After shooting Glocks for a decade I pulled the XD from the safe

[Jesse H]

My first carry gun was an XD9; actually an HS2000 that was $250 new and jumped $200 in price after Springfield Armory started importing them.

After a few years of carrying the HS2000 I became a cop and was issued and still carry the same Glock 22. It took a bit for me to transition over to the grip angle and trigger but I eventually acclimated and do well with it. I even sold all my XD's and replaced them with Glocks, except for the HS2000, where it's sat in the safe.

The type of shooting we do isn't for groups but lately I've noticed that I've been shooting slightly left of POA. Groups that can easily be covered with the palm of my hands at 15 yards, but just slightly left. Glock 26, 19, 17 and 43 all do it. Pretty confident not all of my guns are "off" and it was me, I was curious of the Glock and me resulting in a slightly left POI, so I brought the HS to the range.

Today I observed the HS2000 has no left shift for me. I do need a 6 o'clock hold whereas with Glocks POI is behind the front post. I'm able to shoot somewhat tighter groups with the HS2000 and I'm betting it's due to the lighter and crisper trigger.

Once I speed things up with follow up shots, presentation drills, basically anything that isn't slow and deliberate, the Glock comes out on top. The XD's trigger has noticeably more over travel and the reset is a bit longer. XD's also flip a bit more in my hands, so that the perceived recoil of the 9mm is closer to the G22 than the G19.

With the Glocks I have to use much more of my trigger finger to ensure my shots don't drift to the left. With the XD I can be more traditional with trigger placement on the front pad of my finger.


I've since learned that in many people's hands, Glocks can shoot slightly left of POA. Some folks drift the rear sight slightly to the right, but I'd rather learn the platform. For me, the faster trigger, lower bore, and the fact I have to use one at work keeps me on the Glock.

 

[Warp]

Good post.

All of my Glocks have the rear sight drifted right. Some just barely so, to where you have to look at the rear sight with the intention of seeing where it is to notice, which may not even count, but whatever.

I recently started using more trigger finger and it definitely helps.

Previously I would sometimes get to where really slow, careful, off-eye squinted, aimed fire for groups would be pretty well centered, but quicker shots would drift left...good groups and all that, but slightly left...more trigger finger has closed the gap to where everything shoots POA=POI. That's all it took...no more trying to use the pad of my trigger finger.

It's a more natural finger placement for me too, with less index finger fatigue, because I somewhat had to pull my finger back vs a natural position to put the center of the pad on the trigger face, whether I consciously realized that at the time.

Glocks do perform very well at what they are designed for...defensive type shooting. Quick, relatively close, where the low bore axis etc etc shines and rapid reasonably small groups on target are the name of game.



But I still shoot my VP9 better than my G19 and the rear sight is perfectly dead centered.

 

[1KPerDay]

How does more trigger finger help? Lever the gun to the right a bit?

 

[Pipe Smoker]

How does more trigger finger help? Lever the gun to the right a bit?

Correct, I believe.

 

[Warp]

How does more trigger finger help? Lever the gun to the right a bit?

More leverage, less milking, I think

 

[F-111 John]

I am getting so frustrated with my G26. I have been shooting GSSF Indoor competitions, and everything past the first shot is low and to the left.

This does not happen with my revolvers, or my wife's Ruger SR22. But my G26 I am consistently low and left, even after I drifted the sight to the right.

Last summer I shot GSSF outdoor for the first time, and on the plates I purposely held to the top right edge of the plate and shot the rack cleanly. On all of the paper I shot center of mass and lost many shots low and left.

I know it's me because my first shot is always dead center, and when I shoot one handed using my off (left) hand, my groups are very tight and centered.

I've tried using just the pad of my finger. I've tried using my off hand index finger in front of the trigger guard for a tighter grip, and I've tried gripping my off hand as hard as possible.

I'm about to give up GSSF altogether.

 

[Warp]

I am getting so frustrated with my G26. I have been shooting GSSF Indoor competitions, and everything past the first shot is low and to the left.

This does not happen with my revolvers, or my wife's Ruger SR22. But my G26 I am consistently low and left, even after I drifted the sight to the right.

Last summer I shot GSSF outdoor for the first time, and on the plates I purposely held to the top right edge of the plate and shot the rack cleanly. On all of the paper I shot center of mass and lost many shots low and left.

I know it's me because my first shot is always dead center, and when I shoot one handed using my off (left) hand, my groups are very tight and centered.

