1911 Shooting Hand Position Question
- Thread starter FranklyTodd
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balita said:
The Enos grip shown by Seiko is precisely the grip that I used (still use) for shooting 1" center-to-center groups at 25 yards with my Colt Series 70 Reproduction.
The beauty of the position on the grip, is that one does not have to put the death grip on the pistol to maintain great control. The slide going back into battery pushes the front sight right back down. Follow-up shots in double-tap and triple-tap are exceptionally fast and accurate.
What I am saying is the grip works for precision-shooting, or for speed shooting. In closing, please honor your fellows here by observing The High Road manners. No personal attacks.
Doc2005
The Enos grip shown by Seiko is precisely the grip that I used (still use) for shooting 1" center-to-center groups at 25 yards with my Colt Series 70 Reproduction.
The beauty of the position on the grip, is that one does not have to put the death grip on the pistol to maintain great control. The slide going back into battery pushes the front sight right back down. Follow-up shots in double-tap and triple-tap are exceptionally fast and accurate.
What I am saying is the grip works for precision-shooting, or for speed shooting. In closing, please honor your fellows here by observing The High Road manners. No personal attacks.
Doc2005
The Lone Haranguer
Member
Thumb below safety. The high thumb position required to ride the safety beats up and gouges my thumb joint (both the impact from the recoil and the safety/frame edges), and I feel as if my grip is weakened, especially when shooting one-handed. To wipe off the safety and then move my thumb down below it is an extra motion, however.
I wonder if anyone makes a low-mounted thumb safety.
I wonder if anyone makes a low-mounted thumb safety.
Pat Cannon
Member
I'm pretty sure that when JMB designed the 1911 he assumed that the shooter would flip off the safety with his thumb on the way to a 'normal' grip with the thumb below the safety. And that's what felt natural to me when I first got one.
So when the 'thumb on top' grip was recommended to me I resisted the concept as perversion and heresy and blasphemy -- until I realized that if I made this my habit, I would no longer forget to disengage the safety. So that's how I shoot a 1911 now. Or rather, that's how I shot a 1911 until I decided: screw that, I'll switch to revolvers, learn to shoot a DA trigger and not worry about any darn safeties.
So when the 'thumb on top' grip was recommended to me I resisted the concept as perversion and heresy and blasphemy -- until I realized that if I made this my habit, I would no longer forget to disengage the safety. So that's how I shoot a 1911 now. Or rather, that's how I shot a 1911 until I decided: screw that, I'll switch to revolvers, learn to shoot a DA trigger and not worry about any darn safeties.
I think Ed Brown does make a low-mounted safety. Looks a little weird but probably works great.
I think riding the safety makes sense for self-defense--pulling, disengaging the safety and shooting, rather than pulling, disengaging the safety, changing your grip and then shooting. I tried it for a while and got used to it but went back to thumb over thumb with my Sigs (and revolvers) and just use the 1911s for the range. I also had problems riding the safety on the BHP with knocking the slide out of battery.
I think riding the safety makes sense for self-defense--pulling, disengaging the safety and shooting, rather than pulling, disengaging the safety, changing your grip and then shooting. I tried it for a while and got used to it but went back to thumb over thumb with my Sigs (and revolvers) and just use the 1911s for the range. I also had problems riding the safety on the BHP with knocking the slide out of battery.
Chuck R.
Member
I use the same:
It took me a little while to retrain myself, but it's worth it IMHO. Much better control of the pistol in rapid fire. The Baers with the high cut frontstrap lend themselves to this grip.
Chuck
It took me a little while to retrain myself, but it's worth it IMHO. Much better control of the pistol in rapid fire. The Baers with the high cut frontstrap lend themselves to this grip.
Chuck
Caipirinha
Member
I tried the the thumb over the safety grip during one range session and ended up with a nice groove sawed into my thumb from the slide serrations. I've never had an issue with remembering to operate safeties on or off so it's not something I'm really worried about. Plus unless your grip is such that you are applying downward pressure, having your thumb on the safety doesn't necessarily mean that it's disengaged.
1911NM
Member
Seiko and Doc are on the money for a competition grip. Brings the sight back down very quickly for a second shot. Also, very repeatable grip. I use the same grip.
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Vikers, Enos, Jarret, Leatham, Miculek, and the list goes on and on use the same grip. Guess we all must shoot low left and never hit the target
Not that I am even near in their class, but I shoots ok.
I'm only a 3 gun master in IDPA, so still have work to do I guess.
Not that I am even near in their class, but I shoots ok.
I'm only a 3 gun master in IDPA, so still have work to do I guess.
SA Friday
Member
EVERY one of the Grandmaster shooters in USPSA and IPSC shoot with their grips as high to the center bore axis of the barrel for which ever handgun they are shooting. I have yet to see a master or grandmaster shooter WITHOUT their thumb on top of the safety lever on a 1911 or 2011. The picture Seiko provided is what I see the best of the best using. Google search Todd Jarrett and you will find a 4 minute vid of him explaining how to properly grip a handgun. Until you can shoot like them, don't expect your advise to weigh as much. If you are not gripping the handgun properly (this is about the ONLY thing in shooting a handgun that there is a proper way to do it, BTW) don't ever expect to be able to shoot a handgun at the elite level. This is just that clear cut, black and white.
SA Friday
Member
Sorry, TAB didn't watch the vid before I posted. You got it. That's the Jarrett vid. Good stuff!
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