View Full Version : Project Glock 17
350_eight08
01-10-11, 12:03
After witnessing a few Glock DIY projects here and even being able to experience the outcome of one by a good friend (thejanitor), I decided to take the leap.
Grip was cut to G19 length, backstrap reduction performed, removed finger grooves and factory texturing, and re-textured by stippling.
The grip reduction was done by first heating up the plastic and then setting the backstrap against my workbench, and applying downward pressure to flatten the curve. Once re-shaped, took a Dremel and grinded down the factory texturing. Cleaned up the new surface and then stippled.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_cOeWHvswuFw/TStFOzc6HXI/AAAAAAAAKMQ/oYCjDbMwDyY/s640/Project%20Glock.JPG
Wow man, that is really impressive! Nice job.
Interesting! I'm getting ready to buy my first Glock, a 17 and plan to cut the grip down to accommodate G19 mags. I'll probably pay to have the work done by a pro but I'm not sure who just yet.
Very nicely done though!!!
Wow you did an excellent job! One of the nicest Glocks I have seen.
If possible please post up some more pics.
Thanks
Wow you did an excellent job! One of the nicest Glocks I have seen.
If possible please post up some more pics.
Thanks
What he said, I think you did a great job... and I'd love to see some more detailed pics.
GermanSynergy
01-10-11, 13:37
That's some very nice work. :eek:
350_eight08
01-10-11, 14:07
Thank you for the compliments everyone! I will definitely try to get more pics up.
My intention was to send it out to be done by a pro. But being most of my money is being allocated to an upcoming wedding, financially a DIY was my best option, so I improvised. Naturally, the single thought that went through my mind through the entire process was, "I hope I don't F*ck this up to bad."
I've heard that same voice in my head . . . last time while giving my Noveske Recce the krylon treatment.
Really well done. Bravo. I'm thinking I want to give one of my 17's this treatment this year. Theoretically it becomes the ultimate ccw Glock IMO.
Magic_Salad0892
01-10-11, 15:57
I like your method of grip reduction.
How did you heat it up?
i'm sure we'd all love glock even if they weren't the modeling clay of handguns... but that sure does help. what an amazing pistol platform, that the end user can so drastically modify it and have it still work just as well.
good job, OP... if i didn't have a bunch of other things higher up on the priority list, i'd be grabbing another g17 and doing very similar things.
one question, though- why'd you chose the heat-n-smoosh method (which i've never seen anyone do) over the better known fill-n-file method?
ThirdWatcher
01-10-11, 16:19
Interesting! I'm getting ready to buy my first Glock, a 17 and plan to cut the grip down to accommodate G19 mags.
Why not start out with a G19?
Why not start out with a G19?
Because getting the longer top end to work is a hassle.
Okie John
i'm sure we'd all love glock even if they weren't the modeling clay of handguns... but that sure does help. what an amazing pistol platform, that the end user can so drastically modify it and have it still work just as well.
good job, OP... if i didn't have a bunch of other things higher up on the priority list, i'd be grabbing another g17 and doing very similar things.
one question, though- why'd you chose the heat-n-smoosh method (which i've never seen anyone do) over the better known fill-n-file method?
What do you fill it with?
What do you fill it with?
plastic resin or epoxy, for the most part.. brownells sells a nice black resin that blends in really well with the black glock polymer- cant remember what it's called.
plastic resin or epoxy, for the most part.. brownells sells a nice black resin that blends in really well with the black glock polymer- cant remember what it's called.
Awesome thank ya!
350_eight08
01-10-11, 17:04
I like your method of grip reduction.
How did you heat it up?
With a candle. Would you believe it? I found this method on another forum while doing a google search on glock grips reductions. The trick is to go slow, holding to close to the flame could burn the grip and melt to an unmanagable state. Heat it, push down, repeat until it bends slow.
i'm sure we'd all love glock even if they weren't the modeling clay of handguns... but that sure does help. what an amazing pistol platform, that the end user can so drastically modify it and have it still work just as well.
good job, OP... if i didn't have a bunch of other things higher up on the priority list, i'd be grabbing another g17 and doing very similar things.
one question, though- why'd you chose the heat-n-smoosh method (which i've never seen anyone do) over the better known fill-n-file method?
