686+ Grip suggestions, please.

[Bassat]

I picked up my shiny new Smith & Wesson 686P, today. I took it out on the range for 1/2 box of .38 Spc, and 1/2 box of .357 Mag. Right out of the box, I don't care for the grips; they are too skinny. Therefore, I am looking for suggestions. I don't think I have overly large hands, but a Glock 21 Gen4 fits my hands perfectly. I like a grip the fills up my hands. I use a padded rubber sleeve (Pachmayr) on my Charter Arms Off Duty, and Kahr CM9. I can't shoot them without the grip addition. I don't want a slip on sleeve for a mule like the 686, especially with full-house magnum ammunition. Open to suggestions, if you please.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

Need some 686 eye candy!

 

[Hoosier Carry]

Need some 686 eye candy!

Legit request!

 

[Hoosier Carry]

The rubber Hogue grip felt good when I had one.

 

[Bassat]

The rubber Hogue grip felt good when I had one.

Got big hands? I saw another forum where some folks suggested Hogue for smaller hands, Pachmyar for larger hands.

 

[Bassat]

I'd be embarrassed to put pictures, today. I put 50 rounds through it a pawed it all up with my greasy mitts. It is dirty. After I clean it, promise.

 

[ilcaveman]

I put Pachmayr grips on mine back in the day and they are still on there.

 

[pmbiker]

My recently acquired 627 Performance Center felt the same way to me. I didn't want to drop big money on custom wood grips that I couldn't hold before I purchased.

If you can find a set of the x-frame grips(I think they will fit the L-frame)that's what I found and really like the size. Shallow finger grooves and a covered back strap.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

Got big hands? I saw another forum where some folks suggested Hogue for smaller hands, Pachmyar for larger hands.

Average size hands.

 

[92FSTech]

I'd be embarrassed to put pictures, today. I put 50 rounds through it a pawed it all up with my greasy mitts. It is dirty. After I clean it, promise.

A dirty gun is a happy gun! No shame there ...just means you're using it as intended. We need pics lol.

What barrel length did you end up going with, and is it round or square butt? Planning to carry it concealed, or mostly just range use? I've been down the revolver grip road pretty extensively in the past couple of years, and all of those things factor into what type of grips I want on a gun.

I agree, the factory K and N Frame rubbers are too thin in the backstrap to shoot comfortably (although I love the factory J-Frame rubber boot grips!). They do nothing to spread the recoil out across the web of your hand. They're also unnecessarily long, which makes them hard to conceal.

The bigger Hogue grips are affordable and comfortable, but they are also huge, and attach at the bottom of the butt with a screw so you can't trim them down even if you wanted to. They're fine for the range, but horrible for concealment.

I tried Pachmayr Compacts on my L-Frame Model 69, as I've had good luck with them in the past. I really like the design, but unfortunately Pachmayr is no longer the company they once were, and even though I tried several sets I couldn't find one that fit the gun properly. QC was horrible with lots of flashing and seam lines. The rubber panels didn't come together properly in the front, the fit was loose, and there were huge gaps, large enough that you could feel them when holding the gun.

I tried Altmonts, and was not happy with the sharp edges at all of the transitions. Every transition on Altmonts grips is almost a 90 degree corner, and they will hurt you bad under recoil, especially with a .44. I really wanted boot grips so it would fit in my HPG chest rig, though, so I spent a bunch of time sanding and rounding the corners until I got them where I wanted, then refinished them. They still hurt a little under recoil, but nowhere near as badly as they did before I re-worked them. The biggest problem is that they're slick and move in the hand under recoil.



Ultimately, I found the Hogue Bantam rubber grips for the L-Frame. I cut the finger grooves off and just enough of the pinky extension to give me a full grip without any extra overhang. I was concerned about their screwless "snap in place" design, but the fitment is perfect and rock solid on the gun. They don't move at all. They're grippy enough to hold on to, but small enough to conceal. While they don't cover the backstrap, they have nice smooth, wide pads up by the top of the backstrap that help spread the recoil out through the entire web of your hand and protect the knuckle of your thumb. Being able to maintain a positive grip makes the recoil more bearable, too, and that's on a .44...they'd be downright pleasant on a .357. I'm mad that Hogue doesn't make these for the N-frame, because I want a set for my 329.



If you're going for more of a target gun than a carry gun, there's nothing wrong with the old-school S&W target grips. They're big, wide, and comfortable. You can get square butt or round-to-square butt conversions. The only problem is that factory ones have gotten stupid expensive. There's a guy on eBay from Thailand who makes really nice, high quality copies. I've bought a couple from him and while they're a bit more orange than the originals, the fit is perfect and they're well constructed. I have a set for my 66.




