Rubber grips: Hogue vs. Pachmayr Decelerator vs. Uncle Mike's

[Hellbore]

I am curious what kinds of rubber grips you guys like best for recoil control, and why. Post away please! Comments are appreciated.

I might try all 3 kinds. I just purchased some Pachmayr Decelerators and I like them a lot so far. I also scored some Uncle Mike's on Ebay for cheap but they haven't come yet in the mail. I'm saving the Hogue grips for last, since I have used them before on 1911 frames.

Here's my Redhawk with those pretty but impractical wooden grips replaced with Pachmayr comfy rubbers:


There it is along with its fellow pocket dwellers... Ready for CCW!

 

[mattz357]

I don't mind Uncle Mikes and have a set on my 640, I can't stand Pachmayr but they were factory on my King Cobra, I love Hogue and have them on every other gun I own with interchangable grip panels. For the King Cobra, I don't want to change them because they have medallions. For the 640 I have tried Hogues, and while I like the feel of the standard rubber round butt grip, they just don't look as nice as the Uncle Mikes (that doesn't happen very often). The Hogues just look and feel right. All my 3" S&W revolvers have rubber bantam grips on them and I couldn't be happier.

 

[Hellbore]

Hey you didn't say what you didn't like about the Pachmayrs. I'm curious...

 

[Gordon]

I like Pach... Compact (decelerator version-if you can find them) NOT the open strap "professional version" for heavy recoiling round butt K & N frames.
Like the Mustangs compacts on rnd butt J Frames.
Like the Houges on bigger Colts(and Rugers) when shooting magnum loads..
Like the Pach... made Colt factory grips on D frames.

 

[Hellbore]

Well the thing is, the Hogues leave the backstrap exposed and the edges of the rubber & plastic on each side of the backstrap seem like they would annoy the heck out of me. The Pachmayr Decelerators I bought today cover the backstrap. In fact there is a thicker area that is nice and squishy right where the web of my thumb is when I hold them. This seems so nice, taking such good care of my hands like that I don't like plastic edges digging into my hands like the Hogues have. I could be wrong, I didn't actually put the Hogues on the gun and shoot with them (yet) but so far the Pachmayrs just seem more comfy.

Having said that, I will most likey buy a pair of Hogues and try them too, just to be sure.

 

[albanian]

I rank them:
1. Hogue
2. Uncle Mike's
3. Pach

Pachs are better if you have large hands since most of them cover the backstrap.

Uncle Mike's are well designed but are made of harder rubber than the Hogues so they don't absorb as much recoil.

I personally like Hogue wood grips the best. A good fitting wood grip has even less recoil than a rubber one since it allows the gun to move in the hand during recoil. This is important in hard kicking guns like .44mag.

 

[mattz357]

The one part about the Pachs that I like is that they cover the backstrap, but they just don't feel right to me. My 6" King Cobra almost feels like it could roll forward out of my hand, but the Hogues on my dad's 8 3/8" 686 make it sit just right. I think it has to do with the texture and material. The Hogues are a little stickier, they almost hold you rather than you having to hold them. This would probably be a disadvantage for carry due to snagging on clothes and such, but I live in IL, so...

 

[OH25shooter]

I've had trouble getting Pach's to fit properly. Hogue's have always been cut to fit and attached tight. So, I've stopped looking at Pach's and have bought Hogue's.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I like Pachmayr and I think they're much better than Hogue in terms of looks. But I do like the Hogue grips on my 686; it depends on the gun. I'm getting Pachmayr for my S&W 60 2" so I'd say go with your own preference.

 

[Frandy]

My opinion is that Pachmayr grips would look better on my 4" Ruger GP-100, but the Hogue rubber grips I have fit my hand much better and perform, perform, perform. Did I mention that they perform well?

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Six redhawks in the stable-all have a set of houge rubbers when I want them. They fit my hands very well. Even though the open backstrap can be felt during a heavy recoil, I actually prefer it due to my hand size-by the time you cover the backstrap the grip circumfrence is large enough that my short fingers aren't happy anymore.

Tried pachs once-where the seam comes together under the trigger guard wasn't perfect and sliced my knuckle like a razor blade when I lit her off. End of that.

 

[Hellbore]

Those must have been the hard plastic Pachmayrs. What I have are the soft rubber Decelerators. There's no chance the soft rubber ones sliced your hand open

 

[rbernie]

There's no chance the soft rubber ones sliced your hand open

Sure there is. It's happened to me with the Pach Decelerator Grippers. If the grip is too small, the seam at the front opens up a wee bit qand can actually slice you on recoil - kinda like a paper cut, only more, ah, energentic.

