Everything Frame Work & Stipple
When it comes to stipple and frame modification on your glock or other ploymer framed hand gun, there are a lot of special terms and wide variety of improvements and adjustments that can be done to your frame that can sometimes be difficult to explain without seeing it. We are fortunate to have a full time frame work specialist here in house who is very talented in creating these textures by hand after years of creating stipple dot art by hand. He has the ability to do a wide range of modifications to your frame, but sometimes it can be hard to communicate this clearly and effectively without first showing you what we mean by certain terms. This blog will attempt to illustrate to you all of the different frame modification options we offer here and a little about what they do, and we will update this as we are able to after releasing new services and options.
For starters you have stipple itself, which is the literal texture being added to your grip itself. To simplify everything for our customers we always include all of our frame work options for free with any stipple texture choice (with the exception of grip reductions )
We offer three types of stipple here:
Hand done stipples – most aggressive – each of these shapes is individually hand laid by our in house stipple tech.
Signature stipple – (hand or laser) moderately aggressive (most popular)
and Laser stipple – less aggressive – This is done by polishing the frame smooth and lasering the texture into the polymer. Currently we are only able to get the clean results that we are going for from Glock Black polymer, The Sig, and CZ polymers as well as Glock polymers that have been dyed to be a different color (19X tan or sometimes green etc…) react to the laser very differently and will often leave a slaggy, messy, difficult to clean and polish surface that in our opinion is not acceptable to return to the customer. On the Sig, they are using a nylon filled polymer, which is why all laser stipple you see on Sig Sauer polymer grips looks like it has a bunch of grainy lines through it vs looking clean and crisp.
Currently, we have a wide variety of hand stipple patterns, 1 signature stipple, and 2 laser stipple options.
the first step to getting frame work done will be to choose how aggressive you want your stipple, and then select which pattern you want. (it should be noted we can only do these modifications to polymer frame pistols and non glock pistols may have limits on the other frame work services that are possible, for example there isn’t enough room for us to make an undercut on the p10c frame as deeply as we can on glock without compromising the trigger guard.)
Generally speaking all of our frame work pages are set up primarily for glock pistols, however we are able to do frame modifications to most if not all polymer framed pistols like the STI in the header image.
We should also note that we can do completely custom stipple art as well, so feel free to reach out to us so we can talk over your idea and figure out pricing on a custom stipple.
Once we have the stipple texture chosen, all of the following frame modifications are all included in your stipple package, they can be hard to describe so we are going to break them down for you in image examples. As I mentioned before, some of these options may not be available for non glock pistols depending on the pistol. call in or shoot us a text or email if you have any questions.
Single Undercuts (sometimes called a finger groove undercut):
The purpose of this modification is to allow your middle finger to ride higher on the frame and get you a better bore axis grip on our gun. to put it simply, the higher your grip is and the further forward the better control you ahve over that recoil impulse. We find this the most popular, most comfortable, most noticeable and most essential upgrade for glock frames. There really isn’t much reason not to do this in our opinion. even if you have small hands/fingers, bringing the hand higher up on the grip is better.
Double Undercut (trigger guard undercut):
This modification can come stippled as pictured or non stippled (without that texture, or polished smooth) which is used to allow your finger on your support hand to rest inside the cut area, and have a nice ledge to hang out in. Adding stipple here allows you to get some grip off of that interaction, which may or may not be your thing.
Docked Trigger Guards:
This modification removes the U shaped ledge on the front of factory glock pistols and replaces it with a much more aesthetically pleasing docked surface that is less intrusive when using your support hand.
Trigger guard chamfer:
This modification cuts and angles surface on the underside of your trigger guard effectively cutting the squared off corners at an angle to make a new surface. This can be both for grip improvement and for looks. It is also a nice tool for muscle memory with your support hand.
Bordered Vs Non bordered stipple:
By default all of our stipples are “Bordered” like pictured which means we created barriered off sections of the stipple with a clean space between sections. We can also stipple everything except laser stipple outside borders where it completely wraps around the grip upon request. Typically we think it looks cleaner and works out the best to create these borders, which are standard, you can see in different images we use the same border for our stipple.
In this image however you will notice the front section of stipple is wrapped all the way outside of borders, unlike the image below:
Thumb and index ledge stipple:
This is when we create a square or ledged surface that we stipple on top of, which is used a muscle memory position for your support thumb and trigger finger when practicing proper trigger control.
accelerator cuts (thumb and indexing ledges):
Accelerator cuts are angled cuts like the ones pictured above designed to give your support thumb a ledge to rest on when your grip is high and forward on the firearm. We can do these ledges stippled or not stippled and polished smooth. It just depends on the job you want them to do and how you want the aesthetic of your frame to turn out.
