What to do with the pinkie.

[emilianoksa]

I felt for some time that the pinkie of my right hand (I'm right handed) was causing problems.

I found that if I gripped the gun with my only my two middle fingers, and made a conscious effort to let my little finger stay pretty loose, my scores improved.

I also experimented with letting the pinkie stick out between the fingers of my left, supporting, hand, and this too brought benefits.

I had been gripping my gun too tightly, in order to be sure not to limp wrist it.
However, when I tried holding it less firmly, I again noticed that a slightly more relaxed grip seemed to result in better accuracy.

What works for one may not work for another, but I wondered what sort of grip other members preferred.

 

[shockwave]

The theory is that you want to be squeezing from front and back, but not from side to side. When you draw the trigger back, it should be drawing straight back. Might be the pinkie was causing some issues there.

 

[The Bushmaster]

The pinkie is left out in the open to wave at the crowds when handling a tea cup...

 

[Rembrandt]

You could have it removed.....

 

[David E]

I suspect it's not the placement of your pinkie, but your added attention to the "new" grip, translating into better trigger control.

 

[mfcmb]

go to a sporting goods store and get one of those grip exercisers that give you an independent button for each finger. Practice pressing one finger at a time while keeping your index finger from moving. In this way you can train your muscles & nerves to let the fingers act independently of each other.

 

[RETG]

My metatarsal bone was shattered years ago due to a solid steel jaw. Due to the damage, and the number of small stainless steel pins, when I grip or make a fist, the little pinkie cannot fold all the way in due to the joint between the proximal phalanx to the metatarsa cannot bend. I had to adjust my shooting grip. It took time and a lot of practice, but I learned to shoot as well with my little pinkie not gripping the grip.

 

[David E]

The theory is that you want to be squeezing from front and back, but not from side to side.

Whose theory is that ?

The top action shooters squeeze side to side.

 

[fireside44]

You could have it removed.....

Is there anyone on the forum with a good reputation for that kind of gunsmithing work?

 

[David E]

Is there anyone on the forum with a good reputation for that kind of gunsmithing work?

Well, yeah, there's this 'smith named Lefty and...............

 

[Steve C]

I found that if I gripped the gun with my only my two middle fingers, and made a conscious effort to let my little finger stay pretty loose, my scores improved.

This is very common with Bullseye shooters and avoids pulling or pushing the pistol with the little finger that often throws shots off. You only need the thumb and two middle fingers to hold the pistol.

 

[easyg]

The pinky is not really a problem for me....I just tuck it under the grip.

 

[Hk Dan]

It's not really hard to understand. Make a fist with your trigger finger extended. Now clench down the 3 lower fingers, hard, and try to operate your trigger finger. It hitches and twitches. Relax the pinky, leaving the other two clenched hard. Working your trigger finger is easy. Sympathetic contraction.

Also, clenching the pinky tend to make us milk the grip--or squeeze the grip harder as we press the trigger. This drives your shots low/left.

You've stumbled upon a great secret my friend! LOL

Dan

Ps--I agree with the "front to back" grip post. I don't even touch the grips on the palm side and my finger tips just rest against it on the left side. No pressure except from the middle two pads and heel, and that's all front to back.

 

[grumpycoconut]

Whose theory is that ?

The top action shooters squeeze side to side.

I just looked at how my particular and personal hand works and I'm uncertain on the mechanics of how one might apply pressure through the port/starboard axis of the pistol grip. I can see pressure "around" the pistol grip and I practice applying the majority of my grip pressure through the fore/aft axis of the grip but side to side escapes me.

 

[The Bushmaster]

I've been playing with that too, Grumpy. I found that it was a bit difficult to apply side to side pressure. But it seemed to be a natural thing to apply fore and aft pressure. Bet I've been applying fore and aft pressure all my life. Have I been wrong? Noooo...And my "pinky" has little to do with it. If the grip is too short it rests under the grip [I think]. Because my hands are of normal size for my highth all my grips pose no problem for the pinky and those guns with short grips have a "pinky" hook on the bottom of the magazine

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Some pistols have such short grips, I end up curling my pinky under the grip.

Seriously, overly tight grip is as bad or worse than loose grip on accuracy. Also watch that as you squeeze the trigger, you are not squeezing all four fingers (and thumb): the only digit that should move is the trigger finger. Consistent pressure shot to shot.

Last match session, I loaded my revolver live round, fired case, 2 live rounds, 2 fired cases, looked away, spun the cylinder, stopped and closed it an fired, not knowing whether I would have a bang or a click. You can spot and cure a lot of bad habits that way.

 

[jhallrv4]

True, Bullseye shooters use the pinky only as a stabilizer, not to grip the pistol. When I find the groups dropping on the target, I'm reminded to ease up on the pinky. Problem goes away. No room for it on my 6 round mags on the PPS anyway.

10's and X's. (mostly X's, hopefully)

Jeff

 

[David E]

I found that it was a bit difficult to apply side to side pressure. But it seemed to be a natural thing to apply fore and aft pressure. Have I been wrong?

No, you haven't been "wrong," but it's not the best way to do it for rapid fire.

It's not at all difficult to apply side-to-side pressure, once you know how.

For slowfire or shooting .22's, nearly any technique will "work." Even the bad grips/techniques won't reveal their shortcomings in slowfire. It's when you start shooting the larger calibers (.38/9mm and larger) in rapid fire that techique matters.

 

[MCgunner]

A do it yourself tool.....

 

[dagger dog]

Let it do the Lee Marvin Dangle! ( Really! Watch him in some of his movies.)

By the description of your style of shooting you are shooting a semi pistol ?
You are using a two handed hold.Teach yourself to shoot one handed, then you can let that pinkie dangle below the magazine bottom like old Lee.

I have found that most stock grips on revolvers or pistols don't provide the space for the little finger unless your other fingers make room, this causes the loss of contact between the back strap and the web of the hand between the thumb and index finger. That pinkie on the grip, forces the whole hand up, and the contact on the back strap is lost. The index finger is positioned to high and the resulting trigger pull is not straight back inline with the bore.

My hand is not that large,and I have problems with some stock grips and frames, laid flat palm down on a peice of paper it measures 3 3/4" from the third knuckle on the index finger to the third knuckle on the pinkie. So a fellow with large meathooks really has a problem.

The only answer , change grips! Trade with some one and see how it feels, if it feels good it usually performs well!