Herrett’s Grips Going Out of Business ?

[HCM]

Saw some chatter on the inter-web saying that Herrera is no longer taking custom orders because the will be going out of business in the next 30-90 days.

Can anyone confirm ?

[wvincent]

Not the news I want to hear. I've been mulling over some roper grips for my 3" k frame.

Always got Blu Magnum I guess.

[OlongJohnson]

I spoke to them a couple weeks ago, and they just said that they had a backlog and wouldn't be taking new custom orders until March. No mention about closing up shop.

[mtnbkr]

I spoke to them a couple weeks ago, and they just said that they had a backlog and wouldn't be taking new custom orders until March. No mention about closing up shop.

I ran into a similar delay with them years ago.

Chris

[deflave]

They pump the brakes on taking orders from time to time.

Just a different business model vs. McMillan or Randall.

[HCM]

I spoke to them a couple weeks ago, and they just said that they had a backlog and wouldn't be taking new custom orders until March. No mention about closing up shop.

hence my question.

[revolvergeek]

I hope that they don't. They are one of my favorite grip makers. I have a number of pairs that I have picked up over the years in gun shops or second hand. Most of them I modify a little to better clear speedloaders or fit my hand a little better, but in fairness none for made special order for me.

[SeriousStudent]

I love them (especially on a K or L frame), and always snag a set when I see them at a gun show.

[OlongJohnson]

Sounds like they are competing with their past selves a bit.

[OlongJohnson]

Spoke with a very nice lady at Herrett's yesterday. Mr. Herrett has/is retiring, but they found a new owner to continue forward with the business. New location, new business entity (I gather), but the same employees doing the same work with the same equipment. Web site is in the process of being overhauled. There had been no price increase in many years, so there is an approximately 30 percent increase across the board in effect, which will be reflected in the prices advertised on the new site.

Also, they can't currently take in firearms for custom fitting, and are not currently doing stocks for GP100 or SP101. (But I should check back in a few months.) They use their owned S&W frames to fit stocks for those guns.

[Wendell]

Don't believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. It's like what my painter friend Donald said to me, "Stick a fork in their ass and turn them over, they're done."
http://www.songlyrics.com/lou-reed/last-great-american-whale-lyrics/ (http://www.songlyrics.com/lou-reed/last-great-american-whale-lyrics/)

[Hambo]

Spoke with a very nice lady at Herrett's yesterday. Mr. Herrett has/is retiring, but they found a new owner to continue forward with the business. New location, new business entity (I gather), but the same employees doing the same work with the same equipment. Web site is in the process of being overhauled. There had been no price increase in many years, so there is an approximately 30 percent increase across the board in effect, which will be reflected in the prices advertised on the new site.

Also, they can't currently take in firearms for custom fitting, and are not currently doing stocks for GP100 or SP101. (But I should check back in a few months.) They use their owned S&W frames to fit stocks for those guns.

That's good news!

[DrkBlue]

Custom order received last week from Herretts. My name written on the inside of the grips.

Pretty darn good fitting to frame. At first I thought I was going to have to sand them, but after applying a few pounds of pressure, they effectively snapped on. No shifting under recoil. Finish is not overly slick nor too pretty to shoot.

I am going to adjust the way it is hitting my right thumb slightly but otherwise they are awfully comfortable. The up-down dimension was literally perfect - just like they were made for me...

Robin on the phone was pleasure to interact with too.

70246

[rainman]

Custom order received last week from Herretts. My name written on the inside of the grips.

Pretty darn good fitting to frame. At first I thought I was going to have to sand them, but after applying a few pounds of pressure, they effectively snapped on. No shifting under recoil. Finish is not overly slick nor too pretty to shoot.

I am going to adjust the way it is hitting my right thumb slightly but otherwise they are awfully comfortable. The up-down dimension was literally perfect - just like they were made for me...

Robin on the phone was pleasure to interact with too.

70246

Congrats...that's a beautiful piece!


-Rainman

[OlongJohnson]

Custom order received last week from Herretts.

Which design is that?

Did you do the hand trace thing?

[Lex Luthier]

Custom order received last week from Herretts. My name written on the inside of the grips.

Pretty darn good fitting to frame. At first I thought I was going to have to sand them, but after applying a few pounds of pressure, they effectively snapped on. No shifting under recoil. Finish is not overly slick nor too pretty to shoot.

I am going to adjust the way it is hitting my right thumb slightly but otherwise they are awfully comfortable. The up-down dimension was literally perfect - just like they were made for me...

Robin on the phone was pleasure to interact with too.

70246

Those are pretty impressive looking. I love that type of Walnut. Tell me, is this a round butt grip frame? I am seeing a subtle recurve near the bottom of the grip that makes me think it is.

[DrkBlue]

Yep, round butt Model 12 with work by Karl Sokol. The grip is the custom Herretts’ Detective model, made to measure to your hand and the gun. In addition to hand tracing, I also traced the butt of the Model 12 - figured more info is better on a custom job.

The Herretts hand trace was pretty easy. Probably even easier if you had a partner to hold the pencil. The vertical dimension was amazing, tailor fit. The fit to the frame was clearly hand relieved - not messy, but you know it was not all CNC. The fit is tight, as there is an audible 80ish decibel SNAP sound when the stocks pivot on and down from shoulders.

