My newest project - Cut down service grip

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

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.

Ben97XJ said:

How much did you cut off? How did you determine where to cut and what did you use to do it?

Click to expand...

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