DA vs. SA recoil handling

[Candiru]

.44 Magnum isn't shy about letting you know when there's something wrong with your grip or trigger technique, as I discovered yesterday at the range. On a lark, I decided to shoot a cylinder in single-action. At seven yards I got a 1.25" group with one flyer, but what really caught my attention was how I handled the recoil. Normally, the range's rental 629 slams its exposed backstrap into my hand with every pull of the trigger, leaving mild bruising. In single action, though, the recoil was hard but stopped short of being painful; I was able to finish the cylinder without immediately having to massage away the painful red welts.

Clearly, I'm doing something wrong when shooting double-action if it feels different than single-action shooting. My best guess is that something in the heavier pull is shifting my grip away from the backstrap, letting the gun slap my palm on firing. I'm at a loss as to what exactly is wrong, though; I've got what feels like a firm grip, I'm pulling the trigger with the joint of my index finger, and my pull is smooth and quick. Is my hand riding too high on the grip?

I'd appreciate any words of advice you care to offer.

 

[Jim K]

I have done a fair amount of DA shooting and I might suggest the possibility that you are not gripping the gun high enough or hard enough. With a heavy recoiling revolver, IME, it is best to hold it as tight as possible so the gun and hand recoil together. If the gun gets a running start, it can be brutal.

Part of the fault may be the grips. Modern grips are designed to allow a straight line from the trigger to the web of the hand; in other words, the index (trigger) finger will be parallel with the barrel, as it is with an autoloader. They do that by filling in the "hole" between the trigger guard and the front strap, something we all have been told has to be done. That means the web of the hand is low, so when the gun recoils, the top of the frame rolls back and hits you. But the old-timers knew a bit about shooting DA with heavy recoiling revolvers; they held the gun with the wrist bent downwards and held on with a death grip. The "hole" was filled with the middle finger, and the standard grips worked just fine.

Jim

 

[LAH]

Guess I differ from most but I like the recoil back into the web of my hand. The single action grip rolls in my hand, cuts my trigger finger & inside of my thumb.

 

[BluesBear]

I'm pulling the trigger with the joint of my index finger,

Chances are that in order to reach the trigger you are letting the revolver twist its position in your hand slightly. It's not nestling into the pocket of your palm.

I'm going out on a limb here and guess that when you're shooting single action your thumb is coming around the off side a little further than it is when your firing double action.

Where is the big thumb knuckle (where your thumb joins your hand) when you fire? Is it over the backstrap? Or is it further around towards the left rear corner of the grip? (assuming that you're right handed).

Try using the pad of the index finger on the trigger when firing double action to see if you can get your hand into the same position you are using for single action.

The further around towards the off side you can get that thumb joint the better you can absorb and control the recoil. And the less pounding your middle finger will receive from the trigger guard.