Redhawk stock wood grips vs stock 4" redhawk hogue gri

[M_R_Dread]

I recently purchased a 4" ruger redhawk. Great looking revolver with a nice smooth (for a ruger) action.

well anyhoo.... although I liked the looks of this revolver with the hogue bantam grips I really like the looks of a redhawk with the otherwise stock wood grips. I especially liked the 4" redhawk with the wood grips because it gave the redhawk the look of a custom Bowen redhawk. So I purchased a used pair of wood grips online. I immediatly put them on the revolver before I even shot the redhawk with the hogue grips. Well, I shot the redhawk using the wood grips using factory loads 240gr. and 300gr corbon hardcast bullets. let me tell you....every shot was pain. I thought prior to shooting that my middle finger might get whacked every shot by the trigger guard so I even put a band aid around middle finger joint to act as a small cushion (I don't wear a shooting glove). I never felt a thing with my finger I did however feel lots of pain in the web of my hand between thumb and fore finger. I was apparently was getting alot of muzzle flip instead of straight back recoil. With the 240's it hurt ...with the 300 gr's it was brutal. Now please understand I am a big guy 400lbs with big beefy hands and was never recoil shy but after18 shots I was done.
I almost always shoot one handed (off hand). However I tried a 2-hand hold shooting 6 shots and it was not much better. The next day my shooting hand actually hurt, not much but sore nonetheless.

Last night, I changed back to the stock hogue grips and went shooting today. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. No pain....nada... none. Recoil???... sure but no pain.
Shot about 50 rounds with not a whince.

I still think the 4" looks better with the wood grips. However, for shooting the hogue bantams are the only wty to go.

Just my 5 cents of actual use.

Dread

 

[joper061087]

I had the opportunity to see and handle this new firearm at the Hamburg, PA, Cabelas the other week. I agree with you that the wooden grip looks much better. I had my doubts of ever liking the Hogue grip, but when I handled the gun it felt much better than I thought with that Hogue grip.
The new Ruger 4" Redhawk is one of those things in life....that once you see it and touch it......you must have it!

 

[461]

When I got mine I had every intention of switching to the factory wood grips and even bought a nice set. I shot the gun with the Hogues on it and must say there's no reason for me to switch a thing. I'll probably switch eventually and at least try the wood but I really like the Hogue.

 

[trouble]

I've never fired the 4" version but I have handled it and I didn't like the feel of the Hogues. I've got both a 5.5" and a 7.5" and I love the stock wood grips, I've tried pachmayrs for my girlfriends sake and I just can't shoot them as well as I can the stock wood. I shoot alot of fullpower 240 and 300gr. reloads and my middlefinger gets rapped pretty hard with the 300's but no palm issues. For my money they got it right with the stock grips, my girl hates them. Glad the RH's are mine

 

[mpanwar]

I swapped my stock rubber grips with Hogue Goncalo Alves. No pain at all. Gun looks beautiful (see link below). This size is a little bigger so I can get a good grip (not that the rubber was bad). The wood grip fits perfectly. Gunbroker has folks selling it at a discount.




http://www.hogueinc.com/getgrip/merchan ... 426&step=4

 

[BIgMuddy]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one!!!

My 4" Redhawk is the most brutal kicking gun I own. I also tried and like the looks of the factory wood grips. They HURT! I don't think the rubber Hogues were really much better though. It pounds the web of my hand something fierce. My 5 1/2" is nowhere near as bad.

I am not recoil shy at all, as I regurlarly shoot 454's, 475's, etc. This one is not fun.

I have gone to using a PAST recoil glove, and that makes it very managebable. Pach's that cover the backstrap work too.

I wonder HOW anyone shoots one of these guns in 475 or 500?? They are more man than I am for sure. When I see why Dave Clements does not do this conversion, it makes sense.

 

[CraigC]

A 7½" .44 Redhawk was my first centerfire sixgun at age 16. I shot it with the factory wood grips as well as rubbers from Hogue and Pachmayr. The factory grips were more comfortable than either and definitely better looking. I found the rubber grips to be too thin and too long from backstrap to frontstrap, especially the Hogues. They actually accentuated the slap to the palm. If I were to get the new 4", shorter barrels tend to be more comfortable to shoot for me so I'd give the factory wood grips another shot. Then I'd probably have it fitted with either Herrett's Ropers or BluMagnum "Bearhug" style grips. Don't know how soon that will happen though, I LOVE my 629MG.

 

[CraigC]

I wonder HOW anyone shoots one of these guns in 475 or 500?? They are more man than I am for sure. When I see why Dave Clements does not do this conversion, it makes sense.

I understand why David won't do one in .475. I can't even imagine shooting one with heavy .45Colt loads! I don't know how they do it either. Not when the Bisley is so much more comfortable. However, I would really like to have one in either .480Ruger or .50Spl. Or a Special-length .500S&W. Big fat cast bullets at moderate velocities.

 

[Robb Barnes]

I recently got a 5 1/2" in 41 Mag with the factory grips and it beats the cr*p out of me! I've broken the losest joint on the thumb of my shooting hand and the hump at the back fo the trigger just slams this enlarged knuckle. I'm going to try a set of the Hogues and if that doesn't work, it goes down the road and I'll stick to SA's. I'm like you guys, I could no more shoot one of Bowens Alpines in 475 or 500 than the man in the moon.

 

[countryboy]

Yep, the 4" RH is mean thats for sure but I love mine.:lol:

 

[gjj]

I am going to go shoot my 4" Redhawk for the first time tonight. You guys are freaking me out. I think I'll bring my glove.

Does anyone have pictures with other grips on it? Pachmayrs ect...

 

[Violator22]

Thats odd, i changed out my wood grips on my 45 Redhawk for the 4" Hogue grips, feels more natural to me when pointing. Les

 

[bronco45]

I use the Redhawk wood grips with a Tyler T grip adapter and for my hand size this combination works perfectly .

 

[meanc]

I've used the factory wood grips for about a year, then I got a great deal on the Hogue wood grips and used those for the last 4 1/2 years. They felt great and fill the hand nicely.

Then, a few days ago a fellow member sent me a set of those Bantam grips. I gotta tell you, I doubt they'll ever come off.

The feel is as different as night and day, and it actually looks very good too.

 

[Violator22]

Ya mean it looks like this?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes "Violator22" this one is really a great one....!!

Regards,

Ross Taylor

 

[GAR]

I have a RH in 45 Colt with the 7 1/2" barrel. It was painful to shoot with the supplied OM grips. Tried the Hogue and Pachmayr's and they were still painful.

Spent the money on a set of custom Herrett's in the Roper style and have never looked back.

No fuss or muss when shooting heavy for caliber loads!!!

GAR.

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I bought my 7.5" redhawk used and love it. It came with a set of hogue rubber grips on it with the backstrap exposed and fingergrooves. I shoot 240's with 21.0 gr 2400 in it with no pain at all. The grips are thin and feel great. I have been looking for a set of wood grips for it but may just forget them after reading this. My son thinks I'm crazy because I put pachmayr grips on all my single actions. I use the presentation grips and all have the same feel. I have every cal. ruger makes in the blackhawk and super blackhawk in 4 5/8". There are some beautiful wood grips made but the rubber grips are more serviceable and durable in my opinion and all have the same feel basically.