Gunsmithing Modifying chassis grip: how?

[carbonbased]

I own a KRG Whiskey 3, 6th Gen. I like it, but the grip’s distance from the trigger, thumb shelf placement, and grip angle isn’t ideal for me.

On a lark, I was goofing around with a wiebad cheek pad and some tape and found an arrangement that was really comfortable. But, it is flimsily and looks like ass lol.

Is there a material that people sculpt grips out of? Something you can add to as well as sand away? Or a process to follow? No sense in reinventing the wheel.

I know some people use bondo and I’ve used Sugru, but maybe there’s better ideas out there. I’ve considered getting some balsa wood or pine and carving it and handing that off to @LongRifles Inc. for a sexy finished wood grip or something.

Below is my idea. At one point I took the right grip panel off and found resting my thumb on that upper grip bolt was amazingly comfy. But I’d have to remove a bunch of material and fill in the voids as the grip is not solid…it has reinforcing ribs on the back.

The purple bit is a trigger finger shelf like MPA has.

The good thing is that I have three sets of grip panels to experiment with.

Or I could buy an entirely new chassis lol. But I don’t really want to do that as I like the chassis except for this area.

 

[srt-4_uk]

I know people that have used this

New and improved Sugru super formula

The benefits of original formula + family friendly formula = the best Sugru ever!

sugru.com

 

[b6graham]

maybe @Tyler Kemp has something in the works/could look at adding to his line up

 

[carbonbased]

I know people that have used this

New and improved Sugru super formula

The benefits of original formula + family friendly formula = the best Sugru ever!

sugru.com

I’ve used small amount of that stuff for reinforcing phone charging cables, but I’d need a whole bunch for this project. And you can’t modify it once it dries (I don’t think?) as it’s silicone. Totally wrong!




Hmmmmm…

 

[carbonbased]

Gonna add @Massoud in here as well, although looks like he hasn’t been active for months.

 

[pfl338]

I have used DEVCON (aluminum filled,paste version)for that exact purpose. Messy but works great and machinable after cure.

 

[spife7980]

I just went to the acc so I can put the grip where I want to cure this exact issue that bugged me with my xray after swapping all the panel options out.
Not helpful, I know.

 

[carbonbased]

Just found this page detailing a bunch of prototyping materials…wow

Modelling Clay and Moldable Plastic for Prototyping - MakingSociety

Learn how to use clay and moldable plastic for prototyping. Choose the best clay material for your prototypes.

makingsociety.com

 

[Tyler Kemp]

I could 3d print some parts for this. They'd look nice. Seems very similar to our improved J Allen grip project here for hide members.

 

[carbonbased]

I could 3d print some parts for this. They'd look nice. Seems very similar to our improved J Allen grip project here for hide members.

View attachment 7838573

Whoa! Sign me up! Take my money!

 

[PB&J.]

Devcon is your friend here.

Depending on exactly how much you need to build up the handgrip, either place a few strategic screws into the handgrip and build up with Devcon around that or even screw on a block of wood for bulk and then Devcon over that.

Some people will baulk at anything that's not 3d printed, isn't made of unobtainium, or doesn't come with a Gucci price tag, but I'm a function over form kind of guy and Devcon is cheap, dirty and gets the job done.

 

[Tyler Kemp]

Whoa! Sign me up! Take my money!

Just need someone to send us a chassis, we'll figure out what you guys want and do the rest.

 

[Midpack]

Just need someone to send us a chassis, we'll figure out what you guys want and do the rest.

Id happily send you mine since I love the jallen one you did that I put on mine. But I wouldn't be able to send it until after april 9th and you wouldn't have enough time im sure since I'd need it back by the 27th. Or I could send it mid may after the defiance anti social

 

[Tyler Kemp]

We have had a member contact who can go without their chassis for a few months.

In the meantime, let's figure out exactly what everyone wants done so we can try and knock it out ASAP!

 

[Midpack]

We have had a member contact who can go without their chassis for a few months.

In the meantime, let's figure out exactly what everyone wants done so we can try and knock it out ASAP!

I personnel vote for the same close to back of the trigger guard grip as the jallen. Even the guys who thought that would be too close said they thoroughly enjoyed it after they got it in hand

 

[Baron23]

I can attest that @Tyler Kemp JAE grip is an outstanding and a great improvement for me.

It’s made out of nylon 11, I believe, so it can be cerakoted. Matter of fact, I’ll be taking a set to a local shop to do just that in the next week.

I’m sure that if someone sends him a chassis to take measurements, that a KRG grip from him will be outstanding also.

 

[carbonbased]

Ok, so I sent in my W3 to MK Machining / Tyler in April for him to scan it and to come up with some grips like I sketched above.

I am SUPER SUPER happy to say that the work he has done is amazing! I am going to write up a review and post it on a new thread, but here are some pics. He also gave me a flared magwell to try on my 9-day prairie dog trip in July.

The way it's designed is that the "index finger bump" is optional. It's supposed to screw on, but MKM forgot the screws, so I bought some epoxy and glued it on there. This is a prototype and I'm sending it back for him to scan again as I sanded it down in a critical spot, but I'll explain more in the formal review.

