View Full Version : Ouch! Glock slide bite - options?
During the late 90's I standardized on the Glock as a CCW handgun and trained with it exclusively.
Recently after some evolution in my grip and technique I found myself experiencing some slide bite on my shooting hand.
I have small hands so its very minor, the slide seems to just graze the base of my strong hand thumb enough to break skin.
What have you guys who get bitten by your Glocks done to remedy this?
Looking for ideas to try at this point. I would prefer to find a solution to this problem rather than change platforms because the Glock fits my own personal needs so well aside from this problem.
During the late 90's I standardized on the Glock as a CCW handgun and trained with it exclusively.
Recently after some evolution in my grip and technique I found myself experiencing some slide bite on my shooting hand.
I have small hands so its very minor, the slide seems to just graze the base of my strong hand thumb enough to break skin.
What have you guys who get bitten by your Glocks done to remedy this?
Looking for ideas to try at this point. I would prefer to find a solution to this problem rather than change platforms because the Glock fits my own personal needs so well aside from this problem.
Get an m&p :jester:
honestly, i don't know. I don't know how you gripped it before nor what you did to change it.
willowofwisp
05-26-11, 20:46
You could check out the grip force adapter.
Get an m&p :jester:
honestly, i don't know. I don't know how you gripped it before nor what you did to change it.
Well, that's a last resort. ;)
Here's a pic of how my strong hand grip is currently. Notice the base of my thumb on the path of the slide rail? When my support hand got higher up on the gun which gave me MUCH more control of the gun, my whole strong side thumb including the base seems to have been pushed up just enough to get into the path of the slide:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff116/g300d/2011-05-26093147.jpg
And here is the result of the slide grazing the base of my thumb:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff116/g300d/2011-05-26093229.jpg
willowofwisp, yes I have seen that. Looks a bit bulky? Have you any experience with this? Am basically looking for something that will not add too much bulk since I have small hands and the slide seems to just *barely* graze the base of my thumb.
Fire_Medic
05-26-11, 21:12
Go up a size in pistol if not at a full size already, or change platforms. Maybe try a crimson trace LG for the glocks as it adds to the grip in the specified area.
I had this issue for a long time, and ended up transitioning recently to the M&P. I would think though that with small hands as you state this could be corrected for you with a slight change in your grip.
Also be thorough in analyzing when this is happening, does it happen all the time, only after a high round count (fatigue), when your sweaty (maybe a talon grip or texturing), there are many factors that could be at play.
i get it too sometimes. try holding the gun a little lower. :confused:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=68861
Grip Force Adapter.
i get it too sometimes. try holding the gun a little lower. :confused:
I wouldn't suggest doing that. Unstable grip = no control = inconsistent groups.
titsonritz
05-26-11, 21:30
Drop your thumb down slightly and straighten it out. Make it parallel with your straightened trigger finger shown in the first photo.
I wouldn't suggest doing that. Unstable grip = no control = inconsistent groups.
just low enough so you don't get bite.
Fire_Medic, It's a Glock 19. Yes, I am considering the various add on beavertails and laser grips and hoping for firsthand feedback to help me decide.
It happens within the first 50 rounds.
I would change platforms if needed (the S&W M&P comes to mind) but would like to exhaust all possible remedies as I am heavily invested in the Glock platform already (Holsters, magazines, spare parts, etc)
skyugo, I came from a slightly lower grip and this grip gives me the best control and accuracy with the Glock. I wouldnt want to progress backward if possible but am also experimenting constantly so will also consider this.
Sam, thank you for the link, I saw this thread also as I was checking out willowofwisp's suggestion. Very interesting!
titsonritz, I tried that. My strong hand thumb rests on my support hand thumb. My support hand is so high on the gun that it forces the base of my strong hand thumb in the way of the slide slightly.
I wouldn't suggest doing that. Unstable grip = no control = inconsistent groups.
