Making target pistol grips

[StephenBailey10]

Hi,

I would like to make some grips of my own for a Baikal 46m Pistol. I have some lovely walnut and yew and a scroll saw, bobbin sander, router table etc..

Obviously I could start by using the provided grips as a template but wondered if anyone had alternative suggestions or links to diagrams. Or just the benefit of experience!

It won't be a chore to me because I love working with wood. But I'm a bit of a perfectionist and like to do a good job!

Any advice gratefully received! Thanks.

[Aimstraight]

It is well known that the stock grips with the 46M are on the large size

I was going to trim the grip down a bit, but the wood (oak?) is very hard, and rather than make a hash of it, I was fortunate to find a Rink grip here on the bbs.

If you can make a grip like THIS you would be on a winner!

Hope it goes well

[Grunalf]

Hi

There's a Blog here that might help:

http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2010/...d-pistol-grip/

Might be best to copy the original grips to start with and customise to your hand shape.

HTH

Paul

[Grunalf]

Hi

I found this site useful before I took a knife and sandpaper to my grips

http://www.tenrings.co.uk/app/downlo...istol+grip.pdf

HTH

Paul

[StephenBailey10]

I've had a look through the links and it gives me a good starting point! I'll see how I get on and maybe post something in the future. I have various wood types I've been accumulating: burr oak, walnut, cherry, yew ... I'll have to make a decision!

[Aimstraight]

Hi

I found this site useful before I took a knife and sandpaper to my grips

http://www.tenrings.co.uk/app/downlo...istol+grip.pdf

HTH

Paul

That is interesting, particularly the part about the centre of the middle pad of three fingers in line with barrel. However, this can be elusive even on good match grips that otherwise fit well at the other three main points of contact (triangle points A-B-C).

I have previously seen the pdf regarding 'Gripping The Pistol' HERE. This pdf mentions that it not always practical to get the pad of three fingers in line with the barrel on some grips, but to ensure consistency in hold.

[mrgeoff]

Modify your existing grip with blue-tak to get the perfect grip shape.
Use this as your template, and keep feeling the shape between the 2 grips when you are working on the new one.

I did a LH grip for a pistol bought with a RH. The pistol itself had a flat tang, so I used a piece of birch plywood the same width as the tang and made same shape as the tang as a cutout, then put lumps of birch either side and glued down.

While the outer shape of the 3 layers was roughed out with a jigsaw, my profiling was done with a angle grinder fitted with a 40 grit sanding disk, wile finishing with an 80.


30 seconds sanding, then stained, perfect!

[nickm marshall]

May sound a bit extreme. But I have used a black and decker power file to modify Grips.
Then tidy up with a home made stippling tool made with a unwanted screwdriver.

Sounds auful. Buts it's hard to spot that the grip has been altered.
Only real giveaway is i shape the sheft to my hand.

Can't attach photo's.

[micken]

Hi,

I would like to make some grips of my own for a Baikal 46m Pistol. I have some lovely walnut and yew

If you've got good walnut then stick with that, it's the better choice for grips and stocks above yew.
Don't be tempted by oak since it can react for the worse in contact with steel.

As far as tools and fitting are concerned then that's down to the fitter. Some folks are good with chisels and knives

Cheers,

Mick

[Bobster123]

When I shot competition pistol in the 90's I modified standard grips to suit my needs along with several other club members.
We were advised by the Great Deryck Gent to use Newspaper moistened with PVA glue... watered down about 50/50.. to build up the grip to suit our hands.

I had decent success using this method... and once I got the feel I wanted I sealed the paper / pva with waterproof PVA.

As my shooting improved I decided to have a "Gent" grip made by Deryck himself.....

I spent a full day at his workshop. He had taken my Walther GSP a week previously to make a "blank" that fitted the action and to give him something to work with.
During the day he got me to dip my hand in a small bucket of water.. and then to grip the gun fitted with the "blank" grip.
Over a period of several hours... and nearly 50 hand wetting procedures the grip came to be "something like".... Deryck was not happy though and continued through the afternoon to whittle away with a carving chisel to remove high points on the grip where the water on my hand marked the Walnut.

Late afternoon he was happy... my wet hand left water marks on 95% of the walnut...

The result... a grip that fitted me like a glove... a grip that ensured I held the gun correctly every time and compensated for me being "left eyed".

Im not suggesting everyone has the ability to recreate a "Gent"... but that was his method... wet hands on a blank grip cut much oversize.... the idea being that by removing the "high spots" more and more of the hand came into contact with the grip ! Certainly if you dont have Walnut to hand dont try Oak... try a lump of cheap timber to start with... even glue a couple of pieces of 3x2 to make a decent sized blank to start with.... AND screw a piece of scrap timber to your bench top to stop the blank sliding away from you when you carve... dont try to hold it yourself or you will be visiting casualty for sure !!!!

Good Luck

[StephenBailey10]

Thanks for all the ideas. I'll go with the walnut and hopefully in the course of time come up with something to share in relation to my experiences! I like the tip about holding with a wet hand to find high spots - I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have thought of that!

[Lundy]

Bobster - how does being left eyed affect things- I'm just looking for my first pistol and I am actually left eyed. I now shoot rifles left handed but had not thought it mattered for Pistols!
I would appreciate your thoughts especially as a pistol I'm looking at is likely to need new grips which I would also like to make
Andy

[thirdwheel]

It's an ergonomic thing.
If you are shooting pistol cross dominant using your right hand and left eye the grip is made to rotate the action to the right about 7degrees in relation to the normal right dominant eye grip. That little twist although subtle makes a lot of difference as it allows you to hold your wrist in a more neutral position and in balance rather than rotating and holding in a more unnatural position.

George

[Lundy]

George-good explanation, thank you!