Originally Posted by Rick505
OK, so what are the pros and cons of the rubber vs wood grips on the guns in the OP message? The rubber looks more comfortable or easier to grip but the wood looks "cooler" in my opinion. Sincere question.
I'm not a big fan of Hogues/Pachs in general, and usually only do them on harder recoiling guns.
My 629 "Mountain Gun" came with Hogues from the factory, and I actually swapped them out for Pachmyer "Combats" to get the backstrap fully covered(I would have preferred Presentations, but couldn't find a set in round but N frame).
S&W wood grips over the years have come in 3 main patterns(there were sub-types and some variants and special ones)-the "service grip", "Magna grip" and "target grip." Service grips are the oldest design(you'll actually see them in hard rubber also) and basically just cover the grip frame of the gun with very little "swell" in your palm. They are fine on the guns/calibers where they were usually fitted(M&P 38 Specials and 32-20s, I-frame 32s and 38s, N frame 44 Specials) but can leave you lacking with hard-hitting calibers. The more familiar pattern is the "Magna" whose bottom bit basically follows the contour of the grip frame, but at the top goes a bit above it and also is wider. These are what I kept on my Model 64 when I shot it, plus have had them on several other K frames including a model 13, several J frames, and even have a set on my N frame 28-2. The Target grip covers the bottom and front strap of the grip frame, and fills the gap between the trigger guard. These were popular on K frame Magnums, and in fact it's almost all you'll see on guns like the model 19(it's what I have on mine).
I like wood grips in general, and a properly designed wood grip can generally shoot comfortably even with a fairly stout recoiling gun. Where rubber, in my experience, comes into its own is if you want to cover the backstrap, something that's beneficial on lightweight magnums. There are a lot of wood grip profiles out there to suit a variety of tastes, but you also can't go wrong with the factory designs.