# Wood vs. Rubber



## DANtheDINOSAUR (May 21, 2008)

What grip would you prefer on pistol and/or revolver, wood or rubber?


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

Well let's see....I have a rubber grip on my S&W 586 and I just put a cheap set of rubber grips on my 1911 with palm swells to try that feature out. If I like it I'll buy a set of wood grips. I'm not real particular. I like the rubber on the 586 cause the stock anvil grips sucked. The rubber grip absorbs a lot of recoil of the 357 mag cartridge so they stayed. Rubber or wood.... It all depends on the pistol.


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## Teuthis (Apr 9, 2008)

I have found that the rubber grips on magnum revolvers do absorb a lot of recoil and give on a firm purchase too. When I was shooting a great deal and had numerous pistols, it was my habit to put Pachmyers on almost everything. But I do not care for them on 1911 models.


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## rollin thunder (Mar 9, 2008)

I have a security six that I bought with Pachmeyers on it. I bought a set of original wood grips..... now I know why the Pachmeyers were on it.
My 1911 has a set of Pachmeyers, Rosewood with rubber finger grips. 

If you are going to c.c. think about certain grips getting "hung" up.

RT


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## niadhf (Jan 20, 2008)

Gee Dan, it changes.
My Officers model has wood, but I would happily put crimson trace on (rubber i believe) if i had the funds to do so. Course that is to add the laser sight.

Mostly wood on all. But the Taurus model 85 i next have in line has rubber, and those will stay.

Now on my soon to be owned Polymer, well wood isn't really an option now is it? So i would say polimer, or maybe a rubber after market gripcover, we'll see.
How is that for a non-committed answer?


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

I like the looks of blue steel and wood the best. For carry some combinations I like rubber better for more control.


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## James NM (Jan 4, 2007)

For shooting, I like rubber.
For looking, I like wood.


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## Liko81 (Nov 21, 2007)

Wood:
+ Looks better
+ Gives more grip when wet or slick as rubber will slide
+ More durable than rubber overall.
- uncomfortable/painful to shoot with for long periods
- Gives a less positive grip unless custom-molded for the shooter's hand
- Cleaning can be difficult or impossible unless done regularly and thoroughly.
- If unfinished or finish wears, holds water longer than rubber.
- More expensive
- Most polymer frames won't even take them

Rubber:
+ More positive grip, especially with grooved front strap
+ Cheaper than good wood grips
+ easy cleaning; the grip can generally be removed and scrubbed with dish detergent
+ Some "rubber" grip compounds are tacky/sticky, giving a coefficient of static friction greater than 1 (that gun ain't movin' in your hand)
+ virtually any gun can take a rubber grip, if only a sleeve
- Though flexible, most rubber grips aren't as durable overall as wood
- Looks cheap
- can be difficult to install
- Will tend to hold water against a metal frame.


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## longbow (Mar 1, 2008)

Hmm, well, I'll make it even a little more complicated.

On most steel pistols I prefer wood.
On 'plastic' pistols I prefer a rubber or polymer grip.

For revolvers I usually prefer rubber, but in some cases wood just looks a lot better.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

O.K. here's my preferance: Wood.

Rubber, besides being as ugly as a mud fence, gives the gun a running start before hitting the web of my hand with heavy recoilling revolvers. And, rubber abrades the skin of my hand badly, wearing a blister at the base of my thumb. I did some shooting with a Thompson Contender fitted with Pachmyer grips and my hand was blistered and sore by the end of the day.

And, grabbing my gun quick-like, I somethimes need to shift my grip slightly as the gun levels, this not possible with rubber.

And, wood allows my vest or jacket to slide over it as I move around, never catching the material as does rubber.

And, while this is relative, wood just gives me a solid feel in my hand.

And, while not mentioned, ivory is even a better grip material.

