The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Handguns => Topic started by: billt on January 07, 2018, 05:17:14 AM

Title: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: billt on January 07, 2018, 05:17:14 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/jzQGeNj.jpg?2)

(https://i.imgur.com/kP1pget.jpg?2)

I got sick of looking at the stock wood grips that came on my Rock Island Armory G.I. Model 9 MM, so I picked these up from Dan Eagle Grips. I had a tough time getting the old ones off. The screws were really tight, but finally came off without backing out the bushings. After I got the screws out, the old grips wouldn't budge. So I field stripped it and found a clear piece of 3/8" Lucite rod I had laying around. Working from the inside through the magwell, first from the top, then the bottom, I kept gently prying until one side popped loose. Then it was easy to tap the other one out. 1911's are always an adventure to replace grips on. I always keep spare bushings and screws on hand, just in case. As well as a bushing removal tool and a tap.

The new grips needed some fitting where the slide stop plunger is inletted into the top of the left grip. (You can see in the photo how much taller the new grips sit on the frame). But I took my time with a riffler file, and now they fit perfectly. Anyway, the gun looks a lot better. These grips are also thicker and fit my hand better. They also come with new gold plated screws and O-Rings, which is a nice touch. The bottom photo is what the gun looked like with the factory grips.

(https://i.imgur.com/FG2PfS7.jpg)

Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: jaybet on January 07, 2018, 10:22:12 AM
Yea I changed grips on my Colt and had trouble with one screw. I forget how I finally broke it loose, but it was a pain. Now I've got a BBQ gun. Too bad I can only wear it to my own BBQs!
(Wicked Grips)

(https://i.imgur.com/Cs6A7n9.jpg)
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: billt on January 07, 2018, 11:42:00 AM
Very nice!
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: Big Frank on January 07, 2018, 03:07:56 PM
Those sure are an improvement over the plain Jane factory grips but I personally would have gone with all wood. I didn't know anyone sold a 1911 with un-checkered grips. They were just begging for replacement.

I remember having to deal with some grip screw bushings when I was in the army. There's a tool made just for staking them in. It's kind of a star shape on the end of a handle with a small hole in the center. You insert a punch through the middle of the hole in one bushing to reach the tool and the opposite bushing and give it a whack. Brownell's has them for $31.99, which is money I won't need to spend. The grip bushings are built into the frame of my Paras. Using blue Loctite may be better than staking in case you ever want to replace the bushings. I never knew anything about people using O-rings on them. Is that something new?

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/power-tools-accessories/drill-bits/1911-grip-bushing-staker-prod696.aspx
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: billt on January 07, 2018, 03:18:50 PM
I think on some of the more delicate grips like Mother Of Pearl, they include O-Rings so as to keep people from over tightening them and causing them to crack. Especially on the thinner models. If the grips are fit and correctly spaced to the bushings, they won't slide around. So it doesn't take much tension to hold them in place. 
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: Big Frank on January 07, 2018, 03:39:33 PM
I think on some of the more delicate grips like Mother Of Pearl, they include O-Rings so as to keep people from over tightening them and causing them to crack. Especially on the thinner models. If the grips are fit and correctly spaced to the bushings, they won't slide around. So it doesn't take much tension to hold them in place.

That makes sense.
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: jaybet on January 10, 2018, 06:32:20 AM
Speaking to JumboFrank's point on checkered grips, I was concerned that my bbq gun would be hard to hold onto. The grips I got are anodized aluminum with no real relief visible. However when you grip the gun, it becomes evident that the aluminum has a pronounced "tooth" to it's surface.
 It's like micro checkering and I find I shoot it just as well with those grips as with the rubber wrap-around checked grips from Colt.
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: billt on January 10, 2018, 06:39:15 AM
These grips come in both faux Mother Of Pearl, as well as faux Ivory in case someone wants a little less bling. These are both sets of grips.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XBSV5MG/ref=asc_df_B06XBSV5MG5167671?smid=AF4XNJIQB84XG&tag=shopz0d-20&ascsubtag=shopzilla_mp_1233-20;15155878256351695912710070302008005&linkCode=df0&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B06XBSV5MG

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU0H6YS/ref=asc_df_B01MU0H6YS5213845?smid=AF4XNJIQB84XG&tag=shopz0d-20&ascsubtag=shopzilla_mp_1233-20;15155879156511089795810080301008005&linkCode=df0&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B01MU0H6YS
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: Big Frank on January 10, 2018, 03:19:11 PM
Speaking to JumboFrank's point on checkered grips, I was concerned that my bbq gun would be hard to hold onto. The grips I got are anodized aluminum with no real relief visible. However when you grip the gun, it becomes evident that the aluminum has a pronounced "tooth" to it's surface.
 It's like micro checkering and I find I shoot it just as well with those grips as with the rubber wrap-around checked grips from Colt.

When I click on the picture to see it full size it looks like there's some texture to it.

