Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Hogue or Pachmayer grips for a Ruger revolver

Well, my Hogue monogrips came today for my new Ruger Super Blackhawk. Unfortunately the saddle will not fit on the frame. The holes punched in the saddle that hold the pin are about 1/32" too low. I don't know if to try to make it work somehow (spent two frustrating hours tonight) or send the thing back to Hogue. Does anyone have a Hogue grip that fits a Super Blackhawk (new one, with round trigger guard?). Maybe I just got a defective saddle.

I was looking at Pachmayer Presentation grips. It looks like they come in two panels that are held together with a screw like the factory grips so the fit doesn't depend on that damned little saddle fitting. Do the Presentation grips extend below the bottom of the frame? I cannot find a single photo that shows if they do. If not, they're as useless to me as the factory grips that are too short for my pinkie finger to fit on.

Thanks!

I put Hogue rubber grips on my wife's Blackhawk 45 LC. There should be 2 pins in the Hogue kit, and you use the smaller pin. I had no problem as I recall. I do recall that I had to really bang the butt of the rubber grips hard into my palm in order to get the bottom screw to line up. But my wife loves them. I had earlier put a set on her Taurus 357 Magnum revolver and when she got the Blackhawk that was the second thing she changed after putting a scope on it. She's taken a couple of 250 pound hogs with the 357.Ruger.

The small pin is for Vaquero's and Single Sixes, the instructions say to use the larger pin in the bottom set of holes is for Blackhawks. The small pin in the top set of holes won't even come close to holding the saddle tight for my Blackhawk (maybe mine has a different grip frame than your wife's). I finally got the saddle installed using a little piece of of all-thread I cut to length, but lining the screw up with the hole in the saddle was just too much trouble.

Since I wrote that post I ordered a set of Pachmayers and they came today. Slipped right on. I still like the grip of the Hogue's better, but I don't want a project every time I need to take them off.

I don't know if you've considered them or if they're what you're looking for, but my favorite grips are the Uncle Mike's. The Hogue doesn't fit my hand, and the Pachmayr's stippling pulled the skin off. They're my first choice.

You're best off going to a shop that has the grips being considered and seeing how they fit both you and the gun.

The single action grip frame was designed with a purpose in mind. The design was to allow the gun to roll in your hand under the recoil of a moderate to heavy (by 1870's standards) load. By installing large, oversized rubber grips, you defeat the recoil absorbing design of the grip and make the whole affair a bit painful.

If you're shooting heavy magnum loads, then perhaps what you need is a Bisley grip frame, which gives you more to hold on to, but still allows the gun to roll in your hand a touch.

There are reasons why the single action has the grip frame it does. Learn to use the gun the way it was designed and you'll enjoy it more.

Kevin, I know you're a S&W aficianado. Have you removed the factory grips on all your Smiths and replaced them with ones that are an inch too short so you have to curl your pinkie finger under them to shoot?

I bought my first Ruger Blackhawk in the 70s while in college and too poor to buy custom grips for it for years. I had no choice but to grip it like that, and I hated it. So I guess I learned to grip it "correctly", but never did learn to like it.

I have a little .38 snubbie I carry in my pocket, and not having room for all my fingers on its grip is no problem, but if I'm firing something with real recoil, I would a lot rather feel I have control of it than protecting the skin of my palms for a little burn from a grip I can hold on to.

I personally think Hogue's and Pachmayer's to have totally different characteristics and don't consider them interchangeable, mission-wise. Basically, I see a need for Hogue's but not Pachmayer's. I suppose I've had Uncle Mike's grips before, but can't remember much about them. IOW, if you want Hogue's, you probably should get them.

I am of the Kevin Gibson school-of-thought regarding Ruger Single Actions, but I've seen too many guys put rubber grips on them to think mine is the only way.

I agree with this.

I had fired a few thousand rounds through my first blackhawk before ever firing one outfitted with Pachmahrs.

Preventing a traditional style big bore single action from rolling up during recoil is detrimental to its handling characteristics.

Let 'em roll!

Not only does the rolling action absorb some of the recoil, it places the spur of the hammer in position for quick resetting.

Why yes, I am a S&W fan, but I also like Colt�s DA and single action revolvers. In fact, now is one of the few times I�m without a single action Colt�s or Ruger (I�m not especially proud of that). I�ve always been a big fan of single action revolvers and my hands are small enough that I can just barely cram my pinky finger on the front strap of a single action Colt. If I was unable to do that, I would probably not be a fan of the single action, or at the very least, I�d be choosing the Bisley.

I guess my point is; if you feel you need to turn a single action into the grip equivalent of a double action, then perhaps you have the wrong gun, not the wrong grips...especially if we're talking really heavy recoil (greater than .357 or standard pressure .45 Colt).

