Hogue Bantam or Ahrends boot grip for J frame?

[Leroy Suggs]

Replacing factory grips on 638 with wood boots.
I have narrowed it down to these two.

I do not trust Eagle's fit due to prior experience. Cant find available Spegel except at scalper prices.

Comments? Pros and cons of each? Suggestions?

The 638 will be pocket carried weak hand side.

[serialsolver]

Hogue' s will be sticky or grabby. Your hand won't slide across them in your pocket when you try to grip the revolver.


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[Sherman A. House DDS]

I'm assuming you mean the Hogue Bantam WOOD grips? I have them, and I like them.

They feel and are very similar in appearance to the Spegel boots, with the exception that the Hogue has palm swells. They feel great in my hand. I keep them on a 640 Pro, that I use for ankle or AIWB carry, since the slightly larger grip precludes them from being used on a pocket carry j frame (M38 or 442) since it's hard for me to get my hand in my pocket, and around the grip, and get it all out of my pocket expediently. If you have smaller hands or bigger pockets, that might not be an issue for you.

I have Ahrends, too, and while they are also great (and work fine for pocket carry) I wish that they were checkered, so that they had a little more purchase. But, aside from that, they're great. They also clear every speedloader I have. The Hogues rub a bit on speedloaders. Something to consider, if you use speedloaders habitually (I use Tuff Strips for my J's).

Hope that helps.


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[Leroy Suggs]

Thank you Dr. House.
That answer is what I was looking for.

I have fat hands. Not big but short and fat.

Pocket carry is the only carry method I will use with this revolver. Looks like the Ahrends will be better for me.

[Tamara]

I've found the Ahrends' slim profile and taper toward the backstrap to sort of magnify recoil a bit. I think the last J I had Ahrends on was this one...



My carry J-frames have had the long-discontinued LG-205s, which are like hard plastic Hogue Bantams but with a laser.

[Dagga Boy]

You may want to check Esmerelda's grips. I have some wonderful Cocobolo boots from her. Sort of Spegel without the price or wait.

[Leroy Suggs]

You may want to check Esmerelda's grips. I have some wonderful Cocobolo boots from her. Sort of Spegel without the price or wait.

Thanks I just did. She has only one pair and they are in ivory wood. I do not like white grips.

I just ordered the Hogue in rosewood from Midway on clearance for $70.

Thanks for the replies. After Tam's post i agree about the Ahrends enhancing recoil and i tried some guns with fatter grips like the Hogue and had no problem gripping or drawing from the pocket.

[Dagga Boy]

Thanks I just did. She has only one pair and they are in ivory wood. I do not like white grips.

I just ordered the Hogue in rosewood from Midway on clearance for $70.

Thanks for the replies. After Tam's post i agree about the Ahrends enhancing recoil and i tried some guns with fatter grips like the Hogue and had no problem gripping or drawing from the pocket.

Wow, that is actually odd. She usually has 3 pages of various finished J frame grips up.

[1986s4]

I have Hogue Bantams on a Smith K frame that I've carried. I like them a lot, they work well with my largish hands and I never noticed the rubber grabbing my shirts [IWB].

[Det1397]

Small, wood and checkered... https://vzgrips.com/pistol-grips/smi...tical-diamonds