New PT Evo grip

[anilson]

I run a dawson brass "heavy" magell on my steel griped guns

[EngineerEli]

I use an aluminum magwell on my steel grip 2011. I think it has a lot to do with the balance of your gun, and your own personal preference. Muzzle heavy, grip heavy or eavenly balanced...

[Edge40]

I also run the aluminum ICE mag well with my steel grips. The balance seems just right. 

[accu9]

Just received my Evo grip, it feels fantastic. Fitment is not even close on my STI frame (Which I was expecting). What tools are you all using to fit the grips? I have various files on hand, but I'm curious as to if stones would work better? 

[anilson]

17 minutes ago, accu9 said:

Just received my Evo grip, it feels fantastic. Fitment is not even close on my STI frame (Which I was expecting). What tools are you all using to fit the grips? I have various files on hand, but I'm curious as to if stones would work better? 

What are the letters in beginning of your SN#

Some frames take a lot of work and some are qucik

[accu9]

31 minutes ago, anilson said:

What are the letters in beginning of your SN#

Some frames take a lot of work and some are qucik

The STI frame starts with TG, I'm told it was manufactured in Nov '14. I also have a CK frame that I may try (if it winds up being less fitting), one of the first 200 made. 

Any thoughts Adam? Thanks

[teros135]

38 minutes ago, accu9 said:

The STI frame starts with TG, I'm told it was manufactured in Nov '14. I also have a CK frame that I may try (if it winds up being less fitting), one of the first 200 made. 

Any thoughts Adam? Thanks

I have an STI frame that starts with CM, and it's .008-.009 too "fat" to fit into the EVO.  Does anybody know when that one was made?

[anilson]

The Metal grips made by PT and SVI (sti style)  will not fit on most sti frames without some work.  Some frames can be fit to the grip in 15 minutes and other might take hours.  The problem is that sti frames have changed a lot over time in specs.  They change every run.

The CM and S frames are older and require a lot of material removal. We do this on a CNC with a set program for the PT grips. Doing one of these with hand tools would be difficult. 

Some of the newer frames with let the grip go on without fitting but often are still tight in some places.  These still need minor fitting or they will stress the frame. 

All of the grips and frames should have the edges broken before the grip is installed.

Pay special attention to the tab for the front grip screw.  Many times this is too tight and will break over time.  

 

[teros135]

30 minutes ago, anilson said:

The Metal grips made by PT and SVI (sti style)  will not fit on most sti frames without some work.  Some frames can be fit to the grip in 15 minutes and other might take hours.  The problem is that sti frames have changed a lot over time in specs.  They change every run.

The CM and S frames are older and require a lot of material removal. We do this on a CNC with a set program for the PT grips. Doing one of these with hand tools would be difficult. 

Some of the newer frames with let the grip go on without fitting but often are still tight in some places.  These still need minor fitting or they will stress the frame. 

All of the grips and frames should have the edges broken before the grip is installed.

Pay special attention to the tab for the front grip screw.  Many times this is too tight and will break over time.  

 

This is one of the things that's nice about PT.  They work to very tight specs and (presumably) don't keep varying them.  Apparently this is true for CK as well. 

Edited October 26, 2016 by teros135

[echotango]

Mine took a few hours to fit correctly on an STI frame.  I have a 2nd evo going on a CK frame.  Hopefully that one goes easier. 

[accu9]

19 hours ago, echotango said:

Mine took a few hours to fit correctly on an STI frame.  I have a 2nd evo going on a CK frame.  Hopefully that one goes easier. 

Did you use files or stones? 

[ScottieShootz]

I've got one on order from PT, so 2 more weeks or so I guess. I'll be using a CK frame, my question is, how tight should this grip fit/how much wiggle room? Everyone talks about them breaking parts on the frame if not fitted properly. Should it slide on like a nicely fit slide/frame? 

[echotango]

.

Edited October 27, 2016 by echotango

[teros135]

4 hours ago, accu9 said:

Did you use files or stones? 

Just checked a CK frame - about .006" interference fit, which is a lot for all the surfaces involved and the flatness needed for good fit.

[anilson]

 

Hi all,

Food for thought;

I would not put a PT grip on a CK frame.  If you want a CK grip run a CK frame.

If you want a PT grip buy a PT frame.  We should have some for sale soon.  There is almost no fitting needed and you won't make a mess of a grip or frame.

