How to make a Glock point exactly like a 1911

[RyanM]

People keep saying the Glock's grip angle is very different from a 1911. But the actual angle is nearly identical. If you compare the front of the grips:

The difference is only one or two degrees.

But then if you compare the backs:

The Glock allows a much higher grip. That's the reason for the Glock's famed low bore axis. So just add in some material up at the top of the Glock's back, like so:

And suddenly, the grips are nearly identical.

The Glock has a much longer trigger reach, but so do most DA autos with a 1911 type grip.

I need to save up money for a patent. You read about it here first, folks. If anyone mass-produces a hunk of plastic to go on the back of a Glock and make it point like a 1911, they ripped off my idea.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

That new laser at the recent SHOT show goes exactly where you are talking about and seems to help people point it more like a 1911 from the early comments. Sorry man, a little too late! Thanks to Gun Blast for the pic.

 

[RyanM]

Yeah, but that's a laser sight, it adds material in other places, and it's not nearly thick enough to make the gun point exactly like a 1911. The upper part of the grip needs to be lowered about 0.4" - 0.5" to get the grip almost identical to a 1911, and the Crimson Trace unit only adds about 1/8".

 

[jaysouth]

I don't point my guns, Glocks, 1911s, whatever. I AIM my guns by bringing the gun to eye level and staring at the front sight.

I guess that I am simple minded enough to not do two things at the same time, so when I AIM my guns, I am not mindful of the grip angle to bore axis.

If I were shooting blindfolded in the dark, I still cannot figure out why the grip angle is important. You do not point the grip of your gun at a target, you point the bore of your gun at the target. If this happens in good light you are aided by the alignment of the sights.

Try this, lay five different guns on the shooting bench, full loaded. Pick up the first one, raise it to eye level, align sights, put the front sight on the target and press the trigger. Repeat until the gun goes dry and pick up the next gun and repeat.

If you are directing adequate concentration to sight alignment and trigger control, you will not notice what the grip angle is, nor should you , nor does it matter.

END OF RANT ABOUT SUPERFLUOUS NON ISSUES

 

[RyanM]

Yes, it is an issue. If I point a Glock at a target, the sights practically align themselves. If I point a 1911 at a target, I go "where's the front sight? Oh, it's an inch low," then have to crank my wrist way up. For most 1911 shooters, it's the opposite, and the Glock's front sight is way up in the air.

If I were shooting blindfolded in the dark, I still cannot figure out why the grip angle is important. You do not point the grip of your gun at a target, you point the bore of your gun at the target.

The grip angle is the relation between the grip and the bore. If you point an Uzi the same way you do a Luger, you're going to shoot about 45 degrees below the target.

It's definitely an issue if you have less than 10 seconds to aim your first shot.

 

[Zak Smith]

After shooting USPSA Limited with an SV for a year, I shot the 300-round shoot-house at the ITRC with my Glock 19. Nonissue.

 

[jaysouth]

That's what presentation from holster drills are for. Muscle memory from repetitive practice is your second best friend. You best friend is having muscle memory place the sights of the gun aligned on the target at your eye level.

If you were a lifelong shooter of a particular gun and you picked up another gun with a different grip angle and fired it for the first time under stress, this might be an issue.

But then again, the whole object of training is to have good habits to fall back on when stress falls on you.

Go watch some top notch IDPA shooters working out. Every shot over 7 yards fired is a deliberate aimed shot using rear sight, front sight, target and trigger control. They do it in a LOT less than 10 seconds.

 

[Joe D]

A 1911 with the arched main spring housing has about the same grip angle as a Glock. The issue gets worse when a flat main spring housing is used.
Seems like the original 1911 design had a flat main spring housing and the arched was added later to make it point better.
I would not want to make my Glock like a 1911. The low bore axis is what I love about Glocks.

 

[Rockstar]

The question that you anachronists should be asking is, "How do you make a 1911 point like a Glock?" Beavertails already exist for Glocks. I like 'em like they are.

 

[Master Blaster]

I have both and have shot both extensively.

The difference is mainly the trigger action, the grip angle is a non issue for me.

As far as the 1911 goes, I thought that the original configuration was an arched mainspring housing with a short steel trigger.

The flat mainspring housing came about much later when folks started making them competition triggers and trigger shoes which are much wider than the original steel trigger.

 

[1911user]

The original 1911 govt. model had a flat MSH and longer trigger. The A1 version (happened in the 20's I think) had the arched MSH and short trigger.

I have a flat MSH and it points very well for me. The arched MSH and the glocks I've handled all point high. It wasn't much of an issue when using two hands, but is very noticable with one hand.

 

[Braden]

Another option is to remove the backstrap channel from the grip of the Glock. I wouldn't do this because I like the way a Glock points, but doing so would give it a near identical grip to a 1911.

Here is an example of a custom grip reduction that you can have done at Lone Wolf Distributors:

Again, I wouldn't do it, but if someone wanted their Glock to point like a 1911 then that's a good start. I agree with the previous poster though. The real question should be, "How can I make my 1911 point like a Glock?".

 

[Zak Smith]

There are also the CCF Raceframes "Glock" frame with interchangable backstraps.

 

[RyanM]

Well, it must be an issue to some people, because every time there's a Glock thread, there are about a million people who say "I don't like how Glocks point. I wish the grip angle were more like a 1911." A $0.50 piece of plastic that pins on the back of a Glock would be a lot more economical for those people than an expensive frame customization.

Also, those frame trims seem to just make the Glock grip worse. If you compare a 1911 with thick grip panels and a Glock side by side, they're about the same thickness and the same length. The main difference is the Glock has a squarer front end, while the 1911 is much more rounded. So by chopping off plastic from the front and back, not only do you emphasize the thickness relative to the length, you also make the front and back squarer. Seems crazy to me.

 

[SeanSw]

This is interesting to me because just 2 weeks ago I went to a gun shop to handle a few pistols. Someone at the range let me use their Glock 17 and I was considering purchasing one, but compared to the other guns available at the store it simply didn't align itself in my hand as well as the XD, even though they're quite similar. I attributed the problem to the palm swell on the Glock and the difference between them is enough to count out the Glock.

The Colt Commander lined up better in my hands, along with the Baby Eagle.... all of which are now higher on my list than the Glock.

 

[shield20]

Typical Glock issue SeanSW - my primary reason for not owning one - too many excellent choices out there to compromise on one that doesn't feel right - and is not as natural pointing as the others.