Simonich Hi Power Grips...

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Last monday I ordered a set of the Simonich Gunner Grips for the Hi Power and they arrived in the mail today. Some fitting is required, at least in my case.


I opted to put these grips on an older Hi Power. Fitting took about 20 minutes.

When properly on the pistol, fit is not perfect, but neither have been other grips I've tried. Part of this is because of slight dimensional changes between the forged and cast frame pistols. This seems to be primarily in the area of the magazine well.


Here you can see the gaps between the stocks and the frame in the magazine well area. Fit elsewhere is much, much closer.

Grip fit in this area is seldom perfect on the Hi Power in my experience. I have some factory stocks that fit certain guns considerably better than others in this regard and if interested, the link below shows some examples of how some other make stocks fit the Hi Power.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/H...P%20Stocks.htm

I found the grips quite comfortable, which is subjective, but I like them. The grip is the most secure that I've ever experienced on a handgun grip and believe that these would still provide very good "traction" in wet hands.

For a Hi Power that's expected to experience some dings and knocks or to be carried in the rain or in situations where hands can be wet from sweat or blood, these grips might be very well worth considering.

I like mine quite a lot.

Best.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[P95Carry]

Haven't heard of those Steve - yep, pics would be good when you can make em show.

My BHP practical has some Uncle Mike's rubber grip panels on right now which I must say - have served well and feel great.

[Bud White]

I know the grips your talking about bet they look good if ya can get it to post

[srfl]

They look like really nice grips.

I still have the OEM grips on my BHP Mark II....I've been debating getting wood Spegel's on my BHP after a second trip to C&S for work and refinishing....these grips might make me change my mind!

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. To me, the Spegels look nicer and offer a secure grip, but the grip is not as positive as these, at least to me.

Best.

[P95Carry]

They do look nice Steve but have to say - again - those Uncle Mikes on mine are, to me - about as good as it gets

Grips and stuff tho - always a lotta personal pref'.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Very, very true.

Best.

[AutoFan]

I like the way the Spegels feel, but one side of mine cracked. It is repaired, but now I'm worried about the durability of them. I don't carry mine, so I was thinking about going back to the Hogue "rubber" grips, until I heard these were coming out. Stephen, could you give an opinion on the Spegels, Hogues and Simonich grips? I don't carry the BHP, but do shoot it in competition.

Thank you in advance.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. I find the Spegels exceptionally comfortable and the Simonich nearly as nice. If the gun were to be carried IWB against bare skin, I'd go with the Spegels, but it is my observation that the Simonich have a bit more traction than the more finely checkered Spegels. The Hogues are about the thinnest rubber grips I'm aware of for the Hi Power and I find them comfortable as well, but if forced to choose, I think that for me, either Spegel or Simonich.

Best.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Due to a heavy schedule I'd not been able to shoot my Hi Power more than just a few shots with the Gunner Grips until today. Then, wouldn't you know it, I had to rush. I'd gone to the police range and had just enough time to shoot a little while before a federal agency began running a few of its folks through qualifications.


The grips were used with the same Hi Power shown previously.

After my initial post on these grips I was asked if they were rough on the hands at all. I didn't think that they would be but had fired so few number of shots that I didn't have a firm answer. Considering the mild 9mm recoil in the Hi Power, I didn't expect any unforseen problems due to these grips' rougher-than-normal texture...and there were no surprises; they do not make the shooting hand tender at all.

I fired 150 rounds of Fiocchi 115-gr. FMJ, 50 rounds of Winchester USA 115-gr. FMJ, 50 rounds of a warm handload launching a 124-gr. XTP @ 1240 ft/sec, and 50 rounds of some old Corbon 115-gr. JHP +P I had for a total of 300 shots. I didn't shoot many groups as time was short.


This magazine-full of Fiocchi was fired from a rest, seated and with my wrists braced. It was done in slow fire. The BarSto barrel is fitted to this pistol and the gun is
accurate with many factory loads but especially the 124-gr. XTP handload. I've noticed improvement with it when using cast bullets more so than jacketed. My later Hi Powers are used with the factory barrels and group well as I shoot primarily jacketed ammunition through them.


At fifteen yards, the gun grouped well. On some occasions, changing grips can change the POI. I have seen it but not often and not in this case.

After 4 slow-fire groups I ran several magazines of the warmer loads at falling steel plates @ 15 yards, picking up the cadence each string. There were no problems with the Gunner's unduly wearing my shooting hand. I tried shooting the plates a few times right-handed-only and then with my left hand; same result: no abrasions from these grips.

Some double and triple-taps as well as a few sets of controlled pairs followed by another two groups in slow-fire at 10 and about 17 yards ended the session.

I honestly do not think that these most aggressively textured grips will cause anyone any pain at all on either the 9mm Hi Power or the 1911 pattern pistols for which they are also offered. I am mightily impressed at the manner in which they almost seem to grip the hand instead of visa-versa. Subjectively speaking they are not as "comfortable" to me as either Mr. Spegel's or Mr. Pek's stocks, but they would be my first choice were I still in uniform wearing an exposed sidearm. In rain, or sweat-drenched hands, these stocks will still give a very very secure purchase. I was wearing a banlon shirt and made some draws from beneath it using an IWB holster. I did not notice the shirt clinging to the grips or causing "printing" any more than any other Hi Power grips. I think that they would do fine for a concealed carry pistol, but suggest wearing an undershirt or T-shirt under the outside shirt; they are a little rough against the ribs as the gun rides past the skin when sitting or changing positions.


Here is a better picture of the Gunner Grips. Some may find them elegant for beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes. I won't go that far, but I don't find them ugly. I would describe them as an unusual design that is starkly functional. Right now, these would be own my duty pistol were I still in police service.

As has been mentioned, I did have to fit these grips to my guns, but this was minor work and they fit snugly. The screw heads fit snugly/firmly in the grip screw holes and didn't loosen one wit when checked upon returning home.

These grips did not interfere with the magazines falling freely when the mag release was press as some grips can.

In short, I think that these Gunner Grips for the Hi Power are a very useful and functional accoutrement for the weapon.

Best.

[P95Carry]

Steve - kudos as always for an excellent report. Thank you Sir.

I must say aesthetically they do not please my eye as some do but - that said, I try not to let aesthetics affect my main priority which is function, and these I can almost tell, have to be good.

I am actually very happy with my Uncle Mikes on my BHP Practical but given the chance would relish trying some of those out. The BHP is not carry now tho so - would be mainly a matter of interest.

Thx again.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello and thank you. I wouldn't mind having a set for my P220 for sure.

Best.

[srfl]

Very nice review! Thanks!

[Euclidean]

Steven Camp,

With your being the resident aficionado for the BHP, I couldn't help but notice when you compared the remarkable external similarities between the BHP and the CZ 75.

I can't help but wonder, is there any instance of grip compatibility between the two?

I think it probably would only go one way depending on which gun's grip panels were larger, and only with fitting, but I am curious as I don't actually own a BHP but I do have a CZ, else I would simply look and it would probably be obvious.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. No sir. The grips for the HP and CZ simply do not interchange or come close to being compatible.

Best.