To get a better grip I use anti-slip tape made for stairways on the front strap of most of my pistols. I buy it by the roll in 2" width at Lowe's or Home Depot. It's basically self-adhesive coarse sandpaper, about 60 grit I'd say. It works great but I wouldn't want to use it for a long session at the range. The textured plastic surface tape would be much better for that.

http://www.surefootcorp.com/index.php/skid-guard/

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Safety-Walk-Slip-Resistant-Medium-Resilient-Tapes-and-Treads-310/?N=5002385+8709314+3293717112&rt=rud
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: jaybet on January 11, 2018, 09:57:07 AM
When I click on the picture to see it full size it looks like there's some texture to it.

To get a better grip I use anti-slip tape made for stairways on the front strap of most of my pistols. I buy it by the roll in 2" width at Lowe's or Home Depot. It's basically self-adhesive coarse sandpaper, about 60 grit I'd say. It works great but I wouldn't want to use it for a long session at the range. The textured plastic surface tape would be much better for that.

http://www.surefootcorp.com/index.php/skid-guard/

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Safety-Walk-Slip-Resistant-Medium-Resilient-Tapes-and-Treads-310/?N=5002385+8709314+3293717112&rt=rud

I know a guy that buys Talon grips for all of his handguns...they're basically fitted skateboard tape to put on your gun. I like the feel, but like you said, a long range session would leave you with a few less layers of skin.
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: Big Frank on January 11, 2018, 04:10:50 PM
I know a guy that buys Talon grips for all of his handguns...they're basically fitted skateboard tape to put on your gun. I like the feel, but like you said, a long range session would leave you with a few less layers of skin.

I've seen the Talon Grips advertised but not handled them. I just took a look at what they have for 1911s and you have a choice of Granulate or Rubber for $4.99 for just the front strap piece. You could get a lot of those from a roll of tape. Moss color rubber is $1.00 more. The great thing about using tape on a 1911 is you can just remove the grips, cut the tape to the desired length, apply it to the frame, and put the grips back on. If it's not exactly centered it doesn't make any difference. The grips will cover it. If I ever run out of the gritty tape I'll buy a roll of the rubber/plastic kind.

My bedroom gun could use a new piece of tape. I have a semi-auto in an old CO2 revolver holster attached to the bedpost. My pistol drops right in but the little part that should go around the revolver's trigger guard is on the left instead of the right side. It wore a small hole through the tape. It still works great but it doesn't look perfect.
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: PegLeg45 on January 11, 2018, 08:09:04 PM

To get a better grip I use anti-slip tape made for stairways on the front strap of most of my pistols. I buy it by the roll in 2" width at Lowe's or Home Depot. It's basically self-adhesive coarse sandpaper, about 60 grit I'd say. It works great but I wouldn't want to use it for a long session at the range. The textured plastic surface tape would be much better for that.

http://www.surefootcorp.com/index.php/skid-guard/

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Safety-Walk-Slip-Resistant-Medium-Resilient-Tapes-and-Treads-310/?N=5002385+8709314+3293717112&rt=rud

That's what I've been doing for 20 years on my Commander...... I bought the large sheet for a stair tread and still have 75% of the first one. It takes a lot of use to wear through the grit, even with daily handling.
That is what is on the front-strap in the pic below. It looks fairly un-worn, so it was probably a new piece I'd just put on when the pic was taken.
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: Big Frank on January 11, 2018, 10:29:18 PM
That's what I've been doing for 20 years on my Commander...... I bought the large sheet for a stair tread and still have 75% of the first one. It takes a lot of use to wear through the grit, even with daily handling.
That is what is on the front-strap in the pic below. It looks fairly un-worn, so it was probably a new piece I'd just put on when the pic was taken.

Nice pic. That grit looks brand new and possibly even coarser than mine. My fingers have worn the grit down a little, and it's done the same to my fingers. Mine is a lot less gritty now. I seriously thought about buying the large stair tread pieces too but I'm glad I got the roll of tape instead. It works great on my double-wide Para .45s. I used it on the fore end of my Mech-Tech too but it didn't stick very good and I peeled it off.

I bought strips of grip tape that I believe were 3/4"x12" and put them on the tailgate of my pickup. Before I put it on there I was doing something in the back of my truck that has a cap on it so I have to crawl around. It was a hot summer day and my hands were sweaty. When my hands hit the tailgate they both shot out from under me and I flew out like Superman! Too bad I didn't stick the landing.  :'(  I bought 2(?) packages of the pre-cut tape and put 1 and 1/2 strips end to end on each of the raised ribs of the tailgate. I haven't flown since. I guess I should have started a grip tape thread instead of hijacking this one.

ETA: I took another look at your pic and see that the top of your tape is a fraction of an inch higher than mine. It doesn't like to curve one way around the front strap and a different direction toward the trigger guard at the same time.
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: PegLeg45 on January 13, 2018, 06:11:00 PM
The type I have has some flex to it, not much, but just enough to mold it to the curves. I bought it at Lowes years ago. The tape in the photo has been worn down significantly since the pic was taken and needs replacing again.
Title: Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
Post by: AmberDawn on January 22, 2018, 12:44:38 PM
Very Nice!!