I agree, I would not compromise my grip to avoid it. I would say you are somewhat lucky. I wish my slide bite was no worse than yours. Personally I have just learned to live with it, and some Neosporin helps:)
A couple of other ideas;
gloves,
pre-applied band aid or tape
less rounds, more training sessions
shoot till you develop a callous:D
If none if this works I'll take it off your hands in the intrest of your health:cool:
Custom plastic gunsmithing. It'll cost some and you'd have to wait, but the cost will be less than changing the entire pistol brand and model.
There are several options. You can have a custom beavertail added, see left upper pic on David Bowie's webpage http://www.bowietacticalconcepts.com/pictures.html.
Ben from Boresight Solutions recontours the top of backstrap slightly and, together with grip reduction, it helps with slide bite quite often.
I have re-contoured all my Glocks in the area under the beavertail. If you dare to do it, you can take a bit of thickness off that area which will allow the web of your hand more forward into the grip. This will get you a high grip, and also protect your hand from slide bite.
Anybody mention the grip Force Adaptor yet?
Really get one and look no further. I switched back to the Glock about 10 months ago and one of the things that I was dreading was the slide bite I get from the mid size guns (19, 23). When the GFA hit the market I jumped on it and have found the answer to my prayers (okay, I didn't get the redheaded, nubile, young nymph but my Glocks don't bite me anymore).
The GFA is easy to mod to fit your hand. A little patience and a Dremel (go SLOWLY!) and some finish sanding and you can pretty much make it just the way you want it.
GFA...period, end of story.
You CAN adapt your grip slightly to prevent this but im in the same boat as you. We both get bitten in the exact same area. I deal with it as ive got a callous there but if its truly bothering you then the GFA will solve all issues and its extremely cheap.
Here is one of my modded GFA's. I didnt like the ribs on the beavertail as they forced my hand lower than it needed to be. I removed them, smoothed the area and stippled it. It looks and feels like its a part of the grip now and works marvelous.
Good luck bud!
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8724/cdigripforceadapter1of1.jpg
jhs1969, Yes, I agree, it could be a lot worse. I prefer my hand to be in au naturel status as I want to practice as I would most probably find myself shooting if the need arises. Yeah, what harm could one more callous do? :D
YVK, uwe1, those definitely would work but am not prepared to do permanent surgery at the moment. :)
Joe R., multiple mentions already...too many for me to ignore. I am really averse to adding girth to an already blocky gun but the testimonials are pretty positive so far.
Magsz, yes, they do sound like they would solve my problem. Waiting for it to become a callous is a pain. :D I am mainly concerned with adding too much bulk but if the Glock bites you in the same spot as me then we probably have similar size hands and holds...so if it works for you it could work for me. I'd like to see your GFA mod but the pic isnt showing.
sometimes the slide on my 17 grazes my hand as well, though not as much as yours. I keep my thumb lower on the gun but as a result I must take care to keep my thumb from bumping the slide release lever and preventing the slide from locking back on an empty mag. you could try wearing gloves when you shoot but most likely the slide will cut through them and start digging into your hand again after a bit.
the optimal solution that comes to my mind would be to graft a tail onto the frame.
thopkins22
05-27-11, 17:30
The GFA doesn't fit my gun unless they are making one for the L serial number range.
http://i476.photobucket.com/albums/rr130/thopkins22/fce5049c.jpg
just low enough so you don't get bite.
I can't believe that's even suggested on this site. Maybe on the TOS, but not here. :(
I have no experience with the GFA, so I can't speak on behalf of it. However, you can always send it in to boresight solutions down in Florida to have a beaver tail contoured in.
I have the EXACT same issue with my Glock 19 and the Glock 17. I tried the grip force for a while but on the G19 it just made the grip awkward. Due to the higher grip it enabled (like a 1911) for some reason my fingers would slip on the front strap and work down. I just straighten out my thumb and it works.
One of these days after I buy a back up G19 I am going to send this one off to boresight solutions for a beavertail and to undercut the trigger guard.
