I must have missed a memo...

[boomer1911a1]

When did squared-off and hooked trigger guards go out of fashion?

When I was coming of age in 80s, they started appearing on the wondernines that were on the rise at the time, and you can still see them today. But now, they seem to have fallen from favor. My most recently-designed pistol, the Ruger P-345, has a "traditional" rounded trigger guard, and several articles in American Handgunner have led me to believe they're on the way out.

What was the problem? I didn't use it much, but I kind of liked having the optional point of purchase for my nondominant index finger. Was it strictly a "looks" issue, or was there a tactical reason for rounding them off?

 

[GunCSI]

Two problems usually crop up with placing your support index finger on the square trigger guard. If you start running your trigger finger quickly, the support index finger will tend to want to follow the same path and will start to pull on the trigger guard. If you yank on the trigger when you shoot, the same thing can happen with the other finger. First you pull the shot low with the trigger finger and the support index finger makes it worse.
The other issue is, as you begin to spread your fingers apart, you lose grip strength. Might not be much but how much strength are you willing to give up when you're shooting?

 

[ugaarguy]

I shot my Glock like that. After I getting my first revolver, I shoot nothing like that . I'll stick to one grip method.

 

[Chipperman]

The hooked ones tend to be tougher on holsters.

 

[Ala Dan]

Recurved Trigger Guards On Semi-Auto's

always looked pretty "tacticool" too me; and I like 'em~!

 

[MM]

The design can complicate holster choice.
SatCong

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Glocks are one of the (if not THE) most plentiful pistols and have the hook.
It might be because is having a newfound love affair with the 1911 and are trying to incorporate some of those styling cues into their new guns.

 

[Black_Talon]

When did squared-off and hooked trigger guards go out of fashion?

In IPSC, they were well on the way to disappearing by the mid 1990's.

 

[Glockamolie]

I'm Glockamolie, and I have a confession to make: I shot, and sometimes STILL shoot with a "finger-forward" grip. I learned it all by myself when I got a Ruger MKII at the age of 12. My first new pistol was a S&W 6450 (it's an oddball early 4506-ish, but it came with an red ramp front sight (!), which was replaced when it went to Novak's 45 Shop back in 1992). It has the old hooked triggerguard, and I continued to shoot that way. I've since learned better, but on the odd occasion I shoot that S&W, I still do it that way. Old bad habits are hard to break.

 

[Wordsmith]

I've never taken advantage of the hooked trigger guard on my HK's or Glocks, but I think it looks better than a rounded trigger guard.

 

[Ala Dan]

Well, my favorite DA/SA semi-auto's [SIG P220 & P228] both use different
trigger guards; with the P220A being of the recurved type, and the P228
being rounded. You asked, does it make a big difference in shooting? Not
too me, as I can shoot both of them very well----- thank you~!

 

[History Prof]

Huh... I always thought the trigger guards were made that way so you could rest your trigger finger somewhere when you needed to keep your finger off the trigger itself (at least that's what the cops I knew 15 years ago used it for). I know you're supposed to keep you trigger finger along the side of the pistol, but I thought that was a relatively new technique. Ya learn something new every day. :shrug:

 

[Zero_DgZ]

I'd rather have an elongated one like the 5-7 has so I can use the thing with gloves on.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I think their ugly and have proven to hinder not help. I wish the companies would stop makeing them .

 

[boomer1911a1]

Ugly aside, Michael T, how do you think they hinder? (I'm not disputing it, btw, I'm truly curious.) I see the holster issue, sort-of, but do you think they promote incorrect shooting grips?

 

[JoeHatley]

have proven to hinder not help

How?



I don't use it, but kinda like the way it looks. So 1980's...

Joe