Questions on stippling or grip options for the M&P

[maximus83]

I hear about a lot of folks having stippling done, plus there are the stippled back straps you can buy, which gives you half of a stippled hold on your pistol.

I would really like to get stippling, but having it done custom is pretty costly, because I cannot find anyone locally who does it, and I don't know if I want to send a $400 pistol off, with $120 round-trip shipping, to get a $60 stippling job.

So, here are a few questions I've had:

* For M&P owners, do you consider stippling more of a luxury, or do you feel it's more of a requirement in order to get a solid grip on your M&P?

* Does anyone know if there's someone in Washington state who does custom grip stippling?

* If I get one of the custom-stippled back straps, will that improve my grip, or will it likely just make the grip feel strange and unbalanced (since the front strap won't be stippled)?

* If I don't go with stippling, are there any QUALITY 3rd party products that are custom-fitted to the M&P for improving the grip surface?

[Boris]

I wouldn't say it's a requirement but it sure attributes to a more solid grip.

I used to use a Hogue Hand-All on my M&P9 full size because I didn't feel the stock grip was sticky enough for me. I liked the tackiness of the Hand-All, but it would squirm around a bit on the frame and require adjusting periodically. I had the option of trying a stippled medium backstrap to replace my factory backstrap and haven't regretted it. It doesn't feel "unbalanced" at all by not having the frontstrap done.

I bought mine from a US Marshall who had it done by Dan Burwell out of PA and you can probably find someone online selling just the stippled backstrap. I don't know who does them on the west coast and have seen people at matches who did their own with a wood burning kit.

-B

[R Moran]

I have a stippled back strap, from Iron Gunworks(?). Its OK, and doesn't make the gun feel unbalanced or anything weird. I got it to see how I would like stippling. Perhaps it that particular style, but I do not feel its any better then the grip tape I had on it previously.

I had e-mailed Bowie awhile back, and he told me his most aggressive stippling would be as tacky as grip tape, or Gunner grips on a 1911. I may try it, but as you said its a lot of money, especially when I switched to the M&P from a 1911 to get more of an out of the box solution. They are not perfect, but....

I will probably just go back to the TRU-Grip grips by Wesselman. They are laser/die/ whatever cut for the specific weapon. They also have a bit better adhesive then plain stair of skate tape. Your hand is not going anywhere with them. I used them for awhile on my Glocks, including a duty one, with no issues.
30 bucks for 3 sets. Search for ericwesselman.com

Bob

[maximus83]

I will probably just go back to the TRU-Grip grips by Wesselman.
Bob

Thanks for the tips guys. Yeah Bob, I noticed that these Tru Grip things were out there today when I was searching around, but hadn't heard much about them until today. I might try them out.

How long does one Tru Grip application last (in terms of rounds fired) before you need to replace?

[Beat Trash]

I stippled my own grips.

Use a soldering iron, and take you time, really not that big of a deal. If you royally screw it up, order a new grip in the size you prefer.

If you are nervous, practice on a size grip that you definitely won't use.

I find that stippling the grip helps me with controlling the gun, my shot to shot times are a wee bit better.

I carry a M&P 9mm as an issued gun. The stippling really helps when I sweat, especially while doing building searches in the summer.

I have long fingers. The medium grip is too small, the large grip, a tad too big. I took a wood rasp to a large grip and created a "med-large". Felt great, looked like shit. After stippling, looks great, feels great, and shoots great.

But I don't think I'd pay what some are charging to have the gun stippled. By stippling the removable grip panel, I gain enough control. I have no desire to have the frame stippled. Just my opinion.

[hal_5555]

So, here are a few questions I've had:

* For M&P owners, do you consider stippling more of a luxury, or do you feel it's more of a requirement in order to get a solid grip on your M&P?

* Does anyone know if there's someone in Washington state who does custom grip stippling?

* If I get one of the custom-stippled back straps, will that improve my grip, or will it likely just make the grip feel strange and unbalanced (since the front strap won't be stippled)?

* If I don't go with stippling, are there any QUALITY 3rd party products that are custom-fitted to the M&P for improving the grip surface?

i would say the requirement is on YOU. mission dictates. i did it because it felt as if i had more positive control of the weapon. worked awesome for me.

for me the whole grip done (or front, back, guard and front) worked for me and my grip.

It was really easy to do. this was my first time. i have posted this before elsewhere but i find that you can also buy a extra med sized flat head screw driver, use a dremel to cut it off from the handle and then insert that into the soldering iron. then you can get really neat flat burns... not to hijack but

like this:





this grip totally rocks. rock solid in my hand even with sweat/water/etc.

[TAZ]

I have used the TruGrips on my G21 and G34 with very good success. They are tacky and stay on the gun without any issues. They are also very thin so they don't change the grip much. They also aren't that aggressive to make covering garments snag and hang badly, but they still can tear up covering garments. However the extra grip they provide is excellent.

If you're going to carry the piece concealed you need to balance between making the gun grippy enough to stay in your hand but not snag on covering garments or destroying them quickly. For my new G21SF I am thinking of just using the front wrap around sheet and leaving the back one off to minimize snagging and shirt destruction.

My trugrip has gone a couple of thousand rounds without any I'll effects. My shooting buddy has yet to change from his original panel in a year or so. I figure with the 3 sets you get you'll be set for a long time.

[maximus83]

It was really easy to do. this was my first time. i have posted this before elsewhere but i find that you can also buy a extra med sized flat head screw driver, use a dremel to cut it off from the handle and then insert that into the soldering iron. then you can get really neat flat burns... not to hijack but

Very cool. How long did it take you to do say, the back strap?

[hal_5555]

Very cool. How long did it take you to do say, the back strap?

i would say about 30min or so. maybe 45min max. not bad at all. the whole thing took about an hour and 10.

[Kevin]

I can't help as directly relates to M&P's, not yet anyways, but I really like the Eric Wesselman TruGrip product as well.

I paid a little extra for a stippling job on an STI from Brazos Custom a few years ago. It looked nice and helped a lot with the grip. However, after a couple years it started to wear out, the edges got rounded off, etc...Still looked nice, but didn't get as much grip. The downside to it was that after the stippling, I couldn't get ANY type of grip tape to stick to the stippling. The only option was to buy a whole new grip for about $120 or so and stipple it myself, pay close to $200 for a pre-done grip, or try to "freshen up" the stippling myself.

I've been using TruGrip on a G35 for competition for about a year. I bought the gun used, it was on there when I bought it, and it's still going strong. When it wears out, it's about a 20 minute job to replace.

I've been using TruGrip on my duty G22 for at least 4 or 5 years now, since before he had a website, and love it. It lasts about 8-12 months before it needs to be replaced, and that's only because the grit eventually wears out. Rain, snow, cold doesn't matter, if you follow the application instructions exactly it won't come off until you want it to. For uniform wear it's fine, but for plainclothes work it will chew up a cover garment.

I didn't know they made TruGrip for the M&P, I'm glad they do cuz my beloved Glock is being replaced with one soon.