I have frequently seen that statement in regard to the handling characteristics of a handgun. My questions are: If a gun "feels good" does that always result in a more accurate gun? Can a gun that "does not feel good in the hand", like being barrel heavy actually be more conducive to accuracy than a gun that "feels good."
"feels good in the hand"
- Thread starter dahermit
- Start date
SonOfScubaDiver
New member
I am far from an expert, but I have a gun that feels great in my hand that I shoot worse than all my guns. And the one gun that feels the worst in my hand is one that I shoot well. The former is a SW40VE, and the latter is a Glock 35. I've bought a spring kit and XS sights for the SW40VE, and still cannot shoot the thing very well. The G35 is bone stock, and I'm getting 3-4 inch groups at 25 yards. I also have a stock M&P 2.0 9mm that both fits in my hand well and that I shoot very well. So, "feeling good in the hand" doesn't necessarily mean shooting well, in my not so expert opinion.
OzeanJaeger
New member
I agree. You should choose the tool you're best with on an objective basis. Not on a subjective one like, "it feels good in my hand".
It's a gun. All guns feel good in my hands.
It's a gun. All guns feel good in my hands.
NoSecondBest
New member
I can pick up any quality handgun and shoot it well if it's an accurate handgun to begin with. Regardless of "how it feels", that characteristic has almost nothing to do with being able to shoot the gun well. There are accurate handguns and inaccurate handguns. Inaccurate handguns will never shoot well and accurate ones always will if you adhere to the proper principals on how to shoot a handgun. Repetitive shooting with good technique will make a good/accurate handgun shine. Forget the c**p about how it feels.
So everyone can just buy hi points and save a lot of money. They are reliable and accurate. Just really awkward.
Ergonomics matter no matter the endeavor, blacksmith, meat cutter, shooter or whatever, ergonomics can make a difference.
May not make a gun more accurate but it can give something a nudge in the right direction. Better fit to the user is always better.
Ergonomics matter no matter the endeavor, blacksmith, meat cutter, shooter or whatever, ergonomics can make a difference.
May not make a gun more accurate but it can give something a nudge in the right direction. Better fit to the user is always better.
I agree that I dont' shoot guns that "feel good in the hand" any better than any other gun. The gun itself is either accurate or it isn't.
Feeling good in the hand to me, means just that: it feels good in the hand. Like a Browning Hi-Power or a SAA.
We could just all buy Hi-Points and for 99% of us, they would do just fine. However, vanity wouldn't allow that.
Feeling good in the hand to me, means just that: it feels good in the hand. Like a Browning Hi-Power or a SAA.
We could just all buy Hi-Points and for 99% of us, they would do just fine. However, vanity wouldn't allow that.
I'm one of those "Feels good in the hand" people and I suppose it means different things to different people. What "feels good" in my hand may feel terrible in yours.
When I use that phrase I am referring to these things. How does it fit my hand? Big, small, just right. Are there sharp or harsh edges. How many fingers can I get on the grip comfortably. When I pick up the weapon and bring it on target does it point naturally or do I have to hunt for the sights and target? When I fire the weapon is it beating my hand to death? An I able to control the recoil and recover for a second shot?
I have smaller hands and have fired a few larger framed larger caliber guns that were very uncomfortable. A few that upon firing would peel the skin on the webbing between my thumb and finger. Not pleasant at all and didn't feel good in my hand. Certainly not something I would want to spend a day at the range with.
I can pretty much hit most targets with the 1st shot, it's the recovery and follow up shots that make a difference. Feel play a big part in that whether folks want to admit it or not.
When I use that phrase I am referring to these things. How does it fit my hand? Big, small, just right. Are there sharp or harsh edges. How many fingers can I get on the grip comfortably. When I pick up the weapon and bring it on target does it point naturally or do I have to hunt for the sights and target? When I fire the weapon is it beating my hand to death? An I able to control the recoil and recover for a second shot?
I have smaller hands and have fired a few larger framed larger caliber guns that were very uncomfortable. A few that upon firing would peel the skin on the webbing between my thumb and finger. Not pleasant at all and didn't feel good in my hand. Certainly not something I would want to spend a day at the range with.
I can pretty much hit most targets with the 1st shot, it's the recovery and follow up shots that make a difference. Feel play a big part in that whether folks want to admit it or not.
"...does that always..." Not if it has a crappy trigger, small sights and it's shot with lousy ammo. Ever pick up an absolutely GI 1911A1? Fits nice and feels good because of that, but the trigger is poor and the sights are friggin' tiny.
Front sight on my Inglis BHP is an inverted triangle. Factory trigger has that idiot mag safety too. Feels good in the hand though.
"...being barrel heavy..." Has a tendency to cause low shots.
Front sight on my Inglis BHP is an inverted triangle. Factory trigger has that idiot mag safety too. Feels good in the hand though.
