Mind blowing grips

[dothedrew57]

So my Colt Defender 45 came with those generic hogue wrap around grips and look eh, and function pretty well. I've actually preferred them for awhile. Until I actually started carrying a 1911. I found that they tend to "stick" to my undershirt and move it around and bunch it up.

I had a pair of Rock island 1911 compact grips in the parts drawer. Put them on and they actually looked pretty nice, felt a lot better than the hogues with some wood slapped on the frame. I tried sanding and staining them.

HOLY **** those things are kinda tough. I guess they are just polished and not finished because i tried sanding them with 220 and 100 grit and all it did was round the corners.

At this point I decided I wanted something darker because they would not take stain. I searched the net furiously and didn't quite want to spend $100 on a pair of esmiraldas or something similar.

I eventually happened upon raasco grips. They use Dymonwood, a tough good looking laminate. I ordered a pair of the blue and charcoal smooth with no special cuts.

I will let the pictures speak for themselves but my main thought is THEY NEED A BETTER CAMERA. Their website pictures do not do these beauties justice.

What do you guys(and gals) think? Which look is better?

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/31/3usu6ema.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/31/guzaba3a.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/31/enymagyz.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/31/jeja6u4y.jpg

[Driver man]

I think they all look good.

[josper]

I like the looks of the blue and gray grips.

[Lefty SRH]

The blue/black ones are interesting.

[DougGuy]

I dunno about the blue/black. That pistol would look better with some wood that is "warmer" visually like a reddish brown color, rosewood or cocobolo. The colors in those grips are kinda cold looking to me.

On another note, if you want to add a real nice touch to the slide, take a piece of 400grit wet or dry and oil it with light oil, let the oil stick it down to a solid tabletop or marble slab, and lap the sides of the slide in a straight line longways with the slide until they flatten the burr around the roll marks and take on a sheen. Repeat with a new sheet of 600grit. I had a Colt Combat Stallion that I did that to and it turned out really good. Same color as yours, stainless/green anodized aluminum.

[EMC45]

Anything but those Hogue wraparound. I think they are horrid for the reasons you mentioned. I do like the blue grips too.

[BD]

I much prefer the look of the wood. However, I couldn't shoot my ultra carry nearly as well without the Hogues, and my "games" gun also wears the Hogues for the same reason. A little wax on the sides occasionally will mostly eliminate the "tackiness" that grabs your shirt when they're new. IMHO, for a self defense pistol, function trumps looks every time.
BD

[dothedrew57]

I much prefer the look of the wood. However, I couldn't shoot my ultra carry nearly as well without the Hogues, and my "games" gun also wears the Hogues for the same reason. A little wax on the sides occasionally will mostly eliminate the "tackiness" that grabs your shirt when they're new. IMHO, for a self defense pistol, function trumps looks every time.
BD

Very valid points. But I found with the wood grips from that rock island(even though they are kinda junky) I shot a little better. The hogues made it just a little to fat for my hands.

[C. Latch]

I've owned, shot, and carried several 1911s. If I bought another one tomorrow, the next stop would be here:

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/grip-parts/grips/1911-auto-mahogany-grips-prod9562.aspx?prcrange=15|39.99

YMMV.

[375RUGER]

I like checkering on a combat handgun, it serves a purpose, for me anyway.
I like the blue/black. I fit and finished a stock on an M1A with that scheme.
Those other wood grips have a nice figure too.

[dothedrew57]

I had a pair of vz grips on another one and they tore the heck out of my hand the checkering was so aggressive

[rugerdude]

Love the look of the Dymondwood grips.

My DW Panther has the Hogue rubber panels and I just don't like looks of them. I like real wood or at least a laminate like your blue/charcoal. I've been thinking hard about getting a set of cocobolo with the double diamond checkering, but a set like yours with some checkering would look really good too. Something to think about...

[dothedrew57]

The company offers them either half of double diamond checkered for the same price. They also have a look alike cocobolo and lots of other patterns

[TCLouis]

I am a big fan of rubber grips, but after viewing your pics, I see one reason to go for any of the wood grips.

[dothedrew57]

I am a big fan of rubber grips, but after viewing your pics, I see one reason to go for any of the wood grips.

I loved the feel of the rubber when shooting, but for carry they proved to not fit my style and be uncomfortable

[300savage]

,
I much prefer the look of the wood. However, I couldn't shoot my ultra carry nearly as well without the Hogues, and my "games" gun also wears the Hogues for the same reason. A little wax on the sides occasionally will mostly eliminate the "tackiness" that grabs your shirt when they're new. IMHO, for a self defense pistol, function trumps looks every time.
BD

Spot on.

[dothedrew57]

,

Spot on.

To each their own right?

[300savage]

Well that's up to you I reckon, but they make a ton of difference on my Kimber PRO CDP.