AL Grip - installation

[Alan Adamson]

Ok, I followed some instructions on fitting the grip and that part was easy... but now I've ran into another issue.

I have a tri-glide SVI trigger bow that came out of the plastic grip. But it seems that the groove in the new AL grip is cut differently than the plastic version, the bow, doesn't go as far fowards (yes, I have no amount of bend in the tang for takeup, it's flat to the bow). With the bow that came out of my plastic grip in the gun, I have zero freeplay (takeup) at the halfcock notch, and maybe about .020" at the full cock.

Just for kicks I tried a real STI trigger bow, and it was a smidge better, but still the same issue. the bow probably sets .020 - .030- farther forward in the plastic grip than it does in the AL grip.

Anyone else seen this issue? I really don't want to bend up the bow that came out of my plastic grip incase I have to go back there, I may be able to replace the tri-glide with a regular and see where that ends up, but it's still not going to be where the plastic grip is.... I'll call STI tomorrow.

I knew that with the SV grip there were issues, but didn't think those same existed with the ST grip...

Bummer... I wasn't anticipating having a spare bow around to mess with... Lesson learned...

Alan

[z40acp]

Don't know about the Al. grips but I have had trouble with SVI ITS trigger bows in plastic grips. Both STI and SVI grips. The bow I received with my SVI frame will not fit any grip {2 SV's and 3 STI's} that I have owned. The second bow had to be tweaked some to work and it doesn't go as far forward as any of the STI bows do. Also had trouble with SV's titanium sear. It is like they have trouble with anything titanium. I have had at least 5 STI double stack titanium triggers and they all would fit.

[Jaxshooter]

Could it be binding on the trigger base? ie; Could the trigger be to tall or wide for the track in the STI grip?

[Alan Adamson]

Could it be binding on the trigger base? ie; Could the trigger be to tall or wide for the track in the STI grip?

Nope, it's bottoming out in the curved area where the radii are on the forward corners of the bow. I was hoping that it was hitting close in at the trigger insert holder, as I might be able to tweak a bow to fit if that were the case, but it's not, it's hitting right out at the front corners, just like the grooves were cut too narrow... However I don't believe that there is anything wrong with the grip, I just think that my trigger job and parts are matted for the plastic grip and I don't know how I'm going to re-use those parts in the AL grip... They have changed the look of the AL grip in the trigger area, forward of the mag release button and the curves where the trigger bot protrudes from the grip. You can visually see that change when looking at a plastic along side it...

Hmm.... I was hoping that sear, disconnector, etc would drop right in, but perhaps not... I'm going to try a non-tri-glide SVI bow (the one I have is a tri-glide). We'll see, SVI used thinner material for the bow and with the little bit of the ball not being there, it might be enough.... If not, then the grip may need to be milled slightly and I don't have the tools to do that ...

Alan

[matt2ace]

I had to fit my SV triggers with STI bows in order to use them with an aluminum grip.

It takes 30 minutes at most to do the job.

[Fireant]

I had to fit my SV triggers with STI bows in order to use them with an aluminum grip.

It takes 30 minutes at most to do the job.

OK, please tell me how this is done. I have been trying to get directions for this for a while now.

[Alan Adamson]

I had to fit my SV triggers with STI bows in order to use them with an aluminum grip.

It takes 30 minutes at most to do the job.

OK, please tell me how this is done. I have been trying to get directions for this for a while now.

Yes, PLEASE do tell!!!

Alan

[Pat Miles]

Don't know about fitting an SVI trigger shoe on an STI bow but the times I have fitted a complete SVI trigger into an STI grip it was time consuming. Obvious the bow is too long so I had to reform the front curves of the bow with a larger radius to shorten the bow front to back. In a few cases I could flatten the front of the bow where it fits into the front of the grip as it was bent towards the back a bit on both sides causing the extended length. Lately I just buy an STI gunsmith fit trigger. The trigger shoe is long and flat. I just mill the front of the shoe to the length and fit it into the grip as usual. This is less expensive and fitted to the length I like. Just not as sexy.

CYa,

Pat

[cslafrain]

+1 on the instructions from matt2ace. I would love to see some detail on this.

[Alan Adamson]

After *too much* messing around, I've got a trigger bar that seems to work and allow all the safeties, half cock, etc to work. It was an older SVI that I could *tweak on*, it had already been pretty heavily tweaked prior. This allows me to keep the one that I know works with the plastic grip intact and yet, try out this AL grip.

Now to finish the assembly. While I ordered a VZ grips aluminum mainspring housing, it's gonna need some work too, it doesn't fit the contour of the double stack magazine well, plus it's lot at tall as the plastic ones that come with the plastic grip. Either are going to need the back of the grip fit to the mainspring housing, but for now, I'll use the one out of the plastic grip.

Sheesh, for all those that say, oh, it's a pretty easy fit drop it.... NOT, it's probably taken me 10 hours of messing with and that doesn't even account for the time it took to fit the grip to the frame...

BTW, this is a B grip ( the regular sized ones), and oh, for the records, STI claims that all the cracked ones have been the small version (somehow I'm not buying it), but anyway, FWIW.

Alan