We receive a lot of stuff here at Gunblast. Some
good, some not so good. When we started Gunblast about
seven years ago, John Taffin told me, "Jeff, you are
going to have more stuff coming in than you will know what to do
with." Mr. Taffin was right. It keeps me busy just trying
to figure out what some of it is supposed to do.
About three months ago, I received a box
containing four sets of revolver grips from Trausch Grips
International. I had previously heard of these on a couple
of handgun forums, but had never seen nor handled any of them.
Opening the box and looking at them, the sets for the Ruger
SP101 and Speed Six revolvers looked pretty normal, but the
shape of the two sets for K-Frame Smith &Wesson
revolvers looked a bit oddly shaped to me. However, once I
placed them on a couple of revolvers, my apprehension was
abated, but I still wasn’t sure if I liked them or not. After
shooting heavy loads in these revolvers for awhile, I am now a
believer. They ain’t exactly pretty, but they work, and work
well.
The appearance of the Trausch grips is different
than what most Americans have become used to seeing. They look
more like an Olympic target shooting grip, but behave like a
good combat grip. The subtle design of the slight swells and
dips in the grip really help to lock the revolver into a good
position for shooting. In double action mode, I can cycle the
action dry-firing much more steadily with the Trausch grips in
place than I can with any other type that I have tried. The
design of the grip also keeps the weapon from shifting during
recoil. The area of the grip between the shooter’s thumb and
forefinger, looking much like a beavertail on a 1911 auto
pistol, really helps to cushion the recoil shooting magnum
revolvers. The slight thumb rests also help in a good hold on
the revolvers. The ambidextrous design feels as good in the left
hand as it does in the right. The left side of the grips is cut
to clear a speed loader. The grips are made from a synthetic
rubber, and have a very slightly tacky feel, to help steady the
grip in any weather condition. The grips are available in either
a checkered finish, or on some models, a pebbled finish. Both
feel really good in the hand. The screws are large, and can be
turned with a coin, screwdriver, or cartridge rim.
The smaller grip that is made for the Ruger
SP101 aids greatly in reducing the felt recoil of hot .357
Magnum loads in that dandy little revolver, without compromising
concealability. There is a noticeable difference in the
feel and the controllability of the weapon, allowing for a
faster rate of accurate fire and better practical accuracy using
the Trausch grips.
The Trausch revolver grips are made to fit Smith
& Wesson, Taurus, Manurhin, and Ruger
revolvers, and there are several models that are made for auto
pistols as well. Trausch grips have been popular in Europe for
awhile, and are now available in the United States as well. They
do not look as good as a nice set of highly figured walnut or
Sambar stags, but the Trausch grips really impressed me while
shooting these few revolvers. Trausch Grips International has
offices in France and Tennessee, and distributors throughout
Europe and the United States.
Check out the excellent Trausch grips online at
www.trausch.com.
They work, and are priced right.
Jeff Quinn
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