Finger Groove removal:
Just like it sounds, this is the act of shaving off some or all of the finger grooves on Gen 3 glock frames. You can see in the image above, the customer wanted one groove left behind and the single undercut rounded out a little, this is VERY comfortable for larger handed folks.
Grip Reduction:
Grip reduction can be hard to see, but it is basically the act of taking that almost exaggerated hump at the bottom of your backstrap and making it flatter and *closer* to a 1911 type grip profile. This feature is a preference based option, however we find that many people prefer this grip angle once they have felt it. We find that guys and gals that “hate” Glocks or don’t shoot them well will generally fall in love with one that has a grip reduction as it allows for a more natural feeling hold or pointing of the Glock. smaller handed folks like the grip reduction as they are able to get more purchase on the firearm which is going to effect felt recoil and control of the firearm for follow up shots and shot strings.
One Premium option is having cerakote applied over the stipple to make it a complementary color to your color scheme or highlight the texture aesthetically speaking, but from a cost/benefit analysis the cerakote over stipple is the performance option. Cerakote is a polymer ceramic coating, and applying it over stipple also makes the feel and aggressiveness of the texture last much much longer, gives the grip feel a little more ‘tooth’ as well as preserving the life of the stipple by making the surface harder than bare polymer. We sometimes compare it to anodizing on Aluminum, it hardens the surface of the substrate and makes it more durable.
Heres a look at some of our hand stipple textures available:
You’ll also notice in this image that this is a gen 3, which has had the finger grooves removed except one. this is also a service that is included in any stipple for gen 3 glocks, just ask for it!
generally speaking 1911’s cant be stippled because they are usually steel frame, however we can stipple polymer grips for them. We have also lasered grip texture onto 1911 grip panels before. call in text in or send us an email and we can go over options and pricing.
Custom Art stipple:
Art stipple is like a tattoo consultation for your grip. We can make custom stipple patterns, bits, drawings and augment the cleanliness of lines and text by lasering faint lines to follow with the hand stipple tools and make things come out super clean or gritty. Totally up to you.
here is one example of a unique stipple bit to create this type of very specific pattern as your stipple texture: This was for a local narcotics officer.
We can also laser engrave or stipple artwork into the texture of the stipple area: Below we have laser removed the black layer of cerakote exposing the tan layer of cerakote and the custom Mandalorian sigil on the grip. This is a 19X and so cutting the art into the polymer was not possible especially to get it clean and crisp like that, however on Glock Black polymer this would be totally possible as a deep engraved logo or sigil vs a cerakote surface mark.
As you can see, in the end the list of things we are capable of doing to your frame is quite broad, reach out to us to see get started on the perfect design for your frame!
Each of these stipple packages can be ordered through this site, to get started go to Custom shop, then select your brand of pistol. when scrolling down you should locate a frame modifications, or click the fast link at the top of the page and it will take you to the section that has the proper stipple options for your specific firearm! Please note, we have one stipple expert, he takes pride in the clean and careful work he lays down, each and every hand done stipple is done meticulously by him. For this reason, our stipple lead times can run from 4-10 weeks depending on the texture and other frame work being done, we highly appreciate your patience and understanding in this area.
Call us M-F 9-7 (mountain time) or text or email us anytime day or night (phones are in the shop so 3:00am texting is not waking anyone up, our number is 801-839-4841 (text AND picture messaging available) or by using the contact form on this site! We do also have a storefront for our local customers with a display that demonstrates each of these textures on an A2 grip so you can feel them in person. Our storefront is located at 1096 E 930 S in provo utah, 84606. We are open M-F 9am – 7pm.
Thank you so much we look forward to seeing you!
Why Your AR15 Isn’t Accurate
A lot of people have decided to rush and buy their first AR15. Despite spending thousands on “High End AR’s” many are finding that they are getting 2-5+ MOA results and needing to clean or lube their guns often. This comes down to a dozen factors but most often its that mass produced off the shelfs rifles do not get the propper fitting with parts that they deserve.
AR-15s can be obscenely accurate. The design lends itself to consistency, making it an anomaly in the semiautomatic rifle world.
