[Josh Smith]

Hello All,

When I was out shooting my new Carpati M.95 (PPK clone) I noticed the slide barely nicked my thumb when it cycled. I ended up with a nice lil' ol' cut that was red but wasn't streaming.

I did not develop a flinch from it and was barely aware that it was happening.

I've been playing around with different thumb positions and none position my thumb joint at the base to where it's out of the way, so I've just stuck with the "thumbs forward" hold. I don't want two different holds for my main carry and backup at any rate. The Carpati behaves like a smaller Taurus 92 in my hands, so I figure I'll treat it like one.

If the beavertail swept down even half a degree further, or was just a tad bit wider, or positioned my hand just a tad bit lower, the problem would not be there at all.

I've thought about filing just a bit on off the slide to smooth it out, taking off the sharp edges, then retouching. But, I don't want to have to do this if I don't have to.

So... PPK and clone owners: Do you have any suggestions? New grip panels may help; I just have to figure out what might fit. Any tips?

Thanks,

Josh <><

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi Josh,

I had the same problem with a SIG P-230 I owned several years ago, but here's the background.

I wanted a CWP smaller belt gun. So I went into the gunshop and looked at the P-230, handled it a couple of times and then finally decided to buy it. I have larger than average hands and the first time I shot it, the left rear corner edge of the slide ripped across the top of my right hand. Ouch!!!!!

Not to be dettered and not being the brightest, but yet the most determined individual, I took it home and tried different hand holds and went to the range the following week.

Ouch!!!! @$%&!!!!

Again, the slide took a lick right in the same spot as it did before over the healing wound!!!!

Alright now, so now I am getting a little peeved that my new toy has bitten me twice!!!! So I go to the owner of the gunshop, who is a pretty nice guy and a decent friend and he walks over to the display and grabs a HOGUE HANDALL JR. With a little effort, I slip it on and back into the range I go. After a couple of magazines, I realize the slide is not going to bite me as the Hogue Handall is keeping my hand from "wedging up" under the frame tang and out of harm's way because it helped index my fingers on the frame.

Had it not been a stinkin' brand new $600.00 handgun, I probably would have taken a stone and lightly radiused the offending edge. The grip cured me of the slide bite, but I learned a very valuable lesson: shoot a borrowed/rented gun before you ever buy one!

Chris

PS/BTW: I didn't keep it for more than 6 months after I bought it and traded it on something else. Part of the issue was that I was shooting 1911's at the time and always tried to grab higher on the grip for hand/bore/sight alignment.

 

[randomman]

Josh, just thinking about your predicament, I'm not sure you wouldn't be better off to stone/file the edges softly. Alternatively, perhaps you coud position something on the beavertail to make your hand ride lower? A bit of skate tape the thickens the tail up some, so your hand moves down...

Just thinking out loud here...

-Rob