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My newest project - Cut down service grip

1920 Views 23 Replies 19 Participants Last post by  jeepguy
After FINALLY getting my hands on some Sub Compact 40 mags today, I started working on this after dinner...




...thought I was done cutting it. It worked well with the slide off, but with the slide on, it has to be pressed in fairly hard in to fit, about the same as putting a full 12 rd clip in. Hopefully I'll finish tomorrow.
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You got more guts than I do man. No way I'd take a saw to my XD.
How much did you cut off? How did you determine where to cut and what did you use to do it?
For gods sake why did you mutilate a fine gun like this? I find that the SC grips are way too small for really useful shooting. If you wanted a SC why did you just not buy one?
A compact tactical it would make it easier to conceal. Triggerman I sent you a pm
Was not a tactical model, was a service model, see picture. Also the tactical bucks a bit due to long slide cycling, not sure I would want a smaller grip with a tactical. Oh well, his gun, his warranty. May it serve him well.
I know its not a tactical but it is a compact tactical since it now is a compact with a longer than 3 inch barrel. No humor
Sorry, did not pick up on the humor as it was not well flagged. Will try harder next time.
:)
Let's see, 9 rounds...12 rounds, 9rounds...12 rounds. Logic would dictate that you would strive to add more rounds, not take away, but to each his own.
Logic would also say that you'd rather have a smaller grip for concealed carry than a larger grip. It's been said before that the way a lot of people carry here means they could have a 12 inch barrel and it would still conceal, but that dang grip sticking out is what gives it away.
Hey, Triggerman,

Would you mind posting the details on how you went about doing it. I was thinking about doing the very same thing but I'm deathly afraid of taking off too much or getting it at the wrong angle. What tools did you use?? Dremel??

Anyways, it would be cool if you gave us the details.

Peace out.
manygunner said:
For gods sake why did you mutilate a fine gun like this? I find that the SC grips are way too small for really useful shooting. If you wanted a SC why did you just not buy one?
He didn't want an SC. He wanted a short grip with a standard barrel. As others have already pointed out, and as I know from personal experience, when carrying concealed, the grip size is most problematic.

TriggerMan, it looks great. Very nice work.
Hello. Cool. I'm going to do the same thing once I get my hands on a short magazine. I think I have a plan that will work well. I will get some cardboard like a file folder and wrap it around the existing grip. I will carefully mark it and cut it to the bottom edge of the existing grip. I will mark on my cardboard sleeve to a reference point on the existing grip so I can realign it with the grip. I will carefully measure the difference in length of a regular mag and a short mag and make a mark on my grip at that distance. I will then simply slide my cardboard sleeve up to the mag length mark on my grip and trace a line around my cardboard sleeve. And then cut the grip at that line probably with a fine jewelers saw. I may transfer the cardboard layout to a thin piece of sheet-metal first and actually use the sheet-metal sleeve as an edge to cut against. I haven’t done this yet I'm just contemplating a plan.

Similar links

http://www.hs2000talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=19630

http://www.hs2000talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=18869&highlight=grip&sid=5ccc0190e8e8eda654e363a2b2efee03

http://www.hs2000talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=18681&highlight=&sid=09b34501bac3aa070bb89d4e7cba3811
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Fine looking job you did, looks factory in the pic. Hope it all works out for you.
I am not sure if the fit between the slide and frame are the same on the SC and Service but would it be easier to get the measurements from the SC and cut the service to match.
Personally one of the reasons I went with the XD-9 service size pistol instead of a glock 19 was the larger grip and better grip angle on the XD-9.

concerns about fullsize grip being less concealable than cut down grips is more a matter of the mind than physical. I have carried full size service pistols concealed under nothing more than an untucked and unbuttoned short sleeved shirt for more than 20 years. the reality is not only are even full size pistols easily conceable but NOBODY is really looking to see if you are armed anyway. ( but it is common for new carriers to think everyone knows they have a gun). and unfortunately this applies to probably 90% of the police officers as well. for those who are observant novice gun toters give themselves away more by thier unconcious habits of "touching" thier concealed weapon than they do by having a gun with full size grips.
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Ben97XJ said:
How much did you cut off? How did you determine where to cut and what did you use to do it?
At first, I was just gonna use EME's pics he posted of his cut down grip by counting the rows, I guess you would say, of the front and back of the grip. Then after getting the magazines, I just measured the difference of the location of the hole on the mags for the magazine catch, which was roughly 20.5 mm. I measured the difference where the grip is recessed for the grip, which was roughly 4 mm. So I first cut off 16.5 mm straight off. then went up 4mm and cut the recessed part using EME's pics as sort of a guideline of where to cut the angle. Then I cut the chamfered part on the inside of the grip for the magazine. All this was done a dremel using cutting wheels and sanding discs.

And the reason for doing so is, as already stated, I wanted a shorter grip for CCW. I'm a little guy, 5'06" and 130lbs, so the grip always bothered me
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