Bob Wright


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Proper combat hold on a semi-auto pistol places all the pressure on its grips' front- and back-straps, and no real pressure on the pistol's side panels. The firmest hold is aided by stippling or checkering on the front- and back-straps; but resilient rubber on those surfaces softens a firm hold and decreases control.
Rubber side panels catch against the hand, when one moves the pistol in the strong hand (or merely moves the hand) to punch the magazine-release button when making a quick reload. This slows the process down.

Conversely, I personally find that a rubber grip helps me establish better control of a revolver. I prefer the backstrap to be bare metal, but for me the front and side panels need to be "grippy."
My preference comes from my observation that a smooth-handled revolver tends to rotate (in two separate planes) in my hand during both DA trigger presses and recoil, and that a "grippy" rubber handle tends to limit that rotation.
My strong hand doesn't have to reposition itself during a revolver reload, so rubber grips don't affect that process at all.


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## Spokes (Jun 1, 2008)

Rubber on a heavy recoiling revolver 357 magnum and up.
Anything that meets your fancy on an auto.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Wood grips, rubber is what a teenage boy keeps in his back pocket hoping to get lucky.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

tony pasley said:


> Wood grips, rubber is what a teenage boy keeps in his back pocket hoping to get lucky.


Yeah, but in certain circles the thing one puts the rubber on is called "wood." :mrgreen:


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## Pat Az (May 14, 2008)

Rubber for more comfort.


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Yeah, but in certain circles the thing one puts the rubber on is called "wood." :mrgreen:


I always felt it was kinda like taking a shower with a rain coat on....Ya just miss out on a whole bunch. :smt083


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## Ram Rod (Jan 16, 2008)

Rubber on everything is what I say. Only thing I ever kept wood on was a Colt Trooper Mark IV.


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## prcabr4christ (Jul 6, 2008)

rollin thunder said:


> I have a security six that I bought with Pachmeyers on it. I bought a set of original wood grips..... now I know why the Pachmeyers were on it.
> My 1911 has a set of Pachmeyers, Rosewood with rubber finger grips.
> 
> If you are going to c.c. think about certain grips getting "hung" up.
> ...


security six with wood....bad idea lol, PM was the best thing that ever happened to that gun!


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## Playboy Penguin (Jul 17, 2008)

*Take a look at my collection...*

...and then try to guess my preference. 

http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/PlayboyPenguin/Handgun%20collection/


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## Old Padawan (Mar 16, 2007)

What about Alumigrips or Stag?


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## dannyb (Jun 17, 2008)

I go with rubber for revolvers and wood for semi auto. I've had best luck with Pachmayers on revolvers. Have them on my Model 19, 620, and 37. Have wood on my 1911s. I do have the rubber ones that came with my P220, but I don't like them (any suggestions for replacements gratefully accepted). :watching:


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Wood....
..It's one of my issues with Tupperware guns is the inability to put wood grips on em. I have some guns with rubber or plastic grips and one (Browning Pro-40) that is the frame is poly grips and all....I don't shoot them as much mainly because I like my wood grip guns more.

My Ruger Redhawk has Rosewood Grips and is a 44 rem mag. Figure I can hold on to it I can anything.:smt1099


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## Mike_E (Nov 21, 2007)

Something about the wood grips on a gun...just gives it a nice sexy look. I love the look of a SIG P229 Equinox and P226 Blackwater with wood grips. The tradeoff for this sexiness is the thickness of the wooden panels. And the screws do tend to get loose after a few range visits; can't over-tighten as the wood could potentially crack.


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

I've always appreciated how the rubber grips on my P-01 fit my hand but recently put on wood grips and noticed a little improvement.


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## batmann (Sep 11, 2008)

My first question is what caliber in revolvers? IMHO, anything in the .357 and above shoot better with rubber. That said, I REALLY like good looking wood grips, just hard to shoot with heavy loads.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

tony pasley said:


> Wood grips, rubber is what a teenage boy keeps in his back pocket hoping to get lucky.


:smt082:anim_lol::smt023


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## BigMatt (Sep 4, 2008)

I always put rubber on my wood!


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

BigMatt said:


> I always put rubber on my wood!


