Hi-Capa Build Up, Modification, Tuning and Upgrade Walk-Through Guide

[RacingManiac]

I am quite interested in the grip mod. Down the line I might just get one modded from someone....interested?

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by RacingManiac

I am quite interested in the grip mod. Down the line I might just get one modded from someone....interested?

Depends... what's modded about it?

[RacingManiac]

I mean interested in modding a set of grip for me? I really am useless in general with plastic....Though I am wondering about trying mill that trigger guard under cut....

[ILLusion]

Ah. Yeah, I could do it for you. It's a pretty easy job (IMO).

Anyways, wait till my write-up comes out... you may be able to do it yourself.

[bleaches]

should i suggest...sticky?

[tmcde]

Can you build one or who would you suggest..I live in Wexford,Pa which is just outside of Pittsburgh,Pa send me your phone number I'll give you a call
Thanks
Tom

[Daiviet]

Originally Posted by tmcde

Can you build one or who would you suggest..I live in Wexford,Pa which is just outside of Pittsburgh,Pa send me your phone number I'll give you a call
Thanks
Tom

As awesome as Illusion is, you're probably better off getting someone more local to do it. Since we're in Canada and the laws are different, It costs a hell of a lot more to get airsoft stuff, and the fact that the Canadian dollar is lower than before it costs more for parts too.

If you really want some good racegun enthusiasts from the US, take a look over at the forums over here: http://community.tradersairsoft.com/ They're probably more than willing to help someone out in sourcing what's needed

Also sorry for jacking your thread Brian, seems like you might have to clean this thread up a bit.

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by tmcde

Can you build one or who would you suggest..I live in Wexford,Pa which is just outside of Pittsburgh,Pa send me your phone number I'll give you a call
Thanks
Tom

Got $1000 to burn?

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by tmcde

Can you build one or who would you suggest..I live in Wexford,Pa which is just outside of Pittsburgh,Pa send me your phone number I'll give you a call
Thanks
Tom

Actually, I can get it built for you.

I have the mid-frame in country (Canada) already, so the hardest part to import is already done. I can get all the other parts you need to build the gun.

See your PM. I've sent you my phone number. I'll have to crunch some numbers for final pricing and I'll need to talk to you about other requirements for the pistol.

Getting custom made slide, outer barrel and compensator is no problem. I will need your help with some of the specifics, such as dimensions and markings.

Originally Posted by Styrak

Got $1000 to burn?

$1000? That would barely crack the surface of the cost of a custom built STI GM Trubor...

[jesster202]

Originally Posted by ILLusion

$1000? That would barely crack the surface of the cost of a custom built STI GM Trubor...

thats pure insanity dude!!!!!!!

also isnt the grip a ristricted part i have no clue im just wondering or is it just the middle frame that is the restricted part?

[Sha Do]

I know of a custom builder in Japan who charges the equivilant of $185 USD per hour to work on IPSC GBBs....that's not including any parts, just labour.

SHA DO

[RacingManiac]

Only the mid-frame is restricted....

And yeah, $1000 would barely cover the upgraded parts, without the gun....and if you are looking for something really different, then it can go substantially more....

BTW, even if you are in US, prices from Brian is not bad...and probably comparable to getting some US builder to do it....don't know how much he charges for labor though...

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by jesster202

thats pure insanity dude!!!!!!!

also isnt the grip a ristricted part i have no clue im just wondering or is it just the middle frame that is the restricted part?

Any part that carries the registration number on the real firearm would technically make that part the restricted item. Although, I've had problems with almost every part of the Hi-Capa getting in to the country in the past. I'm getting pretty friendly with my local officers now.

[ILLusion]

Alright, taking a bit of a time out of my current busy work schedule to go forward with the next part of this build.

In this chapter, we're going to look at TWO custom modifications that can be made to any grip.

They are:

1) Enlarging the mag well
and
2) Reducing the trigger guard to raise the grip profile.

