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"feels good in the hand"
- Thread starter dahermit
- Start date
I'm going slightly off-topic here, but I am absolutely amazed at the number of people who buy shotguns that do NOT fit them. I had one guy who was an excellent shotgunner admit to me that his shotgun did not fit him properly but that he learned to compensate for it. Wow.Shotgunners pay a lot of attention to fit, and comfortable grips are important to revolver shooters.
But I find when a pistol fits me well, the hole goes where where I "thought" it would go without any compensation going on. I cannot shoot Glocks well at all unless I slow down and concentrate on sight alignment; contrast that to my Walther PPQ and HK 45C which pokes the hole right where I thought it would go (most of the time).
Revolver expert Bill Jordan in his book No Second Place Winner
points to the answer or at least one of the answers and a number
of posters have mentioned it though not necessarily in Jordan's
own specifics.
His stocks were enormous for most of us but that's what
Jordan the giant-handed man needed to achieve pointability
and comfort with a Smith Model 19.
And gun writer Mas Ayoob IIRC has mentioned that when it comes
to the 1911, the Commander handles better than the Government,
not that he's a slouch with either.
points to the answer or at least one of the answers and a number
of posters have mentioned it though not necessarily in Jordan's
own specifics.
His stocks were enormous for most of us but that's what
Jordan the giant-handed man needed to achieve pointability
and comfort with a Smith Model 19.
And gun writer Mas Ayoob IIRC has mentioned that when it comes
to the 1911, the Commander handles better than the Government,
not that he's a slouch with either.
KMW1954...
I sometimes see people at the range regrip their revolvers after every shot too --- but to me, it just tells me the grips don't fit the shooter very well ( or I suppose they might just be relaxing their hand and doing some "Bulls Eye Shooting").
But since I focus on shooting "Tactically" as in "for concealed carry" practic ( mostly with my 1911's / but with some of my K, L or N frame revolvers as well )...in a drill requiring you to draw & rapidly fire the revolver in double action --- regripping the gun in the middle of a string of fire, means instant failure in terms of meeting a par time speed and probably accuracy in my opinion. If I want to practice with my K, L or N frames...I will always shoot them with 158gr full power loads in .357 Mag ...( my reload times really suck
- in terms of speed...) ...but I enjoy shooting them and I will occasionally carry a model 19 or 66 in a 2 1/2" or 4" or even a 627 ( 8 shot, in a 2 5/8" ).. I'm more comfortable with the N frame as a carry gun..because the N frames fit my hands better..( and I don't let go of the gun in between shots ).
I sometimes see people at the range regrip their revolvers after every shot too --- but to me, it just tells me the grips don't fit the shooter very well ( or I suppose they might just be relaxing their hand and doing some "Bulls Eye Shooting").
But since I focus on shooting "Tactically" as in "for concealed carry" practic ( mostly with my 1911's / but with some of my K, L or N frame revolvers as well )...in a drill requiring you to draw & rapidly fire the revolver in double action --- regripping the gun in the middle of a string of fire, means instant failure in terms of meeting a par time speed and probably accuracy in my opinion. If I want to practice with my K, L or N frames...I will always shoot them with 158gr full power loads in .357 Mag ...( my reload times really suck
- in terms of speed...) ...but I enjoy shooting them and I will occasionally carry a model 19 or 66 in a 2 1/2" or 4" or even a 627 ( 8 shot, in a 2 5/8" ).. I'm more comfortable with the N frame as a carry gun..because the N frames fit my hands better..( and I don't let go of the gun in between shots ).
jackstrawIII
New member
I think that “feeling good in the hand” is crucial to shooting well. A gun that points more naturally will shoot more consistently, especially when at an increased rate of fire... all other variables being equal, which they almost never are.
Hmmmm. I wonder then why Olympic Rapid-Fire free-style pistols have barrel weights that make them very muzzle heavy, and certainly do not "feel good in the hand".I think that “feeling good in the hand” is crucial to shooting well. A gun that points more naturally will shoot more consistently, especially when at an increased rate of fire...
I have enormous gorilla hands. Some handguns are very hard for me to grip well, and those are the ones I will definitely have trouble shooting well. If it at least fits my hand decently, then there is a chance that I will shoot it okay.
I wear XXL gloves and believe big hands make getting a grip challenging at times, on my LCP I can only get 1-1/2 finger grip without a mag base extension and then I still place the pinky underneath.
My G23 is the smallest “full-size” grip I like, it’s a gen2 so no grooves but It required mag base plate changeout to fill the cutout.
Yet on a gun with a full grip nothing will be “too” big and with more meat there’s more recoil damping.
current production guns will fit all the normal handed guys good enough and a lot of the grip whining is just a smokescreen for brand bias.
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buck460XVR
New member
Hmmmm. I wonder then why Olympic Rapid-Fire free-style pistols have barrel weights that make them very muzzle heavy, and certainly do not "feel good in the hand".
I will refer to the first line in my first post in this thread in an attempt to answer that "Hmmmmm".
I consider "feeling good in your hand" different than "feeling good with the gun held out at arms length". "Feeling good in your hand"to me means the grips fit your hands well and the frame size/ergonomics of the gun are conducive to proper shooting, i.e. trigger reach, easy access to safety/hammer.
For many folks that do not shoot freehand often, a full lug revolver or a target gun with barrel weights feels very "muzzle heavy", often because they have not developed proper wrist/arm strength. Even tho the gun may feel awkward at arms length, the gun can still fit their hands very well and be very easy for them to function the action. If you watch folks in a gun shop looking at handguns, they very seldom point the gun at arms length much, if at all, while fondling the gun with it gripped in their strong hand for most of the duration they inspect it. I'd bet for those folks that are actively involved with Olympic Rapid-Fire Free-Style pistol shooting, the guns do not feel "very muzzle heavy" but quite normal.
