Support hand finger on trigger guard?

[IronArcher]

Newbie question here:

Are there any significant advantages or disadvantages to putting the support (weak) side index finger on the front of the trigger guard?

I have rather large (XXL) hands, and I'm trying to find what is most comfortable.
My fear is that comfortable doesn't always mean better.

My gun is a Tanfoglio Witness Elite Limited Pro, and it has a nice large, flat front on the trigger guard.

The only things I can see that might be issues are getting the grip back after a fast reload and a slight change in wrist angle.

Assumed benefits are a slight mechanical advantage dealing with recoil, and while it might be slower/harder to get the exact same grip on the gun after that fast reload, that grip will give more feedback as to whether or not you are gripping it exactly the same way.

More pluses than minuses? Vice versa? Or am I over thinking all this?

Thanx!

[YVK]

A commonly accepted advantage is a very high position of your support hand. Two commonly accepted disadvantages are loss of support index finger contribution to gripping and potential sight alignment problems if that weak hand index exerts unopposed pressure on trigger guard.
Not a mainstream anymore but some stupendous shooters do it that way.
There's an intermediate position where the support index finger is still on the bottom of the guard but towards forward edge of it.
Whatever works for you.

[P.E. Kelley]

A commonly accepted advantage is a very high position of your support hand. Two commonly accepted disadvantages are loss of support index finger contribution to gripping and potential sight alignment problems if that weak hand index exerts unopposed pressure on trigger guard.
Not a mainstream anymore but some stupendous shooters do it that way.
There's an intermediate position where the support index finger is still on the bottom of the guard but towards forward edge of it.
Whatever works for you.

Excellent reply! The only thing I could as someone who used to shoot that way "finger forward" is if you are going too...USE THAT FINGER!

I often see the half-hearted, lazy index finger "resting" out near the end of the triggerguard. That is a big waste of grip resources.

So if'in ya gonna shoot "finger forward" DO IT RIGHT...or..again as someone who made it to GM shooting that way and stopped. Don't start.

[mmc45414]

Yup, it is no longer what the cool kids do, but some of us who are not kids anymore got used to doing it that way and persist in doing so. I quit worrying if it is better or worse and decided the gain would not be worth the pain of changing something I started doing in about 1979.

Though one thing I do consider to be a disadvantage is that I am so accustomed to doing it that shooting with a weapon mounted light fells really weird. I probably lose some recoil resistance in my grip, but that is probably offset by the fact that there is a big light hanging on the front of the gun.

If I were a self-proclaimed Newbie, I would probably gravitate to not doing it, but I got little hands. If you have thick fingers and it brings your pinky up onto the grip it would probably be best. Probably the only "right" way is to do it one way and keep doing it that way.

[Luke]

On glocks I kept my finger off the front of the trigger guard, on M&P's I ALWAYS had my finger wrapped around the trigger guard and even had it stippled right there for extra grip. I had ZERO issues with that but I was only doing it because I couldn't make a grip on the M&P without doing it, on my P30 my finger stays off the trigger guard. I think everybody is different and there is no right or wrong answer to this. If it works it works.

And I agree with mr. Kelley, if your gonna have that finger up there USE IT! That's why I stippled mine. You also should be Leary of taking advise from me, I suck lol but some of these other guys on here are amazing and or professional shooters.

[HopetonBrown]

I really like it when dudes that have been around awhile can dump old techniques/ideas/gear with aplomb for new ones that work better, without talk of what "cool kids do". Whether it be Jerry Miculek losing Weaver, Hackathorn rockin' a Glock, or PE Kelley with finger on trigger guard.

I often see the half-hearted, lazy index finger "resting" out near the end of the triggerguard. That is a big waste of grip resources.

So if'in ya gonna shoot "finger forward" DO IT RIGHT...or..again as someone who made it to GM shooting that way and stopped. Don't start.

[GJM]

Patrick, or anyone else, what year did GM become a class separate from M. I looked and just couldn't find the answer.

[Peally]

I'm curious as well. Master was created to separate the real pros, then they had to create GM to do the same thing.

You'd think it'd be super obvious and available information on USPSA's website but HQ has a little too much derp going on.

[Malamute]

I really like it when dudes that have been around awhile can dump old techniques/ideas/gear with aplomb for new ones that work better, without talk of what "cool kids do". Whether it be Jerry Miculek losing Weaver, Hackathorn rockin' a Glock, or PE Kelley with finger on trigger guard.

I was mildly amused reading this. Miculek dumped Weaver,...but uses the left finger on the guard on some guns. And does thumbs down on some that others do up.

[HopetonBrown]

I really like it when dudes that have been around awhile can dump old techniques/ideas/gear with aplomb for new ones that work better, without talk of what "cool kids do". Whether it be Jerry Miculek losing Weaver, Hackathorn rockin' a Glock, or PE Kelley with finger on trigger guard.

I was mildly amused reading this. Miculek dumped Weaver,...but uses the left finger on the guard on some guns. And does thumbs down on some that others do up.

Guess that works better for him.