Biggest 1911 Grip

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luckey

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Hi, I am wondering if there is any 1911 grip bigger than this Hogue Rubber Grip? http://www.amazon.ca/Hogue-Rubber-Govt-Finger-Grooves/dp/B001QVYT72/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445224664&sr=8-1&keywords=1911+hogue+grip

I use it to replaced the original wood grip on my SR1911 because the wood is too thin. With the Hogue grip, it fits much better for my hands, but still not wide enough to free my thumb from touching the bottom of the safety. If a grip with fatter profile, I can grip it really tight without hitting the safety and worry that I accidently move the safety between the shots(maybe just psychological :p, but still...). thanks
 
I've got bigger hands too and no, it doesn't get better as our hands become bigger. It actually gets worse. In fact I was like "I KNEW IT WASN'T JUST ME! ! ! " when Hickock45 reported the same thing on one of his 1911 videos.

What happens when we folks with big hands shoot a 1911 is that with our thumb on top of the now popular oversize safties is that it lifts the palm along the back strap out of contact and that does two bad things. First off it reduces our grip on the back strap and control of the gun during recoil. Second it reduces our pressure on the grip safety to the point where the gun can go safe when trying to take a shot. And of course you can't lay it under because that keeps kicking the safety on. And if we ride the side then it pushes our thumb out of place and worries a blister into the side of the knuckle after a long day of shooting.

In my case I found that I like a slightly fatter but otherwise normal grip scales on the sides with no wrap around. Then I switch or modify the safety for the old small bump military style. The smaller rounded bump lays easily in the fleshy part of my thumb just behind the middle knuckle and the gun lays in my grip with great comfort. Yet when wanted it's easy to operate. And another benefit is if used in matches where you draw the cocked and locked gun from a holster it's far more difficult to accidentally disengage the safety before you intend. Something that I found is all to easy to occur with the big canoe paddle like safeties that are so popular now.

If you can find a GI style gun with the small safety in a store try it out and see if you're not in the same boat as I am. And then join the "NO" movement away from oversize controls that simply get in the way far too often. I'm not just a customer, I'm also the President.... :d
 
If they are shooting with guns that have the small GI style safeties they would be fine. If they are using the big canoe paddle safeties I'd suggest that they don't know what they are missing.

I guess I started out with an advantage since my first 1911 was and still does have GI style controls. It fits me wonderfully. So when I got to shoot one with the big controls it was a rude awakening. I felt like I had no where to park either of my thumbs without fouling either the safety or the slide lock. Then add to that the issue with my thumb over top of the big balcony sized safety levering the heel of my hand off the grip safety and it was a WTF moment until I realized what a load of crap the oversize controls really are.

I'd comment more in clearer language on my feelings of oversize controls but you'll just end up reading a whole lot of *'s.... :d
 
I cannot do that physically due to my hand size in relation to the horizontally stand out safety pad on my SR1911. Just to give an idea. I use standard M size grip on glock 22 and large on MP40.
when holding SR1911 in standard two-hand grip, the safety pad is right in the middle(veritically) of the first knuckle of my thumb. My thumb is not long enough to go above the safety pad to ride it, and it will create a big gap between my two hands and thus I cannot hold the gun stably.

misanthropist said:
Yeah, thumb goes above the safety on a 1911. Keeps the safety pinned down and the grip high.
Click to expand...
 
I think this would be my situation as well. as replied to another post, the safety pad is a little too wide horizontally and pushes right on the first knuckle of my thumb. so, either I get a fatter grip, or a narrower safety pad which I didn't thought of and maybe a better idea than changing the grip again as I do like the current hogue grip as not only it fits my hands well, cheap and it's rubber that I can wash with the liquid gun washing machine in my club(love that machine as it saves ton of cleaning time).
Any idea anywhere has a narrower safety pad that can be installed on a SR1911? thanks.

BCRider said:
I've got bigger hands too and no, it doesn't get better as our hands become bigger. It actually gets worse. In fact I was like "I KNEW IT WASN'T JUST ME! ! ! " when Hickock45 reported the same thing on one of his 1911 videos.

What happens when we folks with big hands shoot a 1911 is that with our thumb on top of the now popular oversize safties is that it lifts the palm along the back strap out of contact and that does two bad things. First off it reduces our grip on the back strap and control of the gun during recoil. Second it reduces our pressure on the grip safety to the point where the gun can go safe when trying to take a shot. And of course you can't lay it under because that keeps kicking the safety on. And if we ride the side then it pushes our thumb out of place and worries a blister into the side of the knuckle after a long day of shooting.

In my case I found that I like a slightly fatter but otherwise normal grip scales on the sides with no wrap around. Then I switch or modify the safety for the old small bump military style. The smaller rounded bump lays easily in the fleshy part of my thumb just behind the middle knuckle and the gun lays in my grip with great comfort. Yet when wanted it's easy to operate. And another benefit is if used in matches where you draw the cocked and locked gun from a holster it's far more difficult to accidentally disengage the safety before you intend. Something that I found is all to easy to occur with the big canoe paddle like safeties that are so popular now.

If you can find a GI style gun with the small safety in a store try it out and see if you're not in the same boat as I am. And then join the "NO" movement away from oversize controls that simply get in the way far too often. I'm not just a customer, I'm also the President.... :d
Click to expand...
 
I'd start by simply asking the local gun shops in your area to see if they have a GI safety. If they don't they'll know which store or gunsmith does have them. Or they can order one in.

