Wooden grips for carry

[44 AMP]

I have a S&W M29 6.5" .44 magnum & it had stupid wooden grips on it. I despise them - but - it is a 6" & it is an N frame - and it is a .44 magnum - so - I replaced the awful factory wood with Pachmayr rubber.

Turned the gun from something that hurt when I shot it into something that didn't. For me, that matters a LOT and way more than what they look like.

I'm not down on wood grips because they're wood. Some wood grips are outstanding. But, for me there is a balance point of factors where I choose rubber over wood (and when I say rubber, I mean the soft rubber, not the hard stuff or plastic).

Shape/Design of the grip, fit to the gun, and fit in MY hand, size of the gun, and especially recoil of the round MATTER to me.

What they look like..not so much.

 

[Hal]

OTOH - my 4" S&W M29 - still wears it's original oversized target grips. I tried rubber grips on it & quickly found out what a mistake they were.
That grippy- tacky - surface raised some serious blisters within a few shots.

I tossed them as soon as I got home.

I also had a S&W M66 snub with rubber grips & a S&W M617 with them also.
Hated them.
Hated them with a passion.
They feel so nasty in my hand it affects how I shoot.
Having a "hole" at 7 yards with wood grips turn into a "group" with rubber grips is something I don't care for.


Looks have nothing to do with it. Although I do admit a real fondness for wood & I do look down my nose at Ikea . Why drag something into this that I never mentioned?

Then there's also the "grippy grabby" factor to contemplate. Will the rubber tend to hang up when I draw & wood not do that? W/the M69, I'm willing to chance it - for now. I do have my eye on a compromise. I have to dig around in our spare room for a set of Pachmayr American Legend grips I bought for the M66. Those are wood & a rubber finger grip. They are the older style that isn't a chunky as the newer ones appear to be.

Anyhow - the OP asked about wear and tear to wood grips. Unless you use you gun for a hammer - wooden grips don't really wear all that much - espcially concealed carry.
If you open carry - that could be a different story - but - if wear and tear is a concern, use a flap holster.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Here's something to consider, beyond the difference in feel.

If you carry a gun enough, over time it will get surface wear. And at some point it will get struck by something hard. Of course it will be accidental, but its likely to happen. The steel parts rarely take more than surface damage, if that, but wood is softer. And not "springy" like rubber.

An impact that leaves no trace on a soft rubber grip can leave a nearly permanent dent in wood. And there is also an attitude thing, for many a rubber grip just gets "worn" while wood one gets "beat up"!

Totally up to you, but if you want wood to stay pretty like new, take them off the gun and keep them in a box. Put rubber, or some other wood grips on for day in day out carry, and save the pretty ones for when you're just "showin off"

That's my view. I carry 1911s, almost exclusively. I like the looks of wood, double diamond checkered grips but I carry OWB and I know that, over time, wood grips are going to get worn and dinged. So, for any 1911 that I carry (or might carry), I remove the factory (or fancy aftermarket) wood grips and install Pearce rubber grips. They replicate the double diamond checkering pattern, they're not so soft and sticky that they cause drag, and they're virtually impervious to normal wear and damage. And, if a set should get damaged, they're not expensive.

 

[jimku]

If you are really concerned about your beautiful wood grips getting dinged ... and want beautiful wood grips, have a set of grips made from ironwood. The stuff is so hard that sparks fly when you hit it with a chain saw.