1968 Colt cobra seeks compact grips

[rathos]

Hello pistol forum collective. I have a 1968 colt cobra that as the title says needs a pair of compact grips. It seems everything out there (including the pachmayr grips that are on it) make the grip bigger and add bulk. I am looking for something similar to what comes on J frames these days from the factory. It doesn't need to be rubber, but I can't seem to find anything like that. It appears the smallest ones I can find are the badger grips badger custom colt grips (https://badgercustomgrips.com/colt/d-frame-boot-grip). Is there anything like that out there?

[kilo sierra]

Badgers are good, I have a set on an Agent.

Last I looked there were a ton of grips available on Ebay.

Craig Spegel makes a superior product, but his wait times are lengthy and the used market is premium priced.

If you are interested in high end options these folks deal in hard to find quality, http://www.rogersgunsandgrips.com.

ks

[rathos]

There are a ton of grips on Ebay, however none are more compact than the Pachmayr "compact" grips that I already have. I did buy a couple more sets of those to try and modify for a smaller set, but I am hoping to find a more factory option as cutting into those pachmayrs leave some metal reinforcements showing.


Badgers are good, I have a set on an Agent.

Last I looked there were a ton of grips available on Ebay.

Craig Spegel makes a superior product, but his wait times are lengthy and the used market is premium priced.

If you are interested in high end options these folks deal in hard to find quality, http://www.rogersgunsandgrips.com.

ks

[kilo sierra]

Another option you could consider is oem style panels and add a grip adapter.

I carried a Detective Special for several years using Herrett's "Shooting Star" panels and a Pachmyer grip adapter... Concealed very well and was controllable under recoil with +P ammo. Only changed over to Spegels when my name came up on his build list.

If you would like I can dig through my box of grips and see what I still have that is unused. Pretty sure I have some oem synthetics, a Jay Scott and a set of Badgers.

ks

[RevolverRob]

What you are requesting does not exist.

The closest was the old Eagle Secret Service, but they extended the length of those. You can request Badger make you grips without finger grooves, which slims up the profile, but not by a lot, they extend past the frame.

You can talk to Craig Spegel, and he'll sell you a pair, they'll still extend past the bottom of the grip frame. You can shorten them yourself, but Craig won't do it. Craig will also explain why there aren't the grips you seek.

But to save you a phone call - It's because Colt historically had very bad quality control over the frame dimensions of D-Frames, particularly by the late 1960s. I've had a half-dozen different D-Frames in my life, none of them - none ever wore the same pair of grips the same way. Each grip needs to be "fitted" to a specific gun, because of dimensional differences. Differences include, several thousands of an inch different in frame thickness, in front-to-back width, and in the shape and amount of squaring of the square butt.

The reason Pachys are so popular is because they basically cover that mess and allow you to get on with your life.

If you want the lowest profile grip possible for a short D-Frame - these: https://tenring.com/other-stuff-for-sale/colt-agent-grips/ are the grips you seek, paired with a Tyler T-Grip. This gives you the absolute lowest profile, ever. It's also a tough combination to construct, because flush short-frame grips are exceedingly rare to find.

You can cut up your own - of course - NC Ordnance makes all kinds of ones out of plastic - https://gungrip.com/coltdoubleactionrevolvergrips-3.aspx that would be easy to cut down. Altamont makes wood ones: https://www.altamontco.com/pistol-grips/colt/D-Frame/ - I'd do the Altamonts and cut them with a band saw while attached to the gun. Than taper the base with a Dreme sanding drum them like those shown in the Ten-Ring link above. This will make them flush, but taper so the flat doesn't jab into your palm.

Tyler T-Grip Size 5 - https://www.t-grips.com/ is what you will need. It will need about 1/4" chopped off the bottom to fit well. Dremel them smooth with a stone wheel or sanding drum.

Once you have the panels shortened to your liking, I suggest taking a Dremel and rounding the butt down to match the contour of the grip. If I had to guess, I'd say you have a 50-50 change of wood panels being too small for the square butt of the frame. You may also need to carefully file away the T-Guard where it contacts the upper part of the frame of grip strap. Not also, but sometimes, there are clearance issues with the T-Grip not fitting firmly to the frame. First time you go to shoot it, it will move and can pinch the shit out of you (ask me how I know...:rolleyes:).

Hmm, that's 3-times I've said to Dremel this job up. So, you should probably phrase the question as, "Are there any Colt D-Frame grips that don't require me to Dremel them or the gun to work?" - Answer: "Yes, Pachmayrs." :eek:

[rathos]

Thank you! I guess it isn't that my google-fu is weak but what I was looking for doesn't exist. I will continue modifying the extra set of pachmayrs that I have. I have had a few guns with the t-grips and they were always worse than shooting the gun without them. I appreciate the responses so far. Thanks again guys.


What you are requesting does not exist.

The closest was the old Eagle Secret Service, but they extended the length of those. You can request Badger make you grips without finger grooves, which slims up the profile, but not by a lot, they extend past the frame.

You can talk to Craig Spegel, and he'll sell you a pair, they'll still extend past the bottom of the grip frame. You can shorten them yourself, but Craig won't do it. Craig will also explain why there aren't the grips you seek.

But to save you a phone call - It's because Colt historically had very bad quality control over the frame dimensions of D-Frames, particularly by the late 1960s. I've had a half-dozen different D-Frames in my life, none of them - none ever wore the same pair of grips the same way. Each grip needs to be "fitted" to a specific gun, because of dimensional differences. Differences include, several thousands of an inch different in frame thickness, in front-to-back width, and in the shape and amount of squaring of the square butt.

