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Thread: Strong Hand Grip Pressure?

  1. #1
    Member randyflycaster's Avatar
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    Strong Hand Grip Pressure?

    A week ago I heard on youtube a very accomplished shooter - I forget just who - say he applies equal grip pressure with both hands, not 40% with his strong hand and 60% with his support hand.

    Recently on this board I read Paul Sharp's post about applying support-hand grip pressure front to back (low on the front of the grip, high on the back) to help control muzzle flip.

    Yesterday I went to the range and increased the grip of my strong hand, and I found that it helped me control the muzzle flip. I was still shooting my Glock 19 to the right (I'm a lefty shooter) but not as far to the right as before.

    So I'm wondering: Why do most shooters advocate a 40/60 grip pressure ratio, and why do some, like Alfred League, argue that if too much strong hand grip pressure is used a shooter will pull his/her shots to the side?

    Randy

  2. #2
    banana republican blues's Avatar
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    I personally can't see this being a one size fits all scenario. I certainly like to learn from divergent points of view but ultimately will incorporate what my personal experience demonstrates works for me. To do otherwise seems counterproductive to my mind.
    There's nothing civil about this war.

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  3. #3
    Gripping hard is the job of the support hand, where the strong hand has to both grip and manipulate the trigger. To much gripping can compromise the ability to press the trigger.
    Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.

  4. #4
    Member BaiHu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blues View Post
    I personally can't see this being a one size fits all scenario. I certainly like to learn from divergent points of view but ultimately will incorporate what my personal experience demonstrates works for me. To do otherwise seems counterproductive to my mind.
    I'm an okay shooter, but I'd double down on what blues just said. You need to find the right combination of 'squeeze' that efficiently squeezes the juice you need for the shot you're taking.

    For example, if I'm doing more 'precision' (slow) shooting, like 25 yd bulls eye type work, I don't squeeze as hard as compared to firing controlled, rapid groups at closer distances.

    I'm pretty sure other people address this differently, which is why I think blues hit the nail on the head.
    Fairness leads to extinction much faster than harsh parameters.

  5. #5
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    Grip pressure came up once when I was at a Mike Pannone class and he actually went around and grabbed everyone's forearm with the level of pressure he applies with his strong hand. I was a bit surprised, as it was less than I expected (a little more than a firm solid handshake). He added that he grips as tightly as he can with his support hand without inducing shaking or disturbance to the pistol.

    I think the reason you see various instructors teach differing methods is that (as was stated above) this is not a one size fits all solution. Physical abilities or limitations will influence how one person grips a pistol compared to another, as will the type of shooting one is engaged in as well.
    Last edited by PD Sgt.; 01-11-2017 at 10:35 AM.
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  6. #6
    Member randyflycaster's Avatar
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    Thanks folks. Also, does anyone apply some pressure against the side of the gun with their support-hand thumb? I know many shooters don't apply any pressure with there thumbs, but since I'm my shots are still landing to the right of the bullseye - I'm left-handed - I'm wondering if thumb pressure could help stabalize the gun.
    Randy

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by randyflycaster View Post

    Yesterday I went to the range and increased the grip of my strong hand, and I found that it helped me control the muzzle flip. I was still shooting my Glock 19 to the right (I'm a lefty shooter) but not as far to the right as before.
    Shoot Bill Drills with relaxed and new firm strong hand grip and observe the difference.

    Quote Originally Posted by randyflycaster View Post
    Thanks folks. Also, does anyone apply some pressure against the side of the gun with their support-hand thumb? I know many shooters don't apply any pressure with there thumbs, but since I'm my shots are still landing to the right of the bullseye - I'm left-handed - I'm wondering if thumb pressure could help stabalize the gun.
    Randy
    Some very strong shooters do that but most don't.
    Doesn't read posts longer than two paragraphs.

  8. #8
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    I used to use relatively light pressure with my strong hand but then i suffered an injury to my support shoulder and bicep. When I was able to shoot with two hands again I had very little support hand strength so I had to decide between having no recoil management or applying more pressure with my strong hand. I found out that unless I'm absolutely crushing the grip with my strong hand I don't lose the ability to manipulate the trigger. Now that I've (mostly) recovered from my injury I'm still using more strong hand pressure than before. If it's not equal to my support hand it's damn close.

  9. #9
    Member Luke's Avatar
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    I hold the gun as tight as I can with both hands without disturbing the sights during the aiming process and the trigger press.


    If you have your hands calibrated enough to tell what 40% and 60% are, you are very special and deserve nice things.
    i used to wannabe

  10. #10
    Deadeye Dick Clusterfrack's Avatar
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    My support hand arm is the one with tendinitis right now. That's because it's become natural for me to grip the ever living fuck out of the gun with the support hand. I grip very high on the gun, with wrist tipped down as far as it will go. Thumb rides with moderate pressure on the p320 takedown lever. GJM is spot on about the trade off between strong hand grip pressure and trigger control. I will add that you can learn to press the trigger acceptably while gripping very hard with the strong hand. It takes a lot of practice, but can be done in dry fire.
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