Get A Grip On That Rifle
It's now after 0630hrs and you're sitting in your deer blind. There's just enough light to see clearly through the scope. You hear a faint rustle to your right. You silently bring your rifle up through the view port. You're hunting with your new AR platform in 7mm-08. You're adrenaline increases and your hands get the slightest bit sweaty. The rifle’s grip now feels slimy from the moisture on your palm. Your hand slips a little even though you have a good grip on the gun. A trophy buck walks into view. You line up the scope and start to gently squeeze the trigger. Your hand, still fighting against the now slick grip shifts. BOOM...and you deer runs off unscathed. I know it isn't the sexiest point of discussion for the hunting AR15 but the grip is an essential part of a hunting rifle. Much like a precision rifle, you will need a grip that will keep you on the trigger. Something comfortable for extended periods of time behind the scope. Something that sets you up for taking that all important cold shot. You’ll need a grip that will keep doing its job despite weather conditions and changes in temperature. Down here in South Texas we have a little longer deer season than northern states. We can hunt through the end of January. So you will have your hunting jacket on in the morning and, believe it or not, be in shirt sleeves by 1100hrs. So you’ll have both frozen and sweaty hands on the same day. You need a grip that can keep up with anything you need to put it through.
Ergo makes a good product. They're known for their rubberized grips. I haven't always been a fan of how they feel but that's not a judgement on quality, just personal preference. Every Ergo grip that I've dealt with had their trademark thin rectangular profile. I hate the feel of that. There is, however, exceptions to every rule. The Tactical DLX grip with the palm swell is one of them. The Tactical DLX is something you would normally see on a long distance rifle. I think it makes a lot of sense on a hunting rifle for the same reason you would put it on a precision weapon. It lets you sink into the grip and keeps you steady behind the trigger. The palm swell is just wide enough to take up some space for those of us with larger hands. I find this positions the trigger finger at a natural curve and in response lessens the sympathetic squeeze of your other fingers. All of that makes for a very controlled, steady trigger pull. The rubberized and textured exterior keeps the grip from being slippery on hot days and gives plenty of traction on cold days. I like the fact that I can keep a good grip on the rifle even if my hands are wet. I've used a similar grip from DPMS on many rifles but now I can
no longer see me recommending it. The Ergo will remain my "go to" target/hunting grip until I find something better. At the and of the day this is a grip worth taking a closer look at. I'm sure you can find it elsewhere but mine came from my friends at Brownell's. If you have experience with this or other grips like it leave me a comment below.
