[Midwest Tactical Systems]

Can anyone who has used the services of some of the guys who do grip reductions give a reasonable and fair comparison of them?

The only three that I know of off the top of my head are Mr. Burns, Mr. Graham, and Robar, though I've held one done by a guy in Kokomo, Indiana that was pretty good, but I can't remember who he was.

Anyone have any opinions on this topic? Is a grip reduction necessary? Anyone wish that Glock would come out with the frames contoured the way the grip reductions make them?

 

[Bruce]

I have had several done by Dane Burns. Can't compare them to other folks who do them because these are exactly the way I want them...just haven't had cause to look around.

Btw, Dane turned these around very quickly, like a week, 10 days.

 

[Kevin Ferrell]

It would be wonderful if Glock would put out several types of frames. The one I have currently is the "new style" with the finger grooves and agressive frontstrap checkering and that is it's worst drawback. After taking several pistol courses and shooting 500+ rounds per class the insides of the joints of my fingers are raw and knotted. Consequently I'm not gripping the pistol very well and my instructor points out the majority of my problems hitting the target consistently is my grip. Being able to find a more "human friendly" gripframe that is a stock Glock part would be great. I'm unsure if the model 23 ever came out with the smooth frontstrap, but for me it would be worth buying one used to get a frame that dosen't eat my hands.

 

[Dane Burns]

Since I redo the other two on a regular basis, here is my take on it FWIW. Robar? Fairly flat back strap and they add material for a consistant cosmetic texture.

Mark's? Better ergonomics, certainly not as flat as the Robar, and a better fill and texture. He started redoing Glocks at Robar so I would expect a better job.

No idea on their prices or time frames.

I use a two part system, of cut and fill. My cosmetics aren't as clean, my ergonomics are very user friendly. The gun points and feels more like a 1911 than the other two fro my experience and that of the feed back I get.

 

[YeeDude]

FWIW, I've had Dane rework an M21 that was previously reduced by Robar. I like the overall recontouring that he does to the Glock grips.

I personally don't like the look and feel of the ARS reduction - the surface finish is very "gloppy". YMMV, of course.

Here's a picture comparing the grip reductions:

(BTW, anyone got any recommendations for a good (and free) online album hosting service? I was with Photopoint until they became a pay service and then went to Zing which dot-bombed outta service on the 2nd. Would appreciate any leads for where I can relocate my currently homeless 50MB+ cache of pictures. Thanks. :smile: )

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: YeeDude on 2001-07-09 05:28 ]</font>

 

[Guest]

I use webshots for free photos.

I had a G20 Robar gun (hated it an sold it the same day I took it to the range). I have also shot a G23 reduction with finger grips that Custom Arms Corp did for Mark Garrity that was very nicely done, clean with good lines and nice looking finger grips that made the G23 into one of the worst shooting guns I have ever used.

Also, Glock offered the G23 with flat but checkered front strap for four years so finding a used one should be fairly easy.

 

[Marty Hayes]

For those of you who may be interested, Dane did his first prototype of his grip reduction on my Mod. 22, which I had originally cut down to accept 23 mags.

One night while sipping rum and rootbeer, he asked to see my gun, and the conversation went from "nice hatchet job" to "I think I would like to try to do a grip reduction".

A few weeks later, I took possession of the "Burns Custom grip reduction prototype" and I had one word... Gak! Boy, did it look ugly. Then I put it in my hand, and it felt like a well used bar of soap, allowing all of my hand to contact the frame.

Well, since then, Dane has gone on to making his grip reduction astetically pleasing as well as ergonomically pleasing, and my wife and I had him reduce our baby Glocks.

As far as durability, I still carry the prototype on a daily basis. He has offered to re-do the gun again, bringing it up to contempory standards, but I like to have something to threaten him with if he ever crosses me, like threatening to post a photo of the gun.

:smile:

 

[Guest]

Is this the BCP GAK special?

 

[Just a GI]

YeeDude, could you post or e-mail me a pic of the grip reductions from the side instead of the back? [email protected]

Thanks

Pete

 

[YeeDude]

Ask and yee shall receive:

 

[scoop]

just my 2 cents but none of the grip reductions look right to me.just seems like a good way to ruin a good pistol.

 

[Dane Burns]

Just my 2 cents, but none of the pistols look right. The excellent work done by all the talented artists involved seems a waste of time and creativity to me :grin:

Think what any of the four could do with a 1911!

On a serious note it has nothing to do with looks and everything to do with how easy a Glock is to point and shoot. All the reductions make a Glock better in that aspect IMO. YMMV of coure :grin:

AWESOME pictures YEEDUDE!



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dane Burns on 2001-07-11 23:18 ]</font>

 

[lurker]

So does the grip reduction change the girth of the grip (ie circumference) or does it just change the grip angle? or both? I would love to purchase a G21 but it is slightly too thick for my hand. I'm still waiting on Glock to make a full sized single stack 45 or 10mm... you hear me Gaston...

Thanks,
~lurker

 

[YeeDude]

scoop: Your comment about cosmetics is well taken, but the reduced grip pistols feel much better to my medium-sized hands. To me the function is more important than form. (But, then again, I don't think Dane's work is THAT ugly!)

Dane: Tbanks! :smile:

lurker: Dane's grip reduction DOES affect the reach to the trigger because he bevels the area behind the trigger as well as radiussing the "corners" of the grip.

Here's a diagram of where material the grip has been recontoured:

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: YeeDude on 2001-07-12 17:31 ]</font>

 

[Peter Loron]

Sweet pics!

 

[Dane Burns]

Yeedude?

Can I steal all your pictures again for my website review and gallery?

Please, purty please?

db

 

[YeeDude]

Sure, Dane.

FWIW, I now have a decent digicam to supplement my SLR camera and scanner. You want nicer (bigger) pics or are the existing ones good enough for ya? :smile:

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: YeeDude on 2001-07-12 20:32 ]</font>

 

[Marty Hayes]

Dane:

I'll send you photos for your web page of my Glock if you need them.

:smile:

 

[northwind]

I just got my first Glock (G35) and overall I am impressed except for the finger spacers on the grips. Hands are rather large so they don't fit. S&W does the same thinh with the rubber Hogue grips on their revolvers but at least you can replace them with grips that fit. So anyway, I took a file and ground the Glock finger grips down to the nubs. Not as fancy as the custom people but now it fits. Next to get some Pearce grip extensions to fill in the vacancy at the bottom of the front grip where your little finger goes and should be all set. I really don't think the Glock grip is too big just a little different as almost all handguns tend to be.