Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Bearpaw "EIG" Ruger stocks

Picked up a set of Bearpaw Ruger grips to try.

Their claim to fame is their "EIG 5"(Ergonomically Improved Grips).

Compared to traditional single action grips, EIG grips are cut in the factory outline and profile except the butt area is 10% thinner and the top is 15% thicker.

Renowned grip maker Cary Chapman (CLC Grips) used an analogy of holding an ice cream cone when describing the grip's profile.

They're handmade in Missouri, and cheap enough (around $120 bucks) I figured I'd give 'em a try.

I grabbed a set of "Flame Box Elder" grips firstly because supposedly they were carved from a box elder tree out of the home state Kansas, and secondly the color and figure of the wood kinda' looks like some Dall or Stone sheep horn.

These are "off the shelf" handmade grips, not custom hand-fitted so not comparable to Bowen, Rowen, Kolar, Harton, Fishpaw, etc. Those guys are masters, but will run you $500-$1000 and up for grips, and will keep your gun/grip frame for a year or more. The latter is what burns my ass most, I'd pay the money if a custom grip maker would commit to a week's turn-around time.

That said, my first impressions are they're okay, worth the price of admission, better than Ruger factory grips. Fit and finish is behind my go to Ruger off the shelf grip maker Chad @Chigs Grips. The rear of the grips feel a little blocky at the corners, one could sand those down a little more rounded, I suppose.

They do include a nylon spacer that fits over the grip screw, between the grip panels, preventing over-tightening of the screw which may lead to cracking or the bushing pulling through. That's a nice touch.

Maybe premature as I haven't shot with 'em yet, but initially they do feel a little awkward in the hand. Neat concept, so-so execution. More to come, we shall see how they handle.

I tried to show the profile from the rear in this photo. You can see the taper and the blocky rear corners.

That is some fine woodwork Skeen. And yes, they do look a lot like highly polished sheep horn.

Similar in design to the original, first OM 44 Ruger Blackhawk 6 1/2" grip panels with the bulge at the top of each panel under the grip frame flare. Wood was just past the flare. However, the Ruger grips panels were even, same on both sides, those grips appear to be off center, larger on the left than the right.

Very nice skins Skeen! I imagine I’d have that same awkward feeling too. Maybe not a bad thing…just a “getting used to” kind of thing. Could be they grow on ya after some range time and more handling. 😎

Some beautiful looking grips there, skeen.

Nice stuff. I have my Standard Manufacturing "SAA" 45 Colt in Alan's shop now. I brought him a chunk of wood he has since cut and is now letting it dry. I have a number of his grips and they were not expensive but it has been years. IMO, he really gets how the grips should be dimensioned. As soon as I handed him my gun he held it and immediately commented that the top of the grips contour was not right. I'll check out the folks that built your grips.

Ed, I can't tell you how many times I've been "this close" to pulling the metaphorical trigger on a Standard Mfg. SAA.

Do you have the 1 piece or 2 piece grips?