Grips are your preference, smooth, semi, grippy or super grippy.

I switched to half checker Alumagrips for my primary carry which for me is perfect. Great grip where I need it yet smooth where it needs to be to eliminate clinging or catching on a shirt.

My HD now has half checker Esmeralda's.

 

I use a set of dark African Makinsar panels, thin cut on my Matchmaster and Raptor

 

Depends on the front strap and main spring housing treatment.

My carry gun has smooth grip panels and checkered front and rear - my number 2 has Ahrends grooved - sort of very wide serrations - style grip panels also checkered front and rear. My hands are much softer as I age than they were in my youth and I want something not too aggressive.

What works depends on how aggressive the treatment on the firearm is and how grippy the grip panels are - tacky rubber tends keep the cover garment from flowing. An aggressive checkering on the pistol will also grab the cover garment and will wear it out very quickly. Rumor has it a man assigned to work with Jackie Kennedy used a S&W 39 in a hip holster and would rearrange the pistol to save his suit coat but Mrs. Kennedy objected strongly to actually seeing a gun around her.

Nothing wrong with looking awesome - my #1 sidearm has ivory grip panels - but Clint Smith's classic about favoring comforting over comfortable might be extended to suggest handsome is as handsome does.

 

Grips are a very personal thing, so it will probably take experimentation to find what you like. Personally, I like agressive grips. I've never had a problem with having too much grip, but I have had problems with not enough grip.

 

Opinions vary.

Since a CCW gun is typically carried beneath a cover garment, and since the grips on a 1911 will therefore lie against the inner surface of said cover garment, and since we don't want the garment "grabbed" by any portion of the CCW pistol, it's the opinion of many CCW practitioners that grips on a pistol so employed should be "non-grabby".
Grip panels (or "stocks" if you prefer) of certain materials, eg. certain composites, woods, ivory, Micarta and others, and with certain textures can definitely be "non-grabby" while still offering grip "stiction" on the panels, but grip panels with traditional checkering, or the "sandpaper" types of grips and the softer rubber grips all fail to meet the need for best use in CCW.

Since the greatest portion of grip adherence on the gun is at the frontstrap and MSH areas, it seems to make better sense to have checkering or other grip-enhancing treatment of your choice on these areas, and leave the grip panels smooth.

I happen to like smooth ivory and Micarta grip panels, in fact none of my 1911s have checkered grips.

A LEO or a soldier wouldn't necessarily have the same concerns about grip design as a CCW practitioner, obviously.

 

If one picks grips for one's carry gun based on looks, I believe the concept of carrying a weapon to save one's life is lost on that individual.

That said, I carry slim smooth grips.

A 1911 is gripped fore and aft. Put your traction retaining devices there.

 

I have smooth wood grips on my 1911. No problem with gripping it, it does have checkering on the front and back straps though which is where most of my grip comes from.

 

If you're looking into buying a set of grips hit up "RockIsland1911A" here on the forum. He makes some really nice grips. I had the opportunity to meet him today. His grips are for lack of a better term "sexy".

 

Smooth grips on my CC 1911. I found that most of the pressure of my hand was on the front and back straps and very little on the grips.

 

Yes, smooth grips are definitely best on a 1911. But wait, I like checkered grips too. Oh, darn. Still can't make up my mind. I have several pairs of grips and change them almost monthly to suit my current preference. As a general rule, I tend to use checkered grips on my 1911's (CHL and target) during hot weather months and smooth grips during cool weather months. Unless I change my mind.

 

Go with smooth grips for your CCW if you have good checkering on front and backstraps. As someone suggested above you don't want your grips hanging up your cover garment.

 

For years before I found my favorite front strap/MSH texturing, I ordered a smooth grip panel on the left for comfort against my side and a checkered panel for the right side for grab. Worked great for me since my strong hand held the checkered panel.

 

There is a whole lotta' hand wrapped around that pistol handle, not just the frontstrap and MSH. We may apply more pressure to those areas while shooting, but the grip panels themselves make a difference.
I really like the "tactical" half checkered grips. I CCW and find they provide an adequate gripping surface, but do not cling to a cover garment. I've had no problems using so-called smooth wood grip panels (Oil, rather than polyurethane finish)with non-checkered, bead blasted frontstrap and MSH.

 

Over the years I have migrated to a Lightweight Commander with an arched MSH, aggressive dehorn and melt to the sharp edges, smooth front strap and a satin matte finish. Topping it all off with a pair of Eagle Ultra Ivory smooth finish grip panels. All a very comfortable package to carry and shoot.


Scott