I told him it has really transformed the chassis for me. The finger-to-trigger distance and awkward factory thumb rest were the only thing sthat sort of bugged me about the W3, and Tyler's EXCELLENT work made this chassis super comfy. So much so that I need to get a thumb rest for my AIAX as now that feels sort of like ass lol.

MKM also forgot the correct bolts for the flared magwell, but hey, they're busy right? So I used some KRG bolts I had lying around. It too is a very nice piece, and it did help guiding the mags in. But more later.

Edit: Here’s a more in-depth review: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/review-mk-machining-improved-grip-for-krg-w3.7133930/

P.S. Forgive me my big rubber squeeze-on bolt knob lol

 

[TacticalPlinker]

Gonna add @Massoud in here as well, although looks like he hasn’t been active for months.

I called KRG requesting different grip panels and inserts to customize the W3 a couple weeks ago. They're open to the idea...

 

[Baron23]

Ok, so I sent in my W3 to MK Machining / Tyler in April for him to scan it and to come up with some grips like I sketched above.

I am SUPER SUPER happy to say that the work he has done is amazing! I am going to write up a review and post it on a new thread, but here are some pics. He also gave me a flared magwell to try on my 9-day prairie dog trip in July.


View attachment 7923909

View attachment 7923907

View attachment 7923910

View attachment 7923912

View attachment 7923913

The way it's designed is that the "index finger bump" is optional. It's supposed to screw on, but MKM forgot the screws, so I bought some epoxy and glued it on there. This is a prototype and I'm sending it back for him to scan again as I sanded it down in a critical spot, but I'll explain more in the formal review.

I told him it has really transformed the chassis for me. The finger-to-trigger distance and awkward factory thumb rest were the only thing sthat sort of bugged me about the W3, and Tyler's EXCELLENT work made this chassis super comfy. So much so that I need to get a thumb rest for my AIAX as now that feels sort of like ass lol.

MKM also forgot the correct bolts for the flared magwell, but hey, they're busy right? So I used some KRG bolts I had lying around. It too is a very nice piece, and it did help guiding the mags in. But more later.

P.S. Forgive me my big rubber squeeze-on bolt knob lol

I did have my MKM JAE grip Cerakoted....now, dunno why J Allen Enterprises called this FDE...its sort of a grayish green. But, local vendor was able to get pretty dang close to the color of the rest of the furniture to the point that I'm happy and nobody looking at the gun noticed any difference.

I see your chassis is black so straight from MKM might be exactly what you want...but if you do ever want to Cerakote them, the Nylon 11 handles it very well. No problem.

 

[carbonbased]

Added a more in-depth review on its own separate page here: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/review-mk-machining-improved-grip-for-krg-w3.7133930/

 

[carbonbased]

I did have my MKM JAE grip Cerakoted....now, dunno why J Allen Enterprises called this FDE...its sort of a grayish green. But, local vendor was able to get pretty dang close to the color of the rest of the furniture to the point that I'm happy and nobody looking at the gun noticed any difference.

I see your chassis is black so straight from MKM might be exactly what you want...but if you do ever want to Cerakote them, the Nylon 11 handles it very well. No problem.

View attachment 7927235

Thanks for the info. This new grip is made out of some ultra tough material. I think it’s not nylon 11; Tyler told me the name but I forgot it. I did hand sand it a little bit on one spot to customize it and it took literally about 1.5 hour of hand sanding (with a block) to remove an quarter inch.

Anyway, I’m sure they’ll offer it in a bunch of different colors. I’m going to send this prototype grip back so they can scan it with my small modifications.

 

[Tyler Kemp]

This is Nylon 12 to try and shave some cost. It is a bit harder of a material, very similar to Delrin.

 

[carbonbased]

This is Nylon 12 to try and shave some cost. It is a bit harder of a material, very similar to Delrin.

Did you mean to post a pic?

 

[Tyler Kemp]

No, but perhaps my explanation sucked. The grip for the KRG is Nylon 12 is what I meant!

 

[J_D]

I could 3d print some parts for this. They'd look nice. Seems very similar to our improved J Allen grip project here for hide members.

View attachment 7838573

Can you do something like this for a Manners TCS? I know quite a few people would like to be more vertical and a little closer.

 

[Tyler Kemp]

Can you do something like this for a Manners TCS? I know quite a few people would like to be more vertical and a little closer.

Yes, but i'm not sure how you'd attach it without drilling. You could prevent the thumb wrapping around and have a bolt to cinch things down up in that area....but seems a bit ghetto.

Manners should just have us print multiple grip sections as an OEM option. We're only a few hours apart and they could sell them for a pretty penny

 

[Baron23]

No, but perhaps my explanation sucked. The grip for the KRG is Nylon 12 is what I meant!

Hi Taylor - are you switching to 12 from 11 for all your grips like the JAE also?

Just curious as I have ZERO issues w my two JAE grips from you.

Hope you and yours are doing well and thriving.

 

[Tyler Kemp]

Hi Taylor - are you switching to 12 from 11 for all your grips like the JAE also?

Just curious as I have ZERO issues w my two JAE grips from you.

Hope you and yours are doing well and thriving.

No, not switching on the JAE grips.

12 is cheaper to print, and I figure the KRG customers will be more sensitive to price vs JAE. PA11 is superior in most regards, but costs significantly more sadly.