Are the Hogue rubber grips any good for the NMBH with a 4-5/8" barrel in 45LC; especially when working up and practicing with heavy loads?

Alan

My opinion is that a single action grip is designed to slide in the hand and roll upward thus easeing felt recoil. The hogue or pachmeyer rubber grips don't allow for this so I'd say no they don't work.

Other people don't agree and that is there choice. The good news is they are cheap so you can try them for yourself and make up your own mind. If you decide you don't like them go back to what you started with.

Freedom arms supplies them on there field grade revolvers so obviously someone likes them. On there premier grade revolvers they have the rosrwood or micarta grips.

I like some of the "rubber" grips on a S&W double action...

But I would not use them in a single action.

Akshooter is correct, the single action should "roll" in the hand.

Let me add that I have shot a Ruger in 44 Mag and a Freedom Arms in 475 quite a bit.

Ok. I guess I will be the one who gives the dissenting opinion. After working up loads in my 7.5" NMBH 45 colt, pushing 300gr cast lead at 1300fps and 250gr jacketed bullets at 1400fps, the origional grip doesn't seem very good at all. In fact the recoil would cause it to slide back to the point of the cylinder frame beating up the web between my thumb and index finger.

I'd have to say that the gun was not very controlable until I put the houge rubber monogrip on, and my ability to keep bullets hitting where I wanted increased dramaticaly once the Hogue grip was installed. Now, with the Hogue grip, follow up shots are quick and easy and I don't have to readjust my hold on the revolver between shots. No more does my pinky finger fall off the bottom of the grip. The Hogue grip adds at least 1/2" to the length, and helps with keeping my fingers exactly where they are supposed to be.

Just my experience, but I won't/can't shoot more than a few shots with out the grip.

Now I should also add that I've shot my dad's Redhawk in 44mag quite a bit and have no problem at all with the factory grip on it. Granted those are run of the mill factory fodder, and don't quite produce the recoil of the 45LC loads I normaly shoot.

Steve

With the factory grips did you ever try placing you little finger under the grip/frame to slightly retard the "roll".

Also some people relax their grip as the trigger is pulled, instead if maintaining a firm grip through out the recoil cycle.

Some double rifle shooters do the same thing, which caused their ring finger to get bruised/cut and/or their trigger finger to slap the rear trigger causing a double discharge.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Steve

With the factory grips did you ever try placing you little finger under the grip/frame to slightly retard the "roll"..

Actualy yes. I tried that for a while and it did help, but the difference between shooting like that and shooting with the Hogue grip is night and day.

quote:

Also some people relax their grip as the trigger is pulled, instead if maintaining a firm grip through out the recoil cycle.

I did that too! I'm a farely quick learner, so after firing twice without a good firm grip, I made absoulutely sure it didn't happen again.

I ran at least 150 full power loads through the revolver before I changed the grip. Which up to that point I didn't dare shoot it one handed, but now with the grip I've found not only can I do it, but I can do it without any great discomfort.

You also have to understand that I'm no stranger to heavy recoiling revolvers. My dads 44mag Redhawk is a pussycat compared to his 460 S&W mag. After getting acustom to its recoil I found it a pleasure to shoot (after putting the non-ported insert in, the ported inserts inflict more pain than the so-called reduction in recoil)

Got love em, wouldn't be without them.

Another vote against Hogues on a SB. I had an early 7.5" (the only size then) NMSB which I fired quite a bit with heavy 240gr Mag loads. The standard grips worked best FOR MY HAND. I think that hand size matters a lot. Mine isn't all that large.

I now have a 4.625" NMSB (rounded trigger guard, steel grip frame), and it works well with the standard grips, even with 300gr Federal factory loads. I tried it once with a glove in cold weather, and it was even better, but I ordinarily do not cheat like that. Barehanded, I notice that it works better with my little finger under the grip, shooting with two hands.

When I used to shoot my 7.5" one-handed, I don't recall putting any great effort into holding on, and I was less worried than the first time I fired two-handed, since I knew that with only one hand, the gun was going to go over my head.

