Some love the SAW pistol grip, me not so much.
THE AK PISTOL GRIP IS DEAD SIMPLE. IT IS held onto the receiver by means of a plain slotted panhead machine screw. There are millions of machine tools that have been made that are capable of producing such screws at a prodigious rate, since about the time of the American Revolution.
The screw threads into a base that has been riveted onto the bottom of the receiver. The base rivets also encompass the rear of the trigger guard. Looking at it from the viewpoint of a gunsmith, it seems Kalashnikov (or an engineer in the bureau) put a lot of thought into it. For example, if someone were to cross-thread the bolt, the unit armorer (at whatever level) simply has to grind the rivets off the base, including the one for the trigger guard. Then, he’d slip a new base in, and seat the new rivets to hold it all in place.
If someone somehow mangled a trigger guard, that would be a simple one-rivet fix — the two base rivets need not be touched. Since the screw is not going to be removed in normal cleaning or maintenance, the odds are it won’t need service.
What does this mean for us? Replacing the pistol grip is easy; one screw. No extra spring and plunger to lose, like on the AR-15. On the downside, the Soviets did a good job on the pistol grip. It isn’t any larger than it has to be, doesn’t have finger grooves, and then there’s always the need for U.S.-made parts. As an easy-to-make part, the pistol grip gets swapped out on any and all builds. My dislike for finger grooves is well-known, but a lot of people like them. And so we have choices.
Some love the SAW pistol grip, me not so much.
Two Marines conduct a serial number check on an AK. Notice the lack of a stock, common for “car guns” in Iraq. Photo by Lance Cpl. Shawn Coolman, USMC
One thing to keep in mind when swapping the pistol grip is that the base has a long threaded section in it. So the screw won’t have just a few threads biting, but a quarter-inch or more. It will be on there tight. Make sure you use a properly fitting screwdriver right from the get-go.
There are a bunch of U.S.-made pistol grips that simply mimic the shape, angle and even color of the originals. If you are building a rifle, and want it to be period-correct, then you go with one of those. If you want something different, or more suited to your hands, there are options. If you want to experiment, a new pistol grip is about the lowest cost change you can make to your AK, short of a can of spray paint.
For a company that started with polymer AR-15 magazines, Magpul has an impressive amount of AK gear. But then, Magpul is a smart company who wants to make money and please customers, and there are a lot of AK owners. So, we have two different pistol grips from Magpul. They both fit milled and stamped receivers, including those with reinforcing plates. However, as every maker of AK gear points out, there can be differences between rifles, and some fitting may be required.
A straightforward swap for the original grip, the Magpul MOE grip is also made to accommodate the Magpul Grip Core — storage modules that allow you to pack spare something-or-others into the pistol grip. Grip Cores can hold an oil bottle, CR123 or AA/AAA batteries. For AR owners, there’s also one that lets you stuff a spare bolt and firing pin in there. AK bolts don’t break, so there’s no point in having a spare.
The MOE is an aggressively textured, reinforced polymer molded part. It comes in six different colors.
The MOE+ starts as the MOE, and is coated with a rubber overmolding. It also has the Grip Core storage space, and comes in four colors.
The CAA UPG47 is, like everything else it seems, made of polymer. However, it is different. First, the polymer has a rubber coating for better grip, dampened recoil and reduced vibration. Next, there are replacement panels, front and back, to change the size and shape of the grip. And as if that wasn’t enough, not only does it fit any AK-47 or AK-74, but also the VZ58 and Galil/Golani.
Changing pistol grips is easy. Use a properly fitting screwdriver. Make sure the rifle is unloaded. Undo the screw and pull it out of the pistol grip. Pull the old one off. Check the new grip for fit. If it doesn’t fit, find out where, and sand/file/cut to make it fit. (Remember, you make the corrections on the less expensive part. This is definitely “alter the pistol grip” territory.) If the grip came with a replacement screw and needs it, check it for fit.
Press the new grip on, drop the screw in, turn to catch the threads, then tighten. Done. 
The Magpul MOE pistol grip.
The CAA pistol grip, with replaceable front and rear panels for size and comfort.