 

[Hellbore]

Wow, that's not cool.

I like how the Pachmayr Decelerators feel nice and squishy, but they DO look rather sloppy with extra rubber hanging off the seams and stuff like that.

My Uncle Mike's rubber grips came in the mail yesterday. They are quite hard, almost like plastic rather than rubber. However, they do have some rubberyness to them and they feel comfortable in the hand, and they have a very good fit and finish compared to the Pachmayrs. Another interesting thing - Someone said wood grips are good because they allow the gun to move in your hand. Well, these Uncle Mike's grips are just hard enough and smooth enough that I think they probably would allow the gun to move in my hand. I'll have to shoot with them and compare.

I'll probably break down and buy some Hogue rubber grips too and compare all 3 rubber grips at the shooting range. I'd also get some Hogue wood grips if I had the money

 

[Kar-el]

Hogue rubber grips are the way to go.


The buggers won't give me a discount even though I'm sure we're related.
My grandpa was one of 16 kids

Karl Hogue aka Kar-el



P.S. just please don't ever spell it Houge, that's my pet peeve!

 

[Sir Aardvark]

The Pachmayr Decelerators feel like you're holding on to a big squishy rubber thingy. They do work though, but are unnecessary if you shoot mostly .44 specials and not the magnums.

I have a S&W 629 Trail Boss that came factory ported; it has about half of the recoil shooting .44 magnums when compared to my other 629's. I can shoot magnums out of it all day with the stock Hogue grips and not be uncomfortable.

Keep the Hogue grips, or even the wood ones, and just get your revolver ported.

 

[Hellbore]

Eww, porting!



Actually, my shotgun is ported (mossberg 835). I don't really mind the recoil though on my Redhawk. I just think the Redhawk's stock wooden "plow handle" grips feel funny in my hand, I like rubber better.

 

[Golddog]

Grips

I own a dozen sets of each type. Pachmayrs that cover the backstrap are far and away the best for recoil management. The Compacs even make my J .357 easy to shoot.

Uncle Mike's work pretty well and are the most aesthetically pleasing.

I like the way the Hogues attach, but they're too thin and their pebbling too rough for hot .357's or .44 mags. Hogue's wood works much better than their rubber for me.

 

[P5 Guy]

I've never liked rubber grips.

 

[DHart]

Pachmayr Compac is the best rubber grip I've ever felt... hand filling, not too thin from side to side, not too hard, not too squishy, they even look good for rubbers. Uncle Mikes are good also, my second choice. Hogues I can't stand.. too thin from side to side, not at all hand filling for me.

Pachy Compacs on a round butt S&W .357 are very comfortable and recoil taming... love how they feel.

 

[zeke]

Houge Bantams for Round Butt L-frames
Houges for N-frames, however severely dislike the ones with high advertizing sign on right side.
Pachmeyer's for full bore Ruger Blackhawks
Uncle Mike boot grips for snubby

Really like the apperance and fit (Ahrends) of wood grips, and when shooting milder loads. However always use the rubbers for full powered loads. Houges just "fit" me well.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Golddog(and others interested)-

I actually only use the rubber with the moderately recoiling loads-when I go heavy(i.e. 270gr. 44 mag @1500, 365gr. 454 @ 1450 etc.,) I actually wear gloves or switch to wood grips.
The reason-sometimes the rubber bites too hard and actually tries to de-hide my hands when shooting very heavy loads. With the really heavy loads the grips will shift in your hands(with or without hide attatched).

In these cases it's shooting gloves or wood grips for me. YMMV of course.

Just a little curious as to others experiences. Sory for the side track.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I'm suprised by those who prefer wood. I haven't done that yet, maybe just nervous, but I worry about the bite. Wood looks better though, I admit. I've always wondered how it'd feel on my 686. Given the weight, would I even notice? I wouldn't want to pay that much only to find I should have stayed with rubber.

 

[SnWnMe]

If rapid IPSC style fire is in the plan of the day, I dress the lady accordingly with Pachmayr Grippers. The palm swells are all in the right places for my firing grip.

For slow fire any grip will work for me really.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

You should have seen me trying to get my Pach on -- I think Ajax sent me the wrong screw all together. I don't know how my father got it on but that baby's not coming off now. I buy a grip, it stays, I don't switch from day to day. I worry about damaging the screws.