If you want to bring an old school look and feel to your new school AR, this is certainly one way to do it. Black Wood USA is a Washington-based company that builds wood furniture for the AR-15. The latest addition to its product line is English Walnut grips.
“We’ve spent the past year designing, prototyping, and gathering feedback from our customers,” CEO William Mengon said in a press release. “These grips are the first of a suite of products we’ve developed through that process.”
Black Wood USA teamed up with Indian Creek Designs on these grips. ICD has been producing aluminum grip frames that lets one add 1911 grip panels to his or her AR-15 for some time. But regular 1911 grip panels have to be modified in order to allow the AR’s safety selector switch to function properly. Black Wood USA’s grip panels takes advantage of the ergonomics on ICD’s 1911-style frame, enabling the rifle to function as intended.
“ICD has developed a solid platform,” Mengon added. “Partnering with them was a natural choice.”
According to the press release, each grip starts from a solid block of English Walnut. The wood is CNC machined into a right and left grip panel. The panels are then hand-sanded for proper fit, and sealed to accentuate the wood grain and boost durability.
In the “About Me” section on Black Wood USA’s website, Mengon describes his love of wood furniture on a rifle.
“I fell in love early on with the classic look and feel of wood on a rifle,” Mengon says. “Whether it’s my CMP M1 Garand, Anschutz smallbore rifle, or my old Remington 870, there is just something about wood that plastic can’t replicate. There is no reason modern day rifles can’t utilize the same functional and beautiful wood accessories. Black Wood USA is a vehicle through which I am able to share this passion with the rest of the shooting world.”
The drop-in English Walnut grips for the AR-15 are available in smooth or grooved panel configurations. Pricing starts at $100. In addition to the grips, Black Wood USA offers wood trigger guards, stocks, rail panels and foregrips, all either individually or in a set.
See features and specs for the grips below. For more information, visit blackwoodusa.com.
Black Wood USA Grips Features
- Replacement for AR-15 style firearms
- Real English Walnut Grip Panels
- CNC Machined Aluminum Grip Frame
- Steeper Grip Angle than Traditional A2 style Grips
- Made in the U.S.A.
Black Wood USA Grips Specifications
- Wood Type: English Walnut
- Frame: Black Anodized 6061-T6 Aluminum
- Width: 2”
- Weight: 6 oz
- Includes Mounting Hardware
- Includes Required Allen Wrenches
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