1911 Pistol Grips

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Tue May 20, 2014 8:52 am

I am very curious about grip options for 1911 pistols.

As a new Bullseye shooter (my best scores in the low 80's @ 25 yards slow or timed fire, with a 22 conversion on a 1911 frame) I am looking to help improve my trigger work and steady the pistol. I have also been practicing with a 45 cal 1911. Both pistols have an aggressive texture VZ grip.

I switched from a Browning Buckmark 22 with a thicker rubberized grip to the 1911 a few months ago. Last weekend shot the Buckmark for fun and noticed I almost liked the thicker grip better than the thin grip of my 1911's. I have small hands and really do prefer a 1911 to any double stack pistol I have ever shot or held.

When shooting iron sights vs a red dot I feel almost traumatized by the dot bouncing. There is a very short window after I raise the pistol that it seems a manageable arc of motion. The longer I hold, the more wild the movement gets.

I have been lifting and holding 6 lbs of weight a few times a week at my office and I shoot 3 times a week and hold the pistols a lot. I used to lift weights until about 2 years ago but don't feel good about my right shoulder being in the best of condition anymore at 59 yrs.

I have seen various style custom wooden grips and don't even know how to begin with looking at them. I can ask some members at the club I just joined to try theirs and start from there, but some suggestions here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Rover · Post by **Rover** » Tue May 20, 2014 9:20 am

Iron sights bounce just as much as the red dot. If it bothers you, look ONLY at the X on the target and squeeze the trigger. The shots will go somewhere around the middle.

The red dot will be heavier. Some 16 ounce curls will soon whip you into shape, though. Or at least you won't care.

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Tue May 20, 2014 11:01 am

I do not notice iron sights bouncing, they seem to migrate a bit but in a non-distracting manor. My Burris red dot weighs 1.5 ounces.

...besides, this thread is about grips :)

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Tue May 20, 2014 11:01 am

repeat sorry

Kirmdog · Post by **Kirmdog** » Tue May 20, 2014 6:55 pm

You can put the CMM steel/aluminum plates under your grips for some added thickness (and protection from a round firing out of battery.
I've used the .063 and to me they added quite a bit of thickness.

For my BE gun I use Dick Horton grips, ball gun gets the spacers.

http://www.cmmshootingsports.com/index.php?cPath=21_25

Kirmdog

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Wed May 21, 2014 7:59 am

Thanks for the info on the spacers, may very well use on my ball gun - my Les baer wad gun grips "exploded" from a case splitting in the barrel - fortunately I was not hurt but maybe the steel spacers would have helped?

I see folks with various types of exotic looking wooden grips and am wondering about thoughts on those. Here at work I can't access the Bullseye L forum which may be able to give me more info.

Kirmdog · Post by **Kirmdog** » Wed May 21, 2014 1:33 pm

I have the Kensight Sharkskin grips on my ball gun with the spacers. And yes those spacers will help protect you shooting hand during a blow out.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/319361 ... er-polymer

These Sharkskin grips are VERY gripy

Other that those you would have to go to a custom grip maker like Horton or Fung.

Kirmdog

Edit; Funny that when I bought my Sharkskin grips 2 years ago they were under $18 now they're $35. Still a nice grip though.

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Thu May 22, 2014 7:44 am

My VZ grips are very grippy, no complaints there.

I will try the thickening methods for sure on a Springdfield Armory I had a trigger job (when it comes back) on by using a textured wrap for the front strap which will be secured under the grips, thus thickening them a bit.

I am checking out the Fung website but have issues getting to Horton.

big mouse · Post by **big mouse** » Thu May 22, 2014 11:17 am

chiltech500,

Have you considered trying Herrett's Stocks? They offer both standard and

custom grips for a wide variety of different handguns. For the custom

grips, you send in a tracing of your shooting hand to be used as a pattern.

This way it doesn't matter if you have fingers that are short, long, thin or

"sausage-like", with hands that may be wide or narrow - the grips will be

made to your individual "specifications". You can choose any or all of the

following features that are available: thumb rest, heel rest, and finger

grooves. Smooth stocks or checkered. Course or fine checkering.

Different wood types and finishes are available as well. Check them out at:

herrettsstocks.com

P.S. Before ordering, ask them how the hand tracing should be done. When

ordering grips years ago, I was told to hold a pencil perpendicular to my

fingers/hand when tracing. Some customers would hold the pencil at a 45

degree angle, in an attempt to get the lead tip as close as possible to their

outline. Doing this caused an error resulting in an incorrect and undesired

fit of the finished product! Don't know how they want the tracings made

today, so ask Herrett's first if you go this route.

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Sat May 24, 2014 6:23 am

Thanks Big Mouse.

I will check out Herrets. I saw their non-custom were only $70ish at
a bullseye supply vendor.

