Anyone Put a Rink Grip on a Walther LP400?

[Scrench]

Since the synthetic grip on my "Club" version LP400 is just too small and hard, I'm not going to try to modify it, but go ahead and get a regular walnut 3D grip. The question is, get the factory job or a Rink? The best grip that ever fit me was on a Pardini K58, and the Rink looks a lot more like that then the Walther. I didn't get along very well with the grip on my Steyr LP10, so if the factory Walther grip is anything like that, then I know it's not for me. Just wondering if any of you may have had the factory grip then swapped out for a Rink, and what were the results?

Thank You,
Richard

[ABerryhill]

Richard,

If you can't find a grip you like, I might be able to help. I make custom-fit 3d-printed grips for all types of precision pistols. See my website at PrecisionTargetPistolGrips.com for pictures and details. I've not done a LP400 yet, but have lots of other custom grips for Styers, and know I can do that one too. And you'll pay a lot less for one one mine.

Andrew

[jbshooter]

I've had two rink grips for LP400. Both fitted perfectly on the gun. I settled for the 7 degree offset one in the end. LP400's are great for their ability to easily adjust the grips for point.

[Scrench]

jbshooter,

What differences did you notice between the standard Walther grip and your Rinks, and would you do it again?


Andrew,

A very unique and forward thinking use of a 3D printer, congrats. I'm intrigued, although for everything I want your price is $170, not including shipping. The full price for the Rink, with a fixing socket and screw that the "Club" version is missing which allows the 3D grip to rotate and swivel, plus shipping from over there, is $234.75 based on today's Euro price. I'm sure Walther would hit me up for another $30-40 or so for the socket and screw if I bought yours, BUT...

I would give just about anything to have back that grip that was on my Pardini K58. The first moment I put it in my hand, it felt like it disappeared, exactly fitting every crack and crevice. I saw on your websight that you take measurements differently then others, accounting for all the way back to the wrist, a very good thing. One thing I didn't see is how you measure the fullness of the hand in the palm area, or the depth from front to back. Nils does something like that, but his method doesn't seem to cover it all either. Would you accept a putty or whatever exact mold of my hand to work from? It seems to me that that is the only way to custom fit a grip exactly to someone's hand.

The standard Walther grip is $178.

Pic below of my beloved...but gone...sniff, sniff,... K58 grip.

[jipe]

I have tried the LP400 with its standard walnut grip. Didn't liked the shape of that one (flat, thin grip).

I must also say that as you I don't like the Steyr grips (Steyr changed many times their grips, the last one are the worse for me and the size of these last version was strange, very big, much bigger than previous version and other brands, several people I know choose the size based on the size of the previous version and ended with a much too big grip. I wonder what will come with the Evo 10(e), Steyr advertised that the Evo's will have improved new grips !?).

I am using Rink grips on all my pistols.

Of course, grip shape is something very personal, some like Rink, some others not.

That said, there are some objective advantages in Rink grips:
- More parameters to choose from. So a bigger chance to make it fit to your hand.
- Palmrest is adjustable not only in height but also tilt.
- Not applicable for AP: free pistol grips have an additional adjustment of the bottom part in width.
- If you have pistols from several brands (and like Rink grips) you can have almost the same grip on all your pistols.

[Scrench]

Good Points jipe,

I find it odd that some palm rests do not tilt, as if the bottom of your hand is flat. I've also heard that the factory LP400 grip is too flat and the sizing weird. Makes me lean more and more to a Rink.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[Rover]

Whatever you buy won't fit right (I know you ASSUME it will), so work with what you have. A little putty and a rasp will take you a long way.

If you screw it up really badly, you can always go with your PLAN B.

[rmca]

Listen to Rover on this one (did I really write that... ;)

If you want a grip that really fits, odds are that none of the ones you can buy off the shelf will do.
Your best bet is to modify your existing grip with two part epoxy and a dremel (or files/rasps).
Then, when you get it nearly perfect (it will never be perfect) send it to Rink to get it copied in "all real wood".

Anything else is a shot in the dark... (pun intended)

Hope this helps

[jbshooter]

I usually buy my Rink grips unoiled and unstippled for that very reason. After a lot of time and effort with a dremel and Rink putty you will know when the grip is nearly right. Getting the right sized/shaped grip to start with is helpful.

