Question: Thumb rest or not and what year to buy?

[jimhadar]

What are the advantages disadvantages to having the P-64 with the thumb rest. I had a 1972 triangle hammer that did not have the rest. The slide did slightly nick my thumb and I had to hold the gun with the pinky finger below the mag to avoid rail road tracks. So I have big hands..... Should I stick with the grips without the thumb rest given this issue or does it not matter?

Are there any years of the P-64 that are better than others? I had a 1972 triangle hammer and held a 1968? round hammer. The triangle does catch but is worth it to me as I can cock it much easier. Will I be forced to take the thumb rest on the later model years?

[paulski]

I personally like the thumb rest for aesthetic reasons. A lot of people like the flat, for comfort & concealment reasons.
I had a 1965 model that had stovepipe issues, however, I hear that that is very rare & most likely a magazine issue.
I currently have a 1973 that seems as dependable as my G-17. My 1973 came with flat grips, My 1965 came with thumbrest. I just traded to get the thumbrest on my 1973 because that is what I wanted.

[jbabbler]

I have shot a CZ82 with the thumb rest and I can't really see an advantage over my P64 w/o. It stuck out to far for my tastes and made concealment a little more difficult.

[electross]

I could be mistaken but the thumb rest is on particular imported handguns to "sporterize" them. Basically they could not be imported into the U.S. without the thumbrest. That has changed. If you look at one with a thunb rest, the left grip, (with the rest) will look new and the right grip will look worn. I don't think that it has anything to do with the year of the P64. It would make sense that earlier versions slipped through with the issued grip. You will find some Makarov's the same way. Hope this helps.

[rottenrick]

My stock grips did not have a thumb rest.