Houge J frame bantam grip

[MW surveyor]

Question - Is the Houge J frame bantam grip the same as the rubber boot type grip came with my 638-3 from the factory? Haven't really been able to compare them just by photographs alone.

Also, is there a significant difference between the two with regard to knuckle jam between the grip and my middle finger knuckle if they are different.

 

[Shadi Khalil]

I'm pretty sure they are different. No sure about the knuckle jam...

 

[onlybrowning]

My factory j frame grip covered the backstrap and was longer than the frame. The Hogue Bantam exposes the backstrap and ends with the length of the frame.

Edit: just realized the grip on the left is an Uncle Mike's. Sorry.


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[Viper225]

I have a set of Hogue Checkered Walnut Bantam grips on my 442 Pro Moonclip. While pretty much the same shape, the wood grips have more palm swell, and fit my hand better. Not to mention they are much nicer looking.
The wood grips make the 442 more pleasant to shoot with +P ammo also. Must be the better fit in the hand. I was really expecting the wood grips to kick harder than the synthetic factory grips. This was a nice surprise. A better looking gun that kicks a little less.

Bob

 

[MW surveyor]

Thanks for the replies. Have ordered the rubber grip and hope to get it sometime this week. Would like to have gone with wood but this gun is going to be carried and shot a lot.

 

[chewie146]

The factory grips I've always had on Smiths are screwed together, like traditional grips. The bantams I have from hogue are screwless, which is kind of neat. There's no seam or anything. I haven't used the wood ones, but I'm pretty sure they have to have a screw. Those bantams can be a PITA to get on and off, but they're comfortable.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Hogue grips for S&Ws traditionally have a single screw in the bottom of the grip that goes into a stirrup that slips over the locator pin in the gun's butt frame.

 

[Grant D]

Ya, that's a weird set up on the Hogues.My wife put some pink ones on my Model 637 soooo... she carry's it now! lol

 

[willmc33]

I have the Hogue Bantam Ultralight grips on my 638 and the rubber is not the same as my Uncle Mikes boot grips. They are alot more "tacky" and do grab clothing more aggresively. They look and feel great though and it doesnt really make that huge of a difference. They are very small grips when it comes to how much you can get a hold of the Uncle Mikes are small but the Hogues are noticably smaller. Even though they are smaller to me they do give a better purchase when firing but the Uncle Mikes are smoother in and out of pockets. My 638 didnt come with the Uncle Mikes I had them left over from my 642 and I do not like the newer grips S&W is putting on their snubbies because they do not work well with speedloaders. The Hogues and Uncle Mikes do. Between the 2 I think the Uncle Mikes are better but the Hogues are good and much better then the stock grips though. The hogue bantams are fairly easy to get on, they are not as easy to take back off without possibly damaging the grips . All this is IMO of course.