I have stubby fingers and did find the left panel a bit too wide, as it made my arthritic right thumb splay out under recoil. I do not enjoy the Airweight recoil anyways, so it was a might uncomfortable. Not a criticism of the Herretts profile per se, as they had a slight thumb rest contoured in but low profile enough to avoid speed loaders. My thumb length just landed on the highest/thickest dimension.

Pre-adjustment profile
70437

I chose the rubbed oil finish, no checkering in part if I wanted to do some adjusting. A few grits of sand paper and a trip to get some Tung oil, I have the left panel thinned out a bit. Effectively I removed nearly all 1/8” thumb rest contour. Viewed from behind, the panels are not symmetrical, being thicker on the right panel, but still is shootable from either hand. Giving the Tung oil some time to dry before I shoot it, but looks pretty close to Herretts’ finish.

Needs a few hundred more rounds to fully recommend, but looks good, feels good so far.

[Half Moon]

Yep, round butt Model 12 with work by Karl Sokol. The grip is the custom Herretts’ Detective model, made to measure to your hand and the gun. In addition to hand tracing, I also traced the butt of the Model 12 - figured more info is better on a custom job.

The Herretts hand trace was pretty easy. Probably even easier if you had a partner to hold the pencil. The vertical dimension was amazing, tailor fit. The fit to the frame was clearly hand relieved - not messy, but you know it was not all CNC. The fit is tight, as there is an audible 80ish decibel SNAP sound when the stocks pivot on and down from shoulders.

I have stubby fingers and did find the left panel a bit too wide, as it made my arthritic right thumb splay out under recoil. I do not enjoy the Airweight recoil anyways, so it was a might uncomfortable. Not a criticism of the Herretts profile per se, as they had a slight thumb rest contoured in but low profile enough to avoid speed loaders. My thumb length just landed on the highest/thickest dimension.

Pre-adjustment profile
70437

I chose the rubbed oil finish, no checkering in part if I wanted to do some adjusting. A few grits of sand paper and a trip to get some Tung oil, I have the left panel thinned out a bit. Effectively I removed nearly all 1/8” thumb rest contour. Viewed from behind, the panels are not symmetrical, being thicker on the right panel, but still is shootable from either hand. Giving the Tung oil some time to dry before I shoot it, but looks pretty close to Herretts’ finish.

Needs a few hundred more rounds to fully recommend, but looks good, feels good so far.

Is the revolver a 12-4 with the standard K grip frame dimensions or an earlier Model 12 with the slimmer grip frame? If it's earlier I may go down a rabbit hole :-)

[DrkBlue]

Is the revolver a 12-4 with the standard K grip frame dimensions or an earlier Model 12 with the slimmer grip frame? If it's earlier I may go down a rabbit hole :-)

Pictured is a Model 12-0 (flat latch even). Herretts’ nailed the fit for the slimmer frame.

[Half Moon]

Pictured is a Model 12-0 (flat latch even). Herretts’ nailed the fit for the slimmer frame.

Thank you! Didn't think anyone was making grips for the older ones (not that I looked real hard either though). I like the stock magnas with a grip adaptor but have on and off wanted a taller grip. This may cost me money!

[OlongJohnson]

I chose the rubbed oil finish, no checkering in part if I wanted to do some adjusting. A few grits of sand paper and a trip to get some Tung oil, I have the left panel thinned out a bit. Effectively I removed nearly all 1/8” thumb rest contour. Viewed from behind, the panels are not symmetrical, being thicker on the right panel, but still is shootable from either hand. Giving the Tung oil some time to dry before I shoot it, but looks pretty close to Herretts’ finish.

I realized when making similar adjustments to the NFG Hogue on my GP that rather than taking it all off the left side, shaving down the right side still bought more space for my thumb on the left side, because it shifted the whole gun. So I was able to end up with the two sides reasonably close to the same thickness.

[Poconnor]

More photos and details on your model 12 please. Looks great!

[DrkBlue]

More photos and details on your model 12 please. Looks great!

Well, it was an attempt to make a dream gun of sorts. Karl Sokol did the work, I just contributed cash and ideas.

I have enjoyed carrying a Model 12 for years - a bit bigger than the J Frame and felt more shootable. I decided a second copy was a good idea so I prowled GunBroker until I found an decent price. The aluminum frame on the new purchase was rough, but not much evidence of shooting. Shot fine, locked up fine, but the trigger wasn’t the best.

Karl Sokol took on the project to make it a real shooter - trigger job, semi hammer bob, refinishing and new XS front sight.

Great trigger. Smooth, double action feels around 8lbs, very crisp single action.
It was a beat up frame and Karl’s ArmorTuff worked out fine - normally I am not a big fan of painted finishes. Still no turn line after 120 rounds, so it is tough. Also did a great job of smoothing out assorted dings and gouges in the 60+ year old aluminum.
Semi bob hammer was dumb... Should be DAO. The short bob still jabs me. These old Model 12s had a special hammer IIRC.
XS front sight is nicely regulated and huge improvement for my aging eyes. XS sights are like bi-focals, there comes a time that utility overrides pride.

Legitimately this will remain a carry often, shoot rarely gun. By no measure of cost effectiveness does it make sense, but I could swing it. Probably buying three of the Taurus 856s and hoping for one good one is smarter use of money, but like Herretts stocks, classics have a place. Karl’s work is part of classic element too.

Pictured with bedded Hideout grips I was using before the Herretts arrived. Way more enjoyable to shoot with the custom fit stocks.

70728

[rainman]

Props to Karl for his craftsmanship and you for your ideas and impeccable taste!


-Rainman