If you want the old-school detective look, the factory panel-style grips look cool, but suck for shooting. They don't give you enough to hold on to, and the trigger guard will rap your knuckles. A Tyler T-Grip, or copy from BK Grips (great people to deal with!) helps give you enough to wrap your fingers around to get a solid grip and prevent slamming your fingers into the trigger guard. It's a perfectly viable and simple solution to a sub-optimal grip design.

 

[WhitleyStu]

I went with VZ Grip's Tactical Diamond - S&W K/L-Frame Round Bottom. The diamond pattern machined into the panels is very sharp. Even with gloves the grip stays planted is the hand. I am very pleased with the appearance, too. I love G10 due its ability to not be effected by moisture.

 

[Bassat]

I put Pachmayr grips on mine back in the day and they are still on there.

Are the Pachmayr grips significantly fatter than the S&W? To my hand, the S&W are way too thin - side to side.

 

[Bassat]

Here you go. My two newest additions, both dirty. I am liking revolvers so much I am considering adding a Charter Arms Mag Pug, too!

 

[Bassat]

Funny tidbit. When I picked up the 686, I also bought a box of .38 158gr FMJ, and a box of .357 125gr FMJ; cheapest they had of both. I got out to the range, loaded up 7 rounds, and proceeded to put 4 in the 10-ring, 2 in the 9-ring and 1 in the eight ring. Recoil was quite manageable. I thought, "Man the size of this thing really takes the edge off of recoil compared to the 12oz Off Duty." OK, time to try the .357 rounds. THAT WAS THE .357 ROUNDS! Then I fired the .38s for real. Cream puff recoil. I was really amazed the .357 wasn't more punishing. Well, OK, the cost is still punishing. BTW, I am saving all my revolver brass. Can anyone recommend a reloader who will use my brass?

 

[Colt556]

For guns I don’t shoot a lot I prefer the original wood stocks. If I want to shoot a lot or carry I like the VZ or LOK G10 grips. I use the G10 on both revolvers and semiautomatics and they look good and feel great. Anther good thing about the G10s is that they can be had in a myriad of colors and styles.
I’ll take all the old S&W wood grips you all want to send me.

 

[Bassat]

Sorry, no wood grips. My 686+ came with black rubber. Thanks for the info. I'll look at VZ and G10.

 

[92FSTech]

Are the Pachmayr grips significantly fatter than the S&W? To my hand, the S&W are way too thin - side to side.

It depends...Pachmayr has a variety of options. Most of them are fatter than that thin factory grip, though.

Can anyone recommend a reloader who will use my brass?

Can't help with a referral, but if you ever considered getting into reloading, doing it with .357/.38 will pay for a basic setup really quick. It's also a very easy caliber to learn on.

 

[Bassat]

Not really interested in learning to reload. I enjoy shooting, and have limited time as I'm still working full time. I am also an amateur photographer. I learned developing and printing in the mid-70s, and shortly thereafter discovered I'd rather take photos than spend my time in the darkroom. Kinda the same with reloading.

 

[92FSTech]

Not really interested in learning to reload. I enjoy shooting, and have limited time as I'm still working full time. I am also an amateur photographer. I learned developing and printing in the mid-70s, and shortly thereafter discovered I'd rather take photos than spend my time in the darkroom. Kinda the same with reloading.

Totally understandable. I'm just the opposite...I like to tinker and do things myself. If I had the space and the equipment, I'd definitely have my own dark room! I did a lot of B&W photography in college, and found the developing and printing to be one of my favorite parts of the process (also didn't hurt that part of that involved spending a lot of time in the dark room with a girl I liked who is now my wife of almost 19 years ). Unfortunately, I don't have the gear or anywhere to set it up, so these days I just shoot digital. It's easier, but less satisfying and I miss the process.

 

[Bassat]

Totally understandable. I'm just the opposite...I like to tinker and do things myself. If I had the space and the equipment, I'd definitely have my own dark room! I did a lot of B&W photography in college, and found the developing and printing to be one of my favorite parts of the process (also didn't hurt that part of that involved spending a lot of time in the dark room with a girl I liked who is now my wife of almost 19 years ). Unfortunately, I don't have the gear or anywhere to set it up, so these days I just shoot digital. It's easier, but less satisfying and I miss the process.

Agreed. I just sold my last film camera about 2 weeks ago. Up until film got STUPID expensive about 3 years ago, I shot a lot of 645 and 6x6. I got rid of all the Medium Format gear at that time, but kept the 35mm. Since I don't develop film myself, the whole process just got too expensive, so I gave up it up completely. I learned B&W develop and print at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. No girls there, just a bunch of GIs.