Snap Caps and Grip tape

[APachon]

I know several fo you mentioned you train with snap caps and have a range mate load up your mag with a snap cap or two. Do you also train to clear FTE, FTRB and the like?

Well I just started using Strike Hold cleaner and luber (lubricant) and the stuff leaves a very fine sheen of some type of coating all over the pistol (read hard to get a secure grip on). I tried to practice some clears and than reengage the target @ 7,10 and 15 yds and had a hard time gripping the slide.

Enter Skateboard tape. I stopped by my local skateboard shop and picked up a blank of this stuff (Black Magic grip tape) and figured I would adorn some on my pistol.

Let me tell you the interaction I had at the skateboard shop. I pull up in my SUV full of Surf Stickers and get out in a monkey suit a la Hugo Boss. Get some interesting looks from kids :smiliedie practing ollies and what not and get told that I shoudl be askamed of my gas guzzler. I tell them it is a Diesel IE the loud knocking from the motor. I enter the skate shop and get told the salon is no longer in this plaza. I do not think I am that metrosexual looking, I think to myself . I ask for some skateboard tape. I get looks as if my fly is undone and I am hanging in the wind for all to admire . The kid at the counter points me to the skateboard assembly area (for lack of a better term). I walk over there and a young girl in her late teens hands me over a blank. I thank her and walk to the cashier to pay a few bucks for this grip tape.

The owner looks at me and pulls me to the side and asks me to accompany him to his office. Now I am rethinking my possible metrosexual look for a something a lil more over the fence if you catch my drift. I am also wishing my wife had accompanied me but she is still rather hung over from last night .
When we get to the back he asks me what pistol is the grip tape going on. I am in awe, and totally dumbstruck. I say a P-14. He gives me a thumbs up looks me over and than invites me check out his new acquistions.
I walk with the owner who is about my age (33ish) to desk and he proceeds to remove the mag from and clear a brand new Duty One STI. He then goes to a small safe and takes out a Yost and a Wilson CQB. I am completely dumbfounded.

He gave me the blank for free and asked when and where I shoot as he has never really had a chance to get to make friends who are into weapons being in his industry with his clientle. I hate to say it but I have a play date. His wife also shoots so this should be pretty cool.

Back to the point of this post. Do or rather have any of you put grip tape on your pistols? I just finished putting some on the front of the slide and on the front strap and what a difference. I highly recommend you try it if you do not already have serrations.

~A

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[rocky]

Yep , I use grip tape on my .22 buckmark on the front grip strap. Also on the front and back strap of my NAA derringer . Works well for control. I use a hogue grip sleeve for my HK. The tape may not stay on your slide very well . Might want to find a diffrent lube that isn't so slippery. I like remington dry lube.

[APachon]

the thing is the strike hold makes cleaning my 1911's such an easy task and cuts the time down dramatically.Rocky, why don't you think the tape will stay on teh slide very well?

~A

[nighthawk]

Never tried it. Don't think I will. I won't buy it if I can pull it.

[APachon]

I don't have front serrations on any of my current 1911's and with a slick sheen it can prove difficult.

~A

Never tried it. Don't think I will. I won't buy it if I can pull it.

[nighthawk]

I agree, thus the jestor. Sorry It has been a long weekend.

[APachon]

I knew it was a joke. I have searched all over this town for a smith who cuts serrations. All said to get some tape. John Unertl is here in town and I have a friend who knows him and I am going to see if I can get him to mod my slides with front serrations.

~A

I agree, thus the jestor. Sorry It has been a long weekend.

[Bud White]

Robar will cut them im sure .. i dont like the front serrations .. Little hard on the leg while sitting and driving at least i think they are on my sprinfield loaded..

Gonna get either some decal grips or skate board tape for my Glock ..

Any ideal who would have it besides Skateboard shp even though i drive all day long i cant tell ya where a skate board shop is

[APachon]

Bud I would say go with a skate shop. Use the Yahoo yellow pages finder function and put in your zip code and go from there. I have tried to rub the grit off and it is not coming off. I did use a light spraying of Glass cleaner to clean off the Strike Hold sheen and the tape stuck like gorilla snot.

~A

[APachon]

Bud the cost is under $4 and the sheet you get will allow you to do the same pistol for many years to come.

~A

[Pyrolyzer]

I put grip tape on my pistols but in a funny pattern. I put a strip about 1/4-inch wide vertically down the left side of the frontstrap. This puts the texturing under the pads of the tips of my fingers. There's enough texturing there to allow me to grip well when I'm fully gripping the gun but if I release my grip just a little, my hand is still holding the gun well but I don't have grip tape under my fingers. This allows me to still shift my grip on the pistol if I need to do so.

Chuck

[Bud White]

Il have to look for a shop when im out this week usually only scope out gun shops... if it works well on glock might remove hogue grip from Hk and try it on it to ..

[Scott]

APachon,

Any issues with your holsters and the tape, or does it just wear in after a bit of draw practice? I'm getting my new SA Champ setup for carry. Like yours, no front serrations.

-Scott-

[rocky]

Rocky, why don't you think the tape will stay on teh slide very well?

I Think that drawing and reholstering will peel away at the tape eventually.

[APachon]

Scott I did about 200 presentations last night, 100 in a CQC Serpa and 100 in a VMII. No peeling away at all. I did make sure that I cleaned the area to apply the tape real good to remove any film that would prevent the tape from getting a good bite. No problem in quick presentations that I coudl see. I too thought it would be a problem with the VMII as it is much tighter than the SERPA. Going to the range on Wednesday and I will warm the BBL up real good so we shall see.

~A

APachon,

Any issues with your holsters and the tape, or does it just wear in after a bit of draw practice? I'm getting my new SA Champ setup for carry. Like yours, no front serrations.

-Scott-