Ruger Revolver Grips

[223]

Let me start off by stating that I have a soft spot for Ruger DA revolvers.  I own a few and would not mind adding many more.  They are different from other revolver makes in many ways, most of them good.

The one issue I have with Bill Ruger is those small grips he put on his early revolvers.  I have replaced the grip on my Redhawk with the Hogue rubber grip and it changes the way the revolver handles and shoots significantly.

My father in law owns a Ruger Security Six (357 4") that currently serves as his SD gun.  Not ideal, I know, but he likes it and he can shoot it.  The small old wooden grip has always irritated me, so I searched and eventually found a Hogue grip for it.  Yesterday, while visiting the in-laws, I swapped the grip.  My FIL was seriously impressed by the improved handling and especially double action stability the Hogue grip gives his revolver.

Just thought I'd share.

[Treeman]

Now that you mention it, I too have pondered the diminutive grips on Rugers. I noted it but never felt the need to change it, perhaps I would shoot better if I did so.

[oafpatroll]

I shot a redhawk with the little grips and found them not to my liking. A boomer like that wants a bit of handle to hang onto IMO.

[Treeman]

223, HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED MAKING YOUR OWN GRIPS, I HAVE MADE A FEW ALREADY AND FOUND IT ENJOYABLE AND REWARDING. THE NICE THING IS THE SMALL PIECE OF WOOD NEEDED TO OBTAIN YOUR GOAL. i ONCE HELPED A BLOKE MAKE A SET OF GRIPS FROM A PIECE OF OX WAGON WOOD. THE WAGON HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE IN THE VELD AND WAS WELL PASSED SAVING. SOME SCRATCHING PRODUCED SOME SOLID WOOD WHICH WAS THEN SHAPED IN GRIPS.
I HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT MATTER THIS IN 30 + YEARS

[223]

223, HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED MAKING YOUR OWN GRIPS, I HAVE MADE A FEW ALREADY AND FOUND IT ENJOYABLE AND REWARDING. THE NICE THING IS THE SMALL PIECE OF WOOD NEEDED TO OBTAIN YOUR GOAL. i ONCE HELPED A BLOKE MAKE A SET OF GRIPS FROM A PIECE OF OX WAGON WOOD. THE WAGON HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE IN THE VELD AND WAS WELL PASSED SAVING. SOME SCRATCHING PRODUCED SOME SOLID WOOD WHICH WAS THEN SHAPED IN GRIPS.
I HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT MATTER THIS IN 30 + YEARS

I am presently considering such a project.  2 Reasons for that:
1. My eldest daughter has taken a liking to my Super Redhawk, but the finger grooves on the Hogue don't fit her hand.  I will first revert to the original Ruger Rubber grips and see how she likes those.
2. The Hogue grip for the Redhawk positions the fingers lower than those on all the other revolvers.  I don't know why they designed it this way, but it feels less than perfectly right.  I may make a set of grips that are shaped better from some indigenous wood. A piece of burl knoppiesdoring or wild olive should look pleasing too.  Maybe I should practice on a piece of pine or jacaranda first...

[Ds J]

I second this

223, HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED MAKING YOUR OWN GRIPS, I HAVE MADE A FEW ALREADY AND FOUND IT ENJOYABLE AND REWARDING. THE NICE THING IS THE SMALL PIECE OF WOOD NEEDED TO OBTAIN YOUR GOAL. i ONCE HELPED A BLOKE MAKE A SET OF GRIPS FROM A PIECE OF OX WAGON WOOD. THE WAGON HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE IN THE VELD AND WAS WELL PASSED SAVING. SOME SCRATCHING PRODUCED SOME SOLID WOOD WHICH WAS THEN SHAPED IN GRIPS.
I HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT MATTER THIS IN 30 + YEARS

I second this. Take a price of pine wood and diy a crude set of grips. It does not help to ruin a good piece of wood on a first try. Then build a nice, well designed piece for your rollie.

[oafpatroll]

A very handy friend of mine made a few sets of grips for his target pistols using what I thought was a cool method. First he molded mockups of the grips onto the clingwrap covered frame using some sort of low temp oven cure clay. After initial shaping and curing he sanded them to final dimension with a variety of sanding blocks. He then had used these as the precise dimensional guide for hand carving the wooden ones. They came out incredibly and fitted him, wait for it . . . . . like a tailored glove. He made a pair for his Ruger Mark Target pistol from some or other parquet wood blocks and when oil finished they were absolutely gorgeous.