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.
