Stippling, who does it?
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Airsoft-Ed
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Is there a way to sand your grip to stipple it, or were you going to get a new grip or something? I don't see the need tbh, just wear some grippy gloves if it's slippy. Or get some sort of stippled tape or something, maybe?
TheFull9
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When you hold something like a G17, KWA ATP or similar (mostly glocks and copies thereof) that's had a professional job on the frame it's definitely noticeable. I think the idea care around perhaps more to accommodate folks who EDC a pistol in the states; obviously when you're sitting eating lunch or whatever you won't have tactical gloves on should the sudden need arise to defend yourself against an armed maniac.
The difference in the comfort of the hold on the weapon is more in the alterations to the dimensions of the frame than the stippling however. The stippling gives a more consistent all-round grip that's quite likely going to be nicer than the texture put on at manufacture, but it's the modifications like filing away the finger grooves at the front, cutting up in to the trigger guard, raising the area at the back where the web of the hand sits etc. That sort of stuff makes the most difference and it's tricky to get right, go too far with the file/dremel and you'll end up with a nice hole in your frame.
The difference in the comfort of the hold on the weapon is more in the alterations to the dimensions of the frame than the stippling however. The stippling gives a more consistent all-round grip that's quite likely going to be nicer than the texture put on at manufacture, but it's the modifications like filing away the finger grooves at the front, cutting up in to the trigger guard, raising the area at the back where the web of the hand sits etc. That sort of stuff makes the most difference and it's tricky to get right, go too far with the file/dremel and you'll end up with a nice hole in your frame.
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Rock-climby-Dave
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Don't like it personally, feels wierd to me. Some prefer it, to each their own I guess.
It does take a long time and there is no way around it, 4 hours? for a pistol done decently.
Gain as far as grip goes, probably very little. If you're worried about your pistol slipping, you aren't holding it right in the first place.
For the same time and effort, you'd be better off filing, sanding and dremmeling the pistol grip to suit your hands and grip exactly, maybe install a thumb rest if that's your kind of thing (I know it's mine!)
Simple things like raising the the bottom of the trigger guard at the back and raising the tang of the pistol can make a huge difference to feel and overall controllability and point-ability.
It does take a long time and there is no way around it, 4 hours? for a pistol done decently.
Gain as far as grip goes, probably very little. If you're worried about your pistol slipping, you aren't holding it right in the first place.
For the same time and effort, you'd be better off filing, sanding and dremmeling the pistol grip to suit your hands and grip exactly, maybe install a thumb rest if that's your kind of thing (I know it's mine!)
Simple things like raising the the bottom of the trigger guard at the back and raising the tang of the pistol can make a huge difference to feel and overall controllability and point-ability.
Honestly, I would sooner put skateboard tape on it than take a power tool to the frame. I think what you've done there is WAY too coarse.
always liked the texture on the P07 though - those patterns are badass.
https://m.imgur.com/cTjV5TI
always liked the texture on the P07 though - those patterns are badass.
https://m.imgur.com/cTjV5TI
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Agree with Ash on that one, looks a bit too large - like black grated cheese! :lol:
Skateboard Griptape is a really good shout actually @AshOnSnow, semi-permanent so you can always go back to original finish easily enough.
Skateboard Griptape is a really good shout actually @AshOnSnow, semi-permanent so you can always go back to original finish easily enough.
Quite aware of that, but thank you for letting me know just in case
There's no need to get defensive - it's your gun, you can do with it as you please. You put up pictures, I commented on it with an honest opinion, welcome to the wonderful world of forums. I didn't say "ewwwww you're crap, what a load of s**t, you've no idea what you're doing, you're a damn idiot, that gun sucks ass, you even lift bro?". I just said that, in my opinion, the stipple you've done is far too coarse.
Agree 100%.
Most important thing in my opinion is to choose a gun that fits your hand best. For me, that's the P226 with gloves, or the PPQ without (damn thing's a revelation)! I've always found Glock and 1911 grips uncomfortable and I've generally avoided them - I have a Glock 19 for a particular loadout, and ended up with a 1911 on a multibuy, but I've never skirmished either.
If you've had the foresight to choose a pistol that fits you comfortably, that you can quickly grab and it just sits in your hand like it was tailor made, then you don't need to worry about stippling unless you're planning on getting wet.
