Hollowing Grips to make Weight

TheRealJimDavis · Mar 28, 2019

Anybody hollowed the backs of VZ grips to make weight?

I just picked up a Gold Cup Trophy from another member to shoot USPSA single stack. It’s bone stock. Weigh in on my kitchen scale is 43.2 oz. D’oh! So, the VZ grips on the gun are 2.2 oz. Magpul grips are 1.1 and $20. So I ordered a pair..., problem solved, right?

Problem is, I really like the looks of the blue Colt logo VZ grips. Anybody ever take a dremmel to the back of them to shave some weight? How much gain was there?

On another forum I heard of guys doing it but they didn’t post their exact results. VZ will sell me hollow back grips custom at a $20 up charge, and guaranteed Id make weight. But I am having a hard time justifying $85 new grips with a good set on it and cheap ones out there.

TheRealJimDavis · Mar 28, 2019

I should add, I want some buffer zone. So, I don’t want to shave .2 oz, I want to save like .7.

4g64loser · Mar 28, 2019

never gutted a set of VZs. I milled out a set of aluminum grips on a CZ for a friend of mine. You can lose a bit of body fat but, honestly, I would go for losing some steel before I played with cutting grips. Steel, being denser, requires less material removal. First place I would go is the area at the lower rear of the triggerguard. Sometimes called "high gripping", material removal in this area allows the fingers to get up higher on the frame. A "double bump" in this area can be fitted so that both your dominant and reaction hands can lock in tightly and definitely improves control for small handed people like me. An aluminum or titanium mainspring housing would also shave off a bit. Lightening cuts to the slide are another popular option (most do it for aesthetic reasons). If your gun is a series 80, lose the series 80 block parts and replace with 70 (both for performance and for weight). My pin gun is a 70 frame with a gutted 80 slide (chopped down and fitted with soldered on compensator).

TheRealJimDavis · Mar 28, 2019

Well, I dremmeled out some, it’s far from hollow, and shaved the .2, putting me at 43.0. Which is a little close for comfort. So I’m debating just running major matches with the magpuls and knowing I’m legal at club level.

photoracer · Mar 29, 2019

Hmmm. Never weighed the new Colt Competition .45 I won at a match in 2018. But like most of the competition shooters I know I put Hogue G10 grips on everything I shoot for matches if they are interchangeable. Even my rimfire handguns. I don't care about looks, only care about how they feel.

TheRealJimDavis · Mar 30, 2019

All my 45’s are way under. The 9 gets heavy because the barrel profile is the same.

TheRealJimDavis · Apr 1, 2019

Follow up:
I emailed VZ to ask if their carbon fiber grips are lighter. They send me a nice email saying they're not, but to call them and they'll make me a set of hollow back grips and they are dramatically lighter. I did call, and they were awesome to deal with. They said they CNC machine the backs out of them for $20. I ordered a set. When I get them in I'll throw them on a scale and post results.

4g64loser · Apr 1, 2019

Appreciate the follow up. Always good to have this kind of info and knowing what manufacturers are willing to work with competitive shooters is a plus.

Racinready300ex · Apr 2, 2019

I did hollow out a set for my wife's gun to make weight. I don't remember how much I got out though. They are pretty heavy, and her's were the slim version too. The full size version should be heavier.

TheRealJimDavis · Apr 5, 2019

Alright, probably my last post for the thread. The grips came. They look great. Obviously more professional than my dremmel work, so they removed a good bit more. Actual numbers, if you ever need to know, standard was
2.2 oz, hollow back is 1.5. Between the grips
And changing the grip screws I went from 43.2 to
42.5 and it teeters More to 42.4, never to 42.6. I am comfortable with a half ounce of wiggle room unless someone chimes in with a horror story about getting booted from a $175 level III match. Anyway,
Wanted To share my experience and info.
1.) if you needed to you can hollow them with a dremmel for .4 oz without too much hassle.
2.) you can order hollow back for .7 oz less, 1.5 total.
3.) the magpuls seemed kind of cheesy on a higher end gun, but would for the bill.

4g64loser · Apr 5, 2019

Great to hear the final verdict. Thanks for the follow up intel.

Hollowing Grips to make Weight

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