Loose Grips Sink Ships

mm · 07-06-2001, 12:55 PM

Maybe it was "Loose Lips Sink Ships!"

Anyway, I have found a way to make Luger grips snug without the worry of overtightening.

Take a Luger grip screw to your local hardware store - go to the faucet gasket section. Find the little black o-rings. Locate the one that fits best around the screw threads and buy them 10-25 cents each) Place the o-rings around the threads of the screws. As you tighten the screws - the o-rings expand under the face of the screw and take up the excess space between the screw head and grip making it snug and providing an elastic cushion to boot. I believe these black rubber type o-rings are actually made from polyeurothene (sp?) or some other modern synthetic rubber.

Other solutions I considered such as placing material between the grip and frame risked cracking the grip if uneven. mm

07-06-2001, 08:06 PM

Actually the common o-rings you buy in a hardware store are uaually of Buna-N or sometimes called Nitrile. These are great for the application. Good idea MM.

Thanks for the tip.

Milt Keller · 07-07-2001, 01:26 AM

MM,

Because of you, I tried it, It works! Thanks again!

Milt Keller

Big Norm · 07-07-2001, 09:58 PM

Good idea. I'm glad that you gave everyone a handle on this information.

Big Norm

mm · 07-08-2001, 02:22 AM

I'm glad to be of help and share the information. So many of you on the forum have provided valuable information to me and it great to have the opportunity to do a little of the same. mm

renaissance · 07-09-2001, 02:58 PM

The proper size for the "O Rings" is:

#5 OR 3/8 x 1/4 x 1/16

These work perfectly on 1940 "42" and "Black Widow Grips".

17 cents at Home Depot.

mm · 07-09-2001, 07:34 PM

My o rings measure 3/8" across and are 1/16" wide. The 1/4" must be the measurement of the donut's hole. I did not get the proper description from the hardwarde store, but it looks like we are talking about the same animal. mm

renaissance · 07-09-2001, 08:05 PM

The very same!

G.T. · 07-10-2001, 10:50 PM

At any boat OMC dealership, as they use very thin high quality O-rings to seal some of the bolts that hold the bearing carrier for the prop shaft.....till...later....G.T.

Marvin · 07-12-2001, 07:02 AM

A question about the "o" rings. Has anyone done a little write-up about this procedure for tighting the grips and placed it in the General information or technical questions section? I think this idea may be well worth keeping.

Marvin

07-13-2001, 10:54 PM

Small black o-rings are made out of various rubber and non-rubber based products, although again most would be of a petroleum based product. Most common in natural rubber although not gum rubber would be neoprene, the other non-rubber product though looking like it would be SBR which is synthetic Butyl rubber. First and most natural feature of an o-ring is it's ability to seal irregular shapes against leakage of oil, water & chemical based liquids or solubles. This information courtesy of a graduate of Sperry-Vickers and Parker Hannifin schools.

renaissance · 07-14-2001, 02:51 PM

I have a 1940 "42" which came to me with "authentic" "Black-Widow" grips (which I have been given to understand were NOT original issue for this model and vintage).

They were a trifle "Loose" on the frame even with tightening down the grip screws as tight as I dared.

I tried the "O-rings".

After snugging down the grip screws lightly over the "o rings"; The grips became perfectly im-mobile on the frame.

However:

Now the magazine would not release (empty) when I pressed on the magazine release. > something that had NEVER happened to me before with this gun and this magazine.

I removed the grips > magazine released fine.

Replaced the grips with the "O-ring" > it would not release.

Removed the grips AND and replaced them without the o-rings > the magazine released fine again.

Replaced the grips WITH the o-rings but left the screws VERY loose > magazine released but now grips rattled again.

Obviously, there is some sort of interference being caused with this solution on MY gun.

Anybody else noticed any problems like mine with implementing the "O-ring fix">

Hugh · 07-14-2001, 03:20 PM

Philip,

The problem that you are experiencing is a common one when the inside "ridge" of the grips is too thick and sticks into the magazine well. Try removing one side at a time to determine which side is the culprit. You can then sand down the inside of the grip until the magazine will slide freely. Often it is the groove in the grip where the mag button goes that is not deep enough.

