Mictlanero
Member
I received these urethane faux ivory grips from the Grip Maker - they are very nice looking and I am excited to fit them to my Pietta 1861.
I removed the wooden grips and placed each half of the grips on the grip frame and see that I will have to do some fitting with files and sand paper, as expected. This does not present a problem as I am pretty good at this sort of project - but have not done anything on gun grips.
These grips are allegedly "oversized" to accomodate for fitting (i can see i have to file off the Pietta tail these seem to have). I specifically requested grips for a 1861 -- but looking at them, there will definitely be some gaps - chiefly because the upper front part of the grips that abuts the frame at the recoil shield area will need to be filed down a bit so that the grip fits snugly against both the widened top of the grip frame that has the screw holes and the gun frame facing the recoil shield.
So, long story short - whereas ideally the grips would fit perfectly along the grip frame with no part of the backstap sticking out, it appears that if i sand off a bit of the fore-part of the grips then the back strap will stick out a bit along the back - and also along the bottom part of the butt.
Alternately I could just leave a bit of a gap toward where the fore part of the grip abuts the frame/recoil shield area and the rest will fit ok.
I know these self-fitted grips never fit exactly and add "character" - but i am just wondering if it is better to leave a gap at the front where grip abuts the gun frame or leave part of the backstrap exposed along the back and under part of the butt?
Or is there some way to add a bit of material to fill the gap at the front? Perhaps mix some epoxy with urethane powder shavings and add a bit of material?
Thanks for your advice
I removed the wooden grips and placed each half of the grips on the grip frame and see that I will have to do some fitting with files and sand paper, as expected. This does not present a problem as I am pretty good at this sort of project - but have not done anything on gun grips.
These grips are allegedly "oversized" to accomodate for fitting (i can see i have to file off the Pietta tail these seem to have). I specifically requested grips for a 1861 -- but looking at them, there will definitely be some gaps - chiefly because the upper front part of the grips that abuts the frame at the recoil shield area will need to be filed down a bit so that the grip fits snugly against both the widened top of the grip frame that has the screw holes and the gun frame facing the recoil shield.
So, long story short - whereas ideally the grips would fit perfectly along the grip frame with no part of the backstap sticking out, it appears that if i sand off a bit of the fore-part of the grips then the back strap will stick out a bit along the back - and also along the bottom part of the butt.
Alternately I could just leave a bit of a gap toward where the fore part of the grip abuts the frame/recoil shield area and the rest will fit ok.
I know these self-fitted grips never fit exactly and add "character" - but i am just wondering if it is better to leave a gap at the front where grip abuts the gun frame or leave part of the backstrap exposed along the back and under part of the butt?
Or is there some way to add a bit of material to fill the gap at the front? Perhaps mix some epoxy with urethane powder shavings and add a bit of material?
Thanks for your advice