Shooting Grip Is Important When Shooting
By: Rick Sindeband
Photography: Lesli Sindeband
I see many people using the old cup and saucer shooting grip when I am working at the range. If you’re not familiar with this check the internet and you’ll see why it’s a bad grip that hasn’t been taught in decades by reputable instructors.
The grip that I recommend and that the top shooters use is the Thumbs Forward shooting grip. This allows you to put a lot of flesh on the gun and when new shooters try this grip it almost always improves their accuracy. Proper grip is very important when shooting a handgun. As a handgun is fired it begins to recoil before the bullet has exited the barrel. To achieve the desired results (shots on target) it is essential that the grip remains consistent after each shot. Often I see shooters at the range readjust their grip after each shot. The first shot seats the gun firmly into the hand, readjusting the grip at that point will loosen and change the grip. Grasp the weapon with the web of the hand pressed firmly into the backstrap of the grip and once the first shot is fired, do not adjust the grip. Remember if you are a Concealed Carry Permit holder – when drawing from a holster you are committed to whatever grip your hand has when the gun leaves the holster.
With your primary shooting hand, open your thumb and index finger. Push the web of your hand as high as it will comfortably go on the handgun grip, making sure that the barrel of the gun lines up with the bones in your forearm. Wrap your fingers around the front of the grip, making sure to keep your index finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger. This is one of the major safety violations.
Do you see some free space on the inside grip panel of your handgun? Great, that’s where the bottom part (heel) of your support hand palm goes. Put it in that open spot and don’t worry if there’s not enough room to get your whole palm on the inside grip panel. There won’t be and that’s fine.
Now wrap your support hand fingers around the front of your dominant hand fingers. Your support hand fingers should be high to the point of pressing against the bottom of the trigger guard.
You’ll know you’ve got it right if both of your thumbs are somewhere near parallel to each other and touching.
The Grip must be consistent for each shot
A good grip enhances the accuracy
Your hand must be high on the back strap
The finger must reach the trigger
These techniques will reduce muzzle rise
A good grip lends to faster recoil recovery
You should be using a crush grip with support wrist locked
Weakside fingers should be wrapped around the strong hand
Wrists should be close together
Supporting hand heel should be in contact with the weapon grip
Thumbs should rest on top of another.
Fingers over Fingers Thumb over Thumb
When the grip is acquired in the holster, prior to draw and presentation the web of the shooting hand must be in the top of tang on the back-strap and no higher. If you are too high the slide will bite your hand. If you are too low with your grip you allow the gun to move more with recoil making sight recovery and follow-on shots more difficult and time-consuming. A key point is to have both thumbs pointing at the target. The heal of your non-shooting hand should cover the area on the grip that is exposed.
Your shooting grip is just one of the factors that go into becoming a great shot and learning to shoot well.
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