I just got a set of these Pachmayr Compac grips for my bodyguard airweight, which is similar to the one shown except mine is sort of dull factory blued. I much prefer these grips to the Standard J Frame wood panel grips this gun came with, however the original wood grips are highly concealable. But I've been shooting this gun more and more and even with a Tyler "T-Grip" extension, it was not a comfortable gun to shoot with the old school skinny wood grips.

It has transformed into a great gun to shoot with the Pacs on it. And I of all people should have known this. I got my first Pachmayr's back in the early 1980's, upon graduating from the academy and becoming an officer. I outfitted by duty gun, a 4" nickle Python, after several rounds of shooting magnum loads through the sharp wood Colt grips. I bought that gun as a graduation present for myself from the Academy, and within a week of buying it (I think I paid $435 for it) I was back at Carter's Country picking up a pair of Pachmayr Presentation grips for it. They made my shooting much more accurate and enjoyable.

So when a few weeks after buying the Python I bought the Colt Cobra, I bought a set of the Compac grips for it as well. It shot very well with the wood grips, particularly since it weighs right at 15 oz. But once I put the Pachmayr Compac's on it, well, it was like a different "mo betta" gun.

But years ago I went back to the wood grips on the Cobra for increased concealability, and recently acquired a set of used (much larger than the Compac) Presentation grips for it and broke the nearly 30 year old Pachmayr Compacs for the Cobra out of the gun safe. The Presentation grips are great for winter but for concealed carry during less jacketed climes and times, the Compacs are very concealable.

Summertime is a good time for the wooden stock grips with the Tyler T adapter for maximum concealability in a IWB holster, but I feel you get a lot less recoil with the backstrap covered.