Specifically, we will be making this modification to a Shooters Design "Real" Pistol Grip with a replica Dawson Precision "Ice" enlarged mag well mounted to the grip.

Why are we doing these modifications?

1) With the first phase of this exercise, we will be removing any hard edges at the lip of the magwell entrance - areas where the magazine could get caught on during insertion. Also, by enlarging the entire mouth and rounding the areas out, it allows for greater room for error in how we handle our magazines. The rounded edges will guide our magazine in easier, despite not having the magazine lined up perfectly.
2) There are several benefits to raising the grip profile. Besides allowing for a much more natural grip (rather than having your trigger finger spread further from the rest of your fingers), the final result will cause your hand to sit higher up and tighter in to the line of trajectory of your shot and of slide movement.
Basic pistol instruction generally teaches you to grip the pistol with the beavertail safety riding as tight as possible in to the web of your hand between your thumb and index finger. This modification will help you achieve this easier without the requirement to be a contortionist. The reason for having your hand sit up so high in to the line of bore is because:
a) You will absorb recoil in a rearward/linear fashion, as the energy is now directed through your arms rather than using your hand as a fulcrum that pivots the muzzle upwards. If you gripped your pistol at the very bottom and fired a shot, the rearward motion of the slide on the upper part of the pistol will cause the muzzle to flip upwards with the highest gripped point as the fulcrum or pivot. If your hand is as high as posssible in to the blowback/recoil cycle of the action, the energy is absorbed in a linear fashion and thus, reducing muzzle climb.
b) Secondary pistol gripping instruction in fast targetting teaches you to "point with your thumbs" and to line up the top of your thumbs, hand, wrist and forearms in to one straight line. Once you've practiced that and committed the muscle memory to the action, you'll know that wherever you point your thumbs, that's where your pistol will hit.
When you have your hand riding high in the grip, it is easier to line up your thumbs with the top of your hand with the top of your wrist and finally to the top of your forearm. Acquiring targets will be faster and more instinctive. The thumbs should line up and point forward, pressed against the frame riding just underneath the slide. Having a high grip profile makes this type of grip much easier, faster and instinctive as your hand will now be more in line with the top of your forearm. From the elbow all the way out to your thumbs and trigger finger should create one smooth line and this is achieved easier with a raised grip.

Having better control of shots with a better grip will lead to faster and more accurate follow up shots. Can you say "double-tap"?


As mentioned in the first post:

The Shooters Design (I'll refer to the brand as "SD" from this point forward in this post) grip is a replica of the standard grip found on about 90% of all production 2011 pistols. Various companies have taken the polymer grip and made subtle and/or distinct changes to it to make it stand out as their own, but its appearance remains unmistakeable.

The Dawson Precision "Ice" mag well is a huge mag well that provides super fast reloading due to its huge size. A synthetic base aids in guiding the magazine properly in to the mag well while avoiding scratching up your magazines - thanks to the plastic base.

Tools required:

- Scribe or Exacto knife
- Dremel tool or other rotary tool
- Dremel #115 High Speed Cutter (or any other similar grinding/cutting bit)
- Files

And now, on with the mod, pictures and descriptions!

=================================================

1. Here is a bone stock image of the grip (as mounted on to another pistol - sorry, I had no other stock ones around for this photo and I was too lazy to remove it from this pistol!):


2. We're going to start off with the modification to open up the magwell. If you're not using an enlarged magwell mounted to the grip, then you'll have to skip to step 4 and do it all by eye. Otherwise, I recommend mounting the enlarged magwel on to the grip (with the main spring housing removed - that should not require modification) and using a scribe or Exacto blade to mark the outline of the magwell opening on to the bottom of the grip like so:


3. Once the outline has been marked/scribed, remove the enlarged mag well and you should end up with the following:


4. The next step is to prep your Dremel/rotary tool with the cutting bit. I personally use Dremel tool #115 high speed cutter for most of my needs. It's an amazing tool for shaping or hand "milling" parts made of wood, plastic or even metal.
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Attachme...l.aspx?pid=115
Use the tool to grind along the edge of the magwel opening, taking care not to pass the scribed outlines from the enlarged mag well. I start with a 45 degree angle and make my way around, being careful not to touch the back portion of the magazine well. Again, the back of the well does not need to be touched, as it is already curved.


