Grip Tape

[anaphylaxis]

Why.

I saw a G27 today on consignment at one of my local funshops.

There was grip tape covering the top of the slide aft of the ejection port. Also, it covered the right side of the slide, aft of the ejection port.

I would have taken a picture, however I was deeply offended by this abomination, an affront against Gaston Glock and basically all that is good and well in the world. I had to buy it and immediately set about restoring it back to her proper condition. Luckily, the adhesive was no match for the slide and disappeared quicker than gun rights and economic freedom in a Democrat presidency.

Anyway, I had to ask from the employee at the gunshop. Why?

Apparently, an older couple bought the gun and had trouble manipulating the slide. I guess the grip tape was supposed to help. How would have they have been effective with a subcompact .40 S&W when manipulating the slide was challenging?

I decided to confirm my suspicions. I did a partial detail strip on the G27. From this, it looks like it has very, very few rounds through it. Ever.

Too bad that some places focus on selling what they think their customer should have, rather than selling them what will work for them.

[Irving]

The bigger question I had is, if they were expecting to properly employ a .40 S&W round out of a subcompact weapon in a defensive situation, there were bigger problems.



I don't understand this part.

[anaphylaxis]

I don't understand this part.

If someone had trouble manipulating a typical slide on a semi-automatic pistol, they are in a rude awakening when discharging a round from a subcompact .40 S&W. Smaller round, bigger pistol mass would have worked far better IMHO.

[Irving]

I see. Thank you.

[anaphylaxis]

I see. Thank you.

Thank you too. I edited to post to make it more clear (hopefully). Note to self: alcohol and posting don't mix. :D

[brutal]

If you have injured a hand, the grip tape (on top) can help you rack the slide against your pant leg, etc.

[anaphylaxis]

If you have injured a hand, the grip tape (on top) can help you rack the slide against your pant leg, etc.

I was taught the rear sight anchoring the slide against the heel of a shoe, door, etc, would do the same, but this sounds plausible.

[Irving]

I think grip tape is used in place of stippling.

[hatidua]

I've sourced grip tape from the local skateboard shop and installed this abomination on the top of the slide of all my pistols. For me, it's functional, but maybe it works as a theft deterrent as well!

[SuperiorDG]

I do this and the reason for it is that if I am ever in a situation where my hands are wet or bloody I can still work the gun. If you only shoot at the range with dry hands and never plan on using it when it may save your life then so be it. To each their own.

[Joe_K]

If someone had trouble manipulating a typical slide on a semi-automatic pistol, they are in a rude awakening when discharging a round from a subcompact .40 S&W. Smaller round, bigger pistol mass would have worked far better IMHO.

Have you ever soaked your hands in blood with 2 broken fingers on each hand and tried to shoot... Accurately.... While being shot at? Neither have I. Well at least not all at once. Point being you may miss your rear sight, hell your rear sight might be gone, you may only have one semi- good functioning hand. Try this at home ( safely of course) Tape 2-3 fingers on each hand together, Soak your hands and carry gun in Dawn dishsoap and then sprint 400M and do some dry fire, reloads, and malfunction clearences. Suddenly that $0.75 peice of aethsteticly unpleasing grip tape will seem like an awesome idea.


Sent from my PRC 117A in my Batmobile disguised as a sedan.

[anaphylaxis]

Again, I see the point here. My initial understanding from the shop is that the first owner used the grip tape to try to handle something they had trouble shooting anyway, in the absence of extreme factors caused by a deadly force confrontation. As they put it up for sale with all of 10 rounds through it, my point main was he / she would have been better off with a different option.

As to my not-to-be-taken-so-serious paragraph about cleaning that off of the gun -- it is part of a collection, not for daily carry.

To be for sure, I train for a number of circumstances like one handed shooting (strong side / support side), reloads, malfunction clearances, etc. I even shot support side only when I broke my strong side arm a while back. The chance that a real situation won't look like a nice day on the range is something that I've taken into account.

[275RLTW]

Perhaps the gun was given to them, perhaps that's what they could afford and the only ammo available at that time, perhaps they shot it well and liked it, or maybe one had a disability that made the tape a necessity. Who cares? They modified it so that they could use it effectively and that way is different that your way. I have grip tape on the top of the slide on some of my guns for press checks, others remain slick. If you think that it was an abomination and ruining the gun, you were under no obligation to buy it to add to your "collection." Most of my guns would be considered and "abomination" by your standards but then again, I don't consider my tools a "collection."

[Irving]

Congrats on your new Glock.

[osok-308]

Why.

I saw a G27 today on consignment at one of my local funshops.

There was grip tape covering the top of the slide aft of the ejection port. Also, it covered the right side of the slide, aft of the ejection port.

I would have taken a picture, however I was deeply offended by this abomination, an affront against Gaston Glock and basically all that is good and well in the world. I had to buy it and immediately set about restoring it back to her proper condition. Luckily, the adhesive was no match for the slide and disappeared quicker than gun rights and economic freedom in a Democrat presidency.