Green Lantern
New member
I think that if the gun doesn't fit your hand properly, then when fired it would move the shape of your hand when fired. Square peg, round hole thought.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Buck's got it figured out!
I consider "feeling good in your hand" different than "feeling good with the gun held out at arms length". "Feeling good in your hand"to me means the grips fit your hands well and the frame size/ergonomics of the gun are conducive to proper shooting, i.e. trigger reach, easy access to safety/hammer. IME, a firearm, regardless of platform that is more pleasant to shoot, is one that is going to get shot more. So while it may not be the most accurate gun you may have, it probably will be the one you are most proficient with overall. Anyone who does not believe how a gun "fits" you dose not equate to accuracy, hasn't shot much shotgun. While shooting slow, taking your time and concentrating, one can be accurate with most any firearm, shooting quickly by point, instinctively and with quick follow up shots, means a gun needs to point well for you....thus fitting you. While I know many folk change their grips because of aesthetics, many change them because of how they feel in their hand. It may be subjective, but being confident and comfortable with what you are shooting can and does contribute to accuracy.
+1 for the above.
Ergonomics count. The longer you shoot the more you get that it does make a difference in helping the shooter.
tipoc
If shooting only for accuracy, with time playing no part, then "feels good" doesn't contribute much; if the gun has good sights and a good trigger, the feel won't matter much.
If I'm trying to hit something quickly, repeatedly, then feel becomes more important.
When I was shooting every weekend, for fifteen years, I could do the "close your eyes, raise the gun to eye level, open your eyes, and sights are perfectly aligned" deal with my 1911s.
They were all set up the same way, with long trigger, arched mainspring housing, G.I. grips, and either because the gun was a perfect fit, or because I had become accustomed to it, the "feels good" couldn't get any better.
Two guns that are often described as "an extension of your hand", or "points naturally, like pointing a finger", are the Luger and the Colt Single Action, but neither of them feels remotely natural or "good", to me.
I have to really fight those guns onto the target, as the hand has to be contorted unnaturally to grip them.
That's obviously not a knock on the guns' potential accuracy, just my ability to shoot them accurately.
If I'm trying to hit something quickly, repeatedly, then feel becomes more important.
When I was shooting every weekend, for fifteen years, I could do the "close your eyes, raise the gun to eye level, open your eyes, and sights are perfectly aligned" deal with my 1911s.
They were all set up the same way, with long trigger, arched mainspring housing, G.I. grips, and either because the gun was a perfect fit, or because I had become accustomed to it, the "feels good" couldn't get any better.
Two guns that are often described as "an extension of your hand", or "points naturally, like pointing a finger", are the Luger and the Colt Single Action, but neither of them feels remotely natural or "good", to me.
I have to really fight those guns onto the target, as the hand has to be contorted unnaturally to grip them.
That's obviously not a knock on the guns' potential accuracy, just my ability to shoot them accurately.
Seems I've said this before but it all boils down to the individual. We all have an entirely different definition of the expression. Don't think there is a right of wrong, only different.
same kinda comes to mind when asked how I feel about the difference between hammer and striker or SA/DA. When I'm baring down on a target those 2 things are the last thing that is going through my mind.
same kinda comes to mind when asked how I feel about the difference between hammer and striker or SA/DA. When I'm baring down on a target those 2 things are the last thing that is going through my mind.
Interesting question. I've noted that I tend to shoot better with a gun that 'feels good in the hand' when not using any sort of a rest.
In my estimation, a good 'feeling' handgun is:,
one whose stocks allow the trigger finger good, unimpeded access and ability to pull without side motion,
is one that has enough barrel length for good sight alignment but not so much to impede concealment nor the draw movement from a good OWB holster,
is one that absorbs recoil so subsequent shots do not promote an unconscious flinch,
and finally, is one that offers just the right amount of muzzle weight to dampen the shooter's natural wobble area without inducing muzzle droop as the shot breaks.
All in all, I shoot better from any field position if the gun I'm handling exhibits the above characteristics.
Rod
In my estimation, a good 'feeling' handgun is:,
one whose stocks allow the trigger finger good, unimpeded access and ability to pull without side motion,
is one that has enough barrel length for good sight alignment but not so much to impede concealment nor the draw movement from a good OWB holster,
is one that absorbs recoil so subsequent shots do not promote an unconscious flinch,
and finally, is one that offers just the right amount of muzzle weight to dampen the shooter's natural wobble area without inducing muzzle droop as the shot breaks.
All in all, I shoot better from any field position if the gun I'm handling exhibits the above characteristics.
Rod
I'll play after reading all responses. "Feeling good in the hand" usually will not make the pistol more accurate if you aim, slow steady squeeze, fire for a 5 round group. I can shoot a Glock 19 almost as good at 25 yards as I can a CZ or 1911, despite the other two "feeling" much better. I do believe it matters a great deal more with combat shooting a!a, draw and fire 3 or 4 rounds as quick as safely possible. I cannot shoot that same Glock as quickly as a CZ. I'm even slightly faster with a 1911 in 45 than the Glock.
Feeling good in the hand is a great thing, but it's quite a bit more of a psychological benefit than a physical one. Most Sigs feel good in my hand because I have a lot of hand filling. The problem is, all that hand filling isn't that great when I have to contort my fingers and change my grip to reach decockers, mag releases and so on. Glock 19s fit my hand almost perfectly..but I can't shoot them well for crap. The most important fit is making sure your thumb knuckle isn't being abused every shot you take, and that you can reach all needed levers/buttons. After that, it's all up to training, fate and preference.