Been here, said that.
See post 06/12/08.


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## DarrylS (Sep 10, 2008)

...Funny that I just saw this poll today...the eyes just ain't what they used to be......I've wondered about this recently myself as I've just purchased my first pistol...a PT99. I've been a wheelgun kinda guy all my life and that's what I shot. With the need to get a less traumatic reaction upon my wrist from the firing of a handgun...I opted for the automatic. ( wrist got all busted up )...Are there more benefits to staying with the "hard rubber" or switching to wood...All my revolvers were wood and I loved 'em...


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## Yjeepin (Oct 23, 2008)

I liked the rubber w/wood inlaid on my old 357.  

Both isn't a choice tho on the poll. Heh


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## Voodoo (Oct 26, 2008)

A couple weeks ago I took a stainless 7 1/2" NMSB 44 mag. in partial trade for one of my Elk bows, it had the rosewood grips and kept slipping in my hand, I made a set of Elk antler grips for it, they look great but still slipped, so I ordered a Hogue mono-grip....which is a fine hold, doesn't slip, and fits my large hand a little better, but looks kinda cheap, so I'm going to make an Elk antler grip about the same size, just a little more palm swell and better fitting grooves....I'm new to this site and don't know if this may be a no-no but I'd be willing to trade the Elk antler grips for a weaver scope mount to fit this weapon....Steve


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## ruining (Nov 13, 2008)

I'm not a fan of wood at all. I'm all about the rubber.


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## clanger (Jan 27, 2009)

Grips, like handguns, are VERY personal. And there's way too many variables to list here.... 

A couple of examples: 

My 10.5" RSBH has a Hogue Monogrip currently. This grip has an open backstrap that allows it to 'give' some w/o killing your hand. It combines the roll of a plow-handle with the master grip retention of a combat grip. It also lentghens the 'pull' distance allowing for much improved trigger control and knuckle protection while shooting off-hand or hunting ovre the stock panels. 

Wood: will get very very slippery when sweated on or bloody. (checking is for rifles kiddies....) 
The stock 'plow-handle' panels are a great winter option for shooting with gloves on or general shooting with gloves when needing knuckle protection. These roll way too much w/o gloves for me, slick as ice when sweated on and pull is much too short.
Smooth wood, finger relieved grips like a Pau Ferro Hogue are simply wonderful for shooting from a rest. They are the fullest and allow a lot of slip w/o totally losing control. 

This handgun goes through dramatic changes with just 3 different grips/panels. 

*

My 2.5" RSRH Alaskan has a factory equipped Hogue Monogrip with a 'sorbothane' like backstrap. Shooting DA rollers reqiures a very high master grip. This insert really soaks up some shock and allows the recoil to disapate some as the grip compresses w/o the loss of master grip. (depending on the load you are shooting, of course.....this thing is a monster fire belcher with the Heavy's.) I personaly would not shoot this one very effectively w/ any other grip. Shooting this with a GP100 style composition 'targetish/carry' type grip would be fatigueing at the very best and master grip would suffer tremendously. 

*

I'm not a collector so....If I had a cherry M-29 I it would be a safe queen and stay in the box. 
So- asthetics aside:

For me it depends on the conditions, type of shooting and the firearm combined with the latter. 

Switching grips and panels also adds to one's collection as it totally changes the characteristics of the firearm. Different grip/panel = totally different gun. 

In short- I have no set preference as they vary with the many different types of shooting. Rarely does one grip do it all to perfection as there is usually some compromise (conceal vs. print/snag resistance, traction vs. chaffing/pounding from recoil etc). 

Try many, they are mostly cheap and it's like having many different handguns as close as your screwdriver.


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## Kyle1337 (Mar 22, 2008)

Tactical or combat or defensive uses, I choose rubber, less possible chance to slip, water proof, chemical proof, so on so forth, however, I will always go for wood when it comes to beauty, i think rubber is damn ugly but it works, wood on the other hand....b-e-a-utiful


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