This bad boy has a well-used appearance about it. Compared to the Japanese 01-300, the Denix 1911 with wood grips is a little more rough around the edges. It does not have a functioning slide lock, and the thumb safety is non-operational. It also comes at a less expensive price than the 01-300. For a 1911 that has a more vintage look about it, this is the one. More WWII replica guns at HistoricReplicaGuns.com.
The Wood Grip 1911
Wood grips move the 1911 back a few decades. Checkered walnut was standard on the earliest guns and returned on commercial models, and it reads warmer than plastic on a display shelf. The replica is the same frame as the black grip version, so the difference is purely in how the piece presents.
For a collector, that difference matters more than it sounds. A nickel 1911 with wood grips looks like a presentation piece; the same gun with black plastic looks like a service pistol. If you are building a small display, buy one of each and hang them together: the contrast explains the whole range of the model in a single glance.
Common questions
Are the wood grips real wood?
They are hardwood, stained and checkered. Colour varies slightly from piece to piece.
Can I swap them for plastic?
Yes, the screw pattern is the standard 1911 pattern.