Peter B · Post by **Peter B** » Sat May 24, 2014 4:40 pm

I have 2 large zip lock bags full of custom grips and I use the plain standard ones that came with the gun some twenty years ago. Save your money and dryfire.

john bickar · Post by **john bickar** » Sat May 24, 2014 11:34 pm

Peter B wrote:I have 2 large zip lock bags full of custom grips and I use the plain standard ones that came with the gun some twenty years ago. Save your money and dryfire.

My dad used to say, "You can learn to shoot with a 2x4 as a grip!"

It took me a long time to come back around to that, but I now shoot slabs on all of my bullseye guns.

If you look on the line at Canton, Interservice, Camp Perry, or any other match where you get a representative sample of them, you'll see a large majority of High Masters shooting with slab grips too.

Not sure what it is about bullseye, because I love the ortho grips for the international disciplines. I just shoot better with slabs for bullseye.

My 2¢, and worth every penny.

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Sun May 25, 2014 5:21 am

Thanks gents, I suspected as much. I am a newer shooter and it is common for newbies to look at equipment for answers.

Question, can you dry a rimfire like a Pardini, or for that matter any rimfire?

I should have realized the newbie penchant, I have skied since very young and in college friends and I had holes in our skis and edges missing and could ski circles around people with fancy equipment. Unfortunately I became handicapped 2 years ago and shoot sitting, though I can walk but not very well. I turned to Bullseye because it's something I can do without too much lower body.

Isabel1130 · Post by **Isabel1130** » Sun May 25, 2014 8:34 am

chiltech500 wrote:Thanks gents, I suspected as much. I am a newer shooter and it is common for newbies to look at equipment for answers.

Question, can you dry a rimfire like a Pardini, or for that matter any rimfire?

I should have realized the newbie penchant, I have skied since very young and in college friends and I had holes in our skis and edges missing and could ski circles around people with fancy equipment. Unfortunately I became handicapped 2 years ago and shoot sitting, though I can walk but not very well. I turned to Bullseye because it's something I can do without too much lower body.

sure, you can dry fire a rim fire, but for most of them it is best to use a dry wall anchor as a plug, to keep from damaging the face of the breach.

The AW-93 can be dry fired without because the firing pin on it, does not touch the face of the breach.

Seriously though, my recommendation for dry firing is to always do it with a four pound trigger, such as on your service pistol. Once you learn how to quickly but smoothly apply four pounds of increasing pressure until the gun goes bang, you can use that technique on all your guns.

Bill Blankenship explains this method for developing your triggering in the Pistol Shooters Treasury. If you don't have it, I recommend getting this book.

Isabel1130 · Post by **Isabel1130** » Sun May 25, 2014 8:36 am

https://vzgrips.com/gun-grips/1911/simonich-gunner

I recommend these grips. Have them on all my bullseye guns. They don't get slick in the heat and humidity like regular stock varnished wood.

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Mon May 26, 2014 7:35 am

Thanks Isabel, I have 2 sets myself and both are very aggressive checkering. It's thickness that I am coming around to wanting and recommendations for underlays are being looked at as a possible solution with the VZ's.

chiltech500 · Post by **chiltech500** » Mon May 26, 2014 7:38 am

Seriously though, my recommendation for dry firing is to always do it with a four pound trigger, such as on your service pistol. Once you learn how to quickly but smoothly apply four pounds of increasing pressure until the gun goes bang, you can use that technique on all your guns.

This very much makes sense. I did notice at one point using the stock trigger on a Springfield Armory - probably between 5-6 lbs - and then switching to my Dan Wesson with a lighter trigger I had some accidental discharges because of the difference.

And thanks Isabel for the dry wall anchor idea on the rimfire!

Isabel1130 · Post by **Isabel1130** » Mon May 26, 2014 10:28 am

"This very much makes sense. I did notice at one point using the stock trigger on a Springfield Armory - probably between 5-6 lbs - and then switching to my Dan Wesson with a lighter trigger I had some accidental discharges because of the difference. "

This is one of the reasons why the conversion units are so popular for rimfire in Bullseye. Different grip sizes and triggers, can really affect your trigger finger placement, and your ability to detect errors in your triggering.

The other good point of a 1911 conversion unit for dry firing, is you don't have to rack the slide to re cock the gun for dry firing, which will eject your dry wall anchor.

Using a quick smooth trigger pull will almost never yield an early shot, because you have committed to the shot before you even start your finger moving.

Isabel1130 · Post by **Isabel1130** » Mon May 26, 2014 11:13 am

Also since you mentioned that you are shooting a 1911, and you have small hands, make sure the gun has a short trigger installed. It makes a world of difference in your ability to get your finger in the correct position on the trigger.

Peter B · Post by **Peter B** » Mon May 26, 2014 5:21 pm

You folks talked abour the slabs with agressive checkering to me it is more importian to have the front of the frame and the main spring checkered. It also works well with all weather conditions.

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