Proper hand position on grip

[brlau]

After taking the mandatory class and going through all the hoops to get a handgun here, I bought myself a S&W 620 a while ago. I've been meaning to finally take it out to the range for the first time soon, but I'm trying to figure out if I'm holding it right. I did some searching here on THR for suggestions and found out I should be holding it as high up on the frame as I can. However, it just doesn't feel right. I took a few pictures (with the weapon unloaded of course) and am hoping someone here can see what's up.

First pic is gripping the weapon with the web of my thumb high up on the frame and my last three fingers positioned to feel comfortable and ignoring the finger grooves - hard to see, but my pinky is actually resting ON the last finger groove rib.

Next pic is gripping the weapon with the web of my thumb as above, but last three fingers attempting to fit into the finger grooves (this makes my hand feel splayed out and un-natural):

Finally, last pic is gripping the weapon in the most comfortable way trying to fit my fingers into the finger grooves - result is a very low grip:

I think the way I'm gripping it in the first pic is correct, but to do that I'll need grips with no finger grooves. Any suggestions on non-finger groove grips? As you can see I have relatively small hands - there is still quite a bit of grip sticking out the bottom of my hand unless I hold it really low. I don't plan on shooting magnums through it much if at all, it'll be fed .38 +p instead.

 

[Waywatcher]

I cant stand finger groove grips. They often don't feel right and they really slow down the draw from a holster.

For S&W I'm a sucker for Ahrends wood grips*--I think they look marvelous.

*The "Square Butt Smooth" http://ahrendsgripsusa.com/revolver.htm

 

[jameslovesjammie]

You need different grips. Those grips are too large for your hands. Your grip style in pic 1 is the best. The problem with pic 2 is that you are forcing your hand to fit the grip. The grip should fit your hand. This is probably how you are shooting it currently. In pic 3, the center of the barrel is so much higher than it should be. You would experience excessive muzzle flip with this grip.

I have the opposite problem that you have. My hands are quite large (I wear 1 or 2x gloves). When I grip my 686, my middle finger touches the fatty pad of my thumb, similar to your pic 3, but the top web of my hand rides high like in your first pic. On my gun hand, the bottom of the grip presses into the middle of my pinkie finger, and the pinkie on my supporting hand basically sits underneath the grip.

The solution for me is to get a set of grips sized to fit my hand, ones that will cover the backstrap. I am going to order Nill grips when our tax return comes back. They are pricey, but it's often harder to find oversized grips than undersized. This is the style I am going to get.

 

[SGW42]

I'm having the same problem with the big target grips on my 19 and was planning on posting the same question here sooner or later, so I hope I can jump in on this. For me, my problem is my trigger finger.

Keep in mind I'm used to shooting Ruger Mks II/III. With these pistols, when I get (what I consider) the proper grip, I can put the pad of my trigger finger directly on the trigger face, which to me feels great and I shoot well with it.

My 19 is my first revolver (first centerfire handgun, for that matter), I got it to learn. I read the same advice the OP did and have been trying to get comfortable with the correct grip in the first picture. But when I do this, my trigger finger is well inside the trigger guard and I am pulling the trigger with the crook of the finger. Is this proper? This gun has the "combat" serrated-face trigger, so I thought one was to keep your finger stationary on the trigger, but when using the crook some movement needs to take place with a DA shot.

So at the range, I try constantly to use the grip in the first picture, but always find myself going back to a low grip similar to that in the third picture. This grip positions my trigger finger parallel to the ground and allows me to pull a DA shot with the pad of my finger on the trigger face the entire stroke, using the middle and last knuckles to move it.

So really I'm probably confused to heck and could use some advice.

 

[Deanimator]

One alternative is the magna/service grips and a Tyler T-Griip adapter. I have this combination on an S&W M&P and it works quite well.

 

[Zundfolge]

brlau, go here http://www.shootingusa.com/PRO_TIPS/JERRY_MICULEK/jerry_miculek.html

(in particular this one http://www.shootingusa.com/PRO_TIPS/MICULEK2/miculek2.html )

 

[ZeSpectre]

I cant stand finger groove grips. They often don't feel right and they really slow down the draw from a holster.

+1 on that
And I agree with jameslovesjammie that the grips are too big for your hand. Find some other, non finger grooved, grips and see how they feel because those are settling your hands WAY too low.

 

[AirForceShooter]

I can't stand grooves or checkering.

AFS

 

[MrBorland]

SGW42 -

It seems the general rule of thumb is: pad of finger for single action; 1st joint for double action. Most DA revolver shooters (myself included) seem to prefer to generally place their first joint of their trigger finger over the trigger when shooting in DA mode. As you discovered, getting a high grip, in addition to lowering the relative bore axis, is conducive to placing your first joint, rather than the pad, on the trigger. Some prefer to place the trigger just in front of the joint, others, just behind. Experiment to find what works best for you. Too much finger stuffed in there can pull the front sights, so do lots of dry fire to find what's best for you and to develop a smooth trigger pull.

