Support index finger on trigger guard

[awp_101]

I watched Lena Miculek's video, where she describes wrapping two fingers around the trigger guard. The benefit she describes is better recoil control. Here is her video:

As someone with compromised grip strength, that's an interesting video. I have a range trip planned for Sunday and I believe I'll have to experiment.

[DDTSGM]

I came away from a Vogel class with that grip. It worked better for me for me with G-17 size pistols, probably best with my M&P 2.0. Not as well with slimmer pistols. Wit5h the 'wide bodies' the grip quickly felt natural, with narrower frames it always felt like I was 'styling'. Problem was that from the LE standpoint that darned WML kinda through a kink in the technique.

I always kind of used a rifle analogy when I thought about it - spreading my grip on the pistol and adding stability in the process.

One thing I noticed was that using a standard grip my 'lazy' shots generally go a little high right (left hander) not nearly as much with the support hand forward grip.

I still sucked, just not as bad.

[GJM]

I came away from a Vogel class with that grip. It worked better for me for me with G-17 size pistols, probably best with my M&P 2.0. Not as well with slimmer pistols. Wit5h the 'wide bodies' the grip quickly felt natural, with narrower frames it always felt like I was 'styling'. Problem was that from the LE standpoint that darned WML kinda through a kink in the technique.

I always kind of used a rifle analogy when I thought about it - spreading my grip on the pistol and adding stability in the process.

One thing I noticed was that using a standard grip my 'lazy' shots generally go a little high right (left hander) not nearly as much with the support hand forward grip.

I still sucked, just not as bad.

Unless something changed, or I am remembering incorrect, Vogel doesn't hook the trigger guard?

[YVK]

I watched Lena Miculek's video, where she describes wrapping two fingers around the trigger guard. The benefit she describes is better recoil control.

We all know Grauffel's results but I was curious to learn how Lena did with her grip, at least on classifiers. I could not find anything.

[Bucky]

A lot of people shot that way in USPSA back when I started in 1992. It actually worked quite well for me, and my first real open gun even has a ledge to aid in this grip style.

Then there was a mass move away from this style.

IIRC, Jerry “the Burner” Barnhart used that grip back when he was whipping everybody’s ass at USPSA.

It should be noted that in Jerry’s instructional video series (which I still have on VHS, remember those?), he does recommend AGAINST using this style grip. He says he does it, because he’s just been doing that way for so long, etc.

Also, many people do this grip wrong. How many times have you seen someone shoot with the tip of their finger on the trigger guard, only to lift off under recoil. Jerry does show what he considers the “correct” way to do this grip, should you chose to do so.

Funny thing, the Grandmaster shooter that I took a class with, who insisted I move away from this technique, also told me to shoot with my head straight up, and not leaned in. While I adapted to the new grip,, the head position I had to keep. I would later realize I was left eye dominant, and that was why my head needed to be where it was.

Even though it’s been 25 years since I’ve used that grip, I just tried it, and it feels natural to me. I guess having shot that way the first 5 or so years still left a bit of muscle memory to it.

[UNM1136]

That grip was HUUUUGE in the 90s. Look at some of the trigger guards from custom houses, like Devel. The face of the trigger guard was insanely hooked. I think the texture on trigger guard on some guns is currently ornamental, but supported this concept.

I am a fan of the Ayoob Wedge Grip, myself, as I am a flincher and have always struggled with anticipation and low-left hits. @Mas...

pat

[UNM1136]

Oops, double tap.

pat

[JHC]

I watched Lena Miculek's video, where she describes wrapping two fingers around the trigger guard. The benefit she describes is better recoil control. Here is her video:



I tried to find something from Eric Grauffel describing his method, but haven't so far.

I hit the range today and was very curious what I would learn. Was it trick if the day or something else. What I saw was faster splitting but especially fast and precise transitions. It seems like the high finger position with my support hand index finger gives me more leverage and better transition control/speed with the pistol. I am going to keep messing with it for a while.

This is quite an exciting thread. I've never given this method any looks ever before but will fool around with it also. It makes perfect sense for the leverage.

[Bio]

I'm no great shooter, but they physics of putting pressure on the trigger guard make sense to me. Putting pressure further forward on the pistol is putting space between two points of control. The further apart two points of control are on an object are, the easier it is to move that object precisely. The obvious example I can think of is bunting with a baseball bat. The hands move apart on the bat because that allows a batter to move it quickly in a precise and controlled way (compared to hitting for power).

Looked at another way, if the hands are close together on a baseball bat, small changes in the orientation of the hands relative to each other have large changes on the bat angle. If the hands are far apart, you have more leverage and control.

[JCN]

@Bio
@JHC
@GJM

When I had experimented with it before it does improve leverage, but there is a little bit of asymmetry cost to it.

Think of it like partially along the way to the bladed stance of a long gun. There is a correction you need to mentally make when trying to transition to the left, you don’t have quite the symmetrical reach in the transition when it gets to the more extreme angles.

And also affects my shooting on the move mental map because of it.

It works well, but I like a mental map that is applicable to different guns and systems without adjustment. I would hate to be in a situation where I had a shooting mental map and then just by putting a weapon mounted light on the front, I could no longer use that map.

I also feel that having extra leverage from a thumb rest helps counteract some of the negatives of this technique (when used in conjunction, can pinch instead of push).

So for simplicity, I chose not to develop this further for my pistol shooting. It can be used to very good success, obviously.