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1911 Slim Grips

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viking499

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How many of you like or use slim grips on your 1911? Or would you rather have the standard grip or a set of wrap-a-rounds?
 
I very much prefer standard grips as opposed to thin grips. The only 1911 that i have that has slim grips is my Springfield EMP. My Kimbers, Les Baer, Wilson, and Springfield TRP all have standard grips. To me they give me a better hold on the gun.
 
Both of my Springfield Armory 1911's have the factory grips. I did add the "Pearce Grips" brand that adds the finger grooves to the 4" Champion model.
 
I put slim grips on all my 1911s and I have several and of different sizes. For me, it allows me to access the controls I need without any sort of significant change of grip. I don't have to rotate the gun 30-45 degrees to hit the mag release, for exampe.

For my wife, it made the difference of being able to ride the safety while shooting (better) than not (worse). She has smaller hands.
 
Standard grips help keep the plunger tube on in the event it comes loose, "thin" grips do not. "IF" your plunger tube comes loose and your grips don't hold it in, it can lock up your thumb safety.

Be advised.
 
I prefer standard grips.

I've only handled a couple of 1911's with thin grips. They were OK. If I didn't have to change bushings I may own a set just to check them out, but it's not worth the effort based on my small experience.

I really don't like finger groove grips on a 1911. I'm a big 1911 fan and you can change the sights, grip safety, thumb safety, barrel length, grip length, etc., and I like them all. However, finger groove grips just ruin the lines of the 1911 for me.
 
My 1911s are split with about half thin and half standard. Thin tend to be on the smaller and/or carry guns while standard are on the full size pistols. Just my preferences.
 
I have the standard plastic grips on now that came with my Para GI Expert 1911. However, I will probably change to Hogue wrap-arounds in the future.

After experiencing them on my Hi-Power, it is hard NOT to have finger grooves. I may also get a set of walnut grips for when I'm feeling classy.

Experiment a bit until you find what you like. In a single stack 1911, slim grips seem a bit superfluous to me.
 
I have a set of Chip McCormick thin grips that I tried on my STI Ranger11, I did not care for the change in point-ability. They did not improve the feel of my Colts either.
Now they are in the parts box.
TGR
 
For combat and range applications, I think factory rubber grips work best on a 1911. For me, and my uses for my 1911, including occasional concealed carry, I LOVE my alumagrips. They are the smooth grey slim-profile models. They are no wider than the slide. Now, when I hold a 1911 with factory wide wood or rubber grips, it feels slightly fat.

The Alumagrips look great, too. Especially with my stainless S&W. And they don't scratch, plus they won't stick or hang up on any kind of material.
 
I use both. Depends on model 1911.

VZ grips are the best for a hard use 1911. My 1911 that is used as a secondary during rifle shoots will allmost allways have fullsize VZ grips.

Sarges smooth wood grips are the most comfortable and fit the best, usually. Not to mention they're usually works of art.

VZ's thin grips aren't nearly as thin as Alumagrips. They're a good compromise. But the thin Alumagrips are nice for carry. Thier pattern isn't as sharp as normal grips.
 
I have slim alumagrips. You can see them in the Combat Elite link in my sig. I like them a lot. I like the feel of the aluminum. I also like the reduced width of the grip. Feels more natural to me. Normal grips are not too big for me, so it's just a preference. Just get better control with more of my hand wrapped around the grip. They also make a bigger than expected difference in carrying. The standard rosewood double diamonds on my other pistol can chew up my skin some, and I'm defininitely more aware of it being there.
 
I put a set of slim double-diamond cocobolos on my RIA compact. They're just right.
 
I have med. sized hands and I love mine. A few friends have commented on how much they like them better than the standard one's on theirs.
 
Standard grips help keep the plunger tube on in the event it comes loose, "thin" grips do not. "IF" your plunger tube comes loose and your grips don't hold it in, it can lock up your thumb safety.

Be advised.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess it can. I have had one plunger tube come off in 10 years. The gun still fired, though the safety and slide release were then optional.

I have seen one come apart on a standard grip gun as well. The tube was toast and so still having it wasn't a benefit. Once everything became slightly out of alignment, the internals exits the tube and so he was not better off than me. The only difference is that we don't necessarily know when his part failed. It was that session and he had cleaned his gun the night before and not noticed it. Maybe he got 10 mags out of his gun after failure and I got only one. Maybe he only got one too. Who knows?
 
Slimline alumagrips on the one I have, and I'd put them on any other one I picked up too.

But I like thin guns, the slim grips may not be for everyone.
 
Unless one has really exceptionally small hands or short fingers, the thin or thick grips shouldn't make a big difference is one is using a proper grip. I have even tried no grips at all.

Only the front and back strap touch the hand/fingers of normally sized hands.
 
Thin G10 Davidsons with a short trigger and flat mainspring housing. That is what is nice about a 1911...it is like an Erector Set. Build what works for you.
Joe
 
Unless one has really exceptionally small hands or short fingers, the thin or thick grips shouldn't make a big difference is one is using a proper grip. I have even tried no grips at all.
Click to expand...

For me, the point isn't to have a thinner gun while shooting, it's to have a thinner gun while carrying inside a waistband. Every millimeter matters for us thin guys, even though the grip is not in or below the belt line. Plus, the aluminum grips are much less "sticky" than the rubber grips that came on my S&W 1911. It makes a big difference when trying not to print in thin clothing material.
 
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