"loose" grips

[renaissance7697]

Two of my three Lugers have "loose" grips.
One a 1940 42 with wood grip panels
The other
A "Black Widow"

In both cases the grips:
Fit Flat
No cracks or chips
Screws go down correctly

They are just "loose"
They slide back and forth at the top

What is the secret to making them sit still

Gromets
Washers
Vasaline

Give me a hint

[Edward Tinker]

Originally posted by renaissance7697
...Give me a hint

okay, how about; do a search for "loose grips" in the search box upper right corner...


there have been several requests, comments such as these; both small rubber washers have been used, and I've heard, but never tried, "hot glue" which {quote} when cooled can be pried off with out any affects.

NOTE: never used hot glue for this, so use at own risk....

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...threadid=14894

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...&threadid=5993

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...threadid=13218

[Alx]

I have a cure, but it takes alot of patience and dexterity. Working from the opposite side of the gun, with the grip off, thru the grip-frame, with the problem grip on and in correct position .... you will find a bit of space between the grip's retaining ridge and the inside of the steel grip frame, which is the problem .... fill that space with ... a filler.... and the grips will be tight. Filler suggestions, a flat toothpick, trimmed and epoxied to the grip panel, or just use carpenters or white glue, which dries clear. Be careful not to get it onto the frame too much, or it will stick. Lightly oil the frame to make it release, or use a releasing agent, as in gun-stock bedding kits. If the toothpick is too thick, you can sand it flatter, just move it back and forth with your fingers across a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface. Trim any part of the shim that is excess with a sharp exacto knife when the glue is dry. I think you need some kind of wood or wood substitute there, but it might work just to have the glue in the space take up the slack.

[Ron Smith]

I have used the "hot glue" on several sets. It works great and won't damage or permanently alter the grips. Often, if the grips are removed numerous times it will need to be renewed, but that's simple to do. Gently peel off the old glue and apply a new strip. This way , if you decide to sell the pistol it can be removed, you won't get any flak from the prospective buyer or nit picky collector about the grips being altered.

[Pete Ebbink]

A really thin o-ring around the grip screw works really well. You place the o-ring beneath the wood grip and on top of the metal of the grip with the grip screw running through the o-ring.

Price of an o-ring is cheap if you do not own a hot glue gun.

[Crotalus]

I'm with Pete. I used some O-ring gaskets on the grip screws on my luger and they worked like a charm. They also cost me nothing. If you PM me your address i can even mail you some in an envelope. Ive got tons of them.

[SIGP2101]

Originally posted by renaissance7697
Two of my three Lugers have "loose" grips.


What is the secret to making them sit still

Gromets
Washers
Vasaline

Give me a hint

None
Do thorough cleaning as described here,
http://www.lugerforum.com/gripclean.html
and grips will swell back to appropriate size as soon as humidity level lost over the years is restored.

[The Virginian]

I recently acquired a shooter grade Luger for about $700.00 that is an arsenal rework, but otherwise an 80% gun. When I took off the grips, there was a fair amount of rust under them and on the frame, with some even on the wood grips themselves. I cleaned the rust off and out over everything as I soaked the gun in Ed's Red and cleaned the grips with Murphy's Oil soap and got rid of the dirt, rust and oil that was soaked and embedded in to them. After they dried I wiped them down with a little linseed oil. The gun was reassembled and now both grip panels are loose. Do you think cleaning the gun and grips took too much rust and grime away so they don't fit properly? What sized rubber washers do you use to tighten the grips up or is there anything else besides hot glue or tooth pick I should try?

[Mauser720]

Well, the dirt and rust is not supposed to be holding the grips in the proper position anyway, so your cleaning probably just changed the size of the grips.

I guess I would try going to a good hardware store or an auto parts store and see if you can find the smallest "O" ring possible. One that is tiny, but that the grip screw will still go through. Place this "O" ring between the wooden grip panel and the frame, with the grip screw going through it. Just work slowly and carefully.

I think Ron Smith's suggestion about using a glue gun to apply a stip of glue to the back of the grips is also an excellent idea.

Mauser720 - Ron

[The Virginian]

Thanks, I will look for a couple of the "O" rings today and give it a try.

[John Sabato]

You can find o-rings at most home center stores like Lowes and Home Depot in the USA.

