Model 41 Target Grip

[Teruteru314]

This is my current arsenal:


Not much, but enough. The Model 41 standard grip has been designed to fit in most "standard" hands, but not as a target shooting grip. So I decided to make my own grips.

I began with a Sketchup v8 model, to be able to "see" (understand) all the complexities of the frame form:


(click on thumbs for full res images)

After almost 2 weeks and some range trials, the final grip is this:





If any coleague wants/needs the sketchup model and/or pictures of the more important steps, please PM me.

 

[H Richard]

That grip looks almost identical the the custom grip I had built many years ago by Vitarbo. Palm rest a little larger and upswept on the outside just short of 1" to meet NRA limitations.

 

[rlabbe]

Hi,

Any advice for exactly fitting to the frame, especially drilling the screw holes? I've made similar grips for a Ruger, and with only a drill press it took a couple of tries on blanks before I got the screw holes 'good enough'. I'd like to make some grips for the 41, but would prefer to step up my game to more than trial & error.

I don't have a CNC machine or the like, so it is drill press, chisels, etc., for me.

 

[Teruteru314]

I don't have a CNC machine or the like, so it is drill press, chisels, etc., for me.

Hi there rlabbe. It's the same for me, I used a standard drill, a Dremel (sanding disc and drums), a B&D mouse sander, and sand paper.

The easiest way I found to do it, appart from a very careful meassuring, it to lay the frame over a blank paper and draw the silouette of it in the most careful and exact way. Then, without moving the frame, mark or punch the paper thru the holes.

Once you got the profile with the hole centers marks, it's a piece of cake.

The most critical part, in addition to the fit of the holes AND the rectangular shapes in the center of the inner part of each half of the grip, is the thin wall of wood just behind the main spring and under the hamer (see the arrows in folloging picture):

and with only a drill press it took a couple of tries on blanks before I got the screw holes 'good enough'.

BTW, it's the other way around ... once you have the holes and inner rectangular parts the exact distance apart on a template, then you can build up all other pieces from them.

Hope this helps.