G3 cocking handle ?

[SSwee]

I didn't notice until I pulled the cocking handle that it had a plastic molded piece on it. Is this an original and did most of the HK's come this way? I thought I saw somewhere mentioning a plastic knob on the cocking handle but can't find it or remember what it said.
SS

[rustypirate]

The stock original G3 charging handle has the plastic molded onto it. Some US manufacturers have made them entirely out of steel, or with the plastic as well.

The CETME charging handle is made entirely from steel, but hollowed out to reduce weight.

[Lon Moer]

They came steel like the CETME, black and green and brown plastic. Later there were black rubber coated.
A common 'upgrade' with G3's is to use a modified HK21 charge handle. They are a little bigger and more angled and rubber coated.

[SSwee]

It just shows how much I haven't seen. The pic shows 3 Cetmes and the G3. I have several other cetme handles but all are like the ones in the pic except the US made.

[JayGeeWentWorth]

After shooting my cetme a lot this weekend and getting it really hot I had some issuses with my steel only cocking handle getting very hot. So I think i'm going to get a new cocking handle from black market parts that is coated in rubber.

I'm trying to decide between the standard G3 handle and the 23E handle. Which one would you guys recommend? I understand the 23E handle is larger and I don't mind that to a certain extent, but I don't want something that is going to stick out like a sore thumb.