Update:

They’re ugly but they work! Just got back from revolver day at the range this afternoon. Took both my 610 and 686 fitted with the new style factory rubber grips. Night and day difference on the 686. Shooting full magnum 125gr JHP at 1,400fps it’s enough to let you know you’re shooting a full magnum load but not painful like it was with the wood Bear Hug grips. While the back strap is covered, they do not lengthen the trigger pull as much as the Hogue Tamers on my 329.

Less of a difference on the 610. The Bear Hug grips are shaped significantly thicker on the N-Frames than they are on the K/L Frames. With the original grips there was a sting shooting 180gr. loads at 1,250fps. Not painful but not pleasant either. The new rubber grips remove the sting. I’ll also mention that the original fit met of these grips was extremely poor leaving rough edges where they met the back strap. First time shooting the gun it took a chunk out of the webbing of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. My buddy commented I was the only one he knew who could get slide bite from shooting a revolver. I had to sand down and refinish the grips in tongue oil to get them to fit flush with the back strap so they no longer draw blood.

Really wonder what Lipsey’s was thinking on including the Bear Hug drips on the latest run of Mountain Guns. They look great, they feel good just gripping the gun, but they are not comfortable shooting. No it’s not just comparing wood to rubber, I have several Smiths with factory target and finger groove combat grips and have not had issues like I’ve had with the Bear Hugs. On top of that the overall fit and finish on them is just sub-standard.

Original post:

I hate the Bear Hug grips that came on my 686 Mountain Gun. Painful to shoot with full magnum loads. Anyone have experience with the new rubber finger groove round to square target grips on current production Smith revolvers?

I’ve got Hogue Tamers on my 329 which are pretty much a requirement on that gun. I just don’t like how the covered back strap with them lengthens the reach to the trigger. Wanted to get a feeling before ordering them. So went too Cabela’s and while they had a 686 and a 610 with the new style rubber grips, they won’t remove the trigger locks so I could judge the trigger reach.

Link below to the grips in Smith’s on-line store:

https://www.smith-wesson.com/p...-k-l-frame-revolvers

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 2000Z-71,

The 629 I bought a couple of years ago had this style of grips. I liked them a lot. All I had for comparison though was an old set of wood grips (which is apples/oranges anyway) and an old set of Pachmayr rubber grips. While I can’t speak for all S&W frame sizes, the N-frame version of this style of grips had much better support than the Pachmayr grips for the webbing between index finger and thumb. It also had a rigid polymer skeleton underneath ensuring a perfect fit to the revolver’s frame. I still slightly prefer the texture of the Pachmayr grips though.

Slight thread detour…

quote:

Originally posted by MacGyver:
The 629 I bought a couple of years ago had this style of grips.

My 629 was causing pain in my wrist.
(Turns out, my hot reloading back in the day, trying to launch a bowling ball at the speed of light left a lasting impression on my dominant hand.)
I switched to a rubber X grip and it’s night and day better!


2000Z-71, I really like the look of those S&W grips.

I have yet to find finger grove grips I can work with and N frames add size to the challenge.

My favorite are the old Fitz Gunfighters in wood, but good luck finding a set.

The Herrett Shooting Stars work if you have medium hands. I still found the reach a bit long.

I have Hamre Forge grips on my k frame and I am very happy with those but they only make them in small batches. Hoping the make them in N square.

One thing to watch out for ( if it matters for your applications) is a lot of S&W factory grips are not compatible with easy use of speedloaders.

The J frames in particular

Update at top.