Happiness Is A Round Butt

[medezyner]

Ya, what a cheap way to get your attention, but now that I have it...
Always liked the way my 1911 bobbed grip felt and how it minimized printing. I decided to do the same with my P9. I wanted to reduce the print and still have enough pinky perch for my medium hands. Here's how I did it:
1. Fill the void about 1/2 in down with a foam that will conform to the opening shape. I had some 1/8 thick polyethylene packing sheet that worked perfect. I cut them sightly oversized and used multiple layers.
2. Mask the area and cut-out the opening with an Exacto blade.
3. For a fill, I used black Gorilla epoxy. Wait half hour and remove mask.
4. Mask-off the rest of the pistol in preparation for sanding. I used a tabletop belt/disc combination sander. After a rough sanding to get the radius I wanted, I went back with sanding paper and fine files to blend. Had a few pin-sized voids, so I did a skim to fill them. Although I could have gone further with the size of the radius, I decided to stop at the very last row of the backstrap texture nibs.
5. While I was at it, I replaced the original plastic base plate with a metal one (courtesy of member Old No7) and sanded the 2 back corners of the mag base plate to eliminate the sharp edges. Masked the magazine and hit it with some black paint. Had an "O" ring, but it was too thick; will look for a thinner one.


May not be your cup of tea, but I think this turned out ok (for me) and I enjoyed doing it.
More pics to follow.
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[Bawanna]

I like it, always been partial to bobtails myself. Cut a few corners off 1911's. Always scary but rewarding.

[medezyner]

Additional photos:
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[JohnR]

Looks good!

[medezyner]

Looks good!

Thanks, not a big mod, but enough to make me feel I was giving the P9 a little lov'in. I guess I'm kind of a compulsive tinkerer...cant leave well enough alone.

[Ken L]

Methinks I'm going to do that to my CW40. Thanks!

[medezyner]

Methinks I'm going to do that to my CW40. Thanks!

Go for it! It was easier than I thought, just take it slow. A belt sander can can take more than you wanted to give. I'm going back in and take just a bit more off as seen in the pics. Once you get that major radius axis done, then go and sand down (by hand) the other 2 outside corners so that you've rounded it in more than that 1 axis. I then used a Dremel and cutting/polishing compound to smooth out the sanding lines.
2181621817

[getsome]

Great job medezyner, that’s how it should have come……That hollow hole in the grip has always bothered me, looks unfinished but that is a nice fix…….I may have to get brave and do that on the PM9……Thanks for sharing!

[dao]

Fine job! Makes sense to have a round butt on a pocket pistol. Sanded out nicely too.

[JohnR]

Thanks, not a big mod, but enough to make me feel I was giving the P9 a little lov'in. I guess I'm kind of a compulsive tinkerer...cant leave well enough alone.
Sometimes it just takes a little modification to fit our hands a lot better.

[medezyner]

Great job medezyner, that’s how it should have come……That hollow hole in the grip has always bothered me, looks unfinished but that is a nice fix…….I may have to get brave and do that on the PM9……Thanks for sharing!

It’s been a while since I designed any injection molded products, but I suspect that the void is a necessary evil. Has to do with how the mold opens, where the mold cavity parts, different cores, blah, blah, blah. That’s why Block has after market grip plugs.
These machines are very complex and I’m always amazed at the level of detail they can achieve and how clean it is. Also kudos to the skill level that these CNC tool & die makers have/need. Looking closely at the clean details on a Kahr pistol; they are very good and better than most.
Bottom line: grab some epoxy and have fun.

[Old No7]

Looks great -- well done!

One trick to use -- if needed -- when you replace the plastic base plate with the metal one, is the slight gap (if too large) can be filled with an o-ring around the mag. I literally took the mag into the hardware store and tried several sizes to get the fit I wanted. They stay in place if you get one that's not too large.

Glad those extra Kahr parts I had went to a good home -- and to a fellow Mainer.

Old No7

[medezyner]

Looks great -- well done!

One trick to use -- if needed -- when you replace the plastic base plate with the metal one, is the slight gap (if too large) can be filled with an o-ring around the mag. I literally took the mag into the hardware store and tried several sizes to get the fit I wanted. They stay in place if you get one that's not too large.
Old No7

Had an O-ring that was the right diameter, but too thick (mag wouldn't seat). Heading out to find a thinner one. Painting it looks good adding that O-ring would be the finishing touch.

[FreeMe]

I like it. But I'd be tempted to fill some of that void before the epoxy with lead shot. ;)

[bugs]

looks like a very good job !! however I use a 7 rd. mag in my CM 9 EDC , so for me bobbing don't make much sense ; what I did , was fill the void with some #6 lead and made a press fit plug from a neoprene washer . hasn't moved in 12 yrs. IDPA matches.

NRA LIFER

IDPA BELIEVER

[Tilos]

Looks great -- well done!

One trick to use -- if needed -- when you replace the plastic base plate with the metal one, is the slight gap (if too large) can be filled with an o-ring around the mag. I literally took the mag into the hardware store and tried several sizes to get the fit I wanted. They stay in place if you get one that's not too large.
Glad those extra Kahr parts I had went to a good home -- and to a fellow Mainer.

Old No7

Or buy one of these from Kahr:
21830
And cut it off to fit like this:
21831
jmo,
.

[medezyner]

Or buy one of these from Kahr:
21830
And cut it off to fit like this:
21831
jmo,
.

Nice! Didn’t even know they offered one of those bases. Great idea - thanks.

[medezyner]

Figures…out of stock. When they notify me I’ll scoop one.

[medezyner]

looks like a very good job !! however I use a 7 rd. mag in my CM 9 EDC , so for me bobbing don't make much sense ; what I did , was fill the void with some #6 lead and made a press fit plug from a neoprene washer . hasn't moved in 12 yrs. IDPA matches.


I enjoyed steel challenge and can see how adding some weight in that area would provide greater balance and recoil management. I’m thinking that making a lead plug that you could remove when you wanted a lighter carry weight is the best of both worlds. Me thinks it’s worth experimenting with.

[bugs]

for me the added weight was not enough to make pocket carry uncomfortable and did help with recoil a bit ; I chose shot so I could try different weight options , and settled on as much as I could get in and still make division weight . since Mr. Murphy was watching , I spread some black shoe goo over the top of the plug . a semi permnet fix.

[FreeMe]

Or buy one of these from Kahr:
21830
And cut it off to fit like this:
21831
jmo,
.

Brilliant! And answers a question asked many times on this site.