5. It may take a couple of times to get the proper pressure and applied time worked out, but after doing it a couple of times, you should be able to do it in just a few passes. Once you have the inital 45 degree cut, go in again at various angles and try to created a rounded feel. Remember, this surface has to be smooth and seamless to allow your mags to slide in easily!
If you're scared of ruining things, just take it slow with multiple passes taking off only a bit at a time. Go over areas that may be a bit bumpy. Just don't overdo it!
Once it's done, do a quick bit of cleanup by wiping the area free of material with your hand and pulling off any flash. Attach the enlarged magwell to see if you've cut well and cleared the hard edges.


6. Chances are, your handiwork wasn't so great with the rotary tool and you're left with a pretty rough and uneven edge still... that's fine. The rotary tool was just to rough it out and make the process faster by removing material quicker. I use to do steps 4 and 5 all by hand file. Then I realized I was wasting my time and employed my Dremel tool. The next step is all about cleaning up this mess...


7. This step involves a bit of patience and a tiny bit of elbow grease. Stick with a single-cut file, as a double-cut may remove too much material. Start with a harder grit to remove material quicker and remember to get in to the corner areas near the back of the well that the rotary tool couldn't get in to. Also, remember to NOT file in straight lines or you will create flat surfaces! Remember, the point of this step is to create a smooth and rounded entrance! Curve your strokes:


8. A bit more cleanup to go... as you start to smooth things out, you can move to a finer file or hobby file to get in to the small areas and make the finish nice and smooth.


9. Once you've gotten up to step 8 and cleaned up all the residue, you're pretty much good to go. But I personally like to take it one step further. Generally, up to this point, you'll have a relatively roughed up surface. You can take it one step further by doing a light polish with a fine grit wet/dry sandpaper (I use 1600) and then polishing it up a bit more with your Dremel tool, a felt polishing tip and some Dremel #421 polishing compound. A felt tip can also be used to buff the area clean afterwards. Just be sure NOT to hold any of these tips on any area for a prolonged period of time, as friction build up can create heat which will melt the plastic!


10. When you're done the polishing, the surface should be a bit smoother... this picture sucks and I didn't spend too much time with the polishing, but you get the idea. It has a bit of shine back to it, unlike the previous photos:


At this point, the project to open up the magwell is pretty much finished. Let's move on to the next part of this project, which is to raise the grip profile. This is much easier to do once you've mastered the magazine well:

i) Remember how the trigger guard looked in the original photo? Specifically, the area where the bottom of the trigger guard meets the grip. Notice how the entire bottom is flat with a rather sharp transition? What we want to do is reduce the material in the area so that your hand is held higher in the grip. Utilizing the techniques from the previous exercise in opening the magazine well, use the Dremel / rotary tool and the cutting bit to cut in to the plastic and remove material. Not too much! You dont' want to break in to the magazine catch housing. Once you're in, smooth it out going along the bottom of the trigger like so:

I know... I skipped a couple of photos. But hopefully, you get the idea.

ii) Again, use a fine file to clean up the area, smoothing out any rough edges or sharp corners. If you'd like, you can polish the area again. It's an area that isn't seen much, but it's a nice touch.


This mod drastically improves the feel of the pistol. Most tuners do this modification because it REALLY DOES WORK!

Fin.

Give yourself a pat on the back, assemble all of the parts and see how it looks and feels. Grip the pistol a couple of times... mount it to your speed holster and grip it quickly.






I noticed my unholstering times sped up dramatically once I performed the grip mod and my reload times went up much faster as well with the mag well mod.


I hope this poorly written tutorial helps you with your performance as well. Feel free to post up any pictures or comments of your own mods as well!

[RacingManiac]

I think I'll give that a try....need to get a dremel...