Convert stock from right hand to left hand.
A customer arrived for a Laser Gunfitting Session with a really nice Browning Cynergy. The Cynergy is a fabulous piece of kit, well designed and made, and my customer was keen to be able to shoot well with his.
The grip on this gun was well proportioned with a palm swell for a right handed shot. However, my customer was left handed. So that could be a bit tricky.
As a well fitted grip is critical to the shooters' control of the gun I will need to make some fairly major alterations to this one. Casting the gun from right to left was no problem, this is standard work for us. Changing the palm swell from the right to the left side of the grip, that is a little more unusual.
This palm swell looks good, but when gripped by the left hand it prevents the fingers from wrapping correctly around the grip. This forces the hand open and reduces both control and comfort when mounting and firing the gun.
The grip on this gun was well proportioned with a palm swell for a right handed shot. However, my customer was left handed. So that could be a bit tricky.
As a well fitted grip is critical to the shooters' control of the gun I will need to make some fairly major alterations to this one. Casting the gun from right to left was no problem, this is standard work for us. Changing the palm swell from the right to the left side of the grip, that is a little more unusual.
This palm swell looks good, but when gripped by the left hand it prevents the fingers from wrapping correctly around the grip. This forces the hand open and reduces both control and comfort when mounting and firing the gun.
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Removing the original palm swell is relatively straight forward. Carve it off with a rasp, then smooth it down .
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Checkering the bare patch to match and blend in with the rest is a little more difficult, but I do this a lot, so this stage of the job is soon completed.
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Now we need to get a palm swell on to the other side of the grip.
First a flat area is made on the grip, then a suitable piece of walnut is bonded in place.
This is carved to the correct shape, and checkered.
Anybody that has done some checkering will appreciate that checkering a flat surface is fairly easy, checkering over a mound and making the lines match existing checkering at either side, now that is something quite different.
First a flat area is made on the grip, then a suitable piece of walnut is bonded in place.
This is carved to the correct shape, and checkered.
Anybody that has done some checkering will appreciate that checkering a flat surface is fairly easy, checkering over a mound and making the lines match existing checkering at either side, now that is something quite different.
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With the new checkering cut, some stain and polish blends the new palm swell in to match the rest of the stock.
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The new palm swell is not only on the opposite side of the grip, but it is also a different shape to the factory palm swell. That is because the factory don't now the exact shape of the individual shooters' hand and so have to make a more generic shape.
This however, is a custom made, bespoke palm swell, individually fitted to my clients hand, and as such is made to fit his hand exactly.
This however, is a custom made, bespoke palm swell, individually fitted to my clients hand, and as such is made to fit his hand exactly.
See how the left hand can now close comfortably around the grip, with the fingers now correctly curled around to improve the grip.
The palm swell is hidden here, but is perfectly placed under the palm of the left hand, just where it should be.
Now that my customer can grip his gun properly he should find that he has much more control. The grip should now not slide through his hand under recoil, and this should allow him to connect with the second bird of a pair much more confidently.
The palm swell is hidden here, but is perfectly placed under the palm of the left hand, just where it should be.
Now that my customer can grip his gun properly he should find that he has much more control. The grip should now not slide through his hand under recoil, and this should allow him to connect with the second bird of a pair much more confidently.