NC Buckeye
05-27-11, 23:51
I get it from the other rail and just tape it down when I go to the range. I am not sure that will help you though.
I get the exact same bite you do - just a little bit on my strong hand thumb. After a couple hundred rounds it will bleed.
I've found that the problem is a bigger issue on my G19s than it has been on my newly purchased G17. In fact, I almost never get a bite from the 17 because the ergonomics of the gun allows my hand to sit just under the slide rather than slightly in its path as it does on the 19. I like shooting the 17 better anyway so if I can get away with CCWing it I may switch exclusively to it.
If switching to another platform like the M&P isn't an option then you can try an aftermarket beavertail like has been suggested already. Also - the Gen4 guns are supposed to be getting an OEM beavertail from Glock here soon. Personally, I've found that having a beavertail on a CCW gun basically turns it into a dull knife into my gut when I sit down (AIWB for about four years).
If I go back to shooting my G19s more I'll just tape up my thumb and call it a day.
The same thing happened to me with my G19. Just one day, after several years of happy use, it started to bite me. I don't know if my hands grew or the Glock shrunk, but there it was.
I switched to the fullsize G17 and the problem went away, but now I notice that the gun isn't nearly as easy to carry all day as the G19.
Looking back, I believe that it is the placement of the finger grooves that's responsible for pushing your hand up so high. I wish I'd tried grinding them off before unloading the pistol. Alternatively, I'm trying to keep on the lookout for a Gen2 G19 to see if it allows my hand to sit just low enough to clear the slide.
This is what i had to do to mine. Money well spent.
Mike Miller
05-28-11, 12:51
Has anyone found that after getting a grip reduction (without the addition of a beaver tail), the change in grip removed the slide bite problem for them?
I don't have this problem even though I have big hands. But I know alot of people here in Phoenix are using the grip force adapter and Glockmeister is selling alot of them.
Plumber237
03-20-14, 02:03
Has anyone found that after getting a grip reduction (without the addition of a beaver tail), the change in grip removed the slide bite problem for them?
I know this is an old thread but I was wondering about this myself, as I am looking at taking of the finger grooves, stippling the front strap, and undercutting the trigger guard somewhat. I currently use the OEM beavertail backstrap, but am wondering if I may be able to go back to no backstrap (preferred) if the front grip reduction will eliminate slide bite. Anybody have any insight into this?
I've gained a little weight, and now my hand fat oozes up into the path of the slide. Last time I shot I shredded my hand, but I was having fun so it didn't bother me that much.
I put those mudflaps on my guns at home, though, so I should be drama free.
I know this is an old thread but I was wondering about this myself, as I am looking at taking of the finger grooves, stippling the front strap, and undercutting the trigger guard somewhat. I currently use the OEM beavertail backstrap, but am wondering if I may be able to go back to no backstrap (preferred) if the front grip reduction will eliminate slide bite. Anybody have any insight into this?
I honestly think that making the mods that you want will ENABLE your grip to get HIGHER. Leave the beavertail on, imo...
Your strong hand thumb appears to be too close to the frame/slide. It should ride on the outside of your support hand over/behind the base of your support hand thumb knuckle. You also run the risk of not locking the slide open on an empty mag or bumping the slide stop lever up during firing and locking the slide opened with rounds still left in the mag if you leave your thumb inside like the picture shows.
How about just changing you grip back? My mother always told me, if it hurts, don't do that. Lots of gadget solutions here for a very simple problem.
thopkins22
03-20-14, 23:00
If you can deal with the Glock tracks...it's probably the most effective/efficient Glock grip.
I think it was Ken Hackathorn who explained that he had permanent scars/tracks in the web of his hand from Glocks. I don't think anyone here is qualified to tell him that he's wrong....
There are great shooters that don't run their thumb like that(often based on Sig backgrounds,) there are more that do though.... Look at Master/Grand Master level shooters in IDPA/USPSA that are shooting Glocks, and then look at their grip.