I�ve seen lots of guys on the firing line of SASS type shooting competitions with larger hands than mine, and I�ve never seen a set of Hogues or Pachmayr�s in the hands of the single action experts; not even in the �modern� class. The reason is, they understand the design intent of the gun and work it to its advantage.

Now I�m not trying to be contentious, inflammatory or demeaning in any way whatsoever. I have nothing to go on that you�re not a great guy�after all, you�re here at the Campfire, so already I hold you in high regard. I�m just trying to impart some wisdom that was hard learned by me in hopes you can better enjoy your shooting sport.

At the end of the day, it�s your gun, your hand and your opinion that counts; my opinion doesn�t count for squat. If Hogues or Pachmayr�s on a single action is what you really want and really like then by all means, belly up to the bar and order you a set; you�re welcome to shoot with me any day of the week sir.

Just adding a voice to the choir. One summer in my early twenties I fired my Ruger SBH .44 extensively with heavy loads. Was shooting at least a box every week. Didn't notice the recoil all the much.

Then some guy had a set of Herret's wood target grips and we put them on the revolver to try out. Holy Shoot! That thing kicked like hell!

Like Cole says, lots of guys like them and I won't pretend to tell someone else what to do. Everybody's hands are different so maybe some folks need different grips. But everytime I've put different grips on my Ruger SA's (and I've owned a whole bunch) I quickly put the factory grips back on.

I, personally, prefer the original factory grips in any single action revolver.

I don't like Pachmayers on a S/A because they lay rubber on my palm everytime I fire one with a heavy-recoiling caliber.

I use the butt ugly Hogue Mono rubber fingergrooves on my .41 Blackhawk. I tried the original factory wood and Pachmayer Presentation grips, that look better, but I much prefer to shoot the Hogues. Good luck.

Kevin, I hope my question to you did not come across as an argument - I have learned about as much from your posts on this forum as from anyone else who posts here. That's the truth.

The question was sincere - why, when I love the grips on my Model 29 that allow me to grip the thing so I have it under control, would I want to accept that for a single action that I must grip with only three fingers. Forget about the "roll" thing - how about being able to maintain a good, tight grip while aiming.

I will probably hunt with this new Ruger. When I draw an aim, in cold, wet weather I want to feel like I have it in control.

No I didn't take it that way at all.

To answer your question, I keep going back to the fact that the two are just plain different. Even with three fingers, the shape of a single action's grip allows me to have the lightest grip on the gun, yet it rests between the middle finger and the palm of my hand, balancing perfectly. A double action revolver like your 29 doesn't do that; but your 29 does other things well.

You don't need a good tight grip on a single action revolver when aiming. It only takes a very small amount of hand pressure to have complete control over the single action revolver. The hog leg grip was designed to let the revolver hang out there, roll up in your hand during recoil so you can easily thumb the hammer again on the way down. It's kind of a shooting system designed specifically around the moderate rounds of the day, and the single action design.

I'll agree that traditional single action grip frames don't work well with heavy recoil; because that's not what they were designed for. When things get heavier, you need either a Bisley style (and none is better than the Ruger Bisley grip frame), or the DA grip frame.

I wish you and I lived closer, because it's a whole lot easier to demonstrate than it is trying to describe on an internet forum.

Oh, and if you want to offend me, you'll have to do better than that:)

I really like the big nasty looking Hogue on my SBH when shooting the hotter loads. It's an eyesore, but gives real good control, and comfort.




I gotta admit the factory walnut is much easier on the eyes. But I find the square-back triggerguard will eat up my middle finger knuckle in short order with heavy loads.

MM
That's a nice SBH with those Hogues. The hammer on the SBH is good. My .41 Blackhawk 4 5/8" with those grips had the high hammer. I replaced it with the Bisley hammer (some grinding required). Oooh baby.

I agree with Kevin, the orginal colt grips let the gun roll up in your hand, therefore I love the originals...I see a lot of conversation, desention or whatever on this point. .

I suspect that is because of the size of our hands and the fit of the pistol...A ham handed 6 ft. 10 250 lb. gorilla won't like colt grips but Tiny Tim ain't going to take to a big set of Pachmyers either. Pistols like rifles are better fitted to your particular hand. Use what feels good to YOU! Not what others tell you.

MM, I've seen your photo - you don't get to vote. Your hands could choke blood out of an anvil.

Yes, the Pach's wrap the bottom of the grip and make them longer. For what it's worth, I use the Pach presentation on my Blackhawks (357, 41, 45), the grips roll just fine during recoil. I don't have overly large hands but I don't like the way stock ruger grips feel. I like the larger girth of the pachmyers.