I agree about your comment about the Glock being an amazing platform. As an answer to your question, I chose the heat method being that I felt it would have been easier. With the fill method, you need to tape of sections, and be careful how far up the epoxy goes into the grip. Also, the fill method usually requires you to mix in a dye as most materials come in white milky color. Not to mention, I wasn't sure how consistent the epoxy would be to stipple if i got down to it. A good point to note is, if using the melt method, be sure to have a wet rag in the mag chute so that the rear section does not warp hindering mag insertion. This was a great suggestion and point made from a good friend and I believe was greatly beneficial. Be careful, as this could end badly and be challenging to fix.
ThirdWatcher, I saw some threads about using the G17 as a base gun having its advantage for people who wanted a concealable package that retained the sight radius of a full size variant. Although this does not pertain to me, as Hawaii does not allow CCW unless you are LE, I thought of it as being advantageous because of how the gun fits in my hands. The grip of a 19 fits better for me and I was just thinking of trying to duplicate it for a 17. The project grew into a monster and decided to go for a custom look in the end. Another point to make is, being in Hawaii, again unless you are LE, we are restricted to 10 rnd mags anyway. Because of this, mag capacity difference between a 17 and 19 is a non-issue.
Ryan, Ive seen people use various types of epoxy or bedding material. A friend of mine who used epoxy did inform me that he did notice that the epoxy melted differently, thus making the stippling more of a challenge.
Hope this helps, and thank you all for the complements.
SeriousStudent
01-10-11, 17:10
This is definitely food for thought. Thank you for the photos, and the explanations.
And since you can pick up a used G-17 for about $350-ish....... Hmm.
Did you use a standard wood-burning kit for the stippling?
That gun looks amazing ... very professional. I think it's the best "amateur" job I've seen and better than most of the professional jobs I've seen.
I have a G17 that's been chopped and stippled by Boresight Solutions and it's probably my favorite GLOCK. I like it so much I'm going to send Ben another one to do for me.
I don't like the fill and file grip reduction method. I had a G19 that had been done in this manner by a professional and I thought the bottom looked like a turd. I know it had ZERO effect on function but it bothered me to the point I sold the pistol.
OFF TOPIC
VolGrad - as in Vol's? Living in Athens? Best of luck. ;)
OFF TOPIC
VolGrad - as in Vol's? Living in Athens? Best of luck. ;)
Guilty. It's tough at times. :D
I had visions of a torch to melt it :no:. The fill would be too tough as I already stippled it and its OD. Man yours sure does look good, now you have me wanting to try it.
350_eight08
01-10-11, 18:31
This is definitely food for thought. Thank you for the photos, and the explanations.
And since you can pick up a used G-17 for about $350-ish....... Hmm.
Did you use a standard wood-burning kit for the stippling?
For the stippling I used an el-cheapo soldering iron. Another trick I learned was, do not do the stippling in a windy area. As the wind cools the iron slightly, it creates inconsistencies on how it burns into the polymer.
That gun looks amazing ... very professional. I think it's the best "amateur" job I've seen and better than most of the professional jobs I've seen.
I have a G17 that's been chopped and stippled by Boresight Solutions and it's probably my favorite GLOCK. I like it so much I'm going to send Ben another one to do for me.
I don't like the fill and file grip reduction method. I had a G19 that had been done in this manner by a professional and I thought the bottom looked like a turd. I know it had ZERO effect on function but it bothered me to the point I sold the pistol.
VolGrad, thank you for the generous compliments! As I post more pics I can show you some of the hiccups. For example, on the other side of the 17, right as the trigger guard starts from the grip, when i was grinding to get a higher grip relief, I slipped and marred the polymer slightly. Im sure the pros dont have this problem and if they do, they can fix it. Im glad its my gun, I'd hate to explain this to someone else.:eek: If I had the funds, Boresight would have been my first choice. I can see why you enjoy yours so much.
