Glock stipple questions

[karlglen101]

Hello. I finally decided to take the plunge and start to reshape my gen3 G19 grip. I have large hands, but still find the grip not as comfortable or secure as my 1911s.
I have used my dremel to remove the finger humps, and the factory stippling on the entire back strap. I'm working on reducing the strap near the top for a deeper beaver tail.
I was not planning on reducing the hump, or going very deep on the reduction near the beaver tail area. I was originally planning on using a soldering blade to create whatever pattern I eventually settled on.
Then, today, I came across a few threads that talk about using marine tex. What is the purpose of this? Apply the epoxy and texture it, instead of using the soldering iron? Can anyone chime in on having tried both methods, and detail the benefits of each? I'm open ears..

[AKDoug]

There are a ton of threads on this. MarineTex or other epoxy is used to fill the hollow area under the hump. That way if when you grind off most of the hump you still have strength there. Very few people grind anything away up near the beaver tail area, almost all folks remove portions of the hump. I just completed a 17 and removed the finger grooves. Use EXTREME caution grinding off the texturing between the finger grooves. It's a fine line between getting them off and going too deep. Going too deep contacts the mag release spring. I left much of the texturing at the bottom of the finger grooves then use stippling to make them go away.

I used a combination of heating the backstrap with a candle to smash it as flat as I could, with epoxy fill so I could grind it down some more.

My preferred method of stippling is to use a sharp tip on a wood burning iron. I "tap" the tip into the plastic in a random pattern. Tap, tap, tap, continuously. It makes a very nice random pattern.

http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i441/AKDoug/IMG_0388.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/AKDoug/media/IMG_0388.jpg.html)

[Up1911fan]

There are a ton of threads on this. MarineTex or other epoxy is used to fill the hollow area under the hump. That way if when you grind off most of the hump you still have strength there. Very few people grind anything away up near the beaver tail area, almost all folks remove portions of the hump. I just completed a 17 and removed the finger grooves. Use EXTREME caution grinding off the texturing between the finger grooves. It's a fine line between getting them off and going too deep. Going too deep contacts the mag release spring. I left much of the texturing at the bottom of the finger grooves then use stippling to make them go away.

I used a combination of heating the backstrap with a candle to smash it as flat as I could, with epoxy fill so I could grind it down some more.

My preferred method of stippling is to use a sharp tip on a wood burning iron. I "tap" the tip into the plastic in a random pattern. Tap, tap, tap, continuously. It makes a very nice random pattern.

http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i441/AKDoug/IMG_0388.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/AKDoug/media/IMG_0388.jpg.html)

Nice work.

[platoonDaddy]

I like the following video and will use his technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvLUSAwSJcU

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I tell you what I just got that grip force adapter in the main not an hour ago, went out back and put it on steal WOW new gun!

[karlglen101]

I like the following video and will use his technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvLUSAwSJcU

I have watched this video before, and was planning on doing something similar with a soldering iron. However, I am no intrigued by the epoxy method. My thoughts with epoxy are if you don't like it, you can always sand it down and start over - or sand down and then use the iron.

[AKDoug]

I guess I haven't seen anybody coat their grip in epoxy and stipple it. You are going to add to the grip circumference even if you put it on thin. Sounds like a potential train wreck. Epoxy will take stipple, but not like the plastic will.

I watched that Youtube vid and there is no way I need that much texture. He dogs on the tap/tap style, but it's the most popular texture used and it's more than enough grip.

As for the grip force adapter, it makes my pistol better, but it's still the least accurate pistol I use. I have tried everything in my power to get this G17 to run well for me and I can't seem to figure it out. Reliable as hell, but accuracy is half as good as my non-custom 1911 or even (gasp) my XDm.

[beschatten]

I guess I haven't seen anybody coat their grip in epoxy and stipple it. You are going to add to the grip circumference even if you put it on thin. Sounds like a potential train wreck. Epoxy will take stipple, but not like the plastic will.

I watched that Youtube vid and there is no way I need that much texture. He dogs on the tap/tap style, but it's the most popular texture used and it's more than enough grip.

As for the grip force adapter, it makes my pistol better, but it's still the least accurate pistol I use. I have tried everything in my power to get this G17 to run well for me and I can't seem to figure it out. Reliable as hell, but accuracy is half as good as my non-custom 1911 or even (gasp) my XDm.

Yikes. I'm a bit curious to know what the deal with that is. How does your barrel lock up?

[karlglen101]

I guess I haven't seen anybody coat their grip in epoxy and stipple it.

I guess I wasn't totally clear on this. If I use the epoxy, I won't actually stipple it with the iron. I would use a green sink scour pad to texture the epoxy while it is drying. The methods I've read involved painting on thinnish coat with a popsicle stick and then texturing with the scour pad after 45 minutes - 1 hour depending on cure rate and air temp for drying. Then, lightly sand to knock the points down. If I do it wrong, I'd imagine I could sand down the epoxy and try again.
I'm not sure if I prefer the tap tap method or something more similar to what he displays in the video.
Ultimately, I wasn't sure exactly what the epoxy is used for when it comes to filling the hump area after filing down.. I guess I'm still not sure exactly what that means. Anybody have before and after pictures of comparison? You sand down the hump entirely and then use epoxy to round out the back where the hump used to be?

