Smooth Wood Grips... All Brands Of 1911s

[Mick_In_Texas]

Howdy, all...

Well, having inadvertently purchased two Rock Island Armory 1911A1s first of December, trying to ensure that I got my dad one for his Christmas present... I became enamored of their smooth, fat, wooden grips that they ship on those, OEM. My ss Springer, Ol' Reliable, has smooth ivories with a Texas star on them; I just ordered some smooth cocobola ones from one of the vendors here, Woodgrips...

While I realize that smooths are not the best for combat or LEO applications, for me personally, they feel GOOD. I can control the weapon as well with them as with my "textured" OEMs/customs/manufacturer stocks... there is just something about the solidity and simplicity of the smooth woods, that appeals to the art-degree holder in me! I was once a real patsy for grips... having many for both my 1911s and my other handguns... and on some, I'll stand by my Hogue combats. But, on my 1911s... I love the design and feel of John Moses Browning's 1911, and the "standard" configuration is my love. The smooth style grips, are just... to me... beautiful, and functional for civilians. Hopefully in the future, if I like the set I ordered tonight, I'll get another for my Rock; these tonight are for my Parked Springer Mil-Spec. Ol' Reliable, my ss Mil-Spec, is stuck with the ones she has... LoL...

Y'all all take care and be safe. Love this place.
Mick

[Frank]

I like smooth grips myself. I have them on quite a few of my 1911s, including a set of smooth ivories on one. I'm not convinced that they are disadvantageous for a working gun.

I've used smooth grips on my IPSC competition gun for some years; and while it's not combat, it still is something of a high stress, high speed, low drag activity. It's true that my 1911s have either checkering or some other grip enhancing treatment on the frontstrap. That helps. So I've never felt that my hold on the weapon was impaired by smooth grips.

DVC

[Mick_In_Texas]

Thanks, Mr. Frank...

You definitely have the combat course shooting experience. While I do have the Hogue wraparound combats on my Rugers and my Taurus... I really like the smooth ones, regardless of material, on my 1911s. Just something about them, you know?

Like you, I don't know that smooth ones impair functionability or grip in other situations... I can see, especially in military, that sweating might be a prob with smooth ones. Unfortunately, I've had to brandish three times in my life, and I don't think in any of the situations, grip style/configuration would've made much difference... even if I'd have had to fire. All three incidents were very close-range, close quarters... from 0 to 9 feet... in those situations, there's only gonna be one shot fired, at most. Whether handgun or shotgun. I thank my God that I have not had to fire a shot in defense (the perpetrators involved decided that they had made a really BAD decision, targeting me and mine... LoL). Control of the weapon, in those situations, and in your IPSC competitions, is not affected that much.

YOU, sir, take care and be safe, and you and yours.
Mick

[John]

The parts that I want checkered (or shall I say rough) on a handgun, and which I have found to contribute more to a solid grip, are the mainspring housing and the front strap. The grips I do not care much.

With that said, I also like smooth grips, they show the wood patterns and colors much more than the checkered ones. I switch between the smooth ones and the special checkered ones that Woodgrips.COM makes, on a ... weekly basis.

Do check out Woodgrips.com and Esmeralda's site, from the banners above, some excellent grips there.

[Mick_In_Texas]

Evenin', El Jefe...

I ordered a set of the cocobola smooths and some more grip screws from Woodgrips.Com last night! Hee hee... I don't switch that often ANY MORE, but... have been there, and done that. My Parked Springer, it's pretty much whatever mood I'm in at any given time... My RIA, it's probably going to keep its OEMs or share the Woodgrips with the two others. Ol' Reliable, the ss Springer, now... those smooth faux ivories with the inlaid Texas stars; she may be stuck with those for a loooong time, LoL... but, the grip screws are going to be replaced across the board: they're boogered up from back when I was changing them frequently and didn't have a proper screwdriver the FIRST time. I do now, so, time to get 'em back "like new".

Good point on the mainspring housing and front strap.