I had visions of a torch to melt it :no:. The fill would be too tough as I already stippled it and its OD. Man yours sure does look good, now you have me wanting to try it.
Ryan, yes, a torch would most definitely be questionable. Scary thought. When I first read candle I was like, Seriously? But hey, it worked! I too have an OD frame(Glock 35) and think about doing the same treatment on it. The question I have is will the melting process change the tone of the OD. In which case, this will require you to stipple the entire grip as it may force you to sand down the entire grip area to remove any color variances the burning might produce. I still have a 19 and a 26 I'm starring at. The 26 seems to be the next candidate as the backstrap on the sub-compacts seem to be rather extreme.
It did not change the tone when I stippled it, not the same I know.
350_eight08
01-10-11, 18:50
It did not change the tone when I stippled it, not the same I know.
Not so much the stippling part, but will the OD change in color if you heated the polymer up with the candle. I assume that the OD could turn a brownish color when heated with the candle.
If or when I decide to try it, Ill let you know. :eek:
Not so much the stippling part, but will the OD change in color if you heated the polymer up with the candle. I assume that the OD could turn a brownish color when heated with the candle.
If or when I decide to try it, Ill let you know. :eek:
Likewise.
I still have a 19 and a 26 I'm starring at. .
Ah the voice again: "This is fun, what else can I paint? How about that scope?" {krylon power}
Magic_Salad0892
01-11-11, 10:51
Thanks. I'll be doing this on my Gen3 carry gun.
BTW: If you screw up Glockmeister sells OEM frames.
I'm going to get a Gen3 RTF2 frame.
eternal24k
01-11-11, 18:52
hmmm,
wonder how much reduction i could get on a 21SF
Really good job on the G17/19 hybrid.How's the balance with the shorter grip and slightly longer slide? This is something I've been considering.
LowSpeed_HighDrag
01-12-11, 23:05
For the stippling I used an el-cheapo soldering iron. Another trick I learned was, do not do the stippling in a windy area. As the wind cools the iron slightly, it creates inconsistencies on how it burns into the polymer.
VolGrad, thank you for the generous compliments! As I post more pics I can show you some of the hiccups. For example, on the other side of the 17, right as the trigger guard starts from the grip, when i was grinding to get a higher grip relief, I slipped and marred the polymer slightly. Im sure the pros dont have this problem and if they do, they can fix it. Im glad its my gun, I'd hate to explain this to someone else.:eek: If I had the funds, Boresight would have been my first choice. I can see why you enjoy yours so much.
Ryan, yes, a torch would most definitely be questionable. Scary thought. When I first read candle I was like, Seriously? But hey, it worked! I too have an OD frame(Glock 35) and think about doing the same treatment on it. The question I have is will the melting process change the tone of the OD. In which case, this will require you to stipple the entire grip as it may force you to sand down the entire grip area to remove any color variances the burning might produce. I still have a 19 and a 26 I'm starring at. The 26 seems to be the next candidate as the backstrap on the sub-compacts seem to be rather extreme.
I burned the trigger guard of my OD G19, it turned black!
ThirdWatcher
01-14-11, 04:51
Because getting the longer top end to work is a hassle.
Thanks... you can't learn if you don't ask. :)
350_eight08
01-14-11, 10:54
Thanks for the compliments everyone. Sorry for the delay, still working on getting those additional pics some requested.
Really good job on the G17/19 hybrid.How's the balance with the shorter grip and slightly longer slide? This is something I've been considering.
Doc, Thanks for compliment. In regards to balance, I did not notice much difference at all. If you were to pick up a G19 and the 17 immediately one after the other, then you might notice a slight variance. But IMO nothing to impede good shooting results.
I burned the trigger guard of my OD G19, it turned black!
Thanks for the heads up.
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