I think the screws on my grips have adopted a non-factory angle. Threads are solid, just...a little weird. It doesn't affect my grip panels, as they were carved while using those screws. The plastics won't crack if you don't alter them. But easy to crack them if they've been slimmed down. Not a bad method, though...you can come out with plastic grips as thin as the aluminum racer-looking panels. They need to be reinforced on the inside if you do them really thin, though.
I did not find the rubber band useful on the Tristar, but I had it wrapped around a Kahr. All the Hogue-esque grip sleeves were too bulky, so I simply stretched that around the grip, about a quarter of the way up, and it made a nice little extra palm swell and psuedo finger-grooves (acted as a good guide for my fingers, I guess. Helped draw.)
