simple and economical embodiments of a drip - stop resistance assembly for caulking guns incorporating a resistance clip , or alternatively , an elastic grommet or constricted spring . the drip - stop assembly may be used with various manually - operated caulking guns including those with metal enclosures and single piece molded plastic open frames , and with various types of plunger shafts including those with a circular or hexagonal cross - section , or ratchet teeth . the drip - stop assembly includes a resistance clip formed of resilient steel wire or the like , and bent or cast in the form of an annular yoke for encircling the plunger shaft and providing frictional resistance against sliding . the resistance clip may be inserted onto the plunger shaft at various positions along the shaft . a back - plate formed by a conventional washer , or angle - bracket is inserted on the plunger shaft and is spaced from the resistance clip for allowing the latter to frictionally slide a short distance . an elastic grommet and constricted spring are also shown as substitutes for the resistance clip . all of the illustrated drip - stop assemblies provide an initial momentary release feature to terminate the bead of caulk upon initial release of the trigger , reduce blow - back , and prevent inadvertent retraction of the plunger shaft . the assemblies are all simple and inexpensive to manufacture , yet highly effective . its simplicity allows them to be manufactured oem or retrofit for minimal additional cost .