Since the dawn of firearms, we have been taking guns that are considered “production” or “OEM” and turning into something more. Whether it’s an enhanced bolt to make it perform better or a paintjob to make it easily identifiable as your own, there are tons of ways to change up your firearms to fashion them into just exactly what you want them to be.
One easy way to spruce up your gun on both sides is to swap out your pistol grip. Not only can a new pistol grip change the look of that new gun, but it can also help hold it more securely and fire it more comfortably. Looking for a grip with a palm rest for your target rifle? Maybe you need something with more forward angle to shoot comfortably with a rubberized coating. No matter your requirement, one of these grips should get you hearing angel harps when you pick up your firearm.
The first grip on my list is not only on a couple of my personal guns, but it also has by far the coolest name of any of the grips on my list. Since I was a kid, the GI Joe “Kung Fu Grip” has been synonymous with hardcore awesomeness. Naturally when I heard about them, I had to give them a shout. The crew over at Die Free Co. sent me the entire lineup and I couldn’t have been more excited. I was blown away as soon as I opened the box and saw the packaging for these grips. Normally I don’t even mention this because it ends up in the garbage, but I feel like this nod to classic Kung Fu movies and culture deserves some praise. After I was done admiring the wrapper, I tore one open to see if the grip was as good as the pictures.
Much to my delight, the Kung Fu Grip was a great looking grip. The forward angle is slightly increased over the standard A-2 grip we all know and love, so using it with your stock collapsed is much more comfortable. Another application was on an AR pistol, which is the road I took. The DoubleStar Strongarm Pistol Brace is billet and solid, but not collapsible so when I hug up close, the standard A-2 grip angle binds my wrist. The Kung Fu Grip felt great behind that carbine length tube. The texture they use is a unique variation of patterns that keeps slipping to a minimum. They aren’t excessively long, so CQB applications are natural, and they have a great finger groove cut for the perfect, repeatable grip.
Die Free Co recently released a forward grip and a plug to go along with the Kung Fu Grip. They have 4 colors available and are ready to ship now. Keep your eyes on these guys. They have some great vibes coming out of their shop.
Next up on the list is a company I have known well for the last 20 years or so. Ergo was one of the first companies to go all in on a comfortable line of pistol grips for AR15s back when there was none. Fast forward to today and ERGO makes a ton of great accessories for everyone’s favorite rifles. I use one of their standard SureGrip ambi grips on my 3Gun rifle to this day, but I have built hundreds of target rifles using their Pistol Grip with Palm Shelf. Warning, this grip is not for tiny, small, lightweight builds. This is like sticking your hand in your favorite recliner and cracking a cold one on a Sunday afternoon. There is a defined thumb shelf as well as a palm rest that is adjustable so that it fits your hand perfectly. When shooting from a bench, the palm rest adds added stability to your shots, giving that bull barrel every chance at putting that round through that first hole.
Another very well-established company producing very comfortable grips is Hogue. Hogue was among the first to rubberize their grips, making them harder to drop. They also use pronounced finger grooves in flagship grip. Hogue has now grown into a power player in the industry, making grips, handguards, and knives for companies across the globe. This has allowed them to grow their pistol grip line to include new materials, profiles, and colors. Optics Planet has a full selection available at great prices. Click that link!
One couldn’t make a list of AR grips without including the Magpul MOE. Introduced at a time when the customizing AR15 craze was growing larger by the day, Magpul harnessed the energy of the sun and soon almost every gun you saw on TV, in the movies, or on the rack were wearing some piece of their gear. The MOE product line features some variations on their other products, but at a fraction of the cost. Their style is cosmetically pleasing, and their parts are durable! The grips are very comfortable and even allow for some storage. Nowadays they have added a full apparel lineup as well as customizable case foam, DAKA pouches, and more. Be sure to consider them, especially if you have to build a large number of rifles!
VZ Grips is better known for their huge line of pistol accessories but couldn’t resist the urge to introduce some of their G10 goodness to the world of the black rifle. Their Hydra Grip is their most aggressive offering making it perfect for shooters who use gloves. Another benefit is the ability to match textures with other guns that VZ makes grips for. Using a 1911 with a VZ grip? Find the one that matches yours and you’ll have a familiar feeling anytime you’re going hot. Check out their huge lineup to find the one that’s perfect for your application.
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