Dawson Ice Magwell

[Wild Gene]

Has anyone tried Dawson's "Big Hand" model Ice Magwell?

I have fairly large palms and long slender fingers. When holding my Edge with the stock STI magwell, the bottom of my palm is below the magwell a bit. I do not have to reposition my hand or change my grip to hit the mag release, and for my custom gun, I am having extra long, flat gunsmith blanks installed for the trigger.

Does the big hand Ice keep my edge within legal parameters (in the box) for USPSA matches?

Thank you,

Gene

[ParaGunner]

If your shooting Limited division there is no box

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: The Dawson "Big Hand" magwell will flare the bottom of your hand out more than the STI magwell. You can undercut the trigger gaurd to get a higher grip and more room for your hand. Thanks, Eric

[Wild Gene]

If your shooting Limited division there is no box

This is why I ask. At least I remember the difference between class and division, so Grumpy One will not get on my case, LOL.

Will this take a standard Edge out of any competition that it would otherwise qualify for?

[twodownzero]

I have the "Heavy Ice" on mine and it fits my smallish hands better than the regular Dawson Ice, which I used to use. I'd assume the "big hand" model offers even more space than the regular Ice.

[BayouSlide]

Will this take a standard Edge out of any competition that it would otherwise qualify for?

Certainly nothing to cause you any grief in USPSA or Steel Challenge...IDPA may be another story but I'm not familiar with those rules. Can't imagine it running afoul of anything in the 3-Gun world...a magwell is a magwell.

Curtis

[Intel6]

For people with big hands, or should I say meaty palms like me, the only real solution I have found has been the Cape Magwell that is cut down for big hands, not sure of the designation. Unfortunatley they are no longer made as far as I can tell as I only see the regular versions for sale. I have ben able to scrounge up two more so three of my guns have them but I am always looking for more. In the picture you can see that the Cape basically lengthens the grip. Look at the mainspring pin hole on the Cape and then compare it to most others. The pin in most other magwells goes through the flared part of the magwell while the flared part ont he Caper is much lower then the pin.

I shot with the Cameron's Custom Guns shooter's at the Nationals and they said they are working on a new magwell specifically for large handed shooters. I told them there sure seems to be a market for them and hoped they came up with something.

I think there are lots of shooters out there wo don't even know they need one. I shot for a few years with regular magwells and never realized I was never getting a good solid grip on my gun and was milking it as I shot. It was only after I shot my STI Eagle in .45 ACP with no magwell that I realized how much the regular magwell was causing problems for me. Once I found the large Cape I couldn't use anything else.

Neal in AZ

[AR Gunner]

For people with big hands, or should I say meaty palms like me, the only real solution I have found has been the Cape Magwell that is cut down for big hands, not sure of the designation. Unfortunatley they are no longer made as far as I can tell as I only see the regular versions for sale. I have ben able to scrounge up two more so three of my guns have them but I am always looking for more. In the picture you can see that the Cape basically lengthens the grip. Look at the mainspring pin hole on the Cape and then compare it to most others. The pin in most other magwells goes through the flared part of the magwell while the flared part ont he Caper is much lower then the pin.

I shot with the Cameron's Custom Guns shooter's at the Nationals and they said they are working on a new magwell specifically for large handed shooters. I told them there sure seems to be a market for them and hoped they came up with something.

I think there are lots of shooters out there wo don't even know they need one. I shot for a few years with regular magwells and never realized I was never getting a good solid grip on my gun and was milking it as I shot. It was only after I shot my STI Eagle in .45 ACP with no magwell that I realized how much the regular magwell was causing problems for me. Once I found the large Cape I couldn't use anything else.

Neal in AZ

I have two Cape magwells. They are worth the cost.

Edited December 27, 2010 by AR Gunner

[Wild Gene]

Once I found the large Cape I couldn't use anything else.

Neal in AZ

I have two Cape magwells. They are worth the cost.

Neal and AR, have you seen the one Dawson does? It is cut down in a similar manner.

Thanks for the input.

[BigTinVA]

I really like the Dawson Big Ice magwell. I had the regular Ice magwell on three of my guns and my hand is so big and meaty down where it contacts the magwell that it pushes my hand away from the grip at the bottom. I tried a Big Ice and it really makes a nice difference for me, more room on the grip, but still locks me into a nice high grip on the pistol. I had a Cape on a gun that I sold, it was plenty roomy for my paws, but I didn't get the locked in feeling that the Big Ice offers me. I now have the Big Ice on two of my Open guns and will change out the third one as money allows.

