The Original CZ Forum
CZ LONG ARMS => VZ-58 semi auto rifle => Topic started by: MariusVZ on November 06, 2014, 12:21:31 AM
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The Ronin and Mako/FAB pistol grip look very similar, though I've never had either in my hand. Has anyone had both? Differences, pros, cons, etc?
Ronin:
http://shop.roninsgrips.com/Czech-vz58-Israeli-Galil-Ultra-Style-with-Screw-Czech-vz58-Israeli.htm
Mako / FAB:
https://www.themakogroup.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=1042621&CAT=8720
I know the Ronin one is about $10 more but I'd pay it if it's that much better.
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Ronin -- screw extends the full length like the original.
Mako -- short screw but compartment.
Ronin -- one solid piece of polymer
Mako -- Thin walled polymer to allow compartment
Ronin -- no compartment
Mako -- compartment, but the latch hinge and/or latch itself is notorious for wearing out/breaking rending compartment useless
Mako -- softer/grippier polymer
Ronin -- a harder polymer, not really grippy in and of itself
For Ronin, should mention the galil ultra has side texture but none on the front and back I received. Recommend roughing it up or stippling it. Suppose a grip sleeve or adhesive pistol would work too. Not that I need it for range shooting, but I like more texture on my grips than the Ronin came with... Hence the following:
BUT, the best grip I've tried to date is this one (fwiw full length screw): http://www.vz58rifle.com/products/pazbicka-458/
(http://files.vz58rifle.com/200000382-565db57578-public/DSC03966_1.jpg)
Plan to do a group buy at some point next year.
Several other grips listed on this Czech site as well: http://www.vz58rifle.com/sa-vz-58-7-62-mm/prislusenstvi/pazbicky/
And a couple more on the Czech language oen of the same, but if not listed on English site, they likely can't export them for whatever reason: http://www.sa58.cz/pazbicky/
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Thanks for the info! Hm. I thought the Mako grip looked hard plasticy and the Ronin grip looked a little... well not softer, but friendlier to hold? More like the beaver barf grip.
The pictured grip is pretty cool. Reminds me of an AR grip.
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Nice comparision. After reading this I may go with the Ronin instead of trying to make an ak hogue grip work.
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There are two Ronin Grips.
A Galil Ultra type that's similar profile to the FAB.
And the VZ style that's just a longer version of the VZ.
Bonesteel should have both in black in stock and ready to ship.
You can also order directly from Ronin's Grips in a variety of colors, but they're custom made so 2 week to a month turnaround.
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Thanks for the replies!
I think what I am really looking for is how they feel in your hand. They look the same but I want to know if they feel different. From what I understand they are made of very different materials. Has anyone had their hands on both the FAB and Ronin?
The ones I am comparing are both the Galil style... I think that is what it's called.
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I not only own three MAKO grips, I have spoken to MAKO directly. They claim VERY STRONGLY that the compartment doors breaking is do to freaking knock-offs. Knock-offs made in China for AirSoft. Mine are all OEM and I couldn't be happier. Freaking great grips!
But it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two. It comes down to packaging and what middle man you are purchasing them from, sadly...
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I like the grip shape ergonomics of the Mako grip and I don't see the one on my Vz2008 breaking anytime soon. I use the compartment for a couple of spare batteries for my Hammers T-dot optic sight.
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Yes, counterfeit Mako/FAB items are on ebay.
Prior to ordering the angled foregrip (FAB part PTK), I saw some PTK for sale on ebay that are clearly not genuine when the photo is enlarged and compared with Mako/FAB site pics.
As far as the grip itself, the FAB AG-58, mine is not here so cannot yet comment but will upon arrival.
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I have both, The ronin feels better but the mako is currently on the rifle now. Take that fwiw. Don't think you will get it from bonesteel any faster than anyone else though. Thats where I got mine after a long wait with no answer to emails, hell I even tried to cancel the order and couldn't.
Ronin does feel better, wish I had got a green one though.
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I've only tried the Previous Gen Galil ultra FAB on my Galil and didn't like it better than original so switched back to stock. Same grip for all intents as the VZ, but FAB has or is changing the polymers on most of their grips versus what it was a few years back, so the current FAB VZ58 grips might be different material than then.
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Update here.
I ordered a OD Green Mako/FAB grip from Apex. It's most definitely a hard polymer... Just like I remembered it... In fact, I'd actually say Ronin's feels slightly softer/less brittle. His has more of a fiberglass or something feel to it whereas Mako is more hard plastic...
Regardless, the OD Green color actually strikes me as more of a Camo Green (like the green in woodland camo) than OD Green. In this pic, the nametag on the camo jacket is ODG, while the green in the camo is the camo green... I'll probably end up getting a Ronin eventually anyways to replace this in his dark ODG color, but the rifle was gripless since another member wanted that GunExpert one. (On the gun expert, it's a great grip, I just wish it was vertical -- it has the original AR grip angle, and I've been moving to more vertical weapon grips when able and I feel like the Galil Ultra grip has a slightly more vertical angle leading to a less uncomfortable wrist cant when elbows down.)
(http://milspecmonkey.com/materials/military-greens1.jpg)
Now I also ordered one from Amazon first and was sent the AK Rubberized grip rather than the VZ58 one... I ordered that in their FDE, but the Mako FDE/Tan is actually more of a stone khaki desert tan type color. That grip is absolutely awesome. It feels similar in texture to the hogue grip overwraps for pistols (sorry, have never tried the hogue AK grip).
The Tan is sort of like the lighter khaki in the British Desert BDUs, but with perhaps just a touch of blue to the color...