[Watrdawg]

double post sorry

[Watrdawg]

I stippled this G19 a few days ago. I used a basic tap method for doing so. The finger grooves fit my hand so I didn't grind them down. I did however, leave the raised part of the grooves smooth and just stippled the insides. I also stippled the back strap and only up to where the original texturing stopped. I left the beavertail section of the back strap smooth so it wouldn't rub the webbing between my thumb and fore finger. This is my thrid stippling job. The other 2 weapons are a FDE Gen 3 G17 and a M&P 45 Midsize.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/h2odog/stipple_zps259daf26.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/h2odog/media/stipple_zps259daf26.jpg.html)

[okie john]

I have tried everything in my power to get this G17 to run well for me and I can't seem to figure it out. Reliable as hell, but accuracy is half as good as my non-custom 1911 or even (gasp) my XDm.

Try switching ammo. The right load can shrink group sizes by 50% or more.


Okie John

[platoonDaddy]

I stippled this G19 a few days ago. I used a basic tap method for doing so. The finger grooves fit my hand so I didn't grind them down. I did however, leave the raised part of the grooves smooth and just stippled the insides. I also stippled the back strap and only up to where the original texturing stopped. I left the beavertail section of the back strap smooth so it wouldn't rub the webbing between my thumb and fore finger. This is my thrid stippling job. The other 2 weapons are a FDE Gen 3 G17 and a M&P 45 Midsize.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/h2odog/stipple_zps259daf26.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/h2odog/media/stipple_zps259daf26.jpg.html)

Dang, nice job! What tip did you use and was one enough?

[Dos Cylindros]

I prefer to use a fine tip wood burner or soldering iron with an interchangable tip. I bought mine at Radio Shack for about $12.00. Practice on other like materials before you start on the actual gun. I also like a higher hold and elected to just undercut the trigger guard as opposed to undercutting the beaver tail or grip tang. This worked well for me. Pics below.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/4N20/AF313347-6814-4249-BD37-0D70150DDED2-1016-000002823B7EB658_zps59c86cf0.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/4N20/media/AF313347-6814-4249-BD37-0D70150DDED2-1016-000002823B7EB658_zps59c86cf0.jpg.html)

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/4N20/20F5DEC9-5B66-4AAF-8407-2C43FDA638B5-1016-0000028234C0CDC8_zps6af59f3c.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/4N20/media/20F5DEC9-5B66-4AAF-8407-2C43FDA638B5-1016-0000028234C0CDC8_zps6af59f3c.jpg.html)

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/4N20/AC82F507-683E-4CAE-956F-1AD81422FAD6-1016-0000028241E5325A_zpse67933ec.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/4N20/media/AC82F507-683E-4CAE-956F-1AD81422FAD6-1016-0000028241E5325A_zpse67933ec.jpg.html)

[Watrdawg]

Dang, nice job! What tip did you use and was one enough?

Just the round dot tip that came with it. I didn't get too aggressive with it either. Just wanted enough texture to provide a nice grip. My M&P 45 that I did was too aggressive and I had to lightly sand it down a bit. Basically taking the edges off of the little dots.

[Watrdawg]

As for the grip force adapter, it makes my pistol better, but it's still the least accurate pistol I use. I have tried everything in my power to get this G17 to run well for me and I can't seem to figure it out. Reliable as hell, but accuracy is half as good as my non-custom 1911 or even (gasp) my XDm.

My G17 isn't anywhere near as accurate as my M&P 45 Midsize. I even replaced the stock barrel with a Wilson Match barrel. Group sizes came down to about half of what they were with the OEM barrel. The groups are still about half again as large as those of my M&P.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Here is what I did, I used devcon to fill in the back strap and extend the surface area to better fill my hand. Then I just roughed it up. Its not the best looking but it feels great in my hand. Once I'm 100% sure I have it all the way I want it, I think I will have the frame dipped atacs. But I still need to refine some stuff.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn119/ICANHITHIMMAN/001-4_zps08ea961e.jpg (http://s302.photobucket.com/user/ICANHITHIMMAN/media/001-4_zps08ea961e.jpg.html)

[Texaspoff]

I have stippled/textured a few glocks myself. :moil:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/DSC_0307-1_zpsd0cb1be9.jpg

TXPO

[AKDoug]

Your texture inspired what I was trying to attempt. I want no part of doing this for a business, but I enjoy the work on my own guns.

[Christopher]

I prefer to use a fine tip wood burner or soldering iron with an interchangable tip. I bought mine at Radio Shack for about $12.00. Practice on other like materials before you start on the actual gun. I also like a higher hold and elected to just undercut the trigger guard as opposed to undercutting the beaver tail or grip tang. This worked well for me. Pics below.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/4N20/AF313347-6814-4249-BD37-0D70150DDED2-1016-000002823B7EB658_zps59c86cf0.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/4N20/media/AF313347-6814-4249-BD37-0D70150DDED2-1016-000002823B7EB658_zps59c86cf0.jpg.html)

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/4N20/20F5DEC9-5B66-4AAF-8407-2C43FDA638B5-1016-0000028234C0CDC8_zps6af59f3c.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/4N20/media/20F5DEC9-5B66-4AAF-8407-2C43FDA638B5-1016-0000028234C0CDC8_zps6af59f3c.jpg.html)

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/4N20/AC82F507-683E-4CAE-956F-1AD81422FAD6-1016-0000028241E5325A_zpse67933ec.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/4N20/media/AC82F507-683E-4CAE-956F-1AD81422FAD6-1016-0000028241E5325A_zpse67933ec.jpg.html)



WOW! Very nice indeed. Whats sights are those?

[Dos Cylindros]

WOW! Very nice indeed. Whats sights are those?

Thanks bro. They are Trijicon HD sights.

[Christopher]

Thanks bro. They are Trijicon HD sights.



Awesome, thanks.