[ithacaartist]

Gentlemen (and Ladies, too),

I'm not sure this is a new idea, but it is certainly a way to break that chip off that isn't mentioned much.

Certainly, one should use caution in removing the left grip, being careful not to jack the bottom end up before the top has rotated away from the shank of the safety lever, but I think that loose grips are a major contributor to chipping that little chunk off. Here's what I'm thinking:

Loose grips will break during use, particularly if the looseness is caused by compression or wear of the raised portion on the fronts of their back sides, which runs most of the way from top to bottom. Consider that, when the gun is properly gripped firmly, the grip frame is propelled back in relation to the grips by the force of shooting. This effectively hammers that little ridge mentioned above. A slight looseness will grow, in response to this force, and when they are sufficiently loose, the proper close fit of an original grip will cause the wood behind the safety lever shank to come into play.

The data I can present, beyond this bit of reasoning, is limited to my own experience of breaking a newly-repaired chip to break right back off again. After reattaching the bit for the second time, I used a fine, round file to give it a little "breathing room", and also made sure the grip is a snug as possible. No problem since.

If suspiciously loose, the grip can be snugged--front-to-back--by laying in a bead of good, clear epoxy to fill and build up where there should be wood. O-rings behind the screws may help keep the bottom from drifting around, but will not address any front-to-back looseness effectively. What may seem tight initially will be thoroughly tested by actual shooting.