I've seen a few WTB ads for Tyler T grips lately so I thought that I'd leave feedback on a recent purchase from Tyler Mfg. Some of you might be unaware that Tyler is still in business after a hiatus years ago and Melvin's nephew Brian is now producing the T-Grips out in Newalla. Ordering is still done by mail with check or money order as the only accepted forms of payment. There is no local pick-up option. You must pay for S&H, but state sales tax is deducted from the standard shipping rate. If you prefer to place an order online and pay by credit card, Robertson's Trading post sells a handful of models (no bronze option) on their website and on eBay at a higher price.
Brian was very helpful and promptly answered my questions via text message prior to me placing an order on January 30th. At that time I was told that the current turnaround time was 1-2 days after receiving payment (standard shipping times are listed as approximately 2-3 weeks on their website). My payment was received and deposited on February 1st. I waited 10 days before attempting to contact Tyler again for an update. From that point until the time that my grip was received, my text messages were not responded to which was disappointing considering that communication had been great until the point that they had my money in hand. After a few attempts I was able to reach Brian by phone on February 14th and respectfully requested an updated ETA on when the adapter would be shipped. He was very apologetic, gave a few excuses, and stated that he'd drop the adapter in the mail that afternoon and text the tracking number to me. That never happened and he didn't respond to the two additional text messages that were sent after that time. None of this was surprising though as I knew what I was getting into before placing an order. Tyler's sub-par communication and slow shipping times are well documented on several forums and they have an F with the better business bureau. All of which is unfortunate because they offer a much needed product and Brian seems to be a genuinely nice guy.
My order was received exactly 4 weeks after mailing off the payment which I considered to be a win. I've saw regular reports of 5-8 month wait times in past years and one person who stated that at one point there were reportedly 500 orders waiting to be fulfilled. I had placed an order for a size 1 brushed manganese bronze adapter (J frame), but the T-Grip that I received was a high polished manganese bronze. This was an extremely minor annoyance though as I dulled the polished finish out with an abrasive buff attachment on my Dremel and finished it by hand with a brass bristled brush. This also allowed me to get rid of a couple fingerprints that had patinated on the surface of the grip.
IMHO, I'd rate the fit somewhere in the neighborhood of a 7/10. The adapter does not follow the exact contour of a magna style grip so there is one area that there is a small, but noticeable gap. The horn of the grips also no longer sit flush against the frame due to the copper retaining tabs. As for comfort, it is a solid 9/10. I plan to order a set of stag grips from Patrick Grashorn in the upcoming weeks so we'll see if the adapter fits the Grashorn's any better or worse. Below are photos of the T-Grip currently installed on my Model 49 with factory grips. if anyone wants to see additional photos better showing the fit, just let me know. All in all, I'm pleased with the purchase and would likely purchase another grip in the future despite the issues.
Brian was very helpful and promptly answered my questions via text message prior to me placing an order on January 30th. At that time I was told that the current turnaround time was 1-2 days after receiving payment (standard shipping times are listed as approximately 2-3 weeks on their website). My payment was received and deposited on February 1st. I waited 10 days before attempting to contact Tyler again for an update. From that point until the time that my grip was received, my text messages were not responded to which was disappointing considering that communication had been great until the point that they had my money in hand. After a few attempts I was able to reach Brian by phone on February 14th and respectfully requested an updated ETA on when the adapter would be shipped. He was very apologetic, gave a few excuses, and stated that he'd drop the adapter in the mail that afternoon and text the tracking number to me. That never happened and he didn't respond to the two additional text messages that were sent after that time. None of this was surprising though as I knew what I was getting into before placing an order. Tyler's sub-par communication and slow shipping times are well documented on several forums and they have an F with the better business bureau. All of which is unfortunate because they offer a much needed product and Brian seems to be a genuinely nice guy.
My order was received exactly 4 weeks after mailing off the payment which I considered to be a win. I've saw regular reports of 5-8 month wait times in past years and one person who stated that at one point there were reportedly 500 orders waiting to be fulfilled. I had placed an order for a size 1 brushed manganese bronze adapter (J frame), but the T-Grip that I received was a high polished manganese bronze. This was an extremely minor annoyance though as I dulled the polished finish out with an abrasive buff attachment on my Dremel and finished it by hand with a brass bristled brush. This also allowed me to get rid of a couple fingerprints that had patinated on the surface of the grip.
IMHO, I'd rate the fit somewhere in the neighborhood of a 7/10. The adapter does not follow the exact contour of a magna style grip so there is one area that there is a small, but noticeable gap. The horn of the grips also no longer sit flush against the frame due to the copper retaining tabs. As for comfort, it is a solid 9/10. I plan to order a set of stag grips from Patrick Grashorn in the upcoming weeks so we'll see if the adapter fits the Grashorn's any better or worse. Below are photos of the T-Grip currently installed on my Model 49 with factory grips. if anyone wants to see additional photos better showing the fit, just let me know. All in all, I'm pleased with the purchase and would likely purchase another grip in the future despite the issues.
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