Fitting Hogue exotic wood grips on a stainless Bisley.

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andyo5

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
299
Location
Oro Valley, Arizona
I just got my pair of Hogue ebony grips in the mail today, for my 5 1/2" stainless Bisley.
Well, they don't quite fit. Looks like the hole for the cross pin needs to move slightly up and forwards. And then, the bottom of each grip will need to be shaved to make it flush to the bottom of the frame.
Hogue has suggested that I drill out the holes in the wood oversize, fill them with epoxy, put oil on the frame's cross pin, and assemble. When dry, the excess epoxy can be removed and the hole will now be in the right spot. Or, if I send the grips back with my gun (not happening) or with my factory grips, they will do the fitting. It will take 30 to 45 days.
The Hogue rep. told me that Ruger doesn't have good control of cross pin location, and this is the source of the problem.

Here's my question: Has anybody gone through this process? Which option did you choose? How well did it work out?
 

Beauetienne

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
128
Location
Cajun Country
I've used Hogues' on some S&W revolvers with varying results. All needed some tweaking. Some minor, some more time consuming. Seems the fit of their product has gotten worse over the past few years.

My advice is to do the best you can on your own and write them off it doesn't work out. Not like you have much choice.

I don't plan on buying Hogue grips again.
 

CraigC

Hawkeye
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
5,197
Location
West Tennessee
There's a lot of variation in Bisley grip frames. Hogue's grips are made to fit virtually any without modification and that means that most of them fit terribly. Hogue is in the aftermarket grip manufacturing business, not the fitting custom grips to a specific frame business. If you're going to that trouble, get it done right by a custom gripmaker.

PS, they don't need your gun anyway, just the grip frame.
 

Jimbo357mag

Hawkeye
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
10,350
Location
So. Florida
You can drill the hole oversized and fill with epoxy pretty easy. I used vasoline to make sure the frame post released. ... and as far as fitting, if you have to take wood off, the finish can be touched-up with some clear polyurethane. I have done it more than once. :D
 

6gun

Hunter
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Oct 10, 2012
Messages
2,580
andyo5 said:
Another option they offered me was to return them for a refund.

That sounds like the best option sending them back, Hogue is one of Rugers factory grip suppliers you don't see Ruger having to fit their grips to new guns at the factory, either they fit or Ruger will find a new suppliers that can make fitting grips so that's what you should do.
 

Chuck 100 yd

Hunter
Joined
Mar 20, 2010
Messages
3,251
Location
Ridgefield WA
Another option that I use at times. Fill the grip locator hole in the grip with JB Weld and after it is cured, remove the grip locator pin and use the hole to guide the drill bit to drill a new hole for the locator pin. Hold/clamp the grip panel in the proper location and drill right through the grip frame hole into the grip panel using a hand held drill(Makita, etc.). Wrap tape around the drill bit to act as a depth stop. That is the way I do it when making new grips. I have found it to be the easiest way to drill accurate locator holes.
 
Joined
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Ohio , U.S.A.
I agree with some of the above, all too often there are minor variations in the aftermarket grips and how they fit.....bottom line is, with the locator pin REMOVED, try the grips on the frame, and yes, you do need the "guns" cylinder frame to get an exact fit, both frames in place, then put each panel "in place" and as 'chuck 100 yd' noted, after filling the holes, and letting them 'set' ( harden) redrill through grip frame holes,into the grip panels, one at a time, then you KNOW they will fit, and if there is any OVERHANG , you can remove any material you must. Its when the grips are too much "undersized" you are 'screwed'.....................................keep trying different grips or get them "custom" made................we recall some years back when the Ruger Vaqueros first came out how many of the 'stainless' grip frames were way too big and almost every pair of grips were undersized....and YES , many had "unsquarely drilled" locating pin holes...........now lately we see many Bisley grips and frames that just flat out do NOT "match".
 

