Rubber grips

[Yaworski]

The medallions were in Pachmayr grips
Way before Lyman bought the company. And the quality of the grips has gone way down since Lyman bought the company.

I don't know exactly when the medallions appeared. They weren't there in 1982. I have a possibly erroneous recollection that someone bought Pachmayr in the late 80s before Lyman bought the brand. I believe that the medallions appeared when they changed the packaging.

Alls I know is that I don't like the ones with the medallion.

Not only has quality diminished but the selection has dwindled too.

 

[magnum0710]

Is there a little window cut into the bottom of the grips so you can read the serial number on the Siles grips?

Yes there is

 

[kbm6893]

Yes there is

So mine are Siles then. Good to know. I thought they were some cheap knockoffs.

 

[kbm6893]

I don't know exactly when the medallions appeared. They weren't there in 1982. I have a possibly erroneous recollection that someone bought Pachmayr in the late 80s before Lyman bought the brand. I believe that the medallions appeared when they changed the packaging.

Alls I know is that I don't like the ones with the medallion.

Not only has quality diminished but the selection has dwindled too.

They were there in 1985 because my cousin came on the job in 1985 and his Model 10 had them right from the start. Most of the cops were advised to get the Pachmayr grips. I’ve tried the Tyler grip
Adapter with the factory wood and it just doesn’t work for me. The Magna grips feel terrible to me. I only have them on 2 revolvers, a 1946 M&P and a 1962 Model 18. I keep them on there because they’re too classic to have rubber grips, but I shoot WAY better with the rubber grips.

 

[magnum0710]

So mine are Siles then. Good to know. I thought they were some cheap knockoffs.

Other grips have the window cut for the SN too, depending on when they were made Pachmayrs have the window too.

The Sile grips for the Speed Six look like the Pachmayr Grippers kind of but smaller. The Ruger factory version have the silver Ruger medallions but the aftermarket version that Sile sold are plain. They're the same exact grips though. The factory Ruger version doesn't say made in Italy but the plain version does. If they look like this they're the Sile grips, if they're bigger or don't have finger grooves they're probably Pachmayr. This is the spare set I bought so I could retire the factory version.

And here is the Pachmayr Gripper which is much bigger. The Siles so far have been the best compromise between concealment and control for me. Although I want to try the Pachmayr Compac grips soon too. These ones don't have the window but I'm pretty sure they had the window cut on later versions.

 

[magnum0710]

They were there in 1985 because my cousin came on the job in 1985 and his Model 10 had them right from the start. Most of the cops were advised to get the Pachmayr grips. I've tried the Tyler grip
Adapter with the factory wood and it just doesn't work for me. The Magna grips feel terrible to me. I only have them on 2 revolvers, a 1946 M&P and a 1962 Model 18. I keep them on there because they're too classic to have rubber grips, but I shoot WAY better with the rubber grips.

I was mostly wondering if there was a difference, someone on another forum said they like the "signature grips with medallions" better. From what I've found since I don't think there's really a difference.

I used to feel the same way, I thought rubber was the only way to go. I have a low back 150 frame Security Six and rubber grips pretty much don't exist for it. I was able to make the Pachmayr Grippers for the later frame work, eventually I got some wood target grips for it. The wood grips fit my hand perfect! They ended up being just as good as the Pachmayrs. Before that you couldn't have told me that wood could be just as good as rubber for shooting.

I still like rubber grips, I've never really had a problem carrying them either. I can see where certain styles and materials would stick to clothing but I've never had an issue myself. And I agree, service stocks are terrible. The factory stocks on my Security Six beat up my hand like I owed it money. I still haven't tried the T-grip but I'd like to just to see if it works for me or not. I know a lot of guys who rave about it but like anything else it has to work for the individual.

 

[gnappi]

Back in the day when I wore a younger man's clothes I shot my .44's with whatever Ruger and S&W supplied for grips and most often they were wood.

Sadly, not long ago I proved my dad's assertion (to myself at least) that skin gets "thinner" and more delicate as you age because a new .44 with an open back strap I bought beat the tar out of the connective tissue of my right thumb and it took nearly a year to heal. So I replaced all of the grips on most of my harder kicking revolvers with rubber grips that cover the bare metal back strap and I now wear a leather glove to shoot.

Sure wood looks better but prevention of an injury is easier than recovering from one so looks be damned for me.

 

[kbm6893]

Other grips have the window cut for the SN too, depending on when they were made Pachmayrs have the window too.

The Sile grips for the Speed Six look like the Pachmayr Grippers kind of but smaller. The Ruger factory version have the silver Ruger medallions but the aftermarket version that Sile sold are plain. They're the same exact grips though. The factory Ruger version doesn't say made in Italy but the plain version does.

The ones in the picture in your ad are exactly what I have. They say made in Italy. I have no doubt they're Siles.

