[JM]

This morning I went to the range, and discovered both my primary and backup guns were not functioning properly.

My newly installed Navidex micarta slim grips shifted during recoil and blocked the magazine catch. The magazine wouldn't eject.

Brownell's informed me the grips had not been properly recessed for the AFS slim line screws, and the grips needed to be returned. In fact, Brownell's has stopped selling the grips due to this problem.

Then the cases from my 158 gr LSWCHP +p carry loads wouldn't fall free from my back up .38's cylinder. The cases had to be pulled out by hand. This hadn't ever occured before with this load. I am not sure why they wouldn't eject properly. My 158 gr JHP handloads ejected fine. The cylinder was clean before firing the loads.

This was particularly disturbing because last night I was stuck in a very bad part of Indianapolis carrying these weapons.

Check and test your carry ammo and weapons often, especially when you add even minor accessories.

 

[Guest]

It seems we can never be reminded of this age old advice and we can all benefit from an "easy" reminder rather than learning the "hard" way.

Great post and I believe it is advice that goes unheeded far too often, I lost count some years back of the number of times I have watched experienced shooters, even well trained LEOs swap in some new ammo fresh off of the stores shelf into their chosen carry gun without first testing it.

 

[Mark Garrity]

This is the very reason my department only shoots it's issued carried ammo for training and qualification. I know of other departments that issue a JHP and train with FMJ, and I am totally against this practice.
We had a problem with our duty ammo several years back, and may not have realised it until the worst possible instance if we didn't train and shoot with it regularly.
It's your life we're talking about here; shoot what you carry!
Safe shooting,
Mark Garrity

 

[Ned Christiansen]

JM, reading your post this AM was interesting because on the docket today was installing this same setup on a project in the shop. Indeed I had the the same situation, but I interpreted it more as that the screws and bushings were wrong for the grips. The grips were counterbored for a standard-diameter screw head. I'll chekc the catalog tomorrow for specs on the other available slim-down bushing/screw sets, if none are compatible it looks like standard screws shortened, and standard bushings shortened and re-slotted will work. The grips are pretty nice and slim is an understatement.

 

[JM]

Ned,

The grips are great. Mike in the Tech dept at Brownell's told me that Navidex was redesigning the grips to accommodate the Slim-Tech screws.

I should have known better than use the grips because the screws were not flush when fully seated. I ordered some AFS Slim-Tech micarta grips from Heinie as replacements.

 

[Rosco Benson]

JM,
I would be interested in your opinion of the AFS Micarta stocks from Heinie, as compared to the slim Navidrex units (screws & bushings aside). I have a set of Heinie's AFS stocks and they are superbly made. I also have a set of full-thickness Navidrex Micarta stocks which, in comparison, are downright crude. A friend has a set of Navidrex's thin Micarta P-35 stocks and they sort of split the difference...being nicer than the Navidrex full-thickness 1911 stocks, but not nearly as nicely made as the AFS Micarta thin stocks.

I realize that any comparisons as to appearance will be subjective, but once you have the Heinie AFS units in hand, let us know what you think.

Rosco

 

[JM]

Rosco,

I'll post a comparison review once the Big Brown Truck comes by.

Regards

 

[JM]

I finally received my AFS micarta grips. In comparison with the Navidex micarta slim grips, the AFS grips have a glossy finish and a border around the grips. The AFS appear almost cheaply toy like. The Navidex have a bead blasted finish.

The AFS grips cover less of the grip area whereas the Navidex cover the same amount of grip as the standard 1911 grips. The checkering of both grips is sharp, but not uncomfortably so.

Both grips totally change the feel of the pistol. All gripping pressure is applied on the front and rear of the grip.

I noticed no difference in feel bewteen the grips when shooting.

Performance wise both grips are about the same. I prefer the appearance of the Navidex grips, and I will probably bead blast the AFS grips to remove the glossy finish. Also, the AFS grips required the edges to be dressed with fine sand paper. The Navidex grips did not require this.

_________________
"Good results often reinforce bad techniques." - John Farnam

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: JM on 2001-09-01 07:20 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: JM on 2001-09-01 23:25 ]</font>

 

[Ned Christiansen]

I did find that just shortening standard screws and bushings worked fine. Still found it a good idea to increase the clearance around the mag catch, the grip was almost overlapping it, and I also put in a little relief so the sear pin could be removed without removing the grips.

I really fell in love with the feel these grips give. Except for the above fine tuning which was no big deal (and the fact that the screws were wrong), the quality seems excellent. Hopefully Carbon Creations will come out with slim grips, as I like the looks of them a little more, but the Navs look extremely business-like.

Every other 1911 I've handled since seems... plump!