Anybody use Pachmyr grip on their Blackhawk?

"I recently started shooting warm 45 Colt loads in my NM Blackhawk and as the load got up to 270gr @ 1,150 fps the middle finger was getting slammed by the trigger guard. My goal is to reach 1,250 fps with this load so I expect the finger will get worse. I want to try a grip with material behind the trigger guard to save the middle finger."

What is your accuracy like?

Accuracy is (or should be) the paramount thing to chase. It's no fun to miss a lot,, when a milder load will be accurate. I'm not saying your goal isn't achievable in hotter loads,,, but I've often found that mid-range loads seem to be more accurate AND less punishing in recoil in most guns. But,,, sometimes,,, hotter, & faster loads are the ticket in certain guns. Only you & that gun can decide it all.
If velocity with a given bullet is the only goal,, then you may be missing the real fun.

I was talking with a guy yesterday,, & he was telling me of a gentleman (who has since passed,) about some reloads from the estate he was TAKING APART. A very, very warm load that exceeded the parameters of the current loading manuals. He wasn't shooting them,, as he knew how stout they were, and how the original loader had a penchant for "hot" stuff. Accuracy wasn't his forte.

contender said:

What is your accuracy like?
Accuracy is (or should be) the paramount thing to chase.

Click to expand...

I agree that accuracy trumps all. I'm one of those guys that will spend 3 or 4 hours to shoot 50 perfectly aimed rounds.
I'm getting average of 2" - 2 1/2" for 6 shots from my 27 yard range with one load that gives <2" fairly consistently.
I'm working on the warm load for hunting hogs and deer on my farm. I used to use 44 mag Redhawk revolver with good success using 260 WFN @ 1,250 fps and I'm loading up something similar.
I have a "system" at my place...the longest range you can shoot at hog or deer is the longest range at which you can break 5 out or 6 clay bird with your hunting weapon while resting and shooting the weapon from a shooting stick.

I use Hogues on all my non-Bisley Rugers. Ugly as home made sin but no finger pain and the gun does not move. I do not like a gun to roll up in my hand.

Ugh, I'd rather have a sister working in a whorehouse than oversized rubber grips on one of my sixguns.

With that out of the way, I'll tell you why. First, yes they are hideous, everybody knows that. Rubber that does not cover the backstrap does not absorb recoil, that is a myth. The sticky material grabs your flesh and will wear a hole in your palm. Hogue's palm swell is notorious for this. They are also uncomfortable. Too thin and too long front to back. They also place the hand very low on the gun and a single action has a high grip to bore axis anyway. This accentuates muzzle rise. It also puts your thumb a long way from the hammer. IMHO, many folks who use them are DA shooters who want their Blackhawk to feel like their S&W and this is a mistake. I grew up with plowhandles so they are perfectly natural to me. My solution for handling heavy recoil is a set of custom grips that are thicker than factory and properly shaped. This gives me all the comfort and control I need and they don't look like ass to boot.





I fired exactly one cylinderful out of my FA 83 Field Grade .454 with its factory Pachmayrs before having Rob Rowen fit it with bighorn sheep. Infinitely more comfortable and better looking.

CraigC......A man after my own heart! I too tried various "rubber baby buggy bumpers" and found nothing better than the original walnut grips or a good fitting set of custom grips be they Elk Stag or Sheep Horn or some of CaryC's fine grips. The Sambar stag I currently have is full bark and like a cheese grater on Super Blackhawks. I must note, that I've shot very little competition with single-actions and must accept the words of those who have to the superiority of rubber baby buggy bumpers for competitive shooters. Edit to add, those are beautiful sheep horn grips and I too prefer the smooth to the barked sheep horn grips. Smooth stag, on the other hand often show a lot of pith, which is a major turn-of for me. But that's just me and I have to deal with it :?