Pistol grip options

[Lumpy]

Having recently renewed my carry permit, I was surprised to discover in class that my hands are really a little too small for a proper grip on my handgun, at least with their factory grips. Before I get serious about carrying routinely and taking self-defense courses I'd really like to address this first. The problem is that my Beretta 90-TWO* is an odd beast that is now virtually unsupported anymore. Beretta itself has exactly one set of smaller grips for it, currently listed as temporarily (as in until Judgment Day?) unavailable. There are lots of people who manufacture custom grips but I suffered sticker shock when I researched what they typically charge. What would you do?

*Yes, the Beretta 90-TWO is not the same as the 92. Just different enough to make lots of things incompatible between them.

[Sorcerer]

How much smaller do you need. Years ago I had a Ruger 22 Mark 1 that I had bought used and it had custom target grips. I would have like a set of OEM black grips for it but couldn’t ether find used ones or as you sticker shock. Took my belt sander and put it upside down in the bench vice and went to work. In the end I ended up with exactly what fit my hand minus any checkering. My out look was that if they didn’t work out I could rationalize buying different grips. Do note that I did have to go find where the sander launched them to more than once. Welder gloves are essential to keeping finder nails and finer prints in place.

[Lumpy]

If anyone wanted to have a go at reducing the current grips in size, I'd pay fair rate for the work. Myself, I know I don't have the experience not to mess it up.

[Lumpy]

Reposted because after a long spell of the doldrums I'm finally trying to get moving on this again. Could I just take the grips off altogether and make do with duct tape?

[Sorcerer]

You could go to Menards/ Home Depot in the cabinets there are different types of wood used for refacing cabinet fronts. Buy something larger then your grip panels then use you grip for a template. Shape to your liking.

[Lumpy]

You could go to Menards/ Home Depot in the cabinets there are different types of wood used for refacing cabinet fronts. Buy something larger then your grip panels then use you grip for a template. Shape to your liking.

I wish I could; but you know the arts & crafts project your seven-year old brought home from school and proudly showed you? That's the level of mechanical skill I have.

[crbutler]

If the cash outlay for the grips is too steep, I’d just bite the bullet and buy a new gun.

The Beretta 92 series is a full size service pistol. (You said it’s close enough)- and thus you probably would be better off getting a new smaller all around gun for regular carry.

Besides, at least in my experience, “too large” of grips is more a front to back distance issue than purely a circumference issue. Whatever grips you get will not change that part of the equation.

Get a gun that is smaller in all dimensions and it will weigh less and be more concealable.

If I were in your shoes and going to get new grips regardless, I’d get sandpaper or files out and start taking material off what you have- slowly remove material until it’s what you find comfortable. It’s a carry gun, who cares what it looks like?

Then once you are done, if you want esthetically pleasing grips, you have dimensions for your custom guy to work with.

ETA-

Lots of competition shooters used to pull the grips off and replace with skateboard tape (the sandpaper stuff). Duct tape is probably a bit too slippery for good use.

[Lumpy]

Update: could it really be that I've finally found a place online that has slim grips for a Beretta 90-TWO for sale? Optics Planet dot com. I've placed the order; but I still half expect to be told that they've "backordered" the part and will notify me "when it comes in". I.E., never.

[crbutler]

Optics planet is a pretty big euro gun import place.

I’ve brought a few high end items from them.

Not sure about how well they update their website for inventory, but they are a legit operation.

[Lumpy]

I followed the "check order status" link I was given and am informed:

Expected to be shipped on 10/13/2025

I pray that means "we will ship it by then", not "we have no idea how to obtain one but we're hoping something will turn up in the next nine weeks".

[Holland&Holland]

I followed the "check order status" link I was given and am informed:

Expected to be shipped on 10/13/2025

I pray that means "we will ship it by then", not "we have no idea how to obtain one but we're hoping something will turn up in the next nine weeks".

They generally are pretty good. I have ordered some tough to find items from them and they have always come through, now sometimes it does take some waiting when it is the odd stuff, they are very quick on the normal stuff and very good to deal with.

[Lumpy]

Reading this thread reminded me to check again. They now claim it will ship by 10/08/2025; five days earlier than before. On what basis they're confident that it will ship in 7½ weeks instead of 8 I couldn't tell you. But here's hoping.

[Lumpy]

Ship date now slipped to 11/03/2025. I wonder if it's going to be nine weeks away forever.

ETA: checked four days later, ship date pushed back four days. This doesn't look good...

[Lumpy]

Update: could it really be that I've finally found a place online that has slim grips for a Beretta 90-TWO for sale?

Answer: probably not. Ship date is now 01/04/2026

[Lumpy]

Optics planet is a pretty big euro gun import place.

I’ve brought a few high end items from them.

Not sure about how well they update their website for inventory, but they are a legit operation.

They generally are pretty good. I have ordered some tough to find items from them and they have always come through, now sometimes it does take some waiting when it is the odd stuff, they are very quick on the normal stuff and very good to deal with.

Well unfortunately I have not gotten good customer service from them. My order was originally placed on Aug. 7, the estimated ship date has now slipped to Feb. 8. I called their customer service line and got a recorded message saying that the wait time was "over ten minutes"; I gave it a full hour before giving up. The message gave me the option of being placed on a call back queue. If the service line is simply an unmonitored dead end, I have no reason to believe that there will ever be a call back. I can of course check my order status online; the same blind deaf unconscious system that claimed they had the part in stock in the first place and has simply pushed the expected ship date back forever. Which is why I wanted to actually talk to a human being in the first place.

I think that at a minimum I deserve to be able to confirm for certain if this is simply a wild goose chase and that I can go ahead and delete the purchase price from the bills pending section of my bank balance spreadsheet. This has been a pretty sour disappointment.