(http://www.swisslink.com/FS/atoms/d/c/1/Atom19465.jpg)
Oh, and email Ronin's Grips -- and they're going to be releasing a magpul FDE equivalent color in late Feb or March. So that's the route I'll be going on VZs.
Getting one of the Mako AK Rubberized grips for tacticool/modernized Golani though... Read the amazon reviews if you don't believe me: http://www.amazon.com/AGR-Rubberized-Pistol-Grip-Fab-defense/dp/B00C6XH8FO
Good video on grip angle elbow out vs down:
http://youtu.be/vTgw-n9xdr8
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I know the question was about the Mako style grip but FWIW, I got the Ronin oversized style grip with a matte finish and am very happy with it. The larger size is perfect for me and the proportions work well in my hand. It came with a new Torx-head screw, also. The matte surface and very slight flex feels secure in my hand and the grip feels very solid. I'm not sure if I'd want the glossy surface, though and I think that's what Bonesteel carries. Ronin's site gave a 6-8 week lead time and I got my tracking # at 7 weeks.
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The hogue grip sleeve on a ronin grip looks pretty ideal... Just ordered one today actually. (These pics are the mako grip however.)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/nclpta/20150117_205616.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm268/nclpta/Mobile%20Uploads/20150209_172024.jpg)
http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=69119.msg480327
Thanks. The grip is a HOGUE HANDALL?FULL SIZE GRIP SLEEVE.
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Instead of a new stock if you focused on rubber buttpads, fasteners, and some injection molded casing, I'd think you'd still have a pretty hefty profit margin at just what others charge for complete stocks -- while still saving your customers 1/2 of where they'd be otherwise due to not needing to buy an separate adapter and hinge... And if you needed to mold around folding stocks/with the stock in the mold, I certainly think a refundable "core" deposit option of an add'l $50 or so dollars would be fair too. Stocks should fit in the $12 USPS priority long version of the medium flat rate box.
+10 (added bold)
A nice molded glass impregnated nylon or polymer pistol grip similar (read "exactly") like the CSA or FAB imported grips would be great. I'm really not feeling the Ronin I bought for 922R compliance, might try a Houge Hack Job.
LOVE how my Houge hack job turned out. Totally worth it.
Well! ;D
I will probably need to start hacking on a Houge grip -- as I have them on at least 3 AK variants in the collection. I tried to put a sleeve in the Ronin and ended up ordering (or receiving) the wrong one so it was too big -- so I put it on a G17. Does anyone know the part number for the Houge sleeve?
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It looks like Black Zuma might have put it on upside down from the pics. Ordered one of the Handall Full Size grip sleeves over the weekend to try out, so can't say. Hogue also makes a tactical grip sleeve (looks like for AR) that might work if the Handall doesn't.
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It looks like Black Zuma might have put it on upside down from the pics. Ordered one of the Handall Full Size grip sleeves over the weekend to try out, so can't say. Hogue also makes a tactical grip sleeve (looks like for AR) that might work if the Handall doesn't.
I PMed Black Zuma and he has the same Houge sleeve as I ordered, but mine it too large on the Ronin grip. I never tried to put it on upside down.
Maybe that's how he got it on without slop left in the back. I'm gonna pry it off the G17 and try putting on the Ronin pistol grip upside down to see how it fits.
BTW I use copious amounts of hand sanitizer as lubricant in the process which just evaporates away -- learned that trick from putting a rubber lined insulating sleeve over a camelback hose which is impossible dry.
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Once I get them I'll try both the mako I have and the ronin. Am getting both the full size and the jr actually. Don't have either the small or the large tactical though which would be the other options there.
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Once I get them I'll try both the mako I have and the ronin. Am getting both the full size and the jr actually. Don't have either the small or the large tactical though which would be the other options there.
Thanks. I'm not loving the Ronin feel -- thats why I was trying the Houge grip cover. which is kinda stupid for me I guess, because the Ronin grip base is more beefy than the FAB and thats one thing I don't like about it.
IMO The FAB grip (and the CSA copy) is FABulous (in my hand), as is the Houge - they got that grip right. They rightly include storage capability for batteries etc. in the grip as well. The Israelis appear to understand the correlation between ergonomics and function better than anyone else.
My driving issue is 922R for the SBR, so FAB and CSA are out.
I can see a "home-made Hoagie handle hack job" in my future if I cant cover the Ronin and get it feeling natural. Ronin also sells a long handle old school vz58 grip I saw, which is certainly a step better than an AK paint brush handle, but just better.
Manticore - are you listening? Injection molding outsource...
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Moved the grip discussion from the manticore thread over here.
Worked on the hogue grip today. Installed it right side up and had to trim some off the top and bottom. Definitely an improvement. The bottom, had to trim off the E and part of the U of Hogue. Top, just trimmed off where there was extra material.
First pic shows what I had to trim off.
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8646/16618658161_cae8770474_z.jpg)
Second shows what the final trimmed looks like (and next to it is the hogue jr -- don't think that'll fit):
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8671/16433978929_5dcfa456be_z.jpg)
Might be worth taking a look at the tactical hogue grip sleeves as well.
And compared the Ronin to the FAB, and I do think the FAB is slightly wider -- especially towards the top of the grip...
As for the hogue sleeve, it definitely helps with a better grip, especially insofar as
adhering better to the palm... Still have to clean up the cuts, but should give the general idea.
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Might be worth taking a look at the tactical hogue grip sleeves as well.
Pachmayr also makes what they call a Tactical Grip Glove and I think the ones for the S&W M&P or S&W Sigma SW9VE might work.
http://www.pachmayr.com/home/tactical-grip-gloves.php