Perhaps the primary reason is that unlike other semiauto rifles, the standard gas-impingement AR-15 doesn’t have a bunch of moving piston parts hanging off its barrel – meaning it can effectively be free-floated.
However, a lot of AR-15 rifles and carbines aren’t all that accurate – certainly not as accurate as their owners hoped. Several things can be done about that.
- Choosing the right parts (Barrel, BCG, Upper, Lower, Handguard, Trigger)
- Getting the right fit in each part (A lot of shops now and days do not properly fit their rifles from the factory. This leads to small imperfections that make parts fit improperly and are not corrected.)
- Choosing the right ammo/caliber. (AR15’s are multicaliber platforms. Maybe the standard .223/5.56 arent the best caliber for you. If you’re looking for a more powerful and accurate round you might want to look at 6.5 Grendel)
I would really like you to focus on the 2nd bullet point. This is so often overlooked by new consumers that major manufacturers could be doing it so wrong and not explain properly. When your mass producing rifles, the result is cutting down costs, but often also cutting down quality. Without manually fitting parts properly you end up with a reliable but innaccurate firearm. Take 2011’s or 1911’s for example. Most high end manufacturers who make these guns for comptetion do not mass produce these types of guns because they have to be to tighly fit together to make them accurate and reliable firearms. There’s a big debate among the two larger 2011/1911 manufacturers where one is growing traction and the other has moved to mass production. SOme argue that that production style has made their product less desirable and lacks in accuracy and quality while the company who is just now gaining traction is becoming the replacement and taking a good portion of the largers companies clients. We wont name anyone here for the sake of staying out of that debate.
TLDR version, sometimes buying local means you get a better product than bigger brands.
Coronavirus & Gun Sales
Many gun buyers seem worried that the exponential spread of covid-19 will lead to a season of hard-to-find essentials — of illness-related disruptions in the grocery supply chain — with angry have-nots out to steal from the haves. Perhaps, more likely, Americans will weather the crisis peacefully. In any event, many appear to think it is better to be safe than sorry.
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System said it responded to inquiries on 2.8 million prospective gun-buyers last month — the third-highest monthly total since the system was created in 1998, and up from 2 million in February last year. With crowds nearly wiping out firearm and ammo inventories at some stores since President Trump’s March 13 declaration of a national coronavirus emergency, this month’s gun-buyer total could be even larger.
According to data from the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, handgun purchase permits in the first two weeks of of March totaled 487. That’s a 53% increase from a similar time span in January, data show
As for February, the National Instant Background Check System saw over 2.8 million checks done, over a 30% increase compared to the same month last year. Within North Carolina, February saw over 52,000 checks — a 6% increase from last year.
The guns meant for competitions, hunting and collectors are not in demand, Hyatt said. It’s the rifles, shotguns and handguns that are flying off the shelves.
Invest in guns? Why Custom Guns Sell Better…
We’ve all tried to explain to our wives at some point that guns will make more money then they cost. Well here is some data for you to show her now to prove a point.
Is there a trend for depreciation, or appreciation, of firearms? Generally speaking, firearms will lose some of their value over time. However, when they reach antique status, the price will climb again. While the value of a gun may depreciate over time, it doesn’t lose as much value as goods in other industries. Gun (as well as ammo and accessory) prices will fluctuate based on a number of factors, including the current political climate and inflation.
With the midterm elections around the corner, I have no doubt that gun values will remain steady (perhaps even dip) or climb, depending on the outcomes. Firearms tend to appreciate in value under democrat regimes, and depreciate or remain constant under republican regimes. For instance, under the Obama administration, gun sales skyrocketed and have been in stead decline under Trump. The same holds true for the Clinton and Bush regimes. Both of these claims are reflected in this detailed report on gun sales statistics check out the University of Cincinnati.
Inflation can be loosely tied to the political climate as well. However, it is less about political affiliation, and more about economic stability. Regardless of whether the current president is a democrat, republican, or independent, gun prices typically track along the same lines as inflation. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there is not comprehensive data on used firearm sales. If there is, I don’t think it breaks down firearm sales by make and model. I seriously doubt that data would account for any firearm accessories data associated with the sale. Furthermore, there is such a great degree of variance between sales for an abundance of reasons. I’ve listed some below:
- firearm care/maintenance
- haggling with the seller
- customization or accessories
- factory recalls
- and more!
