Grip insert module

[dtw]

What process do you use in deciding which grip insert to use on a pistol?

After a lot of years with Glock 19 and 17, Recently got a Walther PDP, and have been experimenting with the three included inserts.

All feel good, no problem with trigger reach or mag release access.

I wear a small / medium size glove, but the smallest insert doesn't leave enough room for the support hand contact with grip.

I've shot couple of matches, one with medium grip and one with large, doesn't seem to be a huge difference in result yet.

Am I overthinking this , or are there steps that determine the best for use?

[Eyesquared]

On a totally new to me gun I would try out the trigger control at speed exercise in dry fire:

• set your timer to a random start and no par time
• start with grip established, finger lightly contacting trigger but no prepping/applying any pressure allowed
• on the beep, press the trigger as quickly as you can - shot should break around the time when the beep on your timer ends

On an ironsighted gun I am looking for basically 0 perceptible sight movement or no greater than my normal wobble zone. On a red dot gun similar concept applies, but since it's easier to see the movement with the dot I am looking for any dot wobble to basically stay within 1 dot diameter of the original aim point.

For me the considerations are that trigger reach needs to be workable and I need to be able to apply firm back to front pressure with my strong hand on the backstrap, without my support hand fighting it for room.

[revchuck38]

I wear L/XL gloves, so when I got my M&Ps I put the large backstrap on and thought I was good to go. Then I started using the Five Yard Roundup drill and found that I was pulling the one-handed strings to the side. I switched to the medium backstrap and that cured that problem...well, apart from the brain farts that caused my shots to go awry. Trying the backstraps/inserts shooting one-handed at some speed might help you figure this out.

[HCM]

What process do you use in deciding which grip insert to use on a pistol?

After a lot of years with Glock 19 and 17, Recently got a Walther PDP, and have been experimenting with the three included inserts.

All feel good, no problem with trigger reach or mag release access.

I wear a small / medium size glove, but the smallest insert doesn't leave enough room for the support hand contact with grip.

I've shot couple of matches, one with medium grip and one with large, doesn't seem to be a huge difference in result yet.

Am I overthinking this , or are there steps that determine the best for use?

Feelings lie, timers and targets don’t.

Pick a few of you favorite drills - a mix of accuracy and speed centric. Shoot the same set of drills with each insert. Compare the results.

[dtw]

Thanks guys.

After some experimentation looks like larger works slightly better, but not by a large difference.

Surprising, because with hand size I'd have thought medium would be better.

[JonInWA]

Great initial test from the boys at hkpro.com:

1. Look at the target object with the pistol close to your chest prior to press-out;
2. Close eyes and keep them closed;
3. Press out the pistol to your natural extended shooting position;
4. Open your eyes and see where the front sight is vertically; if front sight is too low in the rear sight notch, install a larger backstrap and then repeat the test; if front sight is too high in the rear sight's notch, install a smaller backstrap and repeat the test.
5. Ultimately you want the best backstrap that'll give you front and rear sights properly aligned on the target after the press-out.

Sometimes another factor can be one where control and recoil handling needs to be factored in as well; in my case, while I prefer a small backstrap with my .40 HKs, with my .40 and .357 SIG Glock I prefer the Glock Large beavertail backstrap on my Gen4 G22.

I've recently become a huge fan of the Hogue Handall beavertail grip sleeves with my Gen 3 G17, G19 and G21.

Best, Jon

[Edster]

Example of one:

I didn't have much difference in speed or accuracy with drawing from the holster using either a no-backstrap Glock or the small backstrap. I perceived the medium gave me slightly more natural sight elevation alignment but it wasn't enough to show consistently on a timer.

What got me was trying to figure out why I was more accurate at 25 yards with a Gen 4 17 than a Gen 5.

The only difference was I never bothered with a backstrap on the Gen 4. It was meant to be the handgun safe pistol my wife could use.

I pulled the backstrap off the Gen 5 and the 25 yard groups improved significantly. I suspect that little bit of extra "air" under my trigger finger helps me make a straighter trigger stroke and it shows at longer distances.