Anyway, I had to ask from the employee at the gunshop. Why?

Apparently, an older couple bought the gun and had trouble manipulating the slide. I guess the grip tape was supposed to help. How would have they have been effective with a subcompact .40 S&W when manipulating the slide was challenging?

I decided to confirm my suspicions. I did a partial detail strip on the G27. From this, it looks like it has very, very few rounds through it. Ever.

Too bad that some places focus on selling what they think their customer should have, rather than selling them what will work for them.

I like glocks too and i own glocks, but I've always had a problem with their slogan "perfection". It implies that there is nothing that can improve the system. If that were true, you wouldn't have people adding grip tape or stippling. If it helps operation of the tool, then it is not an abomination It's an improvement.

[anaphylaxis]

I like glocks too and i own glocks, but I've always had a problem with their slogan "perfection". It implies that there is nothing that can improve the system. If that were true, you wouldn't have people adding grip tape or stippling. If it helps operation of the tool, then it is not an abomination It's an improvement.

No doubt, certainly things can be done to improve the platform. For whatever it's worth, my EDC is a S&W Shield 9mm. That should say something...

One should be careful to avoid an "improvement" that causes a problem. During my armorer's course, I recall a story from a group of KC, MO officers. One of their officers installed a extended mag release on his Glock. While conducting a traffic stop, bad guy decides to get out and start shooting. The officer draws his weapon, however he inadvertently drops the mag due to the extended release. Not good.

In the case of the gun I bought, it looks to me like the tool was not the right to begin with. A gun in almost new condition, and a two boxes of ammo with only 10 rounds expended told me that no amount of grip was going to fix the issue. As many have said thus far, there can be circumstances where added texture might be helpful. This wasn't one of them. I guess it goes back to making sure the modification is proper for the intended purpose. One modification may be ideal for competition yet inappropriate for daily carry. In my case, I don't want sandpaper covering the slide on a gun that is mainly part of a collection, shot infrequently and never carried.

[Joe_K]

How exactly does little use indicate that the Glock 27 was the innapropriate tool for the job? Maybe he had exstensive experience with the Glock platform, knew what he needed. Ran just a few rounds through it to verify funtionality and then for whatever reason decided he dint need or want that particular firearm? Maybe he just needed some quick cash and it was the one gun he wanted or needed the least. I think its kind of hard to say as the owner of a second hand firearm we can make a judgment call as to the former owners reason for selling it, or that persons intended use, or level of skill. Also with the right care and cleaning it would in many cases be virtually impossible to determine wether a firearm has seen 10 or 200 rounds of ammo ran through it.


Sent from my PRC 117A in my Batmobile disguised as a sedan.

[osok-308]

One should be careful to avoid an "improvement" that causes a problem. During my armorer's course, I recall a story from a group of KC, MO officers. One of their officers installed a extended mag release on his Glock. While conducting a traffic stop, bad guy decides to get out and start shooting. The officer draws his weapon, however he inadvertently drops the mag due to the extended release. Not good.

I agree, the additions I was thinking often include grip tape / stippling / night sights, mostly things that help you operate the firearm without potentially adjusting the actual function of the firearm.

[lex137]

I can't bring myself to stipple a gun, may get over that fear one day. So I have put grip tape on a few of my guns, another good point is when selling a gun I can take the tape off, some people don't or won't buy a stippled gun, or at least I won't.

[Limited GM]

I think grip tape is used in place of stippling.


I do this and the reason for it is that if I am ever in a situation where my hands are wet or bloody I can still work the gun. If you only shoot at the range with dry hands and never plan on using it when it may save your life then so be it. To each their own.


Perhaps the gun was given to them, perhaps that's what they could afford and the only ammo available at that time, perhaps they shot it well and liked it, or maybe one had a disability that made the tape a necessity. Who cares? They modified it so that they could use it effectively and that way is different that your way. I have grip tape on the top of the slide on some of my guns for press checks, others remain slick. If you think that it was an abomination and ruining the gun, you were under no obligation to buy it to add to your "collection." Most of my guns would be considered and "abomination" by your standards but then again, I don't consider my tools a "collection."



So many good posting here....

[Irving]

I do this and the reason for it is that if I am ever in a situation where my hands are wet or bloody I can still work the gun. If you only shoot at the range with dry hands and never plan on using it when it may save your life then so be it. To each their own.

Like if you ever have to lay cover fire while delivering a baby?

[ray1970]

Like if you ever have to lay cover fire while delivering a baby?

Ha. Never know. It could happen.

[Irving]

Happens all the time in Grand Junction.

[osok-308]

Like if you ever have to lay cover fire while delivering a baby?

Is there a better time to lay down cover fire?

[thvigil11]

Like if you ever have to lay cover fire while delivering a baby?

Ever seen "The Big Red 1" You never know, just might have to do it in a tank.