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Recently I acquired a 4.25 in. barrel, L frame, S&W M-69 .44 Mag. I am very familiar with 9mm autos , .38s, .357s, etc., but this is the first serious recoiling pistol I have had. I have been practicing with it a fair amount and have gotten fairly proficient with it, mostly using handloaded .44 Spls using 7.5 gr Unique under a 240 gr coated lead SWC. No recoil problem with this load. However, when shooting magnums using 10 gr Unique under a 240 gr coated lead SWC, the rear of the trigger guard whacks the second knuckle of my middle finger. So, am I somehow gripping it incorrectly or do I need to change the grips? I have been using a 2 hand grip. If I need to change the pistol's grips, which would you recommend? It has the original factory S&W rubber grips. I shot 50 rounds of magnums through it this afternoon and my knuckle is still sore. Thanks for the reply!
Go ask Biden.
I cannot have meaningful conversations with DemonRats.
You are only shooting mild plinking loads,

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...p;type=1&powderid=3&cartridge=33
Get your heinous self a 9MM. It will do anything and more than anyone will ever need. It will do for plinking, bullseye, self defense and hunting everything from gnat to Grizzly Bear and I am sure it is capable for Cape Buffalo and Elephant.
Plus, you will be in style..
All this blather on other threads about the Python, popularity of the 40 S&W and the other threads concerning other calibers is a waste of time. No one or nothing will ever reach the great greatness of the greatest of all time the great 9MM. The magic, magnificent, powerful, accurate and miraculous 9MM will make all shooters stylistic and envied by everyone in the shooting world.
Get your inadequate self a 9MM and become miraculous in the shooting world.
I know what you're talking about. You'll need to upgrade your grips so something that fills in the area behind the trigger guard. Lots of good grip makers out there. Try Herretts, Badger, Altamont and Hogue to name a few.
Yep, get some different grips.

I can’t shoot Ruger’s with standard wood grips that well, they are just to small.

Handgun grips are very personal -- nobody's hand or grip is the same, so you may have to do some trial and error to find out what works for you.

I've been using the S&W 500 X Frame Hogue grips (Hogue Tamers) for quite some time. I use them both stock and modified by sanding off the finger groves and rounding the butt. Picture below shows stock on 4 1/4" M69 and modified on 2 3/4" M69. I can't do grips that leave the backstrap uncovered -- hammers the bone at the base of my thumb -- the hogue 500s cover the backstrap. I'm a big fan of the M69 - my favorite handgun platform and cartridge.

https://www.hogueinc.com/handgun-grips/smith-wesson/xzframe

[Linked Image from photos.imageevent.com]

FWIW,

Paul
Posted By: memtb Re: Need .44 Mag Shooting Advice - 12/08/19

I had the same issue with my 629, when shooting heavy (265 grain) bullets at max loads. I went through about 3 different replacement grips before finding the one that worked for me! memtb
Originally Posted by paul105

Handgun grips are very personal -- nobody's hand or grip is the same, so you may have to do some trial and error to find out what works for you.

I've been using the S&W 500 X Frame Hogue grips (Hogue Tamers) for quite some time. I use them both stock and modified by sanding off the finger groves and rounding the butt. Picture below shows stock on 4 1/4" M69 and modified on 2 3/4" M69. I can't do grips that leave the backstrap uncovered -- hammers the bone at the base of my thumb -- the hogue 500s cover the backstrap. I'm a big fan of the M69 - my favorite handgun platform and cartridge.

https://www.hogueinc.com/handgun-grips/smith-wesson/xzframe

[Linked Image from photos.imageevent.com]

FWIW,

Paul

Thanks for the info and for the link! I ordered Hogue grips for both my M-69 and my J frame M-36 this evening. Earlier this afternoon I went back to my local shooting range with my M-19, which I had installed Hogue rubber grips already, and my M-69 and did a comparison shoot. No issue at all with the .357 whacking my knuckle and same issue as before with the .44. The M-19 with the Hogue gives some knuckle room behind the trigger guard as opposed to the factory S&W rubber grips that is almost nil. Judging from the photo illustrations on their website, their grips should also much improve my M-36 .38 as well. Thanks again and to others that replied.
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