In my review of the Ruger Redhawk, a range rental revolver that I had purchased, the original grips (Hogue Bantam) were changed out to the Hogue Monogrip. The Hogue Monogrip is a much larger grip that would help me hold onto the Redhawk when firing some stout .44 magnum loads. They are; however, two large even for my hands and the finger grooves did not align my hand properly on the revolver where I felt for them to be, which is as high as possible on the backstrap. Another set of grips was called for.
A search through the Hogue website revealed a nice set of exotic wood wraparound grips that was being considered. However, and after consideration, these would also cause the same problem that I was trying to solve. I was running out of alternatives. A search through other websites of the same ilk revealed much the same thing, or the desired items were too pricey for me at this time.
I returned to Altamont Grips to see what they had to offer. It was then that I realized that I would not be shooting the Redhawk that much, and that a good pair of shooting gloves would do more for assisting in the recoil control department than an ill-fitting set of grips. I remembered that my Ruger Redhawk from years gone by had a simple set of smooth wood grips that followed the contour of the grip frame, like that shown below on the 7.5-inch version.
Perusing the Altamont online catalog soon revealed a set of grips that I believe would work just fine. These were the Ruger Redhawk Square Classic Panel Super Rosewood Checkered shown below.
Although shown in Super Rosewood, there were several other options; one of which was my favorite, ‘Silverblack.’ The checkering would provide a little bit more grip than what a smooth grip could provide, while the ‘Silverblack’ would make for a fine looking, contrasting grip against the stainless-steel of the revolver.
I had previously ordered a set of ‘Silverblack’ grip panels for my Smith & Wesson “E” Series 1911 and they looked great with the mild silver striations in the black. In fact, I like them so well that I ordered a set of wrap-a-round finger groove grips for the Ruger Lightweight Commander in the same ‘Silverblack’ laminate pattern.
Although I like natural wood grips on a stainless-steel firearm, black patterned grips look so much better, in my humble opinion. And if I can affix a set of black pearl grips against a stainless-steel firearm? Oh my! Unfortunately, black pearl was not available, and ‘Silverblack’ was.
Replacing the grip was not without challenges, as they were somewhat persnickety, and I am going to take you through that right now.
Removing the Hogue Monogrip begins by removing the screw at the bottom of the grip that secures the grip to the stirrup. The grip is simply pulled off the frame from the bottom, and then the stirrup is removed. All of this was placed in a resealable plastic back for storage.
I had saved the guide block (Item 66) that was initially installed in the grip, and that had to be placed back to where it belonged.
The new Atamont grip panels were inspected and a few things stood out right off the bat. The back-strap edge line was sanded but never polished like the rest of the panel. This is an easy fix with a little fine rouge and a buffing wheel after I get the grip panels mounted.
A test fit of the panel revealed that the mounting screw would not screw into the right panel. Altamont sent three screws; however, the screws were not the problem. When the right panel’s knurled nut was set into place, it was set crooked. Installing a screw from the right side and applying slight pressure on the nut, centered the nut in the mounting hole.
The Altamont grip panels do not fit the contour of the Redhawk’s frame perfectly. However, some tweaking during mounting the panels got them as close as possible. But, then again, I was not expecting a perfect fit. Had I sent the Redhawk in to have the grip panels custom fitted, I would have expected them to be perfect.
The checkering of the grip panels; however, is excellent and provides a good surface for the hand to grip. The Redhawk feels balanced with these grips and a gloved hand will find its way onto them soon enough.
If you like the looks of these, please peruse the entire line of Altamont grips by clicking here.