Google Bob Vogel grip, or Dave Sevigny grip. Two of the most technically proficient Glock shooters....
Only answer: full on handoplasty. A thumb reduction and webbing tuck should do the job nicely.
I have the same issue but don't use the grip force or glock grip extenders. I say suck it up buttercup, make some scars by doing it repeatedly and it won't bother you anymore.
Howdy glen,
During the late 90's I standardized on the Glock as a CCW handgun and trained with it exclusively.
Recently after some evolution in my grip and technique I found myself experiencing some slide bite on my shooting hand.
I have small hands so its very minor, the slide seems to just graze the base of my strong hand thumb enough to break skin.
What have you guys who get bitten by your Glocks done to remedy this?
Looking for ideas to try at this point. I would prefer to find a solution to this problem rather than change platforms because the Glock fits my own personal needs so well aside from this problem.
Un "evolution" your grip and the problem goes away.
Pretty simple.
Based on your pics you are gripping your Glock wrong. You are gripping it waaaay too high. You are suppose to grip the grip portion of the frame, not the slide.
Here's a pic of how I grip my G35. I've been shooting Glocks for over 20 years, have sent +100,000 rounds down range through them with a single slide bite.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/stengun/PA140210.jpg
HTH
Paul
P.S. This is my first post on M4!
The biggest concern is not the boo boo from slide bite, but the possibility of it causing malfunctions, never happened to me but its always in the back of my mind. I don't like anything interfering with the slide/action. I would due what I could to remedy the situation.
teutonicpolymer
04-14-14, 20:45
I can't believe that's even suggested on this site. Maybe on the TOS, but not here. :(
I have no experience with the GFA, so I can't speak on behalf of it. However, you can always send it in to boresight solutions down in Florida to have a beaver tail contoured in.
let's not be ridiculous here...
I never get Glock slide bite in shooting but I have more or less come to an understanding of how it happens from practicing draws
when I just "go over the grip" I am in a position for slide bite
when I go "in then up and forward" on the grip I do not get slide bite (this is how I shoot)
in a sense this is a lower grip, but the gun is not flopping around everywhere or anything like that
Your strong hand thumb appears to be too close to the frame/slide. It should ride on the outside of your support hand over/behind the base of your support hand thumb knuckle. You also run the risk of not locking the slide open on an empty mag or bumping the slide stop lever up during firing and locking the slide opened with rounds still left in the mag if you leave your thumb inside like the picture shows.
unless he is using the extended slide stop or has insanely large thumbs (which it doesn't look like) then this is probably a non-issue. I wear XL gloves and grip close to what he does with regards to strong hand thumb position and this just doesn't happen. directly contacting the frame with your thumbs (especially of your support hand) can make accurate shooting more difficult though.
decodeddiesel
04-15-14, 01:25
Howdy glen,Un "evolution" your grip and the problem goes away.
Pretty simple.
What is you score on any standardized shooting test? IDPA classifier, Hackathorn Standards, F.A.S.T., etc. I am not trying to burst your bubble, as maybe your grip works great for you and your already an IDPA Master, but from where I am sitting it is a marginal at best grip.
I have been shooting for over 20 years, much of it in the US Army in a job where we went to the range weekly or better. I thought I was a "great shot" with a pistol until I started actually putting myself on a timer and actually shooting COFs which allowed me to benchmark my abilities against published standards. It is humbling to say the least. My first attempt to run through an IDPA classifier unofficially with my daily carry (which would be an ESP division gun, but not a good one for competition) I was just a tick below sharpshooter. I never qualified anything less than "expert" with rifle, mg, carbine, pistol, etc. in the Army, heck I am even an NRA small-bore "Distinguished Expert" from my high school rifle team days.
Still though, shooting pistols on a timer is difficult and a good grip is everything. Like I said, I am not trying to come down on you.
You could check out the grip force adapter.
This is the best advice you're going to get.
Gen 4 with the included extended beavertail backstrap. That feature is the only thing I like about m&p over glock.
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