Maybe I just need (prefer?) a "Bigger/Heavier" Gun?

[Chomps]

Enjoyed a group visit to the range with a few co workers last weekend. (10-12 guys from work all showing up with their bags full of guns.)

I had the opportunity to fire a friends Glock 23-.40. This was my single mag group @ 7yds, first time ever with that pistol or caliber.




I was very surprised to see that even tho I wasn't taking any real time between shots to focus critically on my shooting technique,.. (Not exactly a speed dump either. ) I was amazed that even with the much heavier weapon & recoil of the .40 160gr, fmj round I managed such a tight grouping. I can generally shoot my G19 like that if I'm careful, but the smaller 9mm variants I own or have tried, I tend to shoot for shite!!! i.e. My hellcat, the G48, G43X, Sig P365 or the G26 with grip extension I've rented prior,.... All of which I can hit the target, but I am generally all over the black even @ 5-7 yds.

My friend suggested that, for whatever reason, I probably just need a "bigger" weapon in order to shoot better. Which seems odd to me. The weapon itself doesn't appear to be any heavier than my 19, It does gain an ounce or more loaded with the bigger caliber rounds. The recoil definitely felt more pronounced. Of course, I'd need to shoot more than a single magazine of .40 to verify any of that, but it did seem strange to me that I shot that weapon so well from the Git! lol.



-edit-

Really Cant wait for my MDFI class in Aug to actually get some professional input, instruction & guidance on my pistol handling! Until then, I sorta feel like I'm just wasting ammo! :O

-2nd edit-
Upon posting, it occurs to me that maybe this belonged in the Marksmanship sub forum? Apologies if thats the case.

[RJ]

Cool. Shooting better is a good thing. What was different about the experience?

Were you gripping tighter due to more recoil of the .40?

Did the G23 have either the M (2mm) or L (4mm) backstrap on it?

Was there a different or aftermarket trigger?

Are you just getting better at shooting?

[Chomps]

Cool. Shooting better is a good thing. What was different about the experience?

Were you gripping tighter due to more recoil of the .40?

Possibly,.. can't say for sure. I really didn't think about anything too much. I just pucked it up, aimed, and started firing.

Did the G23 have either the M (2mm) or L (4mm) backstrap on it?

Was there a different or aftermarket trigger?

AFAIK, it was a totally stock Glock, trigger, sights, etc. 🤷*♂️ So no backstrap or customization that Im aware of. He told me he's had it for around 10 years so Im assuming it's a Gen3. But aside from that, I don't know anything else about the weapon. (As a side note, he really liked shooting my Hellcat. 🤷*♂️ 😂 )

...Are you just getting better at shooting?

Lol! That would be nice. Possible but unlikely. I hit the range the next day and shot as poorly and inconsistently as I normally do. Lol. (...this was the session I rented the G26). I shot the 26 with one of my 15 rnd mags & an X-Grip extention sleeve. I didn't shoot it any better than my Hellcat or any of the other sub compact Glock variants I've tried.

I was actually hoping the thicker, almost 19 wide double stack width grip on the 26 would make the smaller, more concealable weapon more shootable for me. Especially with the grip extended for my hand. Doesn't appear to be the case.

[757_Magnum]

Shootability and handling are real things. It's not just about how many rounds you can cram into as small of a package as possible. I think there's a point where you go too small and you lose some of that.

I took a concealed carry class a while back that was more of an intermediate to advanced level offering compared to the usual minimum requirement for a CCW. It focused on holster draws, clearing garments, and various scenario based drills like in a restaurant, in a car, and in a crowded mall. It was drizzling that day, so wet hands, jackets, and unsure footing enhanced the realism a bit. Everyone in the class brought LCPs and G43s except me with a G26 and G19, and another guy with a G21. All those who shot their micro compacts switched out to bigger guns at lunch
because draws were fumbled, targets were getting marginal hits or full misses, no shoots were getting hit, manipulations were taking a scary amount of time, and mags were getting dropped. I took the class again with a G42 I sometimes carry, and had no problems other than having to really roll my palm out during reloads. That's about as small as I am comfortable going, and that's knowing I have to work a bit harder with less margin for error with technique.

[RJ]

AFAIK, it was a totally stock Glock, trigger, sights, etc. 🤷*♂️ So no backstrap or customization that Im aware of. He told me he's had it for around 10 years so Im assuming it's a Gen3. But aside from that, I don't know anything else about the weapon.

Did it have finger grooves? Maybe that was helping your grip?

I was actually hoping the thicker, almost 19 wide double stack width grip on the 26 would make the smaller, more concealable weapon more shootable for me. Especially with the grip extended for my hand. Doesn't appear to be the case.

That was exactly my experience with my Gen 5 Glock 26. I sold it after 200 rounds. I just did not find a compelling reason to keep it.

[Jared]

You already said you can shoot a G19 like that if you try. So you know how to shoot like that. By simply picking up the G23, relaxing and “just shooting” you probably got out of your own head enough to just execute the things you already know how to do. I usually shoot my very best when I “just shoot” sort of like saying “do or do not, there is no try.”

As far as comparing it to a 365 or a Hellcat or other Micro 9, uh yeah... Those things are made to cram about 10 or more 9mm rounds into as small a package as possible. But small means less space for the support hand to support anything. Small means some pretty smart recoil (can’t beat physics). Small has never been as easy to shoot as well as medium.

I wouldn’t read too much into this small of a sample size as compared to your G19, but I’ll flat say that the various Micro 9s out there are not as shooter friendly as the mid to full sized 9s we are all so used to.

[Trooper224]

Thank you. The combination of the words "heavy" and "Glock" in one statement gave me a chuckle, since bigger and heavier's kinda ma thang.

It's quite possible you were concentrating on your fundamentals more with an unfamiliar weapon, whereas you've grown a bit lazy through familiarity. It happens to all of us.

[757_Magnum]

... I shot the 26 with one of my 15 rnd mags & an X-Grip extention sleeve. I didn't shoot it any better than my Hellcat or any of the other sub compact Glock variants I've tried.

I was actually hoping the thicker, almost 19 wide double stack width grip on the 26 would make the smaller, more concealable weapon more shootable for me. Especially with the grip extended for my hand. Doesn't appear to be the case.

Have you tried shooting the G26 with the standard 10 round mag with your pinky curled under? It probably feels weird at first, but that goes away quickly. My first time trying one was a friend's with various grip extenders. I couldn't shoot it worth a crap. Besides, I didn't see the point since it was the same size as a G19, and my pinky was getting pinched by the gap. I revisited the 26 again after reading that some people oddly find them more accurate than their 17s and 19s, and I found that to be the case for me.

[okie john]

I was very surprised to see that even tho I wasn't taking any real time between shots to focus critically on my shooting technique,.. (Not exactly a speed dump either.

This is probably the most important thing.



Okie John

[1slow]

Often with someone else's gun you will concentrate more.