I did have some checkered wood grips, that were so deeply checkered, they actually were... well, not painful I reckon, but, definitely NOT comfortable in a bare hand. That's a little bit much, I beileve. Definitely non-slip grip situation; but, I can only imagine going through a couple of hundred rounds on a day at the range with them... reckon you'd have a sore palm from them.

Y'all all take care, be safe, and have a good weekend!
Mick

[Mick_In_Texas]

GOT MY WOODGRIPS COCOBOLOS! (And finally learned the correct spelling...)

Very fast shipping. Good company! They're BEAUTIFUL. About the same thickness/curvature as the OEMs on my RIA; but, redwood, rather than the guessed mahogany on the Rock. More prominent grain, than the ones on the RIA, too. Been sitting here looking at them, and my Springer with the Grim Reaper customs in black and red synthetic engraving...

Looks like... Ol' Grim Reaper's gonna have to get a rest. I just LOVE the feel of this natural wood, as opposed to the synthetic. El Jefe, YES: I'll try to post some pics tomorrow night, LOL...

Very happy with the Woodgrips and the cocobolo wood, its color, and its grain. Woodgrips did a great job on the finish, too.

Y'all all take care and be safe.
Mick

[Mick_In_Texas]

Pictures!

They're not real clear, due to the lighting in my apartment... but, here is the Mil-Spec Springfield with the NEW Woodgrips cocobolo redwoods:
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/Mick_In_Texas/SpringerCocoboloGripsL.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/Mick_In_Texas/SpringerCocoboloGripsR.jpg
I have been handling it... UNLOADED, LoL... tonight after the change out... VERY nice feel. Very nice. Satiny finish on the grips, complements the satiny finish of the well-lubed Parkerizing on the Springer, just like my Rock Island with the OEM smooths.

Y'all take care and be safe.
Mick

[Frank]

Very handsome grips, Mick -- congratulations. Enjoy your new grips. Shoot safe, straight and in good health.

DVC

[John]

I have been handling it... UNLOADED, LoL... tonight after the change out... VERY nice feel.

Try doing some quick presentations from the holster and see how easily your hand slips up the grip all the way to the top. That's what I like about smooth grips.

[Mick_In_Texas]

Yeah, El Jefe...

You are correct! Interesting... Ol' Reliable, my ss Springer, with the smooth ivories and Texas state seal, does the same thing... presentation and it is ready to go! Although, from another thread, right now... Ol' Reliable is in Condition 3 beside my bed...

Just looking at 'em, the smooth style grips, seem to be... too smooth... but, NOW, all three of my 1911s are equipped with them: the beautiful cocobolo redwoods on my Parked Springer; the factory OEM walnuts (?) on my Rock, and the fax ivories with Texas seal on my ss Springer. Nothing against combat grips (like on my Rugers and Taurus) or checkereds, but, these are all NICE, very nice, for civilian applications. I LOVE the Woodgrips.Com ones for my Parked Springer.

You, and all y'all take care, and be safe.
Mick

[Mick_In_Texas]

Talked to Armscor today on my wireless phone...

Monday, I'm going to order two sets of the Rock Island Armory/Armscor mahogany smooth wood grips. The gentleman who I spoke with, quoted me $10.95/set plus $3.00/shipping and handling. That is not bad, for genuine wooden grips that are matched grain... Maybe I don't really need more grips, but, those Rock Island/Armscor ones, are so fine... Like the Springer custom shop, the Armscor gentleman was very helpful and instructive. My RIA's grips are just wonderful... and I WANT some extras. They'll fit my Springers, and the Norinco I'm looking at on GunBroker.Com. Don't like woods on my ss Springer, but, my two Parked ones... a Springer and an RIA... REALLY like. If I end up with the Norinco and a GI45 Springer, blued or OD Green, this year, those Armscor smooth mahagonies... WILL have a home on a favorite. I've got a lot of favorites... but, NOW, they're all 1911s.

Y'all all take care and be safe.
Mick