Its hard to find good resources on the web for the real nitty gritty details of handgun shooting. I want to know, in detail, what I should be doing with EVERY single one of my fingers, my hands, and my arms. I want to know it well enough to repeat it perfectly every time. It's probably impossible to convey this through the written word, but I want to be as well equipped as I can possibly be.
I realize there are many different views on this topic... I'm interested in what techniques work for you in controlling guns with just average triggers. $2000 tricked out Dan Wesson 1911s are going to require less trigger and grip control then joe average's Rock Island. Whatever technique the IPSC guys recommend may not apply to me.
Let me be blunt: shooting handguns is extremely challenging. I've been studying semi auto pistol technique for a couple years now, and I'm still a mediocre / poor pistol shot. 4-6" groups at 7 yards with a few flyers are the norm. None of my guns have very good triggers, but they aren't horrible.
I also feel like I have a much better grasp on site picture and trigger control than what grips really work. Who wants to chime in here or point me to some really great resources?
!!!EDIT!!! Since I've received a wealth of replys that haven't been very helpful to my personal situation, I've decided to add the following:
Yes, I am sure I am talking about grip here, that's what I want to focus on. I know there are many other topics, but that's not what I want to discuss here. I'm not a novice, I've gotten some training from pro trainers (but not enough). They have all thought I had the basics down pat. I've read every article I can find and watched tons of videos on youtube. I've watched the Todd Jarret video like 100 times. I'm not looking for "the basics on grip". Todd Jarret comes close to what I'm asking about, but hasn't been helpful enough.
I guess the reason I didn't post what I DO know is because of time constraints.
I can get nice tight groups with a sweet trigger job 1911, but not with my 5 pounder. Here's my 1911 grip... in words, off the top of my head without refreshing myself watching anything or reading anything.... just to give you guys an idea of what I DO know from being a nerd.
MY 1911 Grip, please feel free to tear me to pieces:
Right Hand:
1. Push the 1911 beavertail up into the web of my thumb to get the highest axis possible, thereby reducing muzzle flip and improving consistancy. With the right thumb, ride the rail on top of the safety, pointing the thumb directly at your target. Not much pressure with the thumb. Be mindful of the sharp slide's action.
2. With the right hand (shooting hand) grasp the gun with my middle finger strong enough that my middle finger ALMOST turns white from lack of circulation, but doesn't. As strong as I can without inducing shake.
3. With my right index finger, point straight along the frame under the slide, where it will remain safe until ready to fire.
4. With my right ring finger, grasp with some strength, but less than the middle finger.
5. With my right pinkie, grasp but with absolutely minimal strength.
Left Hand:
1. Left hand comes around the right hand and they create dynamic tension to reduce muzzle flip, but not trying to fight the flip.
2. Rotate the left wrist slightly down (this is a part I could use help with).
3. Left thumb points forward and goes underneath and forward of the right thumb. Again, not much pressure with the thumb, just get both thumbs to point at the target. Sometimes (say.... dryfiring) I play with the amount of pressure on both thumbs to try to steady the gun or counteract my down / left shots.
4. All my other left fingers wrap around my right hand creating dynamic tension, but nothing to cause shake.
Index finger trigger work:
1. Use the pad of my index finger. Depending on the gun, I experiment with dry firing, and try to find a sweet spot. Sometimes that sweet spot is actually the (sp?) distal joint (first knuckle).
2. Pull back slowly on the trigger and wait for the proverbial glass rod to break. Let it suprise you. Use breath control.
3. PRACTICE DRY FIRING! Watch those sights for twitch.
Obliviously, there is a whole art to what I am trying to distill into basic steps here. I am hoping for a pro to come along and fill in the blanks. I wouldn't be blathering about my medicore / poor groups if I didn't think I had something to learn. Even learning to dig a ditch with a shovel could take a lifetime to master.
I realize there are many different views on this topic... I'm interested in what techniques work for you in controlling guns with just average triggers. $2000 tricked out Dan Wesson 1911s are going to require less trigger and grip control then joe average's Rock Island. Whatever technique the IPSC guys recommend may not apply to me.
Let me be blunt: shooting handguns is extremely challenging. I've been studying semi auto pistol technique for a couple years now, and I'm still a mediocre / poor pistol shot. 4-6" groups at 7 yards with a few flyers are the norm. None of my guns have very good triggers, but they aren't horrible.
I also feel like I have a much better grasp on site picture and trigger control than what grips really work. Who wants to chime in here or point me to some really great resources?
!!!EDIT!!! Since I've received a wealth of replys that haven't been very helpful to my personal situation, I've decided to add the following:
Yes, I am sure I am talking about grip here, that's what I want to focus on. I know there are many other topics, but that's not what I want to discuss here. I'm not a novice, I've gotten some training from pro trainers (but not enough). They have all thought I had the basics down pat. I've read every article I can find and watched tons of videos on youtube. I've watched the Todd Jarret video like 100 times. I'm not looking for "the basics on grip". Todd Jarret comes close to what I'm asking about, but hasn't been helpful enough.
I guess the reason I didn't post what I DO know is because of time constraints.
I can get nice tight groups with a sweet trigger job 1911, but not with my 5 pounder. Here's my 1911 grip... in words, off the top of my head without refreshing myself watching anything or reading anything.... just to give you guys an idea of what I DO know from being a nerd.
MY 1911 Grip, please feel free to tear me to pieces:
Right Hand:
1. Push the 1911 beavertail up into the web of my thumb to get the highest axis possible, thereby reducing muzzle flip and improving consistancy. With the right thumb, ride the rail on top of the safety, pointing the thumb directly at your target. Not much pressure with the thumb. Be mindful of the sharp slide's action.
2. With the right hand (shooting hand) grasp the gun with my middle finger strong enough that my middle finger ALMOST turns white from lack of circulation, but doesn't. As strong as I can without inducing shake.
3. With my right index finger, point straight along the frame under the slide, where it will remain safe until ready to fire.
4. With my right ring finger, grasp with some strength, but less than the middle finger.
5. With my right pinkie, grasp but with absolutely minimal strength.
Left Hand:
1. Left hand comes around the right hand and they create dynamic tension to reduce muzzle flip, but not trying to fight the flip.
2. Rotate the left wrist slightly down (this is a part I could use help with).
3. Left thumb points forward and goes underneath and forward of the right thumb. Again, not much pressure with the thumb, just get both thumbs to point at the target. Sometimes (say.... dryfiring) I play with the amount of pressure on both thumbs to try to steady the gun or counteract my down / left shots.
4. All my other left fingers wrap around my right hand creating dynamic tension, but nothing to cause shake.
Index finger trigger work:
1. Use the pad of my index finger. Depending on the gun, I experiment with dry firing, and try to find a sweet spot. Sometimes that sweet spot is actually the (sp?) distal joint (first knuckle).
2. Pull back slowly on the trigger and wait for the proverbial glass rod to break. Let it suprise you. Use breath control.
3. PRACTICE DRY FIRING! Watch those sights for twitch.
Obliviously, there is a whole art to what I am trying to distill into basic steps here. I am hoping for a pro to come along and fill in the blanks. I wouldn't be blathering about my medicore / poor groups if I didn't think I had something to learn. Even learning to dig a ditch with a shovel could take a lifetime to master.
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