Freedom Arms Grips and Recoil

[rimfire]

To all copied,

I have a really stupid question.

Almost every time I read about what options to take on the 83 Field Grade, someone chimes in and says go for the smooth grips and stay away from the Pachmayrs.  I really like the way the Pachs feel in some other heavy kicking handguns I have and am considering getting a set for my 83 Premier in 44 magnum.

I have a theory as to why my hands may do better with them.  I constantly hear talk of letting a single action roll in your hand.  What does that mean exactly?  If that means let it slide in your hand I cannot get myself to do that.  I grab the gun and when it rolls my hands and wrists roll with it.  I shoot very heavy loads in this gun with 300+ grain bullets and quite honestly do not enjoy it much any more.  My wrists and hands hurt after one cylinder full, and I notice it for hours.

If I am going to take all the recoil in my hands and wrists, instead of letting it roll, whatever that menas, wouldn't the Pachs help?  They look like they would spread the force over a larger area and dampen it some.

Comments?

rimfire

[paul105]

My experience with the Pachys in the 454 is that they are much tackier (grabby) than the smooth grips.  They cause the wrist to be torqed to a much greater degree than the smooth grips.  I like the filler behind the trigger guard which keeps your middle finger from being hammered during recoil.  Try a set, Freedom Arms sells them for about $30.  Only you can determine whether they work for you.

I've found that if you take the flare out of the bottom of the smooth Freedom Arms Grips, and wear a golf glove or baseball batting glove, it's the best of both worlds for me.

Paul

[shilo]

paul105, I agree with you about taking the flare out of the smooth grips. I was rececntly having problems with the smooth grips until I couldn't stand them any longer and decided to remove the flare from them. Now they have a nice gradual increasing width to the butt instead of the big flare. What a difference it made. I don't know where the idea ever came from that single actions should have so much flare at the bottom of the grip.

[Lee Robinson]

What do you mean by "the flare" or taking the flare out? Are you talking about the square edge at the base of the grip itself? If so, by "taking it out" are you referring to making the gun more of a "round butt" type?

[paul105]

Lee,

The FA smooth grips are larger at the bottom of the grip frame (flared out at the bottom) than at the top of the grip frame.  This forces your hand upwards (from thicker to narrower) under recoil.  If you remove the flare, the grips are the same widith from bottom to top, or as Shilo has done, they are slightly narrower at the bottom than at the top, which helps keep your hand from being forced upwards during recoil.

Hope that helps.

Paul

[shilo]

I'm sorry, I must not have explained what I did with my grips very clearly. They are still wider at the bottom, when viewed from the back of the gun, than the top. They are just not as wide as they were before. Instead of increaseing in width quickly towards the bottom it is now a gradual increase. When viewed from the side it did not change the front to back diminsion.

[paul105]

Shilo,

You explained it perfectly, I just read it wrong.

Paul

[454PB]

I must admit the Pachmyers are ungainly looking, but they sure help control the recoil. I always use shooting gloves.

[Lee Robinson]

To me...heavy recoil feels easier with the slick marcata or wood grips than it does with rubber...as the rubber (although offering padding) is like walking in a shoe with an inner vinyl lining at the heal and doing it with with no socks. Rubber rubs me in an uncomfortable way.

[Old Griz]

Bein' a little slow on the uptake, could either of you guys post a picture or two on what you mean by removing the flare? It would sure help a dummy like me.

[Dusty Miller]

Like 454PB I like to shoot my heavy loads with the Pachys and gloves.  There was a time when I fancied my 7.5" Model 83 454 Field Grade to be an anti-tank weapon and loaded thusly!  Nowadays that gun seldom gets shot with those loads.  My 6" Model 83 454 has wood grips and gets mostly fed moderate loads with just an occasional max load.  The Pachys, for my hands, definitely help quell the fierceness of the recoil.  The wood grips on the 6" are flat out NO FUN to shoot with hot loads.     As a matter of fact, the shorter gun gets fed mostly 45 Colt and is a real joy to shoot with that fodder. 

[paul105]

Bein' a little slow on the uptake, could either of you guys post a picture or two on what you mean by removing the flare? It would sure help a dummy like me.

Old Griz,

Not the best of pictures, and I don't have a before, but notice how the grips are the same width at the top as they are at the bottom.  Normally, the FA grips are wider (flared out) at the bottom.  Hope this helps, 

FA Model 97



FA Model 83



Both FA Models 97 & 83

[Old Griz]

Thanks! I was just having a hard time picturing it, but now I understand.

[Lee Robinson]

How does this actually effect the way the gun recoils?

[WL44]

Paul,

May I ask how you refinished the rosewood grips on the mod 83? They look really nice. First class job.

Thanks.

Wim

[paul105]

Lee Robinson,

The FA smooth grips are larger at the bottom of the grip frame (flared out at the bottom) than at the top of the grip frame.  This forces your hand upwards (from thicker to narrower) under recoil.  If you remove the flare, the grips are the same widith from bottom to top, which helps keep your hand from being forced upwards during recoil.



WL44

Paul,

May I ask how you refinished the rosewood grips on the mod 83? They look really nice. First class job.

Thanks.

Wim

Scott Kolar of SK Custom Grips narrrowed and refinished both the FA97 & FA83 grips pictured above.  My links to his website no longer work, however, here is an article that John Taffin wrote on Scott's grips -- there is contact info at the bottom of the article http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_157_26/ai_84428743

Here's a Gunblast article on Scott's grips http://www.gunblast.com/SK_Custom_Grips.htm

Paul