A Ruger Bisley grip frame with stock grips works very well, better than the original, but for some reason I don't like them, and the gun feels less secure just held, although it certainly shoots better.

Again, these observations, while certainly valid, apply only to hands like mine.

??

txhunter
I think I know why you are having defferant results from your blackhawk.

In .45 cal you have the smaller .357 grip frame. The 5&1/2 inch SBH's have the same grip frame as yours but the 7&1/2 SBH's have the dragoon grip frame.

Yes it has also been my expiriance that these beat your hand up pritty bad with recoil.

I have 330 gr. hardcast at 1400 fps from my 5 &1/2 .44 I finally switched out grip frames and put a bisley grip fame on my .44 problem solved. I also wear thin leather gloves to keep the back of the hammer from gouging the web of my hand.

quote:

Originally posted by Akshooter:
txhunter
I think I know why you are having defferant results from your blackhawk.

In .45 cal you have the smaller .357 grip frame. The 5&1/2 inch SBH's have the same grip frame as yours but the 7&1/2 SBH's have the dragoon grip frame.

You are correct sir! The origional grip frame is now in two pieces, due to recoil and being made of cast aluminum. I have a replacement SBH Hunter grip frame that I had intended to return because I can't find a Hogue grip to fit.

But, you guys are really starting to get to me. I'm now thinking that maybe I should keep it and go back to the original grip.

I really wish you guys would cut that shit out. Making me start to doubt myself here.

ANY grip should NOT roll in your hand. If it is you are not shooting the gun right, poor accuracy and pain is the result.
The bisley grip was designed to prevent roll and push straighter back but is poor with large hands. People were smaller back then and hands were smaller. Some had trouble with the hogleg which was designed so a guy could get his hand on the gun fast.
The hog leg is still the best shape for a more forgiving grip shooting for accuracy but the gun must raise your arm, not pivot in the hand.
Pachmeyer grips remove pain and increase accuracy because they prevent "ROLL."
Some rubber grips are too fat and large.
I read complaints of rubber grips scuffing the palm, well, learn to hold a gun properly.
I can just picture a .475 rolling in the hand!
I don't know who started the myth of roll but it is wrong.

I'd have to vote for the Hogues as well. I have very small hands and without them, the 41 mag beat the hell out of me. Not any more.

I have small hands too and have never found the factory Ruger grips comfortable. I've made my own. Mine are squared with the bottom of the frame and not angled up. They are sbout 3/16" inch thick there and thicke as they go up the frame with a slight palm swell. Thickness here is about 1/2 inch at that point. They aren't too difficult to make and fit my hand better. Also, no checkering. Care has to be taken with drilling the index hole at the bottom of the frame so as not to drill completely through and get it in the right spot. I let my SBH rise in recoil with my arm slowing the rise. I don't try to hold it down. I don't shoot light 44's. I've never understood the design with the widest point of the grip frame at the smallest part of the hand. The pinkie finger. JMHO.

I have the Hogue grips on a SBH and got them mainly not to reduce recoil but to substitute in shooting for the nice staghorns the gun usually wears. I've also got the SW rubber grips on my 629. My older N frame guns have the rosewood, ebony or other oversize wood grips.

To the extent recoil's the issue I really think the grip width or shape is a lot more important than the material they're made of. I've even found that to be the case on the very light kicking SW 1917 when I replaced the original small military wood grips with more rounded fully cut custom elk grips. The recoil dropped way off. The recoil forces are spread over a wider surface of your hand, which is obvious, but the amount of difference is very suprising.

I had a chance to pick a pair of the Hogue rubber grips for the Ruger NMBH @ a ridiculously low price. I've been shooting it quite a bit this past week with 280 gr WFN's hitting 1200+. They seem to work great. My only complaint, and I don't know if it's the grip, is my trigger finger gets beat on the right side. Have been developing quite a calous there.

Alan