However, for the sake of this article, I will use one of my own handgun for perspective. I will be talking about the purchase of my Sig Sauer P250 compact chambered in 9mm. This weapon was purchased from a gun show through an authorized vendor (i.e. not private sale), was new from the factory, and included an extra magazine. My pistol also has the glow in the dark (tritium) night sights, which can raise the value. I negotiated my price, so there is variance in pricing from that alone. However, all said and done the price was $422.00.
Bear in mind that this pistol is not old enough to be considered an antique. I’ve looked around the internet to find comparable prices, and they generally hover around the $300-$400 range used (approximately 71%-94%), which is slightly higher than I expected. Because my weapon was purchased new from the factory, I will be doing an apples to apples comparison of prices. Currently a new gun similar to the one I purchased appears to be going for around $649.00. Upon further investigation, this firearm is no longer available from the manufacturer, which could be the reason for a price spike. I’ll discuss gun appreciation in a later section.
Why Should You Get Glock Slide Cuts?
Oh where to start? A lot of guys will say you should never cut a factory Glock Slide because it will decrease the reliability. The answer to that is, only if you get it cut by the wrong person. All of us at Culper Precision run some form of slide cuts on our glocks. With our oldest one being a Glock 19 gen 3 with over 20 thousand rounds through as well as newer Glock 19x which we showcase at Shootah and put well over 10’s of thousands o rounds through.
Out of the thousands of slide cuts we have done there has yet to be a malfunction due to the slide. We’re confident in all of our cuts after testing them in multiple scenerios year round before releasing them as options to the public.
Now why would you get your slide cut? Well if i had to put it into percentages the main reasons why you would cut your slide other than basic optic cuts are;
25% Weight Reduction
25% Grip
50% For Instagram haha
Lets all be real if you are customizing your glock you are posting picks of it and shareing it to the world for everyone to see how cool it is. But aside from just looks there is a legetimate weight reduction sometimes even up to 50% that makes you gun really light to EDC. There is also the fact that front serrations don’t always come stock with Glock and adding a grippy texture to the front of your slide definitely helps with manipulating your firearm and clearing malfunctions.
So Slide cuts do offer some real functionality to your gun at a really good price especially if you’re getting your slide cut rom Culper Which garuntees the best bang or your buck in Cerakote, Stipple, and Slide cuts for optics, or more eccentric cuts or weight reduction, and texture for slide manipulations.
Remember to always send you gun to get customized by professionals because if customization is done by the wrong person it could cost a life.
Carbon Fiber Glock The Atomic 6
Carbon Fiber Glock
Carbon Fiber Glock?!? I know what you’re thinking and yes it’s true Culper precision has made the world First Carbon Fiber Inlay GLock Slide for the Glock 19 Gen4. The Kit either includes the full gun with a Nomad Defense Frame or the Modulus slide kit that include just the Slide and Spring kit as well as precut for the RMR or SRO optics. Both kits include sights and full internals.
The Atomic 6 utilizes aerospace grade carbon fiber that is layered into a stainless steel slide. This reduces weight of the heaviest part of the Glock and is Ideal for conceal carry. Weighing only 15oz this is the worlds best option for weight reduction in your handgun. Culper is currently interested in applying this technology to other pistols.
You can order your Atomic 6 Carbon Fiber Glock Today!
Why Carbon Fiber? We chose carbon fiber because when it comes to strength and weight Carbon Fiber has one of the best ratios.
Why You Need Cerakote
Cerakote has many benefits and is one of the most popular coatings for firearms. It’s not just for looks, It’s got a lot to do with rust protection, durability, and overall helps against erosion. You might ask “Well what is cerakote?”.
From Cerakote’s website “Cerakote is a Polymer-Ceramic Composite coating that can be applied to metals, plastics, polymers and wood. The unique formulation used for Cerakote ceramic coating enhances a number of physical performance properties including abrasion/wear resistance, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, impact strength, and hardness”
Cerakote is known to be one of the toughest coating in the industry. It’s unmatched when it comes to popularity and a lot of people might not even know their firearm is cerakoted from a good portion of factories. Companies like Noveske, & Aero Precision both use cerakote on their rifles. More and more companies turn to shops like Culper Precision for large batches of cerakote on firearms and firearms accessories. If you are looking to have some after market coating added to your rile then cerakote is definitely the way to go.
Cerakote is your choice for irearms customization and if you’re looking for the best prices on Cerakote that’s what Culper Precision is here for. Go to our custom shop and find all the cerakote patterns you want and add it to customize your gun.
What is Glocktoberfest?
Glocktober or Glocktoberfest?
