Thumbs forward grip with large hands

[critrxdoc]

Hi THR brothers. I shoot mostly glocks Gen-3 glock 17 and 23, but have a walther PPQ. I have shot the thumbs forward grip for several years but still noticed loosing my grip and having to reset every 2-3 shots. Strong hand high on backstrap and support hand "filling in the gap".

Problem is the "gap" is pretty small for me and I can't get good friction with the support hand. My hands are large but not monster size. I saw a competitive shooter video where he slides the support hand more forward on the slide and canting his wrist forward. I have tried this a few times and it does provide less muzzle flip and control for follow up shots, but feels very strange and almost isn't isosceles anymore.

Perhaps I will get used to it over time, but any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[huntsman]

I've got XXL hands and my technique is what you described on the vid except I use support hand thumb to put slight pressure on the frame, I shoot the same grip from LCP to G-23

 

[Varminterror]

What grip tension are you using? I use and instruct the tried-and-true "increase until you shake, then let off just enough to stop shaking" grip. If using that grip technique and still experiencing slip, the grip doesn't fit your hand. Tape (or even epoxy fill) in the right areas to even out your gripping surface can help.

The thumb forward action shooting grip is about speed and stability in transition, not about offering increased purchase.

Since you're running a Glock, you may consider placing your support hand index finger on the front of the trigger guard, especially when you go to that thumb forward, high elbow technique. A lot of uneducated or inexpereinced folks will probably come in and blast that comment, but it is a known, proven, and viable technique for adding muzzle control with your support hand, and letting the shooter sink the pistol deeper into the support palm. Even the "great Jerry" acknowledges this grip as a viable option, and there have been highly successful competitive action shooters who have employed this support hand technique. If it works for you, great. If not, you're not out anything for having tried a new technique.

 

[sigarms228]

I have larger hands and shoot a PPQ also which Is one of my favorite pistols. Have you tried the large backstrap? If not that may be worth trying. The large backstrap works well for me. The videos below may be worth watching.

 

[critrxdoc]

Thanks guys. I am placing firm pressure. I find that my accuracy suffers with more grip tension but trying to stay balanced and still allow my trigger finger to pull straight to the rear and not move the muzzle.

 

[sigarms228]

I don't use that much grip pressure with my strong hand. Kind of like a firm handshake and I use very little grip pressure with my pinky and use the two fingers above it for the pressure pinching the pistol front to back on the grip. I am using more grip pressure via my support hand these days. I can't get much of my support hand on the left side of the grip either but I do the best I can clamping the back of my support hand in that area and against the fingers tips of my strong hand. But everyone is a bit different for what works best for them.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I saw a competitive shooter video where he slides the support hand more forward on the slide and canting his wrist forward. I have tried this a few times and it does provide less muzzle flip and control for follow up shots, but feels very strange and almost isn't isosceles anymore.

Why would you think canting your wrist forward "isn't isosceles anymore"?

I would say that if you aren't canting your wrist forward...trying for a flat line along the top of your wrist and top of your thumb...you'd be shooting in more of a Weaver than an Isosceles. We've been teaching pronating your wrist, for better recoil management, since the 80s.

Now if the video you watched happened to be one of Bob Vogel, that might be a different matter. Bob's wrist is bent enough to get his thumb on the front of the trigger guard

 

[9mmepiphany]

there have been highly successful competitive action shooters who have employed this support hand technique.

I can think of only two and one does it because of a prior injury...the other is from Europe

Can you name a few more current top tier shooters who still use this technique?

I thought it died out back in the 90s due to compromising the contact the support hand was able to make with the frame

 

[Zerodefect]

You can push/pull shotgun style to with a combat grip. Push with your weapon/trigger hand, pull back with your support hand.

Keep canting your support wrist forward. For now it feels terrible, when it starts to feel normal you might pull back to a less aggressive grip.

Make sure you lean forward a bit and use your weight for recoil. You might need a gen4 Glock 21/41 with it's larger frame to get a good handle on it. But keep your smaller pistols, once you get the hang of this your grip will transition over. The gen4's are way more grippy than the gen3's.

 

[critrxdoc]

9mm; my comment regarding moving the support hand way forward was regarding the fact that your hands are no longer a relatively perfect isosceles triangle and therefore somewhat impacting one of the purported benefits of the gun settling back into place after each round.

 

[9mmepiphany]

9mm; my comment regarding moving the support hand way forward was regarding the fact that your hands are no longer a relatively perfect isosceles triangle and therefore somewhat impacting one of the purported benefits of the gun settling back into place after each round.

I'm still not sure how far "way forward" is.

Can you link the video or at least compare it to this one

 

[critrxdoc]

That is pretty close to one I saw. He may have been a little more forward, but I cannot find it at the moment. Ideally, the gun doesn't move at all. My point (which is probably minor) is simply that a perfect isosceles would be palms touching. The more forward the support hand, the less of a perfect triangle and perfect arch of the path of the pistol as it rises and falls.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Ideally, the gun doesn't move at all. My point (which is probably minor) is simply that a perfect isosceles would be palms touching.

In the grip Gomez was using, the palms touch behind the backstrap. The focus of the grip is that the hands should encompass the circumference of the grip, without voids, so that force vectors do not allow the pistol to deviate, in the vertical plane, during muzzle flip. All pistols exhibit muzzle flip during recoil due to the offset between the bore line and the top of the strong hand

The more forward the support hand, the less of a perfect triangle and perfect arch of the path of the pistol as it rises and falls.

Is that something you've read, something you were taught in a class, or something you've observed from personal experience

 

[FL-NC]

Hard to coach online, or anywhere except a range under live fire conditions. If you got something that works, stick with it.