Pistol grip fit.

[lead lobber]

Hi guys, newbie to target air pistol shooting and the forum. I have just bought an LP2 second hand. I have no intention of adjusting the grip for a while (until I have some knowledge and experience) but wondered what filler people have used to pad out their grips and if there is a reason for using one particular filler as apposed to another.

[Bjacobs571]

Blu-tac and plasticine are good for playing about and seeing what works and what doesn't as they are really easy to remove afterwards

[nige346]

Same as, experience will tell you where to modify but until then Blu-Tac is a great method and can be adjusted as you shoot, it actually holds shape very well and if you don't like what you've done you can just peel it off and start again,

Blu-tac and plasticine are good for playing about and seeing what works and what doesn't as they are really easy to remove afterwards

[lead lobber]

I wouldn't have thought of plasticine and blutac. I'd of gone for oversized wood filler and a dremmel with all the associated dust and inevitable mistakes. Glad I asked, thanks for the responses.

[Fierynick]

Have a play around with blue-tax, then when you have an idea of what you need to do then use P38, and a dremmel tool. The most important thing is to not worry about how is looks.....just worry about how it feels. Remember also that it will take a long time to get it right.....mine is about there after six months of tinkering!!

[TheWilding]

I used 2-pack filler and a latex glove.


This will make it a true anatomical grip as its moulded to your hand.


You dont have to but I made new grip blanks from ply as the original grips for my pistol a quite rare now.


Mixed up the filler and layed it on roughly where I thought it needed building up, like the palm swell etc, then with the glove on held the pistol in firing position until it became to hot to hold, by that time it has cured enough to be able to let go anyway, then go over it with some sand paper to take off the edges, do a fine fill and a final sand, then paint.


My averages went up by 10 just doing this one mod to my pistol, my averages also went up by getting the balance right by adding weight to the pistol, the rest is all practice and stance.


ATB


Sean

[savantguarde]

If you look in maplin they have a thermosetting plastic called "polymorph" it softens in hot water and you can use it to add material easily and once its hardened in has a good feel but is still easily removed.
The nice thing about polymorph is that you can apply it and while its still hot. Grip the pistol and you will get a perfect impression of your grip.

Get it wrong? Peel it off and try again

[lead lobber]

Thanks for all the responses. I've never heard of Polymorph but having looked it up the possibilities with that stuff seem endless. Particularly as you can reheat, reshape and reuse it. For anybody else who has never heard of It, it is apparently available with different melting points (62 deg and 42 deg), non toxic, can be coloured with powder paints and sets with a nylon type consistency (from what I've read).

[Bjacobs571]

The melting point of polymorph is 60oC so it will be too hot to comfortably handle when soft. It will not breath like wood does and may become slippery if it is hot and you start to sweat. It is not a very hard plastic more like PVC than abs and will need to be stippled to give some grip.
Apart from that it has a lot going for it as a grip filler.
The grips on my hammerli AP40 are made of a porous plastic so they don't get slippery.

[lead lobber]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I have been trying to respond to your replies and assumed they were taking a long time as they have to be vetted (due to me being a newbie) but I think I was getting it wrong.The polymorph plastic sounds really versatile and interesting. Having read a bit about it, it appears to come in 2 different workable temperatures (62 deg and 42 deg) and can be reused. I can see sweating being a problem but would probably experience the same what ever I use.

[lead lobber]

O.K. I decided to have a go with polymorph. I bought a 250g tub off of amazon. It arrived without instructions but having read about it and watched some you-tube videos, I gave it a go. I put some in a jug (about half of it) and added hot water. The granules stuck together but didn't combine (I am not sure what the melting point of this batch is). So I poured boiling water on it. Gradually the granules went transparent and formed one lump. I took it out using a stick (wife over protective of cutlery) and thick black gloves. I formed it around the grip. It adhered to the stippling very well, in fact when I peeled it off, to reform it, particles of wood came off with it. It does not however adhere to smooth wood. I reheated it, having a better idea of the quantity and shape needed. I dispensed with the black gloves finding that despite the heat it was handle-able and reapplied it. I found I could make minor adjustments by heating the necessary area with a hair drier and/ or applying small melted amounts as necessary. It is easy enough to cut whilst warm (clear) but once it has cooled down and become white it is difficult.

The grip now fits me very well. It looks horrible (this stuff can apparently be coloured) and I don't like the feel but take solace in the fact I can take it off relatively easily. I am unsure if the grip size is within spec now and the gun needs convincing to go back in to its steyr box. I hope it improves my scores but only time will tell. I have taken some pics but my son has run off with the camera download cable. Thanks for all the responses.

[lead lobber]

I just stippled it with a dremmel which has gotten rid of that hard dried up chewing gum feel but left it feeling very rough. It is very hard to sand but application of a hair drier will probably help smooth it.

[nige346]

When I've used this I put a piece of fruit netting over it and hold the grip, this then gives a nice uniform patern to it that helps with grip,
A material I've found very good is Ronseal high performance wood filler, 2 pack system that can be purchased in various shade, sands easy, put it on the grip and hold the pistol in the sighting position, let it set with your hand still in place, when you remove your hand you'll have an exact fit. All you need to do is clean up the edges and surface for a Great fitting grip.

[lead lobber]

When I've used this I put a piece of fruit netting over it and hold the grip, this then gives a nice uniform patern to it that helps with grip,
A material I've found very good is Ronseal high performance wood filler, 2 pack system that can be purchased in various shade, sands easy, put it on the grip and hold the pistol in the sighting position, let it set with your hand still in place, when you remove your hand you'll have an exact fit. All you need to do is clean up the edges and surface for a Great fitting grip.

Excellent idea with the netting. Thanks.