You might have heard the word “Glocktober” or “Glocktoberfest” this month and here’s a quick breakdown on what that means for those of you who might be new to the gun community or even just new to Glock. Glock is a super popular firearms manufacturer so popular that fans of the Glock have dedicated October to what they call “Glocktober” where glock owners share pictures of their custom glocks. Some cerakoted glocks, or custom glock slide cuts, some glocks have incredible stipple done. It’s a time to share how you’ve transformed your glock and look to other for inspiration.
You don’t have to have a super custom Glock to enjoy Glocktober and maybe Glocktober inspires you to get your Glock customized with Cerakote, custom slide cuts, or even some stipple? The point is just to share and appreciate a product you love and maybe your own unique twist on your Glock inspires other.
Post your custom Glock pics on instagram and tag us! We’d love to see what you’ve done to make your Glock stand out!
Tag us @culperprecision
5 Best Mods For Your Glock
Here’s our opinion for the best Glock upgrades you can get.
1. Trijicon RMR or SRO
The reason you might want a red dot on your Glock is because it is a faster way to aim across the board. If you go through proper training and the optic is zeroed properly a red dot can dramatically improve your speed and accuracy. Just think why would you mount a red dot on a rifle? The same principle applies, it’s just an easier tool to use to aim and fire. Trijicon RMR and SRO are extremely popular and with the reputation that Trijicon hols it’s no wonder why. We don’t necessarily recommend the Type 1 RMR due to their design being more suited as rifle optics and not meant to be mounted onto a reciprocating slide there are a few flaws left that have to do with over all reliability and battery connection. The best dedicated pistol optics will be the RMR Type 2 or SRO that address battery connection and reliability concerns. Keep in mind though that the SRO is meant as more of a range day optic for competition, or plinking rather than duty due to the structure of the optic being larger and less durable than the RMR. Does that mean the SRO will break easily? NO! Of course not, it is a very durable optic but the RMR Type 2 holds the golden standard in our opinion for durability.
2. Slide Customization
Most Glock slides will require that you cut your slide to match the optic you choose, but before you drop off your slide to your gunsmith you should consider getting other upgrades to your slide to get everything done at once. A couple great upgrades would be Front Serrations if your Glock doesn’t already have them. Front Serrations are major additions that help with your grip on the slide. Helps with clearing malfunctions, chamber checks, and of course racking a round into the chamber. Front serrations will help you manipulate your slide in ways that you might be more comfortable with. Window cuts are a controversial topic but if you are looking to make your Glock “Gucci” then they definitely add some unique character while taking some weight off but you wont likely notice the difference. If cutting the weight on your Glock is something you’re interested in and want to avoid windows you’ll want to take a look at the Atomic 6 Carbon Fiber Glock Slide we offer. Built to reduce the weight and look incredible.
3. Barrel
A match grade Glock barrel paired with window cuts takes your custom Glock build to a whole other level. If you want to make your build stand out this is a great way to accomplish that. Aside from looks a threaded barrel can open a whole new door of opportunity for your Glock in the future. from Comps, to suppressors, and sick looking thread protectors, adding a threaded barrel helps future proof your Glock build and gives it a wide range of accessories to play around with that will change the way you shoot.
4. Glock Frame Stipple
Stippling is huge especially for the older generations of Glocks out there that don’t have an optimized feel. Getting your Glock Stippled or adding Undercuts makes a dramatic change to the grip of your Glock that improves your control, and handling of the gun. Glock undercuts help you get a higher purchase on your Glock by eliminating a small amount of extra polymer under the trigger guard where it connects to the rest of the frame. THIS DOES NOT REMOVE THE TRIGGER GUARD. Don’t get confused you will still have a very strong trigger guard but it will be more slim where your knuckle would make contact and usually rub against. This results in a more comfortable and easier to control shooting experience.
5. Glock Triggers
The Glock stock trigger is rough right out of the box. There are many parts and kits that make it better but our recommendations is just to buy a new trigger set al together. Things to ask yourself when buying a new Glock Trigger are; 1. Is it too heavy or too light to pull for what I intend to use this for? 2. Does the Trigger safety work with my frame (P80 Frames may have troubles with certain triggers so keep an eye out for compatibility.) 3. Is your trigger “crunchy” or “spongey” (does it feel rough to pull or spongey to pull) 4. Is this trigger compatible with my Glock model, and generation? 5. What do the reviews say? If you ask these questions you will be able to eliminate triggers on the market that might not work for you.