Grips

[Jody Waring]

Hey Guys. I've used the factory Shadow rubber grips, CZ plastic ones, thin aluminum, thick aluminum etc....With my shadow, I just don't get a good grip on the gun with the aluminum panels, but do with the rubber ones. What are my best options for aftermarket grips with a similar profile, but have some texturing that add some "traction"? I am in Canada as well, so shipping may be an issue. Thanks for your input. Cheers!

[Andreas]

I like the VZ Diamond Back grips—seriously aggressive.

[niroth81]

I liked the shape of the aluminium grips, but like you I found they lacked traction. I milled these cheap ebay Al grips down and used epoxy to cover them with silicon carbide. It's cheap and easy and provides a lot of grip. You could shape some Al grips with a file to give you that thumb groove that the rubber grips have before coating.

For what it's worth, I cleared this with Vince Pinto in regards to being production legal for IPSC.

For off the shelf I think the aggressive Al grips from CZ or any of the VZ are a great option.

[ogiebb]

I like the CZ UB Grips , grippy enough for my taste and looks great as well

[Nimitz]

Hmmmm .... I'm certainly not part of the Rules committee but I didn't think it was legal in Production to alter the outside appearance of the gun or change the profile in any manner unless it was purely cosmetic ...? Reshapng a set of OEM (?)aluminum grips and then adding texture via epoxy seems to fly in the face of this ...? Given how many people 'complain' about the profile of CZ grips I would have thought everyone would be doing this if it was legal .... I certainly would ....

[Nimitz]

Has this gun passed muster at a level II or III event?

[Nimitz]

Sorry, just noticed you live in Australia so you probably haven't shot any USPSA matches .... ...... iPSC legal?

[steel1212]

Its grips. You can do what you want to them. I mean there isn't a grips list of who's grips are legal and whos aren't.

[Nimitz]

Can you point to a specific rule where it says it's legal to do this? Or a published ruling from the rules committee allowing it? I'd love to make a set of custom grips that fit my hands exactly for my Shadow ....

[alma]

VZs are nice. I use the thick aluminum on my competition gun but I have to pretty much cover the left grip in grip tape to be effective. The small area that is covered stock is just inadequate.

[alma]

Can you point to a specific rule where it says it's legal to do this? Or a published ruling from the rules committee allowing it? I'd love to make a set of custom grips that fit my hands exactly for my Shadow ....

D4 "Replacement grip panels are allowed provided they do not extend below the butt of the gun to form a make-shift magwell."

Edited May 19, 2014 by alma

[niroth81]

Yep. Appendix D4 of IPSC Rulebook 2012. section 17.3:

17.3 Aftermarket grip panels which match the profile and contours of the OFM standard or optional grip panels for the approved handgun and/or the application of tape on grips (see Appendix E3) are permitted.However, rubber sleeves are prohibited.

These are treated as aftermarket grip panels. No different to VZ grips.

Also, this gun has passed inspection at Level III match.

Edited May 19, 2014 by niroth81

[basman]

I started with the Thin aluminum completely covered in Skateboard tape. then went to the VZ's which are the same thickness as the thin Aluminum.

[Magsz]

I started with the Thin aluminum completely covered in Skateboard tape. then went to the VZ's which are the same thickness as the thin Aluminum.

I think the VZ's are marginally thicker than the thin aluminum grips.

[Calishooter]

I'm going to try the VZ grip, I heard a lot of good review about this grip.

[hiker88]

I had thin aluminum grips and added skateboard tape trying to get a better grip. Just this weekend, I went back to the original rubber grips as it felt better and more stable when shooting for me.

[dwr461]

I've used the thin aluminum grips with tape for years on my CZ75BSA for L10 division. I recently switched to production division and am using a SP01 now. I decided to use Hogue Extreme Aluminum grips for the SP01 And like them so far. They have a less square felling grip than the thin aluminum but are still thin enough for me use the trigger well. I do have small to medium sized hands.

Dave

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Nimitz]

Ok, but I noticed you quoted the IPSC rule book ... I need to check the USPSA rule book. I have a set of the VZ and while the checking in nice and aggressive , they are thin. I got a set of the thick Al grips which are better but the profile is not as good since they are flat. I recently switched to the basic rubber ones and those are more contoured with somewhat of a palm swell in them. Not perfect but better.

So if you're allowed to build up the grips with machining or adding material to custom fit your exact hand how come I don't see lots of folks doing this?

[niroth81]

I didn't say you could fully customize the grips. What I said was what you could scallop out the thumb groove the Al grips before applying the silicon carbide to match the profile of the original rubber grips. I'm not talking about building or fully customizing the grips, simply making the Al ones more accurately replicate the form of the original grips.

You'll notice that the grips in that image are not built up in any way. The epoxy and sil carbide creates an approx 1mm layer of "grip", and the material I removed from the Al grip panels, was to compensate for that. If you were to model the rubber grips and mill a set of duplicates out of Al (minus 1mm), and apply the Sil carbide, that would pass (according to the IPSC 2012 rule book). Whether the range master would pass them without querying them is a different issue.

[justaute]

Simple.

Appendix D4 (Production Division) #21.4:

• For semi-automatic Production guns, grip tape, grip sleeves, checkering, stippling or other texture may only be applied in the areas shown in appendix E4. Glue and grit is considered the same as stippling.

• Replacement grip panels are allowed provided they do not extend below the butt of the gun to form a make-shift magwell.

• Revolver grips may be replaced with OFM or aftermarket grips of any shape, profile and surface texture.

Special Notes/Clarifications:

• See 22.2, below, for specifics with regard to

modifications on revolver grips.

[alma]

Ok, but I noticed you quoted the IPSC rule book ... I need to check the USPSA rule book. I have a set of the VZ and while the checking in nice and aggressive , they are thin. I got a set of the thick Al grips which are better but the profile is not as good since they are flat. I recently switched to the basic rubber ones and those are more contoured with somewhat of a palm swell in them. Not perfect but better.

So if you're allowed to build up the grips with machining or adding material to custom fit your exact hand how come I don't see lots of folks doing this?

But I quoted the USPSA rule book.

[Nimitz]

fair enough. Sounds like I need to get to work on custom fitting my grips ...

[alma]

Yeah, it's strange since you can't really change the profile of a polymer gun. I don't see any restrictions against replacement grips that significantly change the profile of a gun which accepts hand grips so long as they do not form a makeshift magwell.

[Nimitz]

yep, it was that old Glock thinking still clogging my brain ...

[niroth81]

It's probably worth just noting again that we have quoted both USPSA and IPSC rules here. For the IPSC punters reading this, make sure you understand the limitations that exist in the IPSC rulebook before you go all out customising your grips. Glad we could bring clarity to all. To the OP, let us know when you end up with, always good to have feedback on these kind of items.