making revolver grips

[scrapcan]

Ok guys I need a little help. I have been trying to find a set of grips for a police positive in 32S&W Long for some time now. It shoots great but I need to be able to drop the hand a bit to get a straight trigger pull. It will also make it easier for my wife to shoot it.

So what is my request for help you ask? I need to make a set since it falls out of the range of available grips. The gun is an early model long square butt. I thought that fitz may have one, upon further examination and correspondence with the current owner of remaining Fitz grips it does not appear that he has anything to fit.

So here is my request for help on making a set. walk me through making a set. Pictures would be even better. I have some ideas in my head but would like to see if they match with what others would do.

thanks for the help.

[fourarmed]

My first recommendation would be to look at the Tyler T-grip. It is a gap filler that goes behind the trigger guard. It does what you want without adding any bulk to the gun. Check their website. Their #7 might be what you want.

[leftiye]

I've made a couple, and it's mostly lay it out, and carve it. The hardest part is usually inletting the insides of the grips to fit the frame. Do this first. When you've got it right to fit the frame, then it's all carving the grip to fit your hand and finishing the wood. If you know someone with a mill get them to mill the flats inside the grips for you. The right setup would allow a router to do this too. My first pair, I used a chisel to make the inside cuts, so that works too.

[scrapcan]

Thanks guys, both of your thought have been mulled over in my mind. I had originally thought that using a rotary tool with a router attachment would be a good way to start inletting for the frame. I have access to a dremel with a plunge router attachement. Maybe that would be something I could control for an initial cut and then clean up with chisel and carving tools.

Leftiye do you have an pictures to share?

The tyler tgrip is an option, but all that I have seen look like it is a cobbled toghether after thought. Do they work, yes they do. But they do not have the look I am after.

For setting the inletting I was going to use the existing grip panels to get undersize layout then slowly open up till I get the proper fit. I was really worried about proper amoun tof relief to keep from splitting. This little revolver is not a hard recoiler, but it is getting shot alot so need something sturdy.

Thanks for the help.

[leftiye]

I guess my first thought is to suggest that you use a dense tough wood that won't split easily. A pair of walnut grips that I made did split and I glued them back together with epoxy, and they're still going strong. Doesn't look too bad either. Watch the inletting. If it isn't nice and flat and doesn't support the grip screws correctly, it can cause splitting.

No pictures, sorry. No camera and I don't know how to post them. Cherry wood is nice for grips. Have a pair for my N-frame. Mostly nowadays I use rubber grips because of the hard recoiling calibers I've got. Love them Pachmayr Grippers!

[fourarmed]

I have made quite a few grips of walnut. Straight grain is easier to work, but crotch figure looks much nicer. I made a very elaborate thumbrest/palm shelf set for a High Standard target pistol years ago, and did a prototype using straight grain pine from a 2x4. It was a fair amount of extra work, but the final walnut version was much better for it. I recommend doing that on your first one.

I start with a chunk of well-seasoned walnut cut where there is a fork. I chainsaw it into a block, and plane or sand flat the outer faces. Then I saw it down the middle and turn the centers out so that the grain is book-matched on the grips. Lay out the frame outline on the planed surfaces, and draw the outline of the grips. Bandsaw away the extra wood. Chisel away everything but the part that meets in front of the grip frame (behind the trigger guard) to a depth slightly more than half the grip frame width. Then chisel away the part that will extend over the frame itself. Start shaping and hope for the best. Minor goofs in inletting can be dealt with using epoxy bedding material.

[scrapcan]

Fourarmed,

You have answered a couple of questions that I had. I was worried about getting the inletting to be right on. I had neglected the use of bedding compound.

I will take your advice as to doing a mock up using a soft wood also.

Thanks for your help.