[Scrench]

So even if I get the Rink, chances are that I'm going to be whittlin' and puttyin' anyway, right? But it would seem to make sense to start out with something as close as possible, rather then end up with an epoxy coated Frankenstein that adds 1/2 pound to the gun.

[Rover]

But, with a rasp you could end up with one that's lighter, and I DID say if you FUBARed it you could still spend big bucks and not have a good fit.

[Sa-tevo]

I can share the Steyr-grips-don't-work-for-me-but-Rinks-do sentiment. I'm at the point where I buy Rinks with the 7 degree offset on the theory it is easier to remove the 7 degrees of wood than add it. I've bought seven pieces of walnut furniture from Thomas Rink so far and while not perfect in fit they were a lot closer to being right for me than what the factories provided.

My beginner's experience is that you really don't know what is wrong with your grip until the end of an air pistol or free pistol match. You can notice big problems early but the small adjustments take a while.

This translated guide may help:

[Gwhite]

The guide is very interesting, and will need detailed study. Most of the translation is pretty good, but I have to figure out what a "snuffbox" is... (page 7: "Processing on the space for the snuffbox")

[Sa-tevo]

Yeah, that one got left in. I took the original and ran everything one at a time through Google Translate. What I like about the guide though was pictures of "good" and "bad". If you're in the boonies and don't have a grip fitter to teach you it helps to get as much usable info as possible.

[jbshooter]

The final product...........
LP400 with Rink grip LRF7. This is about the fourth grip I made/got for this gun.
Rear sight reduced overall width by 5mm (milled 2.5mm from each side of block and sliding leafs).
Seven degree offset grip but you can see from above that it is twisted back almost seven degrees to neutral. This is the way it works for me.
Rink large grips always need palm shelf bottomed out for me - hence filler piece glued in the gap above the shelf.
Fingertips don't touch the grip on the offhand side.
Added a weight bar like Anschutz LP@.
Trigger springs changed and sear stoned and polished.
Walther GSP trigger shoe mounted on a bracket whereby whole shoe and mount assembly can be removed without need to dismantle trigger bar above it.

[Scrench]

jbshooter,

You, sir, are ready for some serious business! Nice job.

Do you find that the stock Rink grips have deep, pronounced finger grooves like a Steyr, or are they less pronounced with a gentler contour? The above picture of my Pardini grip had no finger grooves at all, and I thought about ordering a Rink without grooves, but, every world-class shooter has them, I suppose for a more positive, repeatable feel with individual fingers contacting more surface area of the grip, so who am I to argue with success? If I don't like them I can whack them anyway.

[Scrench]

Edited.

[Scrench]

I'm very curious about what the 7 degree offset actually does to your grip and hand positioning. The Rink site touches on it briefly but leaves a lot to be desired. what does it do?

[gn303]

A factory grip is an average. It will fit more or less the average hand S,M,L etc. A grip from Ring will be adapted to your hand...more or less. If you have the opportunity to go to his workshop and have Rink to fit a grip to your hand, you will have a grip that fits...for a while. An outline of the shooting hand is also a good thing to consider. The hand is changing, so a shooter will always have to adapt to his grip or change the grip all the time. Choose whatever you prefer. If you have a 'plasic' grip, the investment in a wooden grip, (+/-) adapted to your hand is i.m.o. a good investment.
Good luck.

Guy

[hundert]

Normally, everyone needs the 7 degree (or some sort of) offset, because your shoulder is located to the right of the eye-target line, so you are sort of looking at the pistol from the left side, which means the front sight is always to the left a bit. Most of us correct it using the wrist. It works, but it's another thing to worry about. It used to bother me, now it doesn't, but if I relax the wrist, the front sight will go to the left. 7 degrees offset that. The offset offered by adjustable grips is usually only 2-3 degrees, and is not enough, even for someone like me who moves the shoulder to the left, closer to the sight line.

I have had a Rink Steyr LP10 in my hands and the surface felt too smooth. I personally love the old Morini grips, they're very rough with lots of edges. However, I'm all about results, maybe I'd shoot better with a Rink, not everything's about the feel.