The reason Pachys are so popular is because they basically cover that mess and allow you to get on with your life.

If you want the lowest profile grip possible for a short D-Frame - these: https://tenring.com/other-stuff-for-sale/colt-agent-grips/ are the grips you seek, paired with a Tyler T-Grip. This gives you the absolute lowest profile, ever. It's also a tough combination to construct, because flush short-frame grips are exceedingly rare to find.

You can cut up your own - of course - NC Ordnance makes all kinds of ones out of plastic - https://gungrip.com/coltdoubleactionrevolvergrips-3.aspx that would be easy to cut down. Altamont makes wood ones: https://www.altamontco.com/pistol-grips/colt/D-Frame/ - I'd do the Altamonts and cut them with a band saw while attached to the gun. Than taper the base with a Dreme sanding drum them like those shown in the Ten-Ring link above. This will make them flush, but taper so the flat doesn't jab into your palm.

Tyler T-Grip Size 5 - https://www.t-grips.com/ is what you will need. It will need about 1/4" chopped off the bottom to fit well. Dremel them smooth with a stone wheel or sanding drum.

Once you have the panels shortened to your liking, I suggest taking a Dremel and rounding the butt down to match the contour of the grip. If I had to guess, I'd say you have a 50-50 change of wood panels being too small for the square butt of the frame. You may also need to carefully file away the T-Guard where it contacts the upper part of the frame of grip strap. Not also, but sometimes, there are clearance issues with the T-Grip not fitting firmly to the frame. First time you go to shoot it, it will move and can pinch the shit out of you (ask me how I know...:rolleyes:).

Hmm, that's 3-times I've said to Dremel this job up. So, you should probably phrase the question as, "Are there any Colt D-Frame grips that don't require me to Dremel them or the gun to work?" - Answer: "Yes, Pachmayrs." :eek:

[RevolverRob]

Thank you! I guess it isn't that my google-fu is weak but what I was looking for doesn't exist. I will continue modifying the extra set of pachmayrs that I have. I have had a few guns with the t-grips and they were always worse than shooting the gun without them. I appreciate the responses so far. Thanks again guys.

Yea it's a bit frustrating to deal with. If you want a set that best fits your hand and is small as possible, you might email or call Herrett's - Their "Detective" stocks are custom made to both the specifications of your hand (based on a tracing) and can also accommodate special requests - http://www.herrettstocks.com/detectiv.htm

[rathos]

So I had ordered a couple more pairs of the pachmayrs when i found them online. Looking on the inside there was a lot of space between the bottom and where the gun actually sat. If I can get a better way to cut (had to use a dremel cutting wheel, hacksaw (didn't work so well) and a dremel sanding wheel. The dremel died but so far (pic below) they look ok and are almost the side I am looking for. Mostly trying to get the grips to a good length for ankle carry. I also found out that these grips have metal shanks in them, which made it really fun to cut.... I might buy a few more pairs to try this out on, but I will see if I can take them to my buddy's shop and cut them with the bandsaw and just finish up with a dremel sanding wheel.

41397

[BillSWPA]

I have Eagle Secret Service grips for my 1995 Detective Special, and I prefer the original Colt Pachmayr Compaq style that came with the gun. The Secret Service grips really are no more compact, and the factory rubber grips fit my medium sized hands better.

I have carried this gun in an ankle holster with these grips, although it is heavy for that purpose.


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[rathos]

Mine is a cobra, so it is light. The original colt pachmayr compac grips are just a little too long for ankle carry. Really prints on anything that isn't uniform pants. However the ones I cut down seem to do the trick.


I have Eagle Secret Service grips for my 1995 Detective Special, and I prefer the original Colt Pachmayr Compaq style that came with the gun. The Secret Service grips really are no more compact, and the factory rubber grips fit my medium sized hands better.

I have carried this gun in an ankle holster with these grips, although it is heavy for that purpose.


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[RevolverRob]

So I had ordered a couple more pairs of the pachmayrs when i found them online. Looking on the inside there was a lot of space between the bottom and where the gun actually sat. If I can get a better way to cut (had to use a dremel cutting wheel, hacksaw (didn't work so well) and a dremel sanding wheel. The dremel died but so far (pic below) they look ok and are almost the side I am looking for. Mostly trying to get the grips to a good length for ankle carry. I also found out that these grips have metal shanks in them, which made it really fun to cut.... I might buy a few more pairs to try this out on, but I will see if I can take them to my buddy's shop and cut them with the bandsaw and just finish up with a dremel sanding wheel.

41397

Those actually look really good!

Those were Compacts you chopped up?

[rathos]

Yes sir. The bottoms look like crap, because I didn't have a clean cutting mechanism. My dremel battery gave out before I could finish them off. I want to go a bit shorter and that should even out the bottom of the grips. I will post an all round picture of them once they are done. They are slightly longer than j frame grips right now, but the time I am done they should be shorter. My pinky already hangs off (I have small hands anyway) but this should make it a great pocket carry size and great for ankle carry.


Those actually look really good!

Those were Compacts you chopped up?

[serialsolver]

You could look for a pair of agent grips. The agent grips are shorter than the cobra and detective special grips. Then add a grip adapter. The colt agent is the size of a j frame but for the cylinder.


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