As a shotgunner...

[gnappi]

All my shotguns were either chosen for how they fit and naturally pointed where I was looking, or I was able to make them so after the sale.

With handguns it's different. Some like center fire polymers, Ruger .22's Browning .22 Challenger etc. don't point for me and can't be fixed.

My best fitting and natural pointing handguns are (again none polymer) Hi Powers, Sigs, Berettas and (curiously curved as well as straight MSH's) 1911's. All feel very different but all work without any need for fitment or adjustment. The good thing is other than condition issues I can buy basically sight unseen knowing I can use them straightaway.

This makes me think, are there shooters who can go seamlessly from a polymer like a Glock, S&W, Sig etc to a metal framed handgun seamlessly?

 

[JR24]

All my shotguns were either chosen for how they fit and naturally pointed where I was looking, or I was able to make them so after the sale.

With handguns it's different. Some like center fire polymers, Ruger .22's Browning .22 Challenger etc. don't point for me and can't be fixed.

My best fitting and natural pointing handguns are (again none polymer) Hi Powers, Sigs, Berettas and (curiously curved as well as straight MSH's) 1911's. All feel very different but all work without any need for fitment or adjustment. The good thing is other than condition issues I can buy basically sight unseen knowing I can use them straightaway.

This makes me think, are there shooters who can go seamlessly from a polymer like a Glock, S&W, Sig etc to a metal framed handgun seamlessly?

Yes. I can line up a Glock, 1911, and Sig in a row and run the same drill back to back with very similar times and scores. Done it a number of times.

It's just practice and repetition.

The one caveat is if I have been shooting a single pistol exclusively for a while, I do need a few draws to remember how they index, which is what pre range dry fire is for.

Edit: Honestly, for me, the bigger hurdle is the different trigger weights/lengths of pull. If I'm working a lot of DA, a nice 1911 feels like a hair trigger, Glocks are somewhere in the middle.

 

[entropy]

All my shotguns were either chosen for how they fit and naturally pointed where I was looking, or I was able to make them so after the sale.

With handguns it's different. Some like center fire polymers, Ruger .22's Browning .22 Challenger etc. don't point for me and can't be fixed.

My best fitting and natural pointing handguns are (again none polymer) Hi Powers, Sigs, Berettas and (curiously curved as well as straight MSH's) 1911's. All feel very different but all work without any need for fitment or adjustment. The good thing is other than condition issues I can buy basically sight unseen knowing I can use them straightaway.

This makes me think, are there shooters who can go seamlessly from a polymer like a Glock, S&W, Sig etc to a metal framed handgun seamlessly?

I can. I don't like SIG's, they line up way low for me, but otherwise, I can switch no problem. 1911's and Glocks are the easiest for me, as I have the most trigger time with them.

 

[Lennyjoe]

1911's and Glocks are the easiest for me, as I have the most trigger time with them.

Pretty much the same here. I also shoot Walther and Springfield XD’s with little trouble lining up sights.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I don't recall which of the several Glocks that I've had it was - but it came with several backstraps. I initially felt it rather gimmicky but they made a hell of a difference to switch around.

Not enough to keep it - for - me but, you may look into how many manufacturers are doing that now.

Then too, a S&W SW9VE was the single most ergonomically appealing handgun of ANY architecture that I've ever picked up. I went to the Boston Army Base when I was in the Army to have a mold made of my feet for custom G.I. boots - that S&W was like someone had done that mold for my hand - polymer or not.

Todd.

 

[Havok7416]

I go from revolvers to metal guns to polymer guns all the time. It comes down to repetition and familiarity.

 

[JTQ]

Then too, a S&W SW9VE was the single most ergonomically appealing handgun of ANY architecture that I've ever picked up. I went to the Boston Army Base when I was in the Army to have a mold made of my feet for custom G.I. boots - that S&W was like someone had done that mold for my hand - polymer or not.

Todd.

I read an article years ago about the S&W Sigma (9VE, etc.) by Charles E. Petty, gun writer and former member of the USAF shooting team, who commented S&W checked with the USAF - who keeps records of all kinds of personnel dimensions (for fitting aircraft to people apparently), to get typical and average hand size dimensions when they were designing the Sigma/9VE.

I found this...

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172619

Then Kevin Foley--S&W's VP of Engineering--explained the lengthy testing and research that had gone into getting the grip just right. They used a series of standardized anatomical measurements from the Air Force and did lengthy blindfold tests with employees to find a shape and grip angle that would be natural. When everything was done they settled on a grip angle of 18 degrees. "It took us months and a lot of money to discover what John Browning knew intuitively," said Foley. The 18 degree angle is exactly the same as the 1911.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I read an article years ago about the S&W Sigma (9VE, etc.) by Charles E. Petty, gun writer and former member of the USAF shooting team, who commented S&W checked with the USAF - who keeps records of all kinds of personnel dimensions (for fitting aircraft to people apparently), to get typical and average hand size dimensions when they were designing the Sigma/9VE.

I found this...

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172619

That explains a lot.

Interesting his note on swapping barrels.

I was so intrigued by my mockGlock's similarities that I took my 19 slide to the S&W and vice-versa. They didn't fit fully - one went farther than the other - but as far as they did go was surprising.

For my money - that S&W - WIDELY derided line is the very best bang for the buck in pollies.

Thanks for that interesting link.

The next closest ergonomically for me is an otherwise unfortunate pistol from SA. If it weren't for the weight and the height and the .40 caliber - I'd keep it for the ergos, reliability and accuracy.

Todd.

 

[bannockburn]

Like JR24 stated the biggest difference in going from gun to gun is how the trigger is on each individual pistol. Not so much going from striker fired to a hammer model but more like moving from DA/DA to SAO.

 

[Goes211]

Switching between different styles of handguns doesn't bother me at all. But trying to get used to two different shotguns does.