"...being barrel heavy..." Has a tendency to cause low shots.
tony pasley
New member
How comfortable it fits the hand does make easier to shoot if all else is in order, mechanically and proper shooting habits
I can give examples where that seems not to be the case. I had a High Standard Model B whose grip frame was way too small to get a comfortable grip. It had fixed sights. It also had a long, thin six-inch barrel. Despite not feeling secure in my hand, it was the most accurate to shoot .22 handgun I have ever fired including my present Browning Buckmark and an early Blued Ruger Target model with target sights and a bull barrel. Both the Browning and the Ruger "felt good in my hand", whereas that High Standard did not.
In all but extreme cases that phrase is just a way of someone justifying their favorite gun, or the one they are accustomed to. The human hand will conform to whatever shape is put in it, within reason. There are obvious exceptions where some guns are too small or large for some people. But the phrase is an overused excuse in my opinion.
To me "feels good in the hand" means grip size, angle and distance to the trigger.
Being a 45 year 1911 guy I am extremely comfortable with the grip angle/size, muscle memory firmly entrenched and other angles/sizes feel awkward to me.
"Point and shoot" depends on muscle memory and I have no interest in building muscle memory for a different angle or handgun that doesn't feel right in my hand when I don't need to.
Being a 45 year 1911 guy I am extremely comfortable with the grip angle/size, muscle memory firmly entrenched and other angles/sizes feel awkward to me.
"Point and shoot" depends on muscle memory and I have no interest in building muscle memory for a different angle or handgun that doesn't feel right in my hand when I don't need to.
Rangerrich99
New member
A few years ago a friend of mine came into possession of an old .22 target pistol that had weights that could be attached to the gun's barrel (underneath). The gun itself was already fairly heavy, butt adding weights to it made it even more barrel-heavy. Neither of us had any idea why the gun was so designed, and for giggles we decided to add all the weights to the gun's barrel. Interestingly, the extra weight seemed to nullify almost all the tiny movement associated with breathing, heart-beat, etc. It was almost as steady as if it were on a rest. Moving on . . .
In general, I can shoot nearly any pistol with some degree of acceptable accuracy, and other than excessive trigger reach, I have never paid a lot of attention to grip shape, angle, etc. Though I admit that I like certain shapes and angles betteer than others.
Just recently I picked up a brand-new S&W M&P9 2.0 with the four extra backstraps, and discovered that grip shape and size can actually make a significant difference in my POA vs. POI. For me, I found that with the small size I tended to hit lower than my POA. With the XL size, I tended to hit a couple inches high. I found that the med-large consistently gave me hits right about the top of the front sight. I should note that my POI wasn't even on my mind when I was trying out the different grips; I was focused on how they felt in my hand. My buddy pointed it out, and after a couple trials back and forth, I realized he was right.
Later, I experimented with some of my other guns, and found that pretty consistently my subcompact guns tended to hit lower than most of my full-size guns. Of course, this was all off-hand and was in no way scientific, so take it for what it's worth. However, my amateur experimenting has given me some food for thought to the point that I'm planning on putting Hogue slip-on grips on all of my smaller guns. YMMV.
In general, I can shoot nearly any pistol with some degree of acceptable accuracy, and other than excessive trigger reach, I have never paid a lot of attention to grip shape, angle, etc. Though I admit that I like certain shapes and angles betteer than others.
Just recently I picked up a brand-new S&W M&P9 2.0 with the four extra backstraps, and discovered that grip shape and size can actually make a significant difference in my POA vs. POI. For me, I found that with the small size I tended to hit lower than my POA. With the XL size, I tended to hit a couple inches high. I found that the med-large consistently gave me hits right about the top of the front sight. I should note that my POI wasn't even on my mind when I was trying out the different grips; I was focused on how they felt in my hand. My buddy pointed it out, and after a couple trials back and forth, I realized he was right.
Later, I experimented with some of my other guns, and found that pretty consistently my subcompact guns tended to hit lower than most of my full-size guns. Of course, this was all off-hand and was in no way scientific, so take it for what it's worth. However, my amateur experimenting has given me some food for thought to the point that I'm planning on putting Hogue slip-on grips on all of my smaller guns. YMMV.
In my experience, there's handguns that feel like a "club" and there's handguns that feel like an extension of your hand. I'll pick on two of my own for example. My Ruger 22/45 MkII. It shoots just fine, very reliable. Can't complain. But it feels like grasping a ... well ... I'm not sure, but it doesn't feel right. Then there's my Benelli MP95 with Nill grips. It just feels right. Balances perfectly. Points perfectly. Grips feel like sliding on an expensive pair of driving gloves. Even with the ambidextrous factory Benelli grips it felt good, but much better with the Nill grips. There is a High Master Precision Pistol shooter I know that let me shoot his Hammerli 208 with Rink grips. When I raised the pistol up from the bench, it felt like I could reach out and touch the target, 50 yards away. It felt fantastic. Grips and balance make a great pistol.