[DonWallbaum]

<confused>

How does an O-ring snug up a loose grip?

[John Sabato]

It takes up the "air gap" space created by the compression of the wood or plastic flange that the screw presses down on... This gap then allows the grip to float between the frame and inner surface of the screw head. The soft rubber of the O-ring will fill this space and hold the grip stationary without over stressing the grip. makes it FEEL like it still has a good fit.

[4 Scale]

Even thought this thread is older, I thought I would add a recent experience re: tightening up loose grips (rather than start a new thread). I have a couple of grips that are loose at the top, not the bottom. I found a fix that worked and wanted to share it.

I had some very thin (about 1/32") nitrile rubber sheet from another project. Lugers have a recessed area in the frame, found at the top of the grips, that is smooth and isolated from the moving parts of the pistol (see post #3 in this thread). The top of the grip rests in/is retained by this recessed area. I cut thin strips of rubber sheet with a sharp X-Acto knife (a single edge razor blade would have worked as well). With the grips removed I placed the pistol with the receiver down and the grip up, the recessed area is easy to see and access. I placed the rubber strips in the frame right at the top of the grips. With the pistol in this position the rubber strips lay flat. The recess is larger on the left grip; I used two strips there about 3/16" by 1". On the right grip it's thinner, that strip was about 3/32" by 1" or so. When the grips are re-installed, the top of the grip presses the rubber strip against the frame.

Nitrile rubber is easy to find on the internet, and is fairly inert chemically so I assess no risk that either the pistol or the grips will be damaged over time. It is also resistant to oil and solvents. But other materials could work too, such a say very thin wood strips especially soft woods like balsa. The rubber has the advantage of being flexible, so it conforms to the gentle curve of the recessed area perfectly.

The grips are now tight and the fix is invisible from the outside. When I remove the grips I suppose the rubber may fall out but it is easy to reposition. The grips in question are original and numbered to the pistol, so I preferred a fix that left the grips untouched - I just didn't like the idea of putting hot glue or CA on original grips.

[ithacaartist]

My observations lead me to believe that loose left grips are at greater risk of suffering the "million dollar chip," up by the safety lever. Compression or wear of the retaining ridge on the back side allows the grip to move forward on the frame when the pistol is gripped firmly and fired. If the material behind the safety lever's shaft is too close, it will be tapped somewhat vigorously against the rear diameter of that shaft when the pistol s shot. I think this is actually the major cause of the ubiquitous chip damage.

I'd recommend never shooting with loose grips. I tightened my offenders with a bead of clear epoxy applied along the length of the ridge. Using epoxy with a long working time gives you plenty of opportunity to try on the grips repeatedly and fashioning the repair while the epoxy is set up enough to not be sticky, but not hard enough to prevent squishing it around a bit to address shape and clearances. I wrap the front grip strip with one layer of plastic wrap to avoid sticking stuff to the frame itself.

A grip that fits the frame well should sound solid as a rock when tapped on with a knuckle.

[rpbcps]

Originally Posted by Pete Ebbink

A really thin o-ring around the grip screw works really well. You place the o-ring beneath the wood grip and on top of the metal of the grip with the grip screw running through the o-ring.

Price of an o-ring is cheap if you do not own a hot glue gun.

Pete, I read your post the other day and as both my Dutch lugers, having seen a lot of service in their life times, had a loose grip. This morning I added an 'O' ring to each one and it is sorted the issue, they are nice and tight now.

Thanks for the top tip.

Stay safe
Richard

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by rpbcps

Pete, I read your post the other day and as both my Dutch lugers, having seen a lot of service in their life times, had a loose grip. This morning I added an 'O' ring to each one and it is sorted the issue, they are nice and tight now.

Thanks for the top tip.

Stay safe
Richard

If they're tight now, they're tight. But the o-ring remedy doesn't address the clearance around the safety lever, as in my last post in this thread. Check that clearance, or you risk sending your left grip off to Jim Solomon in the future for restoration/repair of the chip!

[Major Tom]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

If they're tight now, they're tight. But the o-ring remedy doesn't address the clearance around the safety lever, as in my last post in this thread. Check that clearance, or you risk sending your left grip off to Jim Solomon in the future for restoration/repair of the chip!

I followed advice given here and using fine sandpaper at the point of interference with the safety lever made the clearance a little more to avoid the 'million dollar' chip.