Preps: Glock Modifications Part 1 – Grips

One of the few knocks against a Glock is that the polymer frame feels too boxy, and in a wet environment, can slip out of your hands. While I don’t go to the range when it’s raining out, I can see this being an issue in a survival situation. While there’s a lot of solutions out there (like skateboard tape or microsuede-ish material on the grip), my first solution was Hogue. Hogue makes something called the Handall  grip, which is more like a textured rubber sleeve for Glocks. The Handall addresses the firearm feeling slippery when wet, and also ergonomics. There’s a slight palm swell which many users have said fills the hand better for a more comfortable feel. I used it for a while but moved on as it made my hand feel even smaller when handling the weapon. Since my Glock uses double stack magazines, the grip is already kind of large. Add the bulk of the Handall, and I found the gun a little harder to handle. I had to move on to something else, and I really didn’t like the way Agrips looked. Plus I’m paranoid about installing anything semi-permanent on my firearms. After much Googling, I found a near perfect answer.

Bicycle inner tube. Seriously. One tube costs less than $5 and you can find it at your local Target or Walmart. Cut a portion off and slide it over the grip and you’ve got a cost effective answer for a slippery handgun. While not as durable as the thicker Handall, bicycle inner tube is definitely for people already used to the ergonomics behind a Glock. Plus, one tube buys you like 10 grip sleeves.

The tube might not look uber tactical but after more than a few range trips under varying conditions, I must say it works like a charm. I’ve had the existing piece of tube you see above on my firearm for over two years and only see a slight amount of wear.

One downside gun owners may find is that the rubber is super grippy. So grippy in fact that it will stick to clothing if you’re carrying concealed (which of course you’d need proper paperwork for). Moving around may cause your clothing to stick to the gun which may impede your draw or even show it to other citizens which can cause quite a scare. Just something to be aware of if you have a CCW and carry concealed in your locale.

This may not be the solution for you but it works great for me when I’m at the range and would recommend it highly to folks who are on a budget and like the ergonomics of their Glock as is.