# New Grips for my R1



## Craigh (Jul 29, 2016)

I want to get new grips for my Remington R1 Enhanced. Actually, the grips on it are excellent and not that bad looking. They are some kind of wood laminate with synthetic material but are the more expensive top step for the R1 and part of the "enhanced" package. I still want something different, just to add to my own look. The finish of the gun is Nitron black and the current grips are quite dark. I want something contrasty in a lighter color all wood. A local gun store has a set of really nice Hogue Cocobolo checkered grips, but it has the ambi cut on the back. The other Cocobolo grips they have which don't have the cut are not as pretty by a long shot. Furthermore, I hate ambi safeties on a 1911 for me who is very right handed. I am comfortable using the left safety when shooting weak hand and the ambi just hits my hand wrong. 

I was looking at the gun again a few minutes ago, wondering to myself why I needed new grips when those on it looked so good. Then I noticed something I'd not seen before, a little shadow at the upper edge of the right panel. With close inspection, I can now tell, these are ambi cut grips on the gun. It just is not as noticeable as I thought it would be. 

So, my question to all who may have done this. Has anyone put ambi cut grips on a 1911 that did not have an ambidextrous safety? Did you find it noticeable or annoying in any way? I'm wondering if mine is the case with most or an outlier.


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## Lefthandgun (Oct 21, 2017)

I bought a blued Remington R1 commander mil-spec last week from GunBroker.com. It arrived fresh in the box, with packing grease and papers. Yes it has ambi-cut grips fresh from the factory. You could go on E-Bay. Type in 1911 grips. There are several styles and colors, as well as buffalo bone. Most of them are listing below $35. Not a bad price for the custom look you are going for. I am going for the buffalo bone myself. Great looking set. I had to ask seller if they were mag-well cut, because I added the Wilson Combat mag-well. Haven't heard back from them yet. But there are some more there I know will fit. BTW if you are looking for a new to you gun, Gunbroker.com is a real deal. Got my R1 for total of $453. that's cost,shipping,and transfer fee from my FFl dealer. I also got a Bennelli 12ga pump brand new in box for $175. the deals are there, just have to look. I have nothing better to do in my forced retirement life. I am house broken for a while. Best of luck to you. Youtube has a couple of videos for the R1.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Two of my 1911s have ambidextrous safeties, and one of them doesn't. The one which doesn't is not cut for the ambidextrous safety.
Therefore, I can't answer your question.

But I would like to recommend a search of the web for grip makers. Some of the choices are lovely, and many are not expensive.
• My Colt 1903/1908 .380 has "ivory" grips, made of ivory powder and polymer, each with its Colt medallion. The effect is quite beautiful. I believe that these grips cost about $40.00, but I am not at all certain of that price.
• You can get grips made of opaque Corian counter-top material that are very nice indeed. My shortie has grips made from the leftover material from our own (acrylic) kitchen-counter-top installation. They're a mixture of flakes of red and black, with copper metallic flakes, in a translucent dark orange matrix.
• Our Star PD has curly maple grips which I made myself, back when I was still doing leather work. Thin slabs of curly maple are easy to find online, the wood works easily (even though it's quite hard), and it smells delicious when you sand it.
• Our two big 1911s have buffalo horn grips, which I made about 40 years ago from pressed-flat horn slabs. They're predominately black on one gun, and translucent gray-and-white on the other. Horn is beautiful, and easy to work, but smells bad when sanded. You would need a filter respirator against the dust.

Would you like a few website links?


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

With the black finish I would recommend a set of either sterling silver or pewter grips. They would definitely contrast the black and personalize your gun to you. forget the cut for ambi safety because you said you don't have it.


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