If you have a STI or CK frame now just sell them and buy a PT frame.  If you putting the grip on a gun you like and the fit is way off send it to someone who fits a lot of grips.

 

 

[ScottieShootz]

15 hours ago, teros135 said:

Just checked a CK frame - about .006" interference fit, which is a lot for all the surfaces involved and the flatness needed for good fit.

Some Dykum blue/ sharpie and slowly work it down off the frame.  I'll measure mine and see where I'm at when the grip shows up. 

[teros135]

Just now, ScottieShootz said:

Some Dykum blue/ sharpie and slowly work it down off the frame.  I'll measure mine and see where I'm at when the grip shows up. 

Well, .006 is actually a lot of real estate, especially if you're trying to keep all the surfaces flat and parallel, for a good fit. 

I'm pretty fair with file and stones, but this one has me hesitating.  In part because we're talking about filing the frame, which is a vital and pretty expensive piece considering that it's already fitted to a slide and barrel.

[tyler2you]

Does anyone work on the grip instead of the frame?  Steel grips are typically the more expensive part, but the frame has more gunsmithing work invested if it's already fit to a slide.

[echotango]

I did all the work to the grip. Except for knocking off the inside edges near the screw holes. 

[anilson]

5 minutes ago, tyler2you said:

Does anyone work on the grip instead of the frame?  Steel grips are typically the more expensive part, but the frame has more gunsmithing work invested if it's already fit to a slide.

If you work the frame then you can put another grip on without redoing all the work.  If you work the grip it will only fit on that frame or a frame of very similar size.

 

Edited October 28, 2016 by anilson

[ScottieShootz]

1 hour ago, teros135 said:

Well, .006 is actually a lot of real estate, especially if you're trying to keep all the surfaces flat and parallel, for a good fit. 

I'm pretty fair with file and stones, but this one has me hesitating.  In part because we're talking about filing the frame, which is a vital and pretty expensive piece considering that it's already fitted to a slide and barrel.

 

 

I was originally planning to work the frame, but when looking at how to run file strokes, I'm now thinking I'll just work the grip and go slow and not screw up the $650 item.  I'm going to double undercut and DLC the grip anyway so the warranty is void at that point. 

 

17 minutes ago, anilson said:

If you work the frame then you can put another grip on without redoing all the work.  If you work the grip it will only fit on that frame or a frame of very similar size.

 

 

 

Adam, random thinking and since you have way more experience with metal grips- Best guess at how would these grips & frames handle/last if you milled down for a loose fit and then utilized a rubber/silicone spacer between the two?   I understand a decent gap needs to be created to then fill the void properly, but it has me wondering absorption. 

 

[teros135]

It would be nice if everyone could make the major parts, especially the frame, to the same specs, so we (their customers) can choose the components we want instead of jumping around trying to find out what works and where. 

I'm remembering that IBM could have had a lock on the PC market but decided to go proprietary on most of their components.  The customers rebelled, and the "clones" took over.

[MVPFc]

14 minutes ago, teros135 said:

It would be nice if everyone could make the major parts, especially the frame, to the same specs, so we (their customers) can choose the components we want instead of jumping around trying to find out what works and where. 

I'm remembering that IBM could have had a lock on the PC market but decided to go proprietary on most of their components.  The customers rebelled, and the "clones" took over.

Or you could call Adam and get a PT Frame on order. I've heard they make their parts within tight tolerances so that they fit together. 

[MVPFc]

28 minutes ago, ScottieShootz said:

I was originally planning to work the frame, but when looking at how to run file strokes, I'm now thinking I'll just work the grip and go slow and not screw up the $650 item.  I'm going to double undercut and DLC the grip anyway so the warranty is void at that point. 

 

Adam, random thinking and since you have way more experience with metal grips- Best guess at how would these grips & frames handle/last if you milled down for a loose fit and then utilized a rubber/silicone spacer between the two?   I understand a decent gap needs to be created to then fill the void properly, but it has me wondering absorption. 

 

Double undercutting and DLC do not void the warranty as long as you don't go full retard on the undercut : )

[teros135]

1 minute ago, MVPFc said:

Or you could call Adam and get a PT Frame on order. I've heard they make their parts within tight tolerances so that they fit together. 

Yes, but that's not the point.  Life doesn't revolve around work-arounds.  I have two guns already that I'd like to put a certain grip on, but it's too narrow for anything other than their own brand of frame.