U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- If your goal is to greatly enhance your grip on your gun, the best option that I’ve found is to use a Talon Grips. I will not be able in this short Product Review to list all of their offerings or all of the guns that they make grips for. Check their website, but unless you have some off-brand pistol, then I’m betting that they can take care of you.
I met the Talon Grips crew years ago at SHOT and have used their grips since then and have come to favor them over anything else that I have ever used. If you’re not familiar with them, they have what they call a granulated surface which feels like a coarse sandpaper texture. They later came out with a grip of the same surface material, but it is rubberized. On the handle of your pistol, I’d recommend putting a granulated cover on the right pistol handle and a rubberized one on the left, which is against your body. This is a lot more comfortable.
Recently they contacted me and told me that they were soon coming out with a Talon Grips Slide Grip and asked if I wanted to test them out. My answer? Of course! Due to the past success with their products, I was eager to test them out. For this test, I stuck one on my wife’s Sig Sauer 365 as well as a few of my pistols.
The texture of the Talon Grips Slide Grips is granulated, which I want for something as important as ensuring my grip on the slide. To order a Slide Grip for your particular pistol, you will need to order one for your particular model of the pistol, of course, since the design of each one is different.
I would strongly recommend that you install some Talon Grips Slide Grips on your EDC pistols. In a laboratory setting or in a normal low-key shooting environment, it’s no big deal if you fumble around a second racking in a round or emptying out a jam-up, but if it’s panic in the disco in a life and death situation, it suddenly jumps into a huge deal scenario.
In a shoot-out, if your gun jams and you need to rack your pistol to unjam it you don’t want your hand slipping. When you’re scrambling, your hand is likely sweaty, which makes the task slippery. Or in a close-up fight there’s a good chance that you might have blood flying around, which if blood gets on your hands or pistol, it will become slippery. The slide Grip will enhance your grip in these scenarios.
To install a Slide Grip is super simple. First, remove the magazine and the round out of the chamber and ensure that the pistol is unloaded. Before you peel the backing off of the grip, lay it on your pistol in the position that you desire. Now you know where you’ll want it. Open the provided alcohol wipe and wipe the surface of the pistol where you are going to apply the Talon Grips Slide Grip. Wipe it well so as to remove all dirt and oils so they don’t prevent the grip from firmly adhering to your pistol.
Let the alcohol dry thoroughly before applying the Slide Grip. After it has dried, remove the backing off of the left side of the Talon Grips Slide Grip. Lay it down on top and then push the fingers down on the side of the grip into the grooves, being careful to apply it flat, so there are no bubbles under it. If it is where desired, press it down snug; if not, readjust.
Now remove the backing off of the right side and press the Slide Grip down on the pistol. Start from the top and work out to the end of the fingers. It is that simple. If you have a sight that doesn’t allow you to properly place the Slide Grip, don’t jump off the cliff. You have two options:
1. Move it forward a notch as I did in the photo.
2. Simply cut a notch so the Talon Slide Grip will slide back around your sight. I did this on one pistol and used a small pair of scissors, but I think it’d be better to lay on a board and use an Exacto Knife.
Now fire up the wife’s hair dryer and heat up the newly applied Slide Grip. Talon Grips says to heat it up to the temp of a cup of coffee. And then press on the Slide Grip to lock it into place. Repeat this process a few times, and then you’re good to go.
All of my Talon Grips have been durable. I carry a pistol every day, and all of my handle grips have lasted for years. I finally had one wear out and simply peeled it off, wiped it clean with an alcohol patch and applied a new Talon Grip.
The MSRP on a Talons Grip Slide Grip is $9.99. If your EDC slide is semi-slick, I’d recommend that you check them out.
Talon’s “Slide Grip” is Arachnigrip’s “Slide Spider.” Talon acquired Arachnigrip in, I believe, July.
I used this on my Ruger LCP MAX. It becomes problematic if you use a Sticky or other pocket holster as the gun has a penchant to draw the holster as well. Probably soaking it with cleaning solvents isn’t a good idea, however I haven’t had any issues with routine cleaning. Very helpful for me with my arthritis hands. I hope this is helpful.
How well do the Talon Grips hold up to a heavy dousing of Hoppes or Rem Oil?
Never have tried that in 5-7 yrs. of using them.
I know I run my mouth allot (it is my curse of being outspoken) but I am always opinionated, and have something to say. My point is the only thing I got from that review was, how to install the Talon Grips. Never did you mention if they were chemical resistant to such chemicals as gun oil & CLP or how durable they are, just that they might help if covered in blood or sweat which could actually be a factor. these are the question inquiring minds want to know. and remember kids “LETS GO BRANDON” F’ JOE Biden lol
I’m going on five years with grips on one my regular EDC guns. Cleaning the gun has not impacted the Talon grip. I can attest, though, that they are relatively easy to peel off if you need to do so.