When I've needed parts for my guns my main 'smith and supplier is Rusty Wood Trading. But one of the ranges I shoot at a lot is about 5 minutes way from his shop so that's a natural option for me. I'm sure if you ask around a little you'll find something similar in your area.


Or you could do what I did on the "canoe paddle" on my Remington R1. I cut down the safety and then rounded the edges to match the shape of my other 1911 that has the small GI version. A hacksaw, some filing and then smoothing it with some 400 wetordry silicon carbide sandpaper and a bit of touch up cold blue and I had my GI safety for essentially free.

The thumb safety is also a part which typically needs a bit of hand fitting to make it work correctly. And in fact not a whole lot of stuff is a sure fire drop in fit in any 1911. It's a design which relied on hand fitting or hand selecting parts within a range of acceptable tolerance values. And the thumb safety is the one at the end of the train of parts that relies on all the rest ahead of it. So if you swap safeties and it works count yourself lucky. So being able to use the safety which is already tuned to the parts in the action is a plus for the idea of reshaping the one you have.
 
thanks BCRider. I always got good advices from you. Yes, about the hand fitting, I did watch lots of YouTube videos after I got the idea from you. It's some work, but I think I can manage it, but I think it's better approach to trim down the existing one on the outside, rather than get a new safety installed myself with the implication you mentioned. Will have to sleep on it and see what to do.

BCRider said:
I'd start by simply asking the local gun shops in your area to see if they have a GI safety. If they don't they'll know which store or gunsmith does have them. Or they can order one in.

When I've needed parts for my guns my main 'smith and supplier is Rusty Wood Trading. But one of the ranges I shoot at a lot is about 5 minutes way from his shop so that's a natural option for me. I'm sure if you ask around a little you'll find something similar in your area.


Or you could do what I did on the "canoe paddle" on my Remington R1. I cut down the safety and then rounded the edges to match the shape of my other 1911 that has the small GI version. A hacksaw, some filing and then smoothing it with some 400 wetordry silicon carbide sandpaper and a bit of touch up cold blue and I had my GI safety for essentially free.

The thumb safety is also a part which typically needs a bit of hand fitting to make it work correctly. And in fact not a whole lot of stuff is a sure fire drop in fit in any 1911. It's a design which relied on hand fitting or hand selecting parts within a range of acceptable tolerance values. And the thumb safety is the one at the end of the train of parts that relies on all the rest ahead of it. So if you swap safeties and it works count yourself lucky. So being able to use the safety which is already tuned to the parts in the action is a plus for the idea of reshaping the one you have.
Click to expand...
 
If you decide to run with modifying the existing safety I can take measurements and pictures of the GI size one I've got. In fact I'll be cutting down the "canoe paddle" on my recently acquired STI Ranger II. This could end up being a How To thread with pictures with circles and arrows!



An E-beer to the first to say where that reference comes from.... :d
 
that would be great. I was going to take the dummy approach and use a small file to file it bit-by-bit until it feels right. :p
if have a size reference, it would definitely save tons of time. thanks again!

BCRider said:
If you decide to run with modifying the existing safety I can take measurements and pictures of the GI size one I've got. In fact I'll be cutting down the "canoe paddle" on my recently acquired STI Ranger II. This could end up being a How To thread with pictures with circles and arrows!

An E-beer to the first to say where that reference comes from.... :d
Click to expand...
 
Searching for 1911 grips, I came across a few posts similar to this, and yes, I know the thread is old, but as a large handed fellow, I wanted to add a little. I have quite large hands and am new to 1911s. I learned about the safety hold here on CGN and it works great for me - specifically because I have the large paddle safety to rest my thumb on (a Remington R1 and a Citadel ambi safety). I have no issues with the grip safety or palm swell not making contact with the back of the pistol, my thumb surpasses the safety with a firm grip. I guess some people's large isn;t the same as another's ;)

BCRider said:
I've got bigger hands too and no, it doesn't get better as our hands become bigger. It actually gets worse. In fact I was like "I KNEW IT WASN'T JUST ME! ! ! " when Hickock45 reported the same thing on one of his 1911 videos.

What happens when we folks with big hands shoot a 1911 is that with our thumb on top of the now popular oversize safties is that it lifts the palm along the back strap out of contact and that does two bad things. First off it reduces our grip on the back strap and control of the gun during recoil. Second it reduces our pressure on the grip safety to the point where the gun can go safe when trying to take a shot. And of course you can't lay it under because that keeps kicking the safety on. And if we ride the side then it pushes our thumb out of place and worries a blister into the side of the knuckle after a long day of shooting.

In my case I found that I like a slightly fatter but otherwise normal grip scales on the sides with no wrap around. Then I switch or modify the safety for the old small bump military style. The smaller rounded bump lays easily in the fleshy part of my thumb just behind the middle knuckle and the gun lays in my grip with great comfort. Yet when wanted it's easy to operate. And another benefit is if used in matches where you draw the cocked and locked gun from a holster it's far more difficult to accidentally disengage the safety before you intend. Something that I found is all to easy to occur with the big canoe paddle like safeties that are so popular now.

If you can find a GI style gun with the small safety in a store try it out and see if you're not in the same boat as I am. And then join the "NO" movement away from oversize controls that simply get in the way far too often. I'm not just a customer, I'm also the President.... :d
Click to expand...
 
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