Jerry Miculek advises using the pad of your trigger finger on the lower part of the trigger for better leverage. It obviously works very well for him, and it may for you as well, but I find I strain much too much on the trigger pull for this, and again, most DA revolver shooters seem to prefer the 1st joint. Again, keep the high grip, but experiment with finger placement.

BTW - my fingers never line up with the grooves, either, so I go with smooth wood.

 

[alde]

I find that rotating the revolver counter-clockwise (looking from top) helps me position the trigger finger better. When I do this the barrel of the gun points just like my index finger. You want to be able to close your eye, bring the gun up and be on target (or close) when you open your eyes. I think they call this point shooting. Proper grips make a big difference in how you hold the gun. If they don't fit you hand change them. It's one of the great things about revolvers. These K and L frame Smiths have so many grips available that there is no reason to not have on that fits.

 

[SGW42]

Thanks a bunch MrBorland. As soon as I get a chance to put it in my hands I'm going to try out your suggestions. In particular, putting the pad of the finger lower on the trigger. All this time I think I've put it straight in the middle and never gave any thought to it. Makes sense!

 

[brlau]

So the grips are indeed too large, and the finger grooves need to go. I've looked at Ahrends work both here and on their website and I agree, they do look really nice. However, do I need to worry about humidity with them? The weapon resides in a small safe that seems to build up enough humidity to require recharging the two silica gel packs I use almost every other week. I was initially looking at getting a set of inexpensive Pachmayr Compac Pro grips from Midway since they have no grooves and appear shorter and are hopefully thinner than the original Hogues. I'll have to do a search for comments on those. I'll think about the old service grips with the T-grip adaptor also, but I was hoping to get something that was all one piece (and one price).

I have yet to shoot this, so I wouldn't be surprised if I start getting other issues when that happens.

 

[brlau]

Update:

I ordered a set of Pachmayr Compac Pros from Midway and put them on. They feel so much better than the stock grips for me. It just fits all of my fingers - none of them overhang the bottom. And the very top of the grip (the peak that's just below where the hammer is) is flat and doesn't poke the sides of the base of my thumb and trigger finger. Now on to see how it feels actually firing the weapon. Thanks all for your help with my hand hold!

 

[SGW42]

I got my gun back from the smith and have been practicing a bit. I've found that the trigger is just too curved to put my finger anywhere except right in the middle of the curve, but this is fine. I am getting used to using the bend in my finger to pull, now that I understand that this is okay, I think I am getting pretty good.

I have the target grips that came with the gun, but I put the narrow S&W service grips on it, and I seem to be able to get a better hold with it. This didn't make sense to me at first because I think my fingers are on the long side. But it works. It feels like I can grab more of the gun, and tighter, too. I might look into a Tyler-T, that might be the perfect setup.

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

The first thing you need to do is get a gun with grips that is comfortable to you. This may require custom made grips but don't try to adapt to the grips!

 

[Tortuga12]

just got a tyler T

for my 15-3, and I love it! Used to think that they were butt-ugly, but it's soooo much more comfortable that I just don't care.

 

[crebralfix]

The first thing you need to do is get a gun with grips that is comfortable to you. This may require custom made grips but don't try to adapt to the grips!

Funny...I just hacked the finger grooves off my Hogues with a brand new razor blade and they're fine now. No need to spend extra money...unless you want to, of course.

Consider modifying the first picture: instead of thumb forward, bring it down to touch your middle finger. This closes up that gap and results in a bit more support. Place the tip of your trigger finger on the face of the trigger as low as possible (source: Ed McGivern and associated copied experiments). This may take a bit of time to get used to.

Dry fire frequently WITH SNAP-CAPS (to avoid a broken firing pin).

 

[brlau]

Besides the finger grooves being wrong for my hands, the Hogues were quite a bit thicker everywhere. The Compac Pros are a lot thinner everywhere and shorter too, and they seem to fit my small-compared-to-everyone-else-but-large-for-asians hands. When I get the chance to <finally> shoot it I'll give the positioning tips a try, thanks!

 

[Evyl Robot]

I'm wondering what to do about grips on my 29. the stock, cowboy-style, N-frame, square-butt grips look nice, but they don't get along with my short, wide hands. My hands are quite proportional to my feet, and my shoe size is a 7.5-EE. --yeah. Almost square. The Ahrends grips that came on my wife's 627 feel wonderful, and put the spine right on the webbing of my thumb, and the fatty part of my palm. I'm going back and forth between getting a set of Ahrends grips, and carving my own. At the moment, I'm leaning in the direction of carving my own set. It seems like a good way to get them perfectly suited to me.