How to Grip a Semi-Automatic Handgun
21 Oct 2016
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How to Grip a Semi-Automatic Handgun

5 Shooting Thumb Rests Handgun GripSince I began shooting, I have tried to find the right combination of instructions which would help simplify and clarify the most efficient ways to perform each task. It's not enough for me to just know how to perform a task. I also have an insatiable need to know why we perform that task in that manner. As I continued to search for the best way for me to control a semi-automatic handgun utilizing a proper grip, I began to look at how some of the other master shooters explained their preferences. While no two instructors explain their grip the same way, there were quite a few common threads of instruction that I tried to hone in on. Therefore, my grip (and thus my explanation of grip) contains a blend of styles from people such as Ken Park, Claude Werner, DR Middlebrooks, Travis Haley, Bob Vogel, and others. As I explain the way that I prefer to grip a handgun, please keep in mind that many of these concepts were first explained by one (or more) of these sources.

When considering how we should grip a semi-automatic handgun, we must first identify the goals of our grip and understand why we are gripping the pistol the way that we are. What is it that a correct handgun grip should accomplish?

  • Control lateral movement (minimize the amount of travel the gun experiences laterally)
  • Control rotational movement (minimize the amount muzzle rise/flip that we experience during recoil)
  • Minimize and mitigate recoil for faster follow-up shots (efficiently acquiring our front sight after each shot)

In order for us to achieve our goals, we must maximize the amount of friction that our hands have with the weapon. This means that we must figure out a way to bio-mechanically control the movement of the firearm as effectively and efficiently as possible. Physics also teaches us that energy is going to always take the path of least resistance. We want that path to be through our bone structure and through large muscle groups in our bodies to be able to absorb that energy displacement with minimal effort. In other words, we want to absorb the recoil in our elbows instead of our wrists, as well as in our biceps/triceps instead of our forearms. Let's take a look at how we can accomplish that...

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Read 3739 times Last modified on Wednesday, 09 August 2017 08:15

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