I've tried using just the pad of my finger. I've tried using my off hand index finger in front of the trigger guard for a tighter grip, and I've tried gripping my off hand as hard as possible.

I'm about to give up GSSF altogether.

Have you tried any trigger finger placement for strong handed shooting besides the pad of your finger?

I don't think/see how putting your off hand finger on the trigger guard would help.

 

[F-111 John]

I normally shoot with the trigger close to my first knuckle. The off hand index finger in front of the trigger guard was an attempt to get a stronger grip on the pistol by pulling it back into my strong hand palm during the two handed "thumbs forward" grip.

 

[tomrkba]

The type of shooting we do isn't for groups but lately I've noticed that I've been shooting slightly left of POA. Groups that can easily be covered with the palm of my hands at 15 yards, but just slightly left. Glock 26, 19, 17 and 43 all do it. Pretty confident not all of my guns are "off" and it was me, I was curious of the Glock and me resulting in a slightly left POI, so I brought the HS to the range.

Pat McNamera in his Pistol TAPS DVD from Panteo Productions stated that you need to sink more trigger finger onto the trigger. Place it more toward the joint.

 

[Jesse H]

I'm actually on the first crease of my trigger finger.

 

[.375]

More leverage, less milking, I think

Nothing like some Glock milk first thing in the morning!

 

[TomJ]

This is one of the reasons I replaced my Glock triggers with Phantom Triggers from rockyourglock.com. It's made a world of difference.

 

[GLOOB]

I suggest anyone shooting Glocks to the left try keeping the pad of the finger on the trigger. But try setting your shooting thumb farther forward, rotating the gun a little in your grip, so your wrist ends up more in line with the gun, and the reach to the trigger becomes a little farther. I dunno why it would help other than I shoot like this and I have never needed to adjust a Glock sight.

 

[tercel89]

Jesse H , can you post a few pictures of your HS2000 ? I like looking at them especially the early ones like you said when they were around $250 .

 

[CDW4ME]

I have Glocks in 9mm, 357 Sig, 40 S&W, 10mm, 45 acp and 45 GAP.
I also have "C" models of the same pistol- 19/19c and 23/23c
All of them have nights sights and a NY trigger (8#)
Some have the rear sight centered and some have it adjusted off center.
Some Glocks hit POA/POI rear sight on center, some don't.

 

[justin22885]

i see a lot of people who actually have to put effort into liking glocks or even shooting them well, so many people buy them because its what others tell them because they themselves were told to but it seems everyone down the line has this period of time it takes getting used to them.. a good pistol doesnt require time to adjust to the fit, function, and ergos.. if its just not working for you theres really no point in trying to force a bad fit or something that simply doesnt feel natural when there are so many pistols out there that will

 

[Warp]

i see a lot of people who actually have to put effort into liking glocks or even shooting them well, so many people buy them because its what others tell them because they themselves were told to but it seems everyone down the line has this period of time it takes getting used to them.. a good pistol doesnt require time to adjust to the fit, function, and ergos.. if its just not working for you theres really no point in trying to force a bad fit or something that simply doesnt feel natural when there are so many pistols out there that will

I don't consider using more trigger finger to be a big deal or a detracting factory. And there's nothing unnatural feeling about simply using more finger on the trigger. In fact (since this is waht I posted about) it's actually more natural, the problem was I was trying to force fit the "last digit of your finger for revolves, middle of hte pad for semi autos" mantra I kept hearing, and that wasn't good...the natural spot my finger falls...which is more finger on the trigger...is good.

 

[Blueduck]

Carried a Glock at work for a long time, and pretty settled on it as a very good platform for both job and recreation. As I now spend more time doing emails and reports than anything else, and retirement is in sight, I've opened to experimenting with new platforms.

I'll just say A LOT of good designs have come out last few years. Looking more forward than ever to having my own choices all the time again

 

[tonyjr]

One of my nieces and her husband came up for new years . Both are cops
and carry the 40 / 10 mm . They brough up MT cases and 3 dies [ right , I use 4 dies . ]
It took my hours to get the press set up to where I was happy .
Anyway , we went to range - while the groupings were O K , the shots were low and to
left .
They used the same target with the 50 and were high and to right .
When I shot the 50 - all in black . I told them I would replace / or have the sights adjusted - If you ever need to shoot something other than these Glocks you are going to be off .
They both liked the laser grip on the 45 [ another nephews .
I told them at the very least , I would replace the grips .