FYI, if you want to be able to do a really precise "stipple-effect" stencil without going mad with dremels and soldering irons, you can make stencils out of paper and lay them over your frame, then use a textured spray paint like a stone-effect spray on top. You can put on all sorts of patterns.
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TheFull9
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Holy necro quote.
You're not wrong, however factory pistols are designed around the lowest common denominator, especially military/police weapons. They're designed first and foremost to be durable and to have a decent fit for the majority of people, not to be a precise fit in the hand of a specific person or to squeak out the absolute maximum control and performance, that's why frame customisation is such a huge and profitable market. An off the rack suit just won't fit anyone like a tailored suit, it's not going to happen. The top competitors in sports like 3-gun so often have custom jobs done (that involve stippling) because it's been well proven at this point. It's a lot of time/cost for a relatively small gain and there's no 'need' in airsoft from a handling perspective, but that's pretty irrelevant.
I've fired various 9mm and .45 pistols, mostly the Browning Hi-Power and G17 Gen 4 of course and as someone with sweaty palms, the total lack of anything noticeably rough on the grip of service issued BHPs (at the time) was a nightmare. The factory Gen 4 is definitely better for me and the highly custom stippled Glocks and M&Ps I've shot were better still. Going back in time on the flip side, I found the Luger and older style 1911s much trickier to hold on to under recoil.
If you're concealed carrying something, having an overly aggressive texture is going to be unpleasant. If it's always in a holster and you're only ever carrying the gun for maybe 2 days tops in some sort of airsoft game, then go wild I say. I've got VZGrips G10 panels on 1 or 2 modified TM 1911s that are just as deeply contoured as the stippling shown above and the G10 is super rough on the surface, but the traction in the hand is honestly really nice on a full metal 1911 GBB and to look at the grip panels nobody would ever think they seem excessively coarse from a picture; not that you can ever truly tell from a picture alone.
You're not wrong, however factory pistols are designed around the lowest common denominator, especially military/police weapons. They're designed first and foremost to be durable and to have a decent fit for the majority of people, not to be a precise fit in the hand of a specific person or to squeak out the absolute maximum control and performance, that's why frame customisation is such a huge and profitable market. An off the rack suit just won't fit anyone like a tailored suit, it's not going to happen. The top competitors in sports like 3-gun so often have custom jobs done (that involve stippling) because it's been well proven at this point. It's a lot of time/cost for a relatively small gain and there's no 'need' in airsoft from a handling perspective, but that's pretty irrelevant.
I've fired various 9mm and .45 pistols, mostly the Browning Hi-Power and G17 Gen 4 of course and as someone with sweaty palms, the total lack of anything noticeably rough on the grip of service issued BHPs (at the time) was a nightmare. The factory Gen 4 is definitely better for me and the highly custom stippled Glocks and M&Ps I've shot were better still. Going back in time on the flip side, I found the Luger and older style 1911s much trickier to hold on to under recoil.
If you're concealed carrying something, having an overly aggressive texture is going to be unpleasant. If it's always in a holster and you're only ever carrying the gun for maybe 2 days tops in some sort of airsoft game, then go wild I say. I've got VZGrips G10 panels on 1 or 2 modified TM 1911s that are just as deeply contoured as the stippling shown above and the G10 is super rough on the surface, but the traction in the hand is honestly really nice on a full metal 1911 GBB and to look at the grip panels nobody would ever think they seem excessively coarse from a picture; not that you can ever truly tell from a picture alone.
Yeah I used to shoot the Glock 17 Gen 3 which was a PITA for my hands. The glock in general is just square, and hands aren't square!
The Sig on the other hand (pun intended) was a great fit. I only shot 9mm, never had the chance to shoot .45.
Never shot the hi power, but I can see from looking at it how it could be a major buzzkill. Those finger groove grips for the 226 look like the bees knees -
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lemon191
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Personal preference I have yet to see a stipple job I like the look of, to me they more often than not make it look a bit tacky. Grip wise I've used a Glock 17 gen 4, g18 gen 3 , m9 and I've yet to struggle to grip them even after rain or my glove being covered in wet mud.
TheFull9
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