What is your preferred 1911 grip material and design?

[Bigslug]

I like the standard GI shape. There's some nice variation out there in terms of panel thickness, but I'm not really one for thumbrests and finger grooves. As to material, I really don't care much from a practical standpoint, but for wood, there's a little voice in my head that lobbies for American walnut on an American handgun. As for aesthetics, a weapon platform with a history that long brings personality to the party. On an older gun, commercial or GI, the individual gun has to tell you what it wants.

I like G10 on a modern one, but they did teach me a useful trick - the stuff has ZERO compressibility, so there's ZERO push back against the heads of the grips screws, which therefore tend to work loose. I now install teeny little o-rings on my grip screws to act as lock washers.

Even on the modern 1911's, I still like to apply a sense of "Roots". On my 21st Century Springfield with it's rail-mounted flashlight, G10 grips, epoxy paint finish, and night sights, I installed a mainspring housing with a 19th Century lanyard loop that I have no intention of putting a lanyard on.

[scattershot]

I prefer checkered wood, but lately I have been playing with a set of G-10 panels. The jury is still out. I don’t care for rubber at all.

[Char-Gar]

Wood, bone, ivory, vintge micarta checkered or uncheckered, all work for me. It is the grip thickness that determins my choice and not the material.

[Texas by God]

Wood or bone unless it's for hard use, then plastic is good enough.

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[Bazoo]

I've never tried them on a 1911 but I think checkered buffalo horn would be nice. I have had smooth buffalo horn on a single six and kick myself often for selling the grips.

[one-eyed fat man]

GI, double diamond wood or WW2 brown plastic are my preference. I've tried the Pachmayrs and don't like them. Real stags are too thick. Fake stag, like fake ivory, are too cheesy. Real ivory or maybe giraffe bone might work but have never held a pistol having them.

[Bazoo]

I've wanted to try pachmayr American legend grips but haven't had the chance yet.

[tazman]

Wood, bone, ivory, vintge micarta checkered or uncheckered, all work for me. It is the grip thickness that determins my choice and not the material.

Right there is an opinion I agree with. Some of the grip panels that came on a couple of my pistols were simply too thick for proper handling for me even though I liked the looks.
I tried some cheap, thin plastic panels and they worked but didn't feel right. I have never come across a set of rubber grip for the 1911 that are thin enough to suit me.
The G10 panels I have are great. They are the right thickness, well checkered, and do not slip or rough up my hand during use. My hands tend to perspire a lot.
I haven't had a problem with the screws coming loose yet.
I love the looks of some of the colored panels, mostly the ones that look like either pearl or black pearl. They are usually too slick for me.

[ioon44]

G10 micarta is what I have on my 1911 and .45 Para.

[Love Life]

You can always install slim bushings and slim grips.

[tazman]

You can always install slim bushings and slim grips.

Absolutely!!!
I purchase a handgun because of function and reputation. I replace the grips as needed to make it fit my hands.

[Love Life]

Same here! Except I usually go in the opposite direction and add standard bushings and full size grips.

[tazman]

My issue is I have large hands but short fingers. A thick grip makes it difficult for me to reach the trigger properly.
I had a target 1911 that came with special grips from the factory. Palm swell and grooves. They simply did not work for me in any way.
I put standard grip panels on it and it worked fine.
Unfortunately, it didn't shoot any better than my other 1911 pistols so it went to someone who thought really highly of it. One of the few purchases I actually made money on.

[wildcatter]

My favorite for everyday inside the waistband carry are the Hogue wrap around rubber finger groove grips. But I have a pretty big paw.

I have a Valor V-Bob that came with a slim diamond checkered grip was way to small for me, I ditched them right away for a set of VZ Diamond Back Black Desert Sand G10 full size, these were an excellent grip with a lot of traction, problem was they dug me raw carrying every day inside the waistband against my side. That was the reason I went with the Hogue over them.

The VZ's are available in slim and full size, and in my opinion, not the prettiest grips, not nearly as pretty as my Esmerelda's fancy Rosewood, or sarges Buckeye Burl, but the most functional I have used.

[PHyrbird]

Got a Recover Tactical set for Xmas. They are plastic, and really slick. Replacable grip panels, covered trigger guard with squared serrations, Plus an under rail for optics make their product an innovative solution. It is a pity the grips won't stretch to fit a double staack 1911 frame. Yes they are affordable. Yes they are not premium quality, fancy, exotic material. But for the $$$ I like them. Now I can have a laser on my S/A swap barrel pin gun.

[Drew P]

If your hands get sweaty then forget about most of these mentioned. G10 and rubber are your best choices. Or micarta, or carbon, which is functionally the same as g10. I love g10! You can even get it to look like wood, which I’ve done on my revolver in my avatar, it’s a smooth finish yet retains grip when wet somehow. Then there’s the various grippy covers you can put on, but I find them tacky (literally and figuratively) lol.
My 1911 came in g10 and I wouldn’t have one any other way now, unless it’s just a glass box piece to look at.

[cwlongshot]

100% agree taz!!

Rough scales have never bothered my hyde! The advantage in the hand far outweighs all else

The G10 is what Im liking for sure. Knifes and gun grips!!

CW

[bruce drake]

I'm the sole survivor and advocate for the Hogue overmolded rubber grips it seems.

My Beretta 92, both Colt 1911s, and my Browning HiPower all wear the grips. I even slipped a Pierce Grip adapter under the stock grips on my Star Super Model A to have the same grip profile as all my other pistols. And that same grip profile is on a couple of my AR rifles as well.

some folks are traditionalists, some folks aren't. Me, I went to what I felt fit my hand best and the scores definitely approved.

Bruce

[gwpercle]

At this moment it's a set crafted from Gaboon Ebony by Kim Ahrend's .
1911 smooth Combat finished in tung oil .
They are on a stainless steel AMT Hardballer . The dark black looks good on the stainless and there is just enough grain so it doesn't look like black plastic .
Gaboon Ebony's status is listed as very rare and is one of the most expensive woods on the market.
I'm glad I got them when I did . Rosewood and Cocobolo are now not available from Ahrend's .
Gary

[pworley1]

I still like the standard walnut that came on my 1927 model. If it ain't broke don't fix it.