07-06-2001, 12:55 PM	#1
mm User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SFBAY Posts: 82 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Loose Grips Sink Ships Maybe it was "Loose Lips Sink Ships!" Anyway, I have found a way to make Luger grips snug without the worry of overtightening. Take a Luger grip screw to your local hardware store - go to the faucet gasket section. Find the little black o-rings. Locate the one that fits best around the screw threads and buy them 10-25 cents each) Place the o-rings around the threads of the screws. As you tighten the screws - the o-rings expand under the face of the screw and take up the excess space between the screw head and grip making it snug and providing an elastic cushion to boot. I believe these black rubber type o-rings are actually made from polyeurothene (sp?) or some other modern synthetic rubber. Other solutions I considered such as placing material between the grip and frame risked cracking the grip if uneven. mm

07-06-2001, 08:06 PM	#2
REB Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Loose Grips Sink Ships Actually the common o-rings you buy in a hardware store are uaually of Buna-N or sometimes called Nitrile. These are great for the application. Good idea MM. Thanks for the tip.

07-07-2001, 01:26 AM	#3
Milt Keller User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Loose Grips Sink Ships MM, Because of you, I tried it, It works! Thanks again! Milt Keller

07-07-2001, 09:58 PM	#4
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Loose Grips Sink Ships Good idea. I'm glad that you gave everyone a handle on this information. Big Norm

07-09-2001, 02:58 PM	#6
renaissance User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 58 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: o rings The proper size for the "O Rings" is: #5 OR 3/8 x 1/4 x 1/16 These work perfectly on 1940 "42" and "Black Widow Grips". 17 cents at Home Depot.

07-08-2001, 02:22 AM	#5
mm User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SFBAY Posts: 82 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Loose Grips Sink Ships I'm glad to be of help and share the information. So many of you on the forum have provided valuable information to me and it great to have the opportunity to do a little of the same. mm

07-09-2001, 07:34 PM	#7
mm User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SFBAY Posts: 82 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: o rings My o rings measure 3/8" across and are 1/16" wide. The 1/4" must be the measurement of the donut's hole. I did not get the proper description from the hardwarde store, but it looks like we are talking about the same animal. mm

07-09-2001, 08:05 PM	#8
renaissance User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 58 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: o rings The very same!

07-10-2001, 10:50 PM	#9
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,541 Thanks: 1,342 Thanked 3,742 Times in 1,020 Posts	Smaller O-rings can be had....... At any boat OMC dealership, as they use very thin high quality O-rings to seal some of the bolts that hold the bearing carrier for the prop shaft.....till...later....G.T.

07-12-2001, 07:02 AM	#10
Marvin User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Upstate S.C. Posts: 1,132 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: o rings A question about the "o" rings. Has anyone done a little write-up about this procedure for tighting the grips and placed it in the General information or technical questions section? I think this idea may be well worth keeping. Marvin

07-13-2001, 10:54 PM	#11
Sam Buscemi Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Loose Grips Sink Ships Small black o-rings are made out of various rubber and non-rubber based products, although again most would be of a petroleum based product. Most common in natural rubber although not gum rubber would be neoprene, the other non-rubber product though looking like it would be SBR which is synthetic Butyl rubber. First and most natural feature of an o-ring is it's ability to seal irregular shapes against leakage of oil, water & chemical based liquids or solubles. This information courtesy of a graduate of Sperry-Vickers and Parker Hannifin schools.

07-14-2001, 02:51 PM	#12
renaissance User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 58 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Caution re: O-rings I have a 1940 "42" which came to me with "authentic" "Black-Widow" grips (which I have been given to understand were NOT original issue for this model and vintage). They were a trifle "Loose" on the frame even with tightening down the grip screws as tight as I dared. I tried the "O-rings". After snugging down the grip screws lightly over the "o rings"; The grips became perfectly im-mobile on the frame. However: Now the magazine would not release (empty) when I pressed on the magazine release. > something that had NEVER happened to me before with this gun and this magazine. I removed the grips > magazine released fine. Replaced the grips with the "O-ring" > it would not release. Removed the grips AND and replaced them without the o-rings > the magazine released fine again. Replaced the grips WITH the o-rings but left the screws VERY loose > magazine released but now grips rattled again. Obviously, there is some sort of interference being caused with this solution on MY gun. Anybody else noticed any problems like mine with implementing the "O-ring fix">

07-14-2001, 03:20 PM	#13
Hugh RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Swamp Posts: 2,460 Thanks: 2 Thanked 166 Times in 65 Posts	Re: Caution re: O-rings Philip, The problem that you are experiencing is a common one when the inside "ridge" of the grips is too thick and sticks into the magazine well. Try removing one side at a time to determine which side is the culprit. You can then sand down the inside of the grip until the magazine will slide freely. Often it is the groove in the grip where the mag button goes that is not deep enough.