colt Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 My grip broke where the lock goes for the mag release so there nothing holding the mag release and the lock and spring fell out and is lost . It is a STI 2011 race gun (not built by STI though but buy a good smith that is on this forum ). Is this a common problem ? It looks like I jammed the mag release right through the grip but I don't think my fingers are that strong . I got 6 shots off in the 1st stage and reloaded and dropped mags after that. Bad Parts or did I cause this some how ? Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Is there an obvious crack on the outside that you can see? Grips crack pretty frequently from using mags that are at max capacity....when you seat them the spring is pushing down on the grip and they often crack near/around the mag release. If it's really just in the slot where the mag release lock tab goes it makes me wonder if the grip has been cut down/trimmed any? They can get a little thin in that general area if you get aggressive with the contouring. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calishootr Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 +1 to the thinned grip idea....waaay back when they juuust came out w/ the colored grips, I got one in purple, and thought it was gonna be a swap the guts from the one frame to the new purple one and voila!!!!!!!! WRONG....well the mag release wouldnt go in smoothly, so a lil emory cloth on a lil dowel, and.....yeah now the grip wont hold the mag release, really cool looking paper weight tho....go easy on the mods to a 2011 grip, the plastic comes off REALLY easy, and in most cases rendering the grip unuseable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Biondi Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 +1 for G-ManBart. May be the grip was yet weak in that part and using mags that are at max capacity done the finally crack! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvc40jim Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 In my experience a properly re-contoured grip helps to keep this from happening. It's all about flex. I have seen it more common in one brand of frame compaired to the other. It is also much more common with older material grips. I have had a 100% success rate repairing these cracks but it makes an "ugly spot" and it's not my favorite solution. 99 out of 100 times it's from putting that extra round in the magazine and making it seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share Posted September 8, 2009 I don't think it has been cut down . It not cracked any moor its gone . There is nothing there to hold the mag release. I do top off the mag , so maybe that did it. STI e-mailed me today and they said send it to them for evaluation to see if they will replace it . Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvb Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Yea, I saw it... it ain't no crack... looked like someone detonated a small hand grenade in there..... looked like I could about stick a thumb in it. Brent didn't half-ass this malfunction. -rvb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 Pictures . This is the frist time the handle has been apart . Any thoughts at what caused it . I want to make sure I don't do it twice !!! It was shooting fine untill the reload . Thanks Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulm540 Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 (edited) how many rounds through the gun. Edited September 10, 2009 by bulm540 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 9,000 to 10,000 rounds on it. In March it will be 2 years old . But it ran great till this !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt Posted September 20, 2009 Author Share Posted September 20, 2009 STI gave me a new grip !!! I mailed it on Saturday and on Friday there was a new grip in the mail. Can't beat that !!! Very good customer service !!! Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH45 Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 STI gave me a new grip !!! I mailed it on Saturday and on Friday there was a new grip in the mail.Can't beat that !!! Very good customer service !!! Brent Cool!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Snyder Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Great that they gave you a new grip! From the pics it looks as though whoever did your grip work went a little to far in contouring the area that broke. I have stippled many 2011 grips and that is the one area that you have to be very careful with and on some guns I have actually added plastic around that area to give it more strength then blended it back in with the grip. The other thing you could do to help this from happening again is to take 2 coils off the mag release spring so you don't have to hit it so hard. My 2 cents Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvc40jim Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Glad STI replaced the grip. I would guess there was a void or the slot was machined a little too deep and with constant spring pressure and frequent extra effort put on that area it just gave away. The undercuts/reduction had nothing to do with it failing and there is actually a lot left that could come off and it still be safe. At least the problem is solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCSBarney Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Had roughtly the same thing happen to an Edge that I owned. After only around 200 rounds. One of the few things that is nice about living in So Cal is that you get to shoot with some good people. That day Mike Voigt was in the squad behind mine and I had him take a look. He said that the frame was ground wrong around the mag release. Called STI and they said that was good enough for them. STI had me send it in and had a know one on and sent back in around two weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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