ltwguns.com

I know the 1911 only folks on this forum won't approve, but...

Custom Glocks don't always have to look like they've been melted. This one had a reasonable grip reduction and considerable added traction while improving the aesthetics, smoothing the rough spots, and removing the mould seams.

Oh... the trigger is pretty damn sweet, too, and it's no drop in.

More to follow.



















~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Hi Jim,

I'm impressed- Dave is such a versatile gunsmith. That is the best grip reduction I've seen. For me, something like that would be great for a Glock 21, which has such a fat grip, although the 21SF helps that quite a bit.

Take care,
Ted

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Ted

You won't get any glock guff from me. That looks real nice. Not easy working that stuff and not having it get fuzzy around the edges, looks like Dave did you a great job.

Nice! My favorite (and only) Glock the 19. Looks very well done, congrads.

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https://www.graffcustom.com/

I would have to say that is the BEST grip work on a Block I have ever seen. Most look like they were done with a 10 year old's wood burning kit (by the 10 year old). Very nice.

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I will never forget you Lou......February 21, 2009

John Ralston
5 SHOT LEATHER, LLC - Finely Crafted Custom Handgun Leather

http://www.5ShotLeather.com

Awesome and coming from a person that wouldn't own a Glock if given to him thats a true compliment!

Jim,

Can you post the specs of what Dave Sams did to your glock?

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

This is SPARTA!!!!!!

+1

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NRA Endowment Life Member
I may be big, old, and slow, but so are the ball rounds in my 1911.

Cool! Looks good. Is that the original color or .....?

BBBBill,

That is the original color of the gun. Maybe the frame is a bit lighter after being dressed and made less shiny than factory, but it could also be the lighting I had at the time. The pics are as they came from the camera's memory card.

As for what Dave did to the gun, it was a quite simple list.

It started as a stock model 17 with finger grooves and plastic sights.

He removed the factory finger grooves, trigger guard hook, and all sharp edges or seams and hand stippled the front and back straps for traction.

The trigger system was reworked to be a very smooth, non-stacking 3lbs, and much better than any drop in kit could provide. Like his 1911s, attention was paid to all parts of the system.

The sights were replaced with steel and a serrated front ramp, cut and adjusted for POI/POA at 25yds.

Glocks don't need function work, and the barrel is plenty accurate for its true intention. I did, however, have the chance to test a 21SF he'd done for a customer with a KKM barrel as a match piece that was well within bullseye standards at 25yds, and a 9mm model 17L that shot like a laser after rebarrel.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Nice gun. The rear sight looks like a Warren or Sevigny, it's tough for me to tell them apart.

arent they one in the same? (warren tactical makes sights for dave?)

The sights are Warren Tactical.

Dave did a G22 I use as a duty gun to the exact same specs as Jim's G17. I have to say, Glock should take a hard look at Dave's work and incorporate it into their line. I have never felt a better grip next to a 1911 on a handgun. Period.

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"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave."
Calvin Coolidge

Same maker (Warren) but different view of the sighting plane from the shooter's view.

Personally I wouldn't invest any more money in a Glock than the purchase price but if I was not given a choice in my duty sidearm and I needed a grip reduction for proper fit, then this would definitely be my choice.

This is the only grip reduction that looks like it was done by a professional. I'm sure the efforts of other outfits that offer these grip reductions are quite serviceable,they all look kinda "cobbled".
That woodburner comment made me chuckle!

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Dave
Member NRA

My thoughts exactly.

I surprised that someone hasn't made some waffle iron-type device for easy stippling of Glock frames. I'd hate to take the time to do it...I just don't have the patience.

There wil be more Glock posts. At least two, but possibly three if I can get my hands on Al's other one for photos. I just need to take the time to get them out and photographed.

I hope your 17 and 22 are keeping each other safe and warm, Al.

Don't worry... I'll throw in a 1911 sometime soon, too.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Keep 'em coming Jim. I found your post very informative. I have custom Colt 1911 pistols including one done by Ted Yost, but I also have a Glock which I am now considering sending to Dave Sams for some similar work.

John

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NRA Endowment Life Member
I may be big, old, and slow, but so are the ball rounds in my 1911.

Jim

Do tell more about the 17L you spoke about. What did Dave do to it any photos? Has he done any 21s

TJ

The 17L he did, if I remember correctly, had adjustable sights, a KKM barrel with twist to his specs, and a trigger that was simply amazing (unglockly). The frame was given the same treatment as my guns and Al Shear's. I think he did a 34 or 34 like it, too.

He has done a few 21s, and I know for certain that one was a 21SF, set up for any kind of shooting you can imagine. The 21 (or 20, for that matter), grip size-wise, ends up feeling like a first generation 17/22, the ones with no factory finger grooves. The 21SF feels almost identical to a 17/22 with his treatment.

Since they weren't my guns, I didn't have a camera on hand for shots. I also don't get the time or have the money to visit Dave's shop as often as I'd like, especially with guns in tow.

I am working away from home right now, so pics or the other ones I have will have to wait.

Al may be able to answer some of your questions a bit better than I can. I think he's had considerably more trigger time than I have with these Glocks... I hope.

Oh, yeah... he's pretty good at shortening the grip frame to use the next smallest in line magazines, too. Wait for the next post.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

I need to apologize for a statement I made earlier in this post, when I said:
I may have misrepresented Dave's work and/or misled some of you with this statement. When I said it was better than any drop in kit could provide, I did not mean he didn't use any aftermarker parts, because he did use a different disconnector. I meant that parts were not simply exchanged and not addressed. He used a different disconnector of make I do not know, but he polised, ground, cut, cleaned, lubed, and whatever could safely be done to make all the parts work their absolute smoothest.

There is little, mechanically, that can be done to improve a Glock trigger. It will never feel like a 1911. He just makes them as good as they can be while remaining safe and reliable. No cut springs, no lighter springs, and no mirror bright, trimmed striker leg.

If I misled any of you into thinking no aftermarket parts were used, I sincerely apologize.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Is anyone posting Springfield XD slide customizations?

I think a taper like on the new XD(M) would look good .

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US Patent 8453366. Take a look. Now have a nice day..

Has an aftermarket magwell been added or is that stock with some ergonomic touches?

If so- What magwell is it or how was it configured?

Thanks- would like to do something similar.

PS.
Seems like Glocks have gotten more accurate from the factory?

This is the factory magwell. It just looks considerably different after Dave reshaped the grip frame.

I cannot make educated comments on any factory accuracy improvements.

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

G19 and G35 that belong to my cousin. Grip treatment was done by a local guy in NoVA. I haven't handled either yet (we share a photo storage site and I ran into this pic), but when I called him about it he told me he'd decided to leave the the backstrap stock on the G35 because on his carry gun (the G19), the stippling back there catches on his shirt and attracts all sorts of crud. The G35 is sitting in the safe until he can put a minimum of 500 rounds through it with the Aimpoint to see how the entire package holds up.

Just wondering, how much is a stippling job like that cost?

John....give Mr. Sams a call at the shop. He is a fantstic gentleman to work with on your pistol and will gladly answer any questions for you. As an aside, I had the chance to handle Al's aforementioned Glock 22 last week and all I can say is that it is incredible!! I now want to buy another glock or three just to have Dave work them up for me. Having carried Glocks for years the trigger pull was next to AMAZING!!

David E. Sams
254 Columbia Rd
Cartersville, Va 23027
Phone 804-375-3782
http://www.samscustomgunworksusa.com/

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"There is a true glory and a true honor, the glory of duty done, the honor of integrity and principle."--Gen. Robert Edward Lee