The invention relates to a gripper for a tufting machine, which has a gripper body and an insert. In the longitudinal direction, the gripper has a holding section and a guiding section. At the end further away from the holding section, in the longitudinal direction, the guiding section terminates in a hook which has an inner side in which a joint gap is arranged between the gripper body and the insert. According to the invention, the gripper is characterised in that a stop means, against which the insert abuts in the longitudinal direction towards the holding section, is arranged on the gripper body in the gripper's guiding section in order to limit the size of the joint gap in the inner side of the hook.