jeep45238
09-30-2010, 11:46 PM
Let's face it - most polymer pistols are slick on the sides, don't have anything aggresive on the front strap, and the backstraps are just as neglected.
Why? People whine about aggressive textures being too harsh on their hands, instead of manning up, taking the extra grip, and building a few callusus. So, the companies don't rough them up enough out of the factory.
(to those of you complaining about inside the waistband carry rubbing your side raw, just buy some wifebeaters, worked for me!)
I've seen a few intersting attempts at increasing the grip on pistols here, especially the PM series. Bicycle inner tubes, Hogue slip on grip things, and lately, paracord. Some may function - I fear at least one of these methods will come undone and cause some serious issues while firing.
That said, let's look at permanent modifications. Tattoos for your gun. Scarrification. Whatever your fancy is, that's what we're going to do to the frame, permanently improve the pistol. I know that I initially gave it a go after seeing Jocko's PM, and had at my CW40 for a bit less than an hour. The difference in shooting was amazing, but dear lord did it look like ****. Judge for yourself:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20CW40%20stippled/DSCN0200.jpg
Told ya it was nasty. I had to wipe it down with sandpaper to keep my side from bleeding even through an undershirt. I wouldn't reccomend doing the lines, or laying the tip on it's side ever again. You also won't get quite the same benefit out of it if you don't think about your line layout and keep the lines approximately 90* to the rotational motion of the pistol. Just got complicated, didn't it? ;)
Now, let's look at a new, slower method that gave much better results and doesn't look like ass. I'm talking about circles. Why circles (dots)? Well, it's quite simple. Circles have an infinate number of degrees in them, and will thus resist rotational motion in every direction at the same time. Yes, it's mathematics, but don't let it scare you.
The other thing about circles, is that it doesn't look like ass. It's quite subdued, does not rub your side raw through a shirt, requires no sanding, yet offers dramatic increase in grippiness of the frame when you actually man up and GRAB THE DAMN PISTOL.
Compare the above picture with this:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/SW%20MP9Pro/DSCN1274.jpg
Looks a lot better, huh?
Now that we've covered that tidbit, let's look at where we should stipple the frame to see the benefits. I'll put these in order of benefit (this is generic, not necessarily for only Kahr pistols).
1) Front strap
2) Sides of the grip
3) Back strap
4) Underneath trigger guard
5) Where the thumbs naturally rest on the frame
6) Magazine release
So yes, we're talking a 360* stipple job on the grip, and everywhere else your hand contacts the frame.
Lastly, we should undercut the trigger guard. What's this mean? Well, simply this involves taking a small round file, such as a 1/4 round, and filing the rear most portion of the trigger guard where it meets the front strap, and radius cut it on the sides. This lets your strong hand get higher up on the frame, reducing felt recoil, and for the thinner skinned amongst us, eliminate the most common location of blisters when shooting.
And here's how to do it.
YouTube - Stippling revisited (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTNBCQdoNeg)
Why? People whine about aggressive textures being too harsh on their hands, instead of manning up, taking the extra grip, and building a few callusus. So, the companies don't rough them up enough out of the factory.
(to those of you complaining about inside the waistband carry rubbing your side raw, just buy some wifebeaters, worked for me!)
I've seen a few intersting attempts at increasing the grip on pistols here, especially the PM series. Bicycle inner tubes, Hogue slip on grip things, and lately, paracord. Some may function - I fear at least one of these methods will come undone and cause some serious issues while firing.
That said, let's look at permanent modifications. Tattoos for your gun. Scarrification. Whatever your fancy is, that's what we're going to do to the frame, permanently improve the pistol. I know that I initially gave it a go after seeing Jocko's PM, and had at my CW40 for a bit less than an hour. The difference in shooting was amazing, but dear lord did it look like ****. Judge for yourself:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/Kahr%20CW40%20stippled/DSCN0200.jpg
Told ya it was nasty. I had to wipe it down with sandpaper to keep my side from bleeding even through an undershirt. I wouldn't reccomend doing the lines, or laying the tip on it's side ever again. You also won't get quite the same benefit out of it if you don't think about your line layout and keep the lines approximately 90* to the rotational motion of the pistol. Just got complicated, didn't it? ;)
Now, let's look at a new, slower method that gave much better results and doesn't look like ass. I'm talking about circles. Why circles (dots)? Well, it's quite simple. Circles have an infinate number of degrees in them, and will thus resist rotational motion in every direction at the same time. Yes, it's mathematics, but don't let it scare you.
The other thing about circles, is that it doesn't look like ass. It's quite subdued, does not rub your side raw through a shirt, requires no sanding, yet offers dramatic increase in grippiness of the frame when you actually man up and GRAB THE DAMN PISTOL.
Compare the above picture with this:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/jeep45238/Range%20Time/SW%20MP9Pro/DSCN1274.jpg
Looks a lot better, huh?
Now that we've covered that tidbit, let's look at where we should stipple the frame to see the benefits. I'll put these in order of benefit (this is generic, not necessarily for only Kahr pistols).
1) Front strap
2) Sides of the grip
3) Back strap
4) Underneath trigger guard
5) Where the thumbs naturally rest on the frame
6) Magazine release
So yes, we're talking a 360* stipple job on the grip, and everywhere else your hand contacts the frame.
Lastly, we should undercut the trigger guard. What's this mean? Well, simply this involves taking a small round file, such as a 1/4 round, and filing the rear most portion of the trigger guard where it meets the front strap, and radius cut it on the sides. This lets your strong hand get higher up on the frame, reducing felt recoil, and for the thinner skinned amongst us, eliminate the most common location of blisters when shooting.
And here's how to do it.
YouTube - Stippling revisited (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTNBCQdoNeg)