I've got a question about grip sizes. Do you guys think a 5906 w/ Hogue grips would be bigger than a stock Beretta 92FS grip? Bonus question: how about 92 with Crimson Trace grips, are they smaller/about the same as the Hogue's on the 5906?

Might be trading for one soon but it's kinda far and I don't want to waste time if it might be too big like everyone on the internet says. I'd go to a gun store to try one out but in this "panic" I don't think that's happening.

Yes. I have a 96A1 and the grip is so much more manageable than my 5906TSW when I had Hogues on them.

The number one complaint about Hogue rubber grips on the 5906 is that they are too big for most people's hands.

So in reality this thing I hear on the internet about how the Beretta grip is so large is more or less way overblown? I haven't held a Beretta in about a year but I thought it was manageable but wanted to be sure before I trade for one.

P.S. In case anyone cared what was being traded: WASR 10/63, 3 magazines, bunch of extra wood stock pieces, cleaning kit, and little magazine pouch for a NIB Italian 92FS with 14 magazines, leather shoulder holster w/ mag carrier, seperate Fobus mag carrier, and Crimson Trace grips. I figure once prices come back down I'll go buy a newer, better AK and have a nice handgun too.

But with the factory Delrin grips on it, I find the S&W slimmer and more easily managed with my small hands.

The 5906 has a small undercut by the trigger guard, which helps to make the pistol more ergonomic.

I have small hands, and while I can manage my Beretta 92 quite well, I prefer the feel of the 5906, but with the factory grips. The Hogue rubber grips make the 5906 feel really big, to me.

The straight Delrin factory grips on a 5906 (or any 3rd gen S&W) are much slimmer than the stock Beretta grips. i have both. Ditch the Hogue's.

Had a little free time today so I broke out the 5906, the Beretta 92FS and the dial calipers. Both the 5906 and the 92FS have their factory grips installed. The 5906 is wearing the factory curved grips, so it looked like if I was using the S&W straight grips the front to back dimension may be larger especially at the bottom. I had a S&W straight grip on the work bench but didn't install them, since the basic 5906 came through with the curved grips that is what I used. The 92FS is wearing the factory plastic grips and is current production with the radiused grip frame.
Stock grip to stock grip. Here is what I found.
"Measurements are approximate"

SMITH & WESSON 5906:

Width (side to side): 1.250" - 1.260"

Depth, Front to back measurement, starting from the bottom.
Base of Grip Before the Flare: 2.130"
Middle of Grip: 2.100"
Top of Grip: 1.940"

Beretta Model 92FS (current production with the radiused frame grip cut)

Width (side to side): 1.370" - 1.390"

Depth, Front to back measurement, starting from the bottom.
Base of Grip Before the Flare: 2.220"
Middle of Grip: 2.105"
Top of grip: 1.970"

You can see the 92FS is bigger in every dimension. If I had an earlier 92FS with the non radiused grip frame, the front to back dimension at the top of the grip would be even larger. Coincidentally the magazine dimensions are so close they will insert in each other's magazine well. Handling both at the same time, I found the 5906 smaller and slimmer than the 92FS.
Now the OP had originally asked about comparing the 5906 with Hogue rubber grips and the Beretta factory grips. He may be onto something as I bet they would be very close in width.

I own both. 5906 and 96A1. The Beretta has a better fitting grip. Beretta also makes a black aluminum grip that is even thinner. They have a sharp diamond surface and it feels very good in your hand. You can find them on BerettaUSA .com. They are a little pricey but worth it for the better grip.
I love my 5906 though. It looks NIB. I bought it from buds for $365 credit card price, disassembled it and did a light glass bead blast, put night sights and new factory style hogue grips on it. Everyone who holds it thinks its never been shot.

Sounds like a very nice 5906. Can you post some pics of it?

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