go figure.