1911 VZ Grips: The Easiest Upgrade to Your 1911
Major Pandemic 01.27.14
1911s are the guy’s version of playing barbies. We take a perfectly normal 1911 and then we start swapping out and upgrading parts. I had actually spent the better part of a night swapping between various sets of VZ Grips on my Ruger SR1911 and Springfield Range Master when my wife asked if I enjoyed playing gun barbies – sadly, yes I do.
So far, my Ruger SR1911 and Springfield Range Master 1911s have been a blast to shoot, but they’ve been even more fun to customize. The Smith & Alexander Mag Funnel replaced my stock back strap on my SR1911, but I moved it over to my Range Master to make sure I liked it before picking up another. The S&A funnel greatly improved reload speeds and dressed up the 1911, but though it’s an easy upgrade, a Magwell funnel can be a bit intimidating.
Grips, on the other hand, are an easy custom touch for any 1911 owner. New grips can give your gun huge improvements in grip, comfort, and looks, all by just removing and replacing four screws. When it comes to 1911 grips, no other company offers the variety of 1911 grips like VZ Grips, and the kicker is that they are some of the most reasonably priced grips on the market.
About VC Grips
VZ Grips was founded in 2003 with the goal to of producing the finest and most precise laminate grips available for the 1911 anywhere. This precision is accomplished by complete CNC machining of their single and multi-color G10 or Micarta laminates.
Currently, the company has seventeen 1911 grip styles with four different base/butt profiles, two additional mag release indents, three different grip widths from standard to slim, and numerous materials. There are literally thousands of combinations to create your own custom 1911.
Fit, Feel, Finish, Features and Functions
I ordered a set of slim Black Frag Grips, Operator II in Predator Green, and Black and Grey Aliens with the intent of playing around to figure out which one I liked best on my 1911s. Sadly, I will also probably swap them around more than you would think. Each grip fit perfectly, was gap free, and dramatically increased the grip and comfort over the standard stock grips on the Ruger and Springfield. I do not have large monkey paws, so the slim grips made both my 1911s worlds more comfortable for me and greatly improved handling.
All the grips I selected were slim profile, but the Frag grips were considerably slimmer than any of the others and seemed to find a home on my SR1911. The VZ Grips Operator II and Aliens definitely have a much more aggressive biting texture and locked onto my hand, which is perfect for a competition focused 1911 like the the Springfield Range Master.
VZ Grips has a near limitless number of solid and layered colored micarta and G10 to choose from. As you can see, the solid colored, black Frag grips take on VZ’s grip design, but the layered colors on the Aliens and Operator II show the color variation like you would see on any laminated stock. It is an incredible look.
VZ Grips also has a full line of bushings and grip screws ranging from simple to intricate to complete your very own look. Don’t forget that if you’re installing slim grips, then you’ll also need short grips screws and short grip screw bushings. Otherwise your grips may not mount correctly. I picked up the DPL and SLEX and a couple sets of VZ’s universal bushings to make the build simple and to add the extra custom touch.
Final Thoughts
The wife may say I am playing barbies with my 1911s, however it was a blast to see the transformation from stock to a custom looking 1911 just with a grip and grip screw swap. For those with hands smaller than your average ape, a set of slim grips greatly improves handling and comfort. VZ Grips adds the custom touch and improves shootability, all while looking un-freaking-believably cool for well under $100. This is indeed one of the best upgrades I have made to my 1911s.
Specs
- Slim Black Frag Grips – $65
- Slim Operator II in Predator Green – $65
- Slim Black and Grey Aliens – $65
- 1911 Universal Bushing and Hex Screw Kit – $16.00
- 1911 Slex Screws – $12
- 1911 DPL Stainless Screws – $19
