Best big bore hold style?

[CraigC]

Thumb up on cylinder as pictured above is a bad bad idea with a big bore gun like a 500 or a .460 or even a .44 mag. It just takes a momentary brain fart for that thumb to slide just a bit further forward and you are looking a a new Utube video and a trip to the emergency room to repair your thumb.

Oh please, don't insult me with this nonsense.

 

[Master Blaster]

http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore/SmWesson2/upload/other/S&W_Revolver_Manual_01-30-2011.pdf



WARNING: ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FINGERS AWAY
FROM THE AREA BETWEEN THE CYLINDER AND
THE BARREL DURING FIRING. PARTICLES AND HOT
GAS WILL BE FORCED OUT FROM BETWEEN THE BARREL
AND CYLINDER IN ANY REVOLVER DURING NORMAL USE.
FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS WARNING WILL CAUSE SERIOUS
PERSONAL INJURY.
• Always use the proper grip as shown for a two-hand hold
(Figures 11 & 12). This keeps hands and fingers away from
the barrel/cylinder gap.
• Never allow hands or fingers to extend beyond the front of the
cylinder when firing (Figures 13 & 14). This is an improper
hold for any revolver.

 

[CraigC]

I don't give a damn what the manual says, nor do I need a lawyer to tell me that the gasses escaping from the barrel/cylinder gap are dangerous. I've been shooting single actions for 25yrs and the .44Mag for 21yrs. I own more .44Mag's than any other chambering, currently numbering seven guns total. I shoot enough .44Mag to justify buying a Dillon 650 JUST for that chambering. Revolvers are my primary focus and I own three dozen of them. I've invested in four custom big bore Ruger single actions. I shoot almost daily. You can ask me anything but to state that I don't know what I'm doing is an insult to my intelligence and a lifetime invested in this stuff. To do so speaks volumes about your own ignorance.

I HAVE NEVER BURNED MY THUMB FROM THE BARREL/CYLINDER GAP BLAST AND THERE IS NO WAY FOR IT TO GET THAT FAR FORWARD. MOVE ON PLEASE

 

[Salmoneye]

• Always use the proper grip as shown for a two-hand hold
(Figures 11 & 12). This keeps hands and fingers away from
the barrel/cylinder gap.

Figure 12 was exactly what I was describing in my first post...

Thanks,

 

[CraigC]

That teacup hold doesn't hurt anything but it doesn't help much either. I would suggest reading two issues of Handloader magazine, #208 and #215. Luckily, Ross Seyfried's article on "Hitting with Handguns" is available for free on the website.

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?tocid=441&magid=31

Master Blaster may note the position of his left thumb in this picture. Maybe in the future it would be a better idea to ask questions, rather than tellilng something flat-out that they're doing it wrong? Or maybe you want to tell Seyfried he's doing it wrong???



Issue #208 has Seyfried's article but is sold out.
http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/index.cfm?magid=31


Isuue #215 has Brian Pearce's article "Shooting Tips for the Single Action Revolver" and is still available for purchase.
http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/index.cfm?magid=52


Here's a video of a fellow sixgunner shooting his custom Ruger .500Linebaugh. The only difference between his grip, Seyfried's and mine is the placement of the left thumb. In this shooting position, there is zero chance of getting your thumb too far forward.

http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff25/WDFOWLER/Shootist holiday/?action=view&current=DSCN3411.mp4

 

[Hammerdown77]

A note about the finger on the trigger guard style. It's interesting to note that up until Rob Leatham and Brian Enos came along, this was the predominant style in competition shooting circles. You'll see a lot of guns from that era with flat front trigger guards, and checkering on the trigger guards because of this. Leatham and Enos decided to try something different, and not put their support hand index finger on the trigger guard like that, because they felt it was negatively influencing the tracking of the gun. They felt there was more of a tendency to push the muzzle left or right with the index finger out there. Once they changed their style and started getting the phenomenal results they did, all the other competitors kinda followed along and changed their grip as well. Now, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone in USPSA/IDPA/IPSC who uses the finger-on-the-trigger-guard grip.

Now shooting big bore revolvers in single action is a whole different ballgame. I still don't do it unless I'm shooting something that is exceptionally muzzle heavy, or a scoped revolver, because I feel like it adds a bit more support out front. But I shoot all my semi autos and other revolvers with the same, no finger on the trigger guard style, so that's what feels comfortable and consistent to me. I did notice more of a tendency to have horizontal stringing of shots when shooting with the finger on the trigger guard, too.

 

[Master Blaster]

CraigC, I was directing my posts at the original Poster who was asking about the best way to hold. Your hold works for you, that's great, but other less experienced folks could experience a small deviation in their thumb position using your pictured thumb on the cylinder hold and that could be very bad for them as they may not be aware of the danger the BC Gap represents.

It was not meant to be a criticism of you personally.

 

[BCRider]

Roger in that video has some nice skills. Note the total lack of gun motion when the hammer falls on the "7th" round? Nary a twitch. Not an easy thing to manage with any big bore arm shortener for most folks.

On the big stuff like my .44Mags I tend to put my support hand thumb around the back of my strong hand to aid with pressing the thumb to forefinger web into place. But on .38's and .357Mag I tend to hold with my support hand thumb more like Craig's pictures. And, being "new school" trained, I don't put my finger in front of the trigger guard as shown.

 

[Doghandler]

Just reviewing this thread to make sure we haven't missed anything. wink wink

56hawk, concerning your standard isosceles. If that's what you are looking for then tuck in your tummy, lower your but and push your shoulders forward.

I want to see more shoulder and hip movement and less muzzle jump during recoil so cock those elbows just a little.

 

[Doghandler]

BCrider, your technique sounds very much like Miculek's snubby hold. I've been known to use a similar grip on my Super Blackhawk and use my weak hand thumb to cock the hammer.

BTW, I use Miculek's shubby hold on my .357 LCR. I know it's not technically a big bore but it feels like one.

 

[56hawk]

56hawk, concerning your standard isosceles. If that's what you are looking for then tuck in your tummy, lower your but and push your shoulders forward.

I want to see more shoulder and hip movement and less muzzle jump during recoil so cock those elbows just a little.

You're probably right, but it works pretty well for me for target shooting. I shoot a little bit more like you are saying when I am shooting fast. Here is a video of me shooting a USPSA match with my 500:

http://youtu.be/tV2JXVWX3VU

Feel free to give me any constructive criticism.

 

[Doghandler]

You are one audacious Dude, 56hawk! Looks like you almost made the official crap his pants!

Seriously if you're going to roll with a S&W .500 then study videos of NFL linebackers for proper stance. You obviously have the athleticism to understand what I'm say'n.