Edit to add: Tony at Velocity has Cape magwells if you want to go that route.

Edited December 27, 2010 by BigTinVA

[AR Gunner]

Once I found the large Cape I couldn't use anything else.

Neal in AZ

I have two Cape magwells. They are worth the cost.

Neal and AR, have you seen the one Dawson does? It is cut down in a similar manner.

Thanks for the input.

I have seen the big Dawson, and it looks similar to the Cape. I have not tried it, though.

[Wild Gene]

http://www.dawsonprecision.com/images/010-061.jpg

This may take you to a photo...

It did work!

Anyway, with the standard Sti Magwell, my palm hangs below the bottom of the grip a bit.

Edited December 28, 2010 by Wild Gene

[Intel6]

Neal and AR, have you seen the one Dawson does? It is cut down in a similar manner.

Thanks for the input.

Yes I have and if you look at it is is the regular Ice with the big grooves cut in the sides. It would still not work for me as the position of the flare of the magwell have not changed. That was why I pointed out the mainspring pin location. Depending on how much of your palm rolls over the edge of the magwell this may work for you but for me it doesn't do much.

The Cape physically moved the flare of the magwell down lower on the grip basically extending the grip length. The cape is the only magwell that has done this, everyone else has the flare of the magwell at the bottom edge of the grip.

Neal in AZ

[want2race]

I modified my ICE magwell over two years ago with a large ball end mill. I didn't like how the meaty portion of my hand rode on top of the magwell either. Now, my palm rides right inside the cutout. It's a perfect fit and nearly acts like a hook. The Dawson is very, very close to what I did to mine. I used a larger tool so the radius is not as steep. It works very well if you don't the feeling of the magwell under your palm.

Edited December 28, 2010 by want2race

[Wild Gene]

Ok, so I just received my Big Ice? Wow! My Edge sits TOTALLY different in my hand. I understand what you guys were talking about now. The Edge points a bit more naturally, and my hand feels like it is in much more contact with the pistol.

The larger opening is a bit odd feeling on reloads, and will take a little getting accustomed to. It is so big!

I may try one of the Capes down the road.

[Wild Gene]

Neal, AR Gunner and Want To,

My hand is still below the mag well, but only a very little bit. My question is this, with bigger hands, do you still find much benefit in undercutting the trigger guard a bit? Again, my palms are fairly large, but my fingers are longer and skinny.

Wanttorace, that is a gorgeous pistol!

Thank you very much.

Gene

Edited December 29, 2010 by Wild Gene

[AR Gunner]

Neal, AR Gunner and Want To,

My hand is still below the mag well, but only a very little bit. My question is this, with bigger hands, do you still find much benefit in undercutting the trigger guard a bit? Again, my palms are fairly large, but my fingers are longer and skinny.

Wanttorace, that is a gorgeous pistol!

Thank you very much.

Gene

The trigger guards on my guns are undercut. I need all the extra space I can get.

[Intel6]

Neal, AR Gunner and Want To,

My hand is still below the mag well, but only a very little bit. My question is this, with bigger hands, do you still find much benefit in undercutting the trigger guard a bit? Again, my palms are fairly large, but my fingers are longer and skinny.

Wanttorace, that is a gorgeous pistol!

Thank you very much.

Gene

The trigger guards on my guns are undercut. I need all the extra space I can get.

Same here, I also need all the room I can get on the grip.

Neal in AZ

[want2race]

Single undercut for me. I don't like double undercut trigger guards. I think most people do it, have it done, because that is what everybody else does. Double undercut and my left index finger rubs my trigger finger. The key to the undercut is to make it big (front to back). Too many jobs I've seen are too short. My knuckle hits right on the hump between the two. I'll post a pic of the plastic grip I did. Dremel sanding drum then finished it off with finer paper.

I'll post the pic tomorrow as it's on another computer.

[Wild Gene]

I went out to the shop and did a long single undercut. I did it with the drum, then smoothed it up so it matches the original smooth finish with a brush thingie.

I wish I could figure out how to post a picture with this stinking iPad!

What are you guys doing for your trigger?

I am thinking long flat? Any ideas?

Thanks a bunch

[want2race]

Nice! I use a reverse curve. I like the feeling of a flat trigger, but I also like how a traditional curve trigger is easy to find center.

Here's an old picture, I've since changed barrels, stippled the grip, then switched to aluminum grip and had the whole thing finished in Atranite. You can see the undercut I like in plastic grips and the Beyond Flat trigger.