Grip question for RIA 1911

[Shellshocker66]

So I'm thinking of putting a RIA tactical in jail tomorrow. I'm going to have a lot of questions as I'm a total noob to the 1911, but my first question is about the grips.

The OEM grips IMO are hideous! So I would like to put on something in rubber with a pattern for better grip. Would these fit on the RIA? Or would I have to do some trimming?

http://www.amazon.com/Hogue-Govt-Rubber-Checkered-Diamonds/dp/B0032GPLRG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1320101829&sr=8-3

[Pebkac-Solved]

Almost any ol' grips will work, just stay away from officer size and you'll be fine.

[Havoc70]

Make sure the grips are compatible with ambidextrous safeties. I used the Pachmyr grips, but they don't fit quite right, and I ended up having to cut off the finger grooves with a razor blade. Even so, the grips are awesome.

[PRCABR4Christ]

Actually you don't want grips that are for ambi safeties, RIA doesn't use the ambi with the lever under the grip, you may have to relieve the right grip panel on the corner to clear the safey though...any grips for a gov't or commander model will fit your gun though

[Shellshocker66]

Well I think I've already changed my mind. Found a picture with these installed on the RIA and thought it looked good.

and looks like this on the gun


From the reviews on Amazon, I found one that said they went right on without modification. The hand grip was really small in my hand so I think I could handle the extra bulk of these wrap around grips (and I have tiny hands)

[Ricky-Ray]

Hogue wrap around grips are great.

[Mickey D]

I installed VZ grips.

[Cokebottle]

The safety was a problem... didn't clear the top edge of the Pachmayr grips and I had to Dremel the inside edge of the lever.
I went to a Colt non-ambi before I installed the Raasco grips so I don't know if they will clear, but I think they will.

The RIA ambi is not the same as a standard ambi... the right grip does not need the space cut into it, as the safety does not go under the grip.
The safety is retained by a groove in the sear pin.

[Cokebottle]

Oh... If you get the Pachmayr's, unscrew the stupid medallion and red loctite the thing back in.

I dropped a mag and a screw fell out with it.
WTF?
I immediately field stripped the gun looking for where the screw came from.
It was then that I noticed the medallion on the floor.

The other medallion was getting ready to go, and that explained why I was encountering some drag on mag changes.

[hybridatsun350]

Which Tactical is it? The 1911 or the 2011? The 2011 frame is definitely to a slightly different spec. It's thicker (side to side, not front to back), and that makes it difficult to get wrap-around grips on it. I had to modify the Hogue to get it on my 2011.

Don't mind me... just showing off.