Hogue is more or less the industry standard when it comes to rubberized grips. If you’re looking for quality rubber grips for your 1911, odds are Hogue will be one of the few that you’re looking at.
General Features
Made out of durable Hogue Rubber Grip 45000.- Fits the Colt Full Size Auto, including .45, 9mm, .22, .38, 10mm Delta, Spfld Armory.
- Wrap around finger grooves for added grip.
- Resistant to solvents and cleaners.
Hogue rubber grips are excellent for those who want the added performance and comfort of rubber grips without any of the typical problems that are associated with them. As I said above, Hogue has become sort of the industry standard for rubber grips in that if I were to get a new set of them, I wouldn’t really consider any other kind.
The Hogues stand out from the rest for a few reasons. The first is that they are made out of a durable synthetic rubber mold. They are solid rubber, and they aren’t spongy or tacky. This is a common complaint about other rubber grips, especially those with finger grooves, that the rubber is too soft and it melts in your hand instead of providing you with a better grip. I’ve never have this problem with Hogue grips. And even though they are solid rubber, they still provide a softer, more absorbing feel to the recoil than aggressive grips like VZ or Strike.
Another reason I prefer them is that since they are hard, they are resistant to solvents and cleaners. Some of the softer rubber materials will disintegrate when you clean your gun, so you always need to make sure to remove them each time you clean it and set them aside. This doesn’t happen with Hogues because they are harder and more solid.
Shortfalls
If you don’t wash your grips regularly after prolonged use, they tend to get rather slick. I’ve found that this is the only downside to the hardened rubber material Hogue uses. If you shoot a lot and your hands become sweaty at all, this will start to leave your grips slick and you will loose performance. Fortunately, this is an easy fix, as I just make sure to use some soap and water to clean my grips every few times on the range.
I have also heard some complaints that Hogue grips can be difficult to put on your handgun, but I’ve never had that experience.
One more thing about Hogue grips, they don’t add a lot of character to your firearm. They don’t offer the classic look of wood and they don’t look especially modern. They are very functional but can leave your gun looking a little bland.
My Recommendation
As I’ve said a few times, when I’m in the market for rubberized grips, I don’t look too much further than Hogue. I’ve had my Hogue grips for almost ten years and they still look and work just as good as when I bought them. They are easy to clean and can hold up to gun cleaners and they are great to do prolonged shooting with.
Some of the more aggressive grips can really do a number on your hands and a few days of shooting, but I can shoot with the Hogue grips for hours and hours and my hands feel fine.