The Pachmayr Gripper grips with the covered backstrap do not have the little window on the bottom. The Gripper Professional ones have the exposed backstrap and the window on the bottom to read the serial number. I bought an NYPD Model 10 with the covered backstrap and no window on the bottom so the previous owner used an Exacto knide to cut the window into the rubber. The window was mandatory for gun inspection when you qualifed. I can see the backstrap on your Pachmayr grips in the pic above are covered so I wouldn't expect the window.

Pachmayr is still making Compact grips for the J frame revolver, but they a little too big. I have a set on a Model 36. They used to make the Compact Professional for the J frame that were perfect size but they stopped making them altogether. I have a set of those on my 640.

 

[magnum0710]

The set of Grippers I have don't have the window, but I know the Compac grips for the Speed Six have the window. I had the Compac Pros for the Speed Six, they had the window but I didn't like them. The Siles concealed and handled better for me. I'm still going to try the regular Compacs soon, they seem very similar to the Sile grips just without finger grooves so I'm thinking they'll be good.

I stuck with the factory rubber grips on my J frame but I had a 642. I think the standard Compacs would be good on a 637 or model 60 but they just look weird on the centennial models. I wish the Speed Six Compacs were more like the J frame version with the pinky extension. I was going to try and modify a pair of Colt D Frame 1 Compacs for my Speed Six. The original, longer round butt D frame has similar grip dimensions to the Speed Six. Once I found a spare set of Siles I decided it wasn't worth it.

 

[P71Cemoto]

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I really like these large grips which I believe were made by Sile. The rubber is not as hard as the Pachmyrs, the backstrap is covered and they fit my hand really well. They seem to be exactly the same size as the large target grips. I've got a large mitt and the wood RLG fit me well too.

 

[stonebuster]

I bought a NYCPD Service Six that had a Pachmayr Gripper professional with the exposed back strap on it when I bought from a NY dealer. Judging from the wear, I believe this is the way it was carried "on the job". I like the Pro gripper and found a new one to put on. I bought a 2 3/4" Security Six that had the large Sile on it that felt great but I didn't like the look so I put Herretts wood grips on. Those Herretts fit perfectly, look great and shoot comfortably but don't feel as good on my arthritic hands as the Sile. The Sile feel so comfortable I just bought a NOS Sile to put on the NYCPD Service Six. I've got XL hands and the trigger reach feels perfect with the Sile. Turns out this grip came from Jovino in NYC after they closed in 2020.

 

[magnum0710]

I didn't know you had 2 NYCPD guns, that's awesome! I forget what state but I found a Corrections issue identical to yours. Unfortunately it's just not in the cards right now, next Six I buy will be a 3 inch anyway. I just have to play my cards right and be ready when one pops up eventually.

 

[Hvymax]

I'm a big fan of Hogue grips. They're great on my Dan Wesson.

 

[stonebuster]

I didn't know you had 2 NYCPD guns, that's awesome! I forget what state but I found a Corrections issue identical to yours. Unfortunately it's just not in the cards right now, next Six I buy will be a 3 inch anyway. I just have to play my cards right and be ready when one pops up eventually.

All the NYCPD Service Sixes were DAO(spurless hammer) 38spl 4". I've got two of them so I decided to put a spurred hammer in to make one DA/SA. Got a NYCPD DAO Speed Six 3" 38spl(GS-83). Also a USPS inspector's contract Speed Six (GS33-PS) 3" 357 Magnum. All the true 3" Six Series guns are special contract runs. Love the Six Series!

 

[magnum0710]

All the NYCPD Service Sixes were DAO(spurless hammer) 38spl 4". I've got two of them so I decided to put a spurred hammer in to make one DA/SA. Got a NYCPD DAO Speed Six 3" 38spl(GS-83). Also a USPS inspector's contract Speed Six (GS33-PS) 3" 357 Magnum. All the true 3" Six Series guns are special contract runs. Love the Six Series!

I knew you had a couple 3 inch models, I remember when you got the USPS model from the post on the other forum.

I'm sure I'll find a 3 inch eventually, I don't even care if it's an overrun or wasn't issued. The main one I want is the USPS model because it's 357 but I'd settle for a 38 too. I've seen 11 of the 3 inch models come up for sale in the last year between gunbroker and posts detailing local sales. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. It's good because it shows they're out there still but it's bad because the rare ones normally don't pop up this often. In contrast I have a stainless low back Security Six, I've only seen 2 (not including my own) go up for sale in the last 2 years. One of those just went up a few days ago.

What really sucks is there was a beater 3 inch on GB that went for $450 a few months back but I missed it. Even though it was rough it was still in better shape than the 2.75 I restored. I could've really made that one look good.

 

[P71Cemoto]

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@magnum0710 I saw that rough one too I believe. It had a lot of corrosion and the pitting looked very deep. It would have cleaned up some, but you probably would not have happy with it.

 

[magnum0710]

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@magnum0710 I saw that rough one too I believe. It had a lot of corrosion and the pitting looked very deep. It would have cleaned up some, but you probably would not have happy with it.

It was in better shape than this one was

There was another one last year that went for around $500-550, not as bad as this one or the one a few months ago but it would've been a good project gun too.