Stippling a firearm frame?

[Member 45541]

Since this is the General Firearm section, and my question pertains to the handgun/rifle world, I hope I'm in the right place. So, does stippling the frame of a firearm weaken the frame in any way? In my thoughts, the repeated hammering of the tool used to do the stippling could cause underlying issues in the frame rigidity. I know nothing of stippling so, educate me.

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[OrPackrat]

Since this is the General Firearm section, and my question pertains to the handgun/rifle world, I hope I'm in the right place. So, does stippling the frame of a firearm weaken the frame in any way? In my thoughts, the repeated hammering of the tool used to do the stippling could cause underlying issues in the frame rigidity. I know nothing of stippling so, educate me.

Did it to a paintball pistol years ago, it got quite a bit of regular use with no signs of weakening.

However, if you go too deep, I suppose it could act like a perforated edge

 

[dplev4]

No. If done properly stippling improves the grip. If not, worst outcome is an abrasive grip. To weaken the frame you'd have to melt through the polymer which would be almost intentional. This is assuming you're stippling a Glock.

 

[gmerkt]

does stippling the frame of a firearm weaken the frame in any way?

Value destruction.

 

[edzz]

You fail to mention if your asking about stippling plastic or metal.

 

[Member 45541]

I know nothing of stippling so, educate me.

You fail to mention if your asking about stippling plastic or metal.

I didn't mention it because I wasn't aware you could stipple metal. Never seen a metal frame done.

 

[edzz]

I didn't mention it because I wasn't aware you could stipple metal. Never seen a metal frame done.

Back in the day, if you couldn't afford checkering files a sharp punch and a hammer was just the trick to create grip strap texture. FWIW you can stipple almost anything.



Maybe not peanut butter but almost...

 

[Member 45541]

Back in the day, if you couldn't afford checkering files a sharp punch and a hammer was just the trick to create grip strap texture. FWIW you can stipple almost anything.

View attachment 2146697

Maybe not peanut butter but almost...

Oh wow, I'd never do that to a 1911! I've seen vertical grooves, but that's the first photo I've seen of one stippled. Very interesting.

 

[1775usmc]

I do it to every Glock I have. Never had any issues. Just don't take off too much material and don't solder too deep. Glock texture sucks. So I enhance all of them. Grip is important.

 

[Member 45541]

I do it to every Glock I have. Never had any issues. Just don't take off too much material and don't solder too deep.

View attachment 2146698 View attachment 2146699 View attachment 2146700 View attachment 2146701

You do good work!

 

[1775usmc]

You do good work!

Thank you. It didn't start out that way. Haha.

 

[Buddy1211]

Im no scientist but I've done almost every polymer pistol I've owned, I've never had an issue and I've done some terrible awful stipple jobs early on.

 

[titsonritz]

I do it to every Glock I have. Never had any issues. Just don't take off too much material and don't solder too deep.

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On that first one…did you do a backstrap reduction?

 

[OrPackrat]

If I was stippling a grip, only pistol I would do it too is my RXM, if something went wrong, easy to just get a new grip...

 

[edzz]

Take your time, practice on scrap plastic.
An adjustable temperature soldering station is your friend.
A 5 gallon plastic bucket is a good supply of scrap.

 

[1775usmc]

On that first one…did you do a backstrap reduction?

On the G34? Nope. It was just removal of the finger grooves.

 

[1775usmc]

If I was stippling a grip, only pistol I would do it too is my RXM, if something went wrong, easy to just get a new grip...

You can get brand new frames from Glock for $100.

 

[1775usmc]

@HA556 if you're gunna do it I would practice on something like a PMag first. Each polymer is different to work with. Even on Glocks it's different between the Gen 3, 4 or 5. Gen 5 is the easiest one to work with I have found. Cutting boarders is the hardest thing to do.

I have 3 tools I use. A dremel/woodburning kit/wood U-channel chisel. Patience is the biggest thing. I would definitely try and do it yourself. I can't believe people pay $4-500 to have grip work done on polymer frames.

 

[OrPackrat]

You can get brand new frames from Glock for $100.

RXM frames are about $40 and they got some new ones coming for making it a compact or full size frame.

 

[1775usmc]

RXM frames are about $40 and they got some new ones coming for making it a compact or full size frame.

That's cool. Personally I'll stick with Glock.