Dressed up the 686 a bit.

[Rodfac]

I thought I'd dress up the 686 with a set of Altamont "Ropers" I've had in a box...for several years. I'd put them on when I first got the gun, but swapped them back to try the stock rubber grips.

Love those Altamont Ropers and use them on several of my Smiths...but....I find they knock the heck out of my 2nd knuckle as well as the inside of my strong hand thumb...the one that sits just about on the cylinder latch...As a result, I limit them to use with light target loads only. Damn shame, 'cause they sure dress up a revolver's looks.....here's my 629 five incher with a set installed....Rod

​

 

[gnappi]

I am a fan of nice wood grips. I understand the use of plywood as nice wood becomes more scarce. While my eyes appreciate the looks of fancy wood my hand appreciates ugly rubber and the older i become the more it do.

I never liked rubber grips but if a gun came with them I left them, then again if it came with plain vanilla wood grips I left them too but I always liked Ruger's take on laminated (plywood sounds so cheap) grips.

Recently I had a problem with my Anaconda whacking the base of my thumb and I hunted down some classic Pachmayr presentation grips, I'm liking them and may hunt down some classic types for other revolvers.

 

[vanfunk]

Are the Altamonts too thin for comfort? They kinda look that way in the pics but it’s hard to tell. David Brown’s versions are more hand-filling in my experience and I have a pair on my 4” Python and 6” Anaconda. The 4” .357 is easy to control even with full-house 158 grain handloads and the .44 is tolerable up to medium-hot (20 grains of 2400 behind a 240 grain JSP). I haven’t found any other grips, either wood or rubber, that are as comfortable. Shown with a 6” Python in the middle with Deer Hollow 1st gen reproductions:

 

[OS/N]

OP - Those look nice on your 686.

I prefer wood or hard plastic combat grips on magnums (357 or 44). Rubber combats on 38s. The older gold cup style on my colt 1911.

Smooth full size traditional grips on single actions of any caliber.

 

[AgentPickle]

I thought I'd dress up the 686 with a set of Altamont "Ropers" I've had in a box O stuff for several years. I'd put them on when I first got the gun, but swapped them back to try the stock rubber grips. This time I'm going to try these out at the range and see how they do. They don't look too bad I suppose.

View attachment 1184379

Beautiful grips!

 

[CajunBass]

Thanks. I wasn't sure about them at first, but they have grown on me.

 

[ms6852]

I dressed up my 686 too and like these grips.

 

[2zulu1]

Here's my 686P 'dressed' up for cc. It's PC hone and polish job has a DA trigger pull about the same as my G17.3, the PC did a great job.




So why the picture of a Colt Python? The ergonomics of the Python are different than Smiths, I can shoot extended range sessions with wood grips, less felt recoil during DA, .357mag ammunition compared to Smiths with wood grips. After 5+ decades of shooting/training/ qualifying with Smiths, this and a 3" Python are getting the holster time. I'm not saying one is better than the other, each has its own rhythm, and as a senior, I prefer the rhythm of the Pythons.

 

[UncleEd]

The ergonomics of the Python are different than Smiths, I can shoot extended range sessions with wood grips, less felt recoil during DA, .357mag ammunition compared to Smiths with wood grips.

The Python has a less pronounced curve inward at the top of the back
strap. I think this lessens felt recoil because the web of the hand is
better filled in. With S&Ws and .357s, I like a fully covered back strap
that fills that upper gap.

The Hogue wood or rubber stocks for the Ruger Match Champion
achieve the same "easy" handling while shooting .357s. Those
stocks better replicate the back strap of the Python.

I think many with bigger hands than mine find the bare back strap
of the S&W comfortable. Hence the popularity of the Ropers.

 

[luv2safari]

I thought I'd dress up the 686 with a set of Altamont "Ropers" I've had in a box O stuff for several years. I'd put them on when I first got the gun, but swapped them back to try the stock rubber grips. This time I'm going to try these out at the range and see how they do. They don't look too bad I suppose.

View attachment 1184379

What's not to like?

I hand picked a set of Concalo factory grips when we got in 20 no-dash 686s in back in the day. I picked the smoothest/tightest of the 20, then I traded grips with the best set of Concalo grips.

Those on your 686 are the only grips I've seen I like better.

 

[Old Dog]

The Python has a less pronounced curve inward at the top of the back
strap. I think this lessens felt recoil because the web of the hand is
better filled in. With S&Ws and .357s, I like a fully covered back strap
that fills that upper gap.

I agree with this, great observation.

 

[2zulu1]

The Python has a less pronounced curve inward at the top of the back
strap. I think this lessens felt recoil because the web of the hand is
better filled in. With S&Ws and .357s, I like a fully covered back strap
that fills that upper gap.

The Hogue wood or rubber stocks for the Ruger Match Champion
achieve the same "easy" handling while shooting .357s. Those
stocks better replicate the back strap of the Python.

I think many with bigger hands than mine find the bare back strap
of the S&W comfortable. Hence the popularity of the Ropers.

Thank you for your insights, I didn't know that about Ropers, but then I've only had Pythons for less than a year to know the difference. Holding a Python can feel awkward compared to a Smith, but the recoil of the Python feels like it's being pushed into my hands. I'm going to try a set of Ropers on a 686 and then compare the two, thanks.

 

[UncleEd]

2zulu1, I think you'll find the use of the Ropers snappier
depending on your hand size. The Ropers don't fill
in the "gap" in the upper portion of the S&W back strap.

As an example, these from the Herrett Stocks site, note
how the "Shooting Master" fills in the "gap" on the
back strap. Ropers do not (see posting #26).

 

[UncleEd]

More on stock design, these also are from the Herrett Stocks site
and represent I believe Jordan Stocks; note how the gap between
the front strap and the trigger guard is filled with an extra wide
bridge. This is to more evenly distribute the weight of the gun
on the middle finger, thus making the gun seem lighter.

 

[2zulu1]

2zulu1, I think you'll find the use of the Ropers snappier
depending on your hand size. The Ropers don't fill
in the "gap" in the upper portion of the S&W back strap.

As an example, these from the Herrett Stocks site, note
how the "Shooting Master" fills in the "gap" on the
back strap. Ropers do not (see posting #26).

View attachment 1186353

My hands are large. I prefer shooting from a modified Weaver stance, years ago we called it the field interview stance. I grasp high on the grip and use the meat of my palm on the lower part of the grip, for me, it lines up the bore axis with wrist, arms and shoulder absorbing most of the felt recoil when shooting Pythons, Smiths sting my hands more by comparison.

I can see the differences between the stocks in your pictures, thank you for posting.

 

[vanfunk]

@UncleEd, I think your assessment of Colt vs. S&W grip frames is spot-on. I’ve found the Python (and Anaconda) to have near-perfect proportions for me when fitted with David Brown Ropers (and presumably with real Ropers although I’ve never held any). Consequently, I shoot them better and with more comfort than S&W revolvers. This is not a criticism of S&W; it serves to underscore the extreme importance and variability of hand size between different shooters. I’d like to try some Herrett’s on my S&Ws if I can find some good ones.