Strange Thumb Bone... Thing

[Bobson]

This is going to seem very strange. I've kicked the idea of posting this here for quite a while, and finally decided, what the heck. May as well see if anyone else has the same problem. From what I've noticed (and I've been making it a point to look for the past few years), most people have a "bulging" bone in their thumb join.

I don't. Here's a picture of the joint area of my right thumb:

Notice that it's more flat/straight, rather than sort of bulging out, like (what I've noticed is) most other people's thumb joint, as is the case here (from the net):


I have average-size hands, but my thumb can't comfortably reach most automatic handgun magazine release buttons - because of this thumb joint, I assume. I find that with many handguns (especially Glocks), I have to rotate the grip counter-clockwise to reach the magazine release. It's not major - maybe from 12 0'clock to 10:30 - but it bothers me immensely, on a personal level more than anything else. Does anyone else have this problem? Did my bone just grow strangely, or what?

Edit:

Sorry the first picture is so big... tried making it smaller, but failed, evidently.

 

[dogtown tom]

I've seen those hands before......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZxX3-rJoNI

 

[rcmodel]

It has nothing to do with your thumb joint.

Almost nobody with normal size hands can reach the mag release on most larger pistols without rotating the gun in their grip enough to reach it.

rc

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

I can, but i'm left handed. I use my trigger finger to reach it. if your glock has the reversable mag release, move it to the other side and try using your trigger finger.

 

[Bobson]

I don't personally own a Glock, that was just an example, because I have to rotate Glocks more than any other type of handgun.

Might be a good idea though.

 

[BRE346]

I'm sorry you're having difficulty.

It's the size of the grip versus the size of your hand. The bigger grips are harder to reach around. I must shift to get enough pressure on the mag release. I have a gun that pounds that joint. Luckily I can pad the backstrap to lift the gun off it. I noticed a smaller gun almost doing the same thing. Getting a gun that fits your hand is one of the 'joys' of shopping.

 

[9mmepiphany]

my thumb can't comfortably reach most automatic handgun magazine release buttons
...but it bothers me immensely, on a personal level more than anything else. Does anyone else have this problem?

You're going to have to learn to deal with it as it isn't usually considered a problem.

Generally speaking, magazine releases aren't designed to be easily reachable by the thumb of a right handed shooter when holding the gun in a normal shooting grip. That could lead to the inadvertent release of the magazine by shooters who still insist in locking their right thumb down

 

[Bobson]

Generally speaking, magazine releases aren't designed to be easily reachable by the thumb of a right handed shooter when holding the gun in a normal shooting grip. That could lead to the inadvertent release of the magazine by shooters who still insist in locking their right thumb down

I never really thought about that. Thanks for all the responses - guess I over-thought it and let it get to me when it isn't a big deal anyway.

 

[armoredman]

My index finger of the firing hand will reach, no trouble, no grip shift.

 

[DanTheFarmer]

I agree with BRE346 that finding a gun that fits is part of the fun.

My right thumb is a bit shorter than normal due to a childhood accident. I checked out a Stoeger Cougar after hearing good things about them. Unfortunately for me the slide mounted safety wasn't easy to use because of my short thumb. I hadn't thought about that before because my full sized frame pistols have frame mounted controls and my 380's are small enough that it doesn't matter. Ya' can learn a lot if ya' try things!

Good luck and I'm sure you can find something to fit your hand (I'll know to try out the Taurus clone of the Barretta 92 because it has frame mounted controls).

Dan

 

[76shuvlinoff]

I can, but i'm left handed. I use my trigger finger to reach it. if your glock has the reversable mag release, move it to the other side and try using your trigger finger.

same here, I don't even try with my thumbs anymore.

 

[rjrivero]

The picture you are showing is an abnormality of the carpal/metacarpal joint (CMC Joint) of the thumb. If it isn't causing you any pain, then adapt and move on. If it does cause pain, then you need to see your doctor.

There are a couple of different arthritic conditions that can maifest with pain and loss of motion of the cmc joint of the thumb. Chronic Gout, and Rheumatoid arthritis are among them, and can be pretty devistating if not addressed early.

Simple wear and tear (osteo arthritis) is also common at that joint. If it is painful, then get it looked at. There are surgeries that actually replace that joint and have been quite sucessful.

All the best.

RJ

 

[olafhardtB]

I have an old injury to my right hand, the best way I found to deal with it is a revolver.

 

[Rail Driver]

Now let me preface this by stating that I'm 5'7", 150 lbs, and my hands are proportionate... I have relatively small hands. That being said, I use the middle finger of my firing hand to actuate the mag releases on my 1911s and my G26.

 

[Bobson]

Thanks for all the responses.

The picture you are showing is an abnormality of the carpal/metacarpal joint (CMC Joint) of the thumb. If it isn't causing you any pain, then adapt and move on. If it does cause pain, then you need to see your doctor.

There are a couple of different arthritic conditions that can manifest with pain and loss of motion of the CMC joint of the thumb. Chronic Gout, and Rheumatoid arthritis are among them, and can be pretty devastating if not addressed early.

It's never caused me any pain at all (always thought it was just different), but thanks for answering a question I've been wondering for a few years now.

 

[Dogguy]

Have you ever tried shooting a Walther P99/PPQ? There's probably other guns have the same mag release location. The release is an ambidexterous lever on the bottom edge of the trigger guard. I've found it's more easily manipulated with the trigger finger than the standard button release with the thumb yet it is placed so it's not easily released inadvertently. I don't own a P99 but I have messed around with them and I like that feature.

And, no. I've also never been able to reach the magazine release button with my thumb on any gun without changing my grip.

 

[Dnaltrop]

From a member of the "palm a basketball" club...

I'd love a pistol large enough to get the mag release out from under my thumb. I get to bash my head on low doorways AND drop my mag if squeeze my grip the wrong way.

WOOOOOOOO Tall! No, I won't reach that jar for you, get a stepstool.

Literally, with the large Palmswell, full sized M&P, the pad is squarely on the release. The little ramp leading up to the button puts in a lot of overtime protecting me from myself.

I can also manipulate the release with my middle finger without much of a grip shift, though not as effectively. Have some weakness in the fingers from running them through a sheet roller in '96

 

[Route666]

My thumb joint looks pretty much like the original poster's. I think it has more to do with pudgey-ness than anything else that the joint doesn't protrude. I also can't reach the mag release on a 1911 without rotating my grip. I'm pretty sure that's just because my relatively meaty hands also have shorter digits. I'm learning to use my support hand to press it though, an extra quarter second there saves a half second re-adjusting my strong-hand grip.

 

[Odd Job]

That could lead to the inadvertent release of the magazine by shooters who still insist in locking their right thumb down

I had that exact problem with a Vektor CP1. I was dropping my magazine when firing under stress. Switched to a left hand mag release (operated by right hand index finger) and this issue went away.