Author Topic: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips  (Read 4674 times)

billt

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I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« on: January 07, 2018, 05:17:14 AM »




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.




jaybet

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #1 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!
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billt

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2018, 11:42:00 AM »
Very nice!

Big Frank

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #3 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
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

billt

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #4 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. 

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #5 on: Today at 02:24:35 AM »

Big Frank

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #5 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.
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

jaybet

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #6 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.
I got the blues as my companion.

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Big Frank

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #8 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
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

jaybet

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Re: I Jazzed Up My R.I.A. With Some New Grips
« Reply #9 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.
I got the blues as my companion.

www.bluebone.net

 

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