I used to be a stone traditionalist when it came to the stocks on a Government Model. Only natural materials like wood or ivory needed apply. My stance has mellowed somewhat, though. I've come to terms with 1911 stocks made out of G10. Out of Micarta. Out of carbon fiber.
But I just can't do Alumagrips, sorry. You gotta draw the line someplace.
Micarta. My favorite is the linen type, though canvas is good too. For getting maximum purchase, fiberglass is probably the best you can do, but your hands will pay the price after a long range session.
ReplyDeleteDo you ever go for smooth 1911 grips, or are you an "all checkered, all the time" kind of shooter, Tam?
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at getting the Micarta slim grips for my 1911. The Rosewood slip grips from Kimber are nice, but I doubt they'll stand up to the punishment (sweat, dirt, etc.) that I'm about to subject it to.
ReplyDeleteNJT,
ReplyDeleteBoth my working 1911's sport "Gatorback"-textured canvas micarta grips.
Hm, so what do you think of rubber? It works for me very well. I knoe it doesn't do a thing for a lot of folks, but then to each his own. Or her, as the case may be.
ReplyDeleteRubber grips on a CCW 1911 are the Devil's tool and are shunned by all right-thinking people. ;)
ReplyDelete(Although Pachmayrs won't snag clothes the way the sticky Hogues will. Plus, the Pachs have a certain retro-'80s chic to them.)
The first and often only change I make to my pistols are to dump the cruddy rubber grips for wood---cocobolo preferably.
ReplyDeleteI used to shoot a lot of pins during the winter in the unheated basement of the local indoor range. For safety reasons, not explained, shooting gloves were not allowed. Guns get COLD standing around in mid-20 degree temps waiting your turn to shoot. It was a cold range so I'd carry my 1911 inside my coat in a shoulder holster. Then when my turn came to shoot, I'd transfer it to a OWB belt holster. BTW, learned early the need for a sturdy, thick belt for the holster. :-)
Nothing but Cocobolo wood Crimson Trace for me. ;)
ReplyDeleteI loves me some CTC grips, but I hate rubber and the "woodgrain" ones remind me of the dashboard of a '79 Malibu.
ReplyDeleteIf they can get a laser into a set of G10 or Micarta grips, I'd be on that like white on rice...
Oi! Alumagrips are bloody great! My favorite wtocks (out of the ones I've been able to try so far, at least :) ). Oh, sure, they're not as fancy as nice horn or exotic wood, but they are much more functional. And they are easy to buy in the configuration you want! Make mine slim, full coverage checkering, ambi safety with tang. I've been using standard checkering but lately I've been wondering if I should try a more aggressive checkering. Now, where else are you going to find stocks like that for a price like that?
ReplyDeleteThe old grips on my '43 A1 have remained intact nicely, it would be criminal to replace them.
ReplyDeleteI hate you.
ReplyDelete:)
Thin Cocobolo grips for me on the Govt. and Champion model, but man, those Alumigrips are sweeeet on the Micro-Compact.
ReplyDeleteNothing like black alumagrips on a black Kimber. I bought a pair second hand just to try them out, and found that I really like them.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
ReplyDeleteMy 1911s all have ivory, Micarta, G10 and other typeas of composite grips. These are "warm".
Aluminum grips are cold (high heat coeficient). Yuck.
Mother of pearl ... and gold plating.
ReplyDeleteIt's the pimpin' way to go.
Looks good on a Desert Eagle.
Tam,
ReplyDeleteMy "favoritest" 1911 (formerly belonging to Clint Smith)now sports Mamouth ivory grips. There's just something cool about 10,000 year old "elephant tusks". Most all the others wear some kind or another of checkered wood.
I have to admit though, that for uniform duty use I still put on a pair of retro Pachmayrs (with the front strap cut off so as not to cover the front strap checkering. They absorb bumps and dings getting in and out of the car and through doorways a lot better than checkered Walnut or Cocobolo does.
I had some aluminum grips made for a 1911 and a Ruger .22 many years ago but just never cared much for them, so the 'new" alumagrips fad kind of suprises me. Along that same line, how about titanium grips like those offered by Universal Outfitters to be really high-techie?
My 1911 has GI-style red plastic grips; I figure that's traditional enough, being GI.
ReplyDelete(Whatever happened to those crazy pewter monstrosities people used to use?)
How do you feel about stainless?
ReplyDelete