andyo5

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
299
Location
Oro Valley, Arizona
Well, I have decided that they are close enough to keep and I am fitting them myself, following Hogue's recommendations.
I used a handheld router bit on my Dremel to remove material from the hole so I can mount each grip and rotate it slightly backwards. They now fit well, except that a little material will need to be removed at the inner bottom edge of each grip.
I am using the epoxy method of 'moving' each hole to its new location, one grip at a time.
Finally, I plan to polish any visible area where I removed wood and apply a coat of carnuba wax, as this is the factory type of finish.
I think I can get a good result. If successful, I will repost with photos. Wish me luck!
 

andyo5

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
299
Location
Oro Valley, Arizona
Well, it took me some time to get back on this one, but the Hogue grips are basically done except maybe for some trimming on the bottom of one of them. I had to move the holes for the cross pin up and forwards a bit by drilling out a little and using epoxy (see photo), and sanding the bottom to fit flush with the frame.


moving the cross pin hole


gap between top, front of grip and frame



So the wood is nice, and the fit is *ok*. The factory grips have some gaps as well. But I don't think there was enough meat on these grips to eliminate these gaps no matter what I did. I am reasonably satisfied, especially considering the cost.
 

6gun

Hunter
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Oct 10, 2012
Messages
2,580
They sure don't fit where they butt into the receiver wow that's a bad fit. :shock:
 

caryc

Hawkeye
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Jan 31, 2004
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Location
Southern California
Now you see why I don't make Bisley grips unless the customer sends me his grip frame. I agree with CraigC. What you have is a pair of cookie cutter grips. Those are made by a CNC machine and made so they will "go on" any Bisley grip frame. Notice I said "go on" not "fit". Most cookie cutter grips don't even see a grip frame until the customer gets them.

The issue about Ruger's drilled locator pin holes seems to be true. Since the grip frames are hand finished when they come out of the molds, I don't really see any really accurate way of lining up the frames in a drill jig. Take a look at the pictures below (use the link). The frame marked "Frame A" is one of my frames. The one marked "Frame B" is a customer frame. You can see how far off the pin is located in the "bad" frame.

I can imagine an employee coming on Monday morning with a hangover and maybe not cleaning out the shavings from the jig on the previous frame so that the next frame doesn't quite fit in the jig correctly. Mind you, this is just a guess on my part.

http://www.clccustomgrips.com/frames.html
 

andyo5

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
299
Location
Oro Valley, Arizona
Yeah. I was able to relieve some interference at the very top, to get that section to move forward a bit to close the gap. But fully closing the gap would result in clearance at the back of the frame.
I'd rather that the grips were designed to overlap the frame, so gaps like this would not be visible. Butt fitting wood to metal requires more precision than Ruger has baked into this gun.
 

caryc

Hawkeye
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Jan 31, 2004
Messages
8,358
Location
Southern California
andyo5 said:
Yeah. I was able to relieve some interference at the very top, to get that section to move forward a bit to close the gap. But fully closing the gap would result in clearance at the back of the frame.
I'd rather that the grips were designed to overlap the frame, so gaps like this would not be visible. Butt fitting wood to metal requires more precision than Ruger has baked into this gun.

You're obviously going to have grips that fit loosely and are able to move back and forth. Don't make the mistake of over torquing that grip screw. I would definitely use a grip screw spacer on them.
 

Chuck 100 yd

Hunter
Joined
Mar 20, 2010
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3,251
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Ridgefield WA
Job weld it's a good fill material if the fill is not going to show. Be sure to use a release agent where you don't want it to stick to or you will have to chisel them off.
If you ever do forget to use release agent, put the gun in the freezer over night and smack it with a rubber hammer to loosen the bond. That works with super glue also.
 

mikewriter

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
808
Location
Texas Coast
Had the same problem with my SS Bisley "Hunter". I did as Hogue suggested to you, drilled the locator pin holes out larger, filled them with epoxy putty, then replaced them while the putty was still curing.

Seems I remember in Bowen's book when he discussed custom grips he remarked that at the factory, they "carefully" fit the grips with a screwdriver!
 
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