hooked front of trigger guards use

J

Jhp147

New member
A lot of autos still come with the squared-off, textured for grip, and/or hooked area on the front of the trigger guard. Do any of you use these in gripping the pistol? I can't recall seeing anyone use one "in real life."

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Shamans emerge whenever certain needs remain unanswered...Mark Levy
 
When I first started IPSC shooting in '81, a lot of people used a grip whereby the "trigger" finger of the weakhand was placed on the front of the trigger guard. The hooked trigger guards became an item then, usually a custom modification. However, as time passed, people realized that this grip could cause you to pull shots to the weak-hand side, and its use grew out of favor. Why they still make guns with flat-front trigger guards is beyond me. I don't think they look that good, and they serve no useful purpose.
A trigger guard flattened at the rear, a la Super Blackhawk, is nifty looking-on the right gun. I once saw a Champlin Firearms bolt receiver with this done (factory from Champlin) and it looked good, too.

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Shoot straight & make big holes, regards, Richard at The Shottist's Center
 
My hands are large, and my fingers are long, so when I wrap my weak hand around my strong hand when gripping a compact sized handgun like a Glock 19 I've no place to put my weak hand index finger. I find the trigger guard is a good place to put it. I dont use it on full-sized handguns though, as I can wrap my weak hand around my strong hand under the trigger guard.
 
Yep, the recurved trigger guard sure comes in
handy when I'm shooting from the Weaver stance; also known as, "the push & pull
method". It helps to steady heavily recoiling
handguns. :)

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I use it all the time. The symmetry of having both hands at the same height on the frame always felt right to me. Having the week hand one finger lower on the frame as most people do just has never felt right.

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Bullwinkle

Sonny, anybody with his gears meshed wants to be free, doesnt matter what sex or age, and freedom always calls for a little hardware."
Lucy Kropotkin
 
Absolutely yes, I use them. Holding the pistol "in" with the weak-hand index finger over the "recurved" guard increases control/accuracy, and greatly reduces muzzle flip, thereby enhancing re-acquisition, without a doubt. Pulling the shot as a result is nonsense - meaning that, if this happens, it just takes a minor permanent technique adjustment to forever change the point of aim back to where it should be. I wouldn't use a primary self-defense pistol without a recurved trigger guard. Hence I prefer Glocks, or an HK P7, or a couple others.
 
i use a version of that all the time. i wrap my left hand around the base of the grip,with my left thumb on top of my right, and my middle,ring and little fingers around the right side, overlapping onto the back of my right hand. then putting my index finger on the trigger gaurd from the bottom, tip pointing up.
this works very well for me in weaver stance, and since thats about all i shoot in i am always using this grip.
 
Bullwinkle, that's exactly what I was going to say too. (I use a more-or-less Weaver stance. I don't really push/pull too much, though.)

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Tony S.

Why be normal?

[This message has been edited by tony.s (edited October 04, 2000).]
 
I never wrap my finger around the front of the trigger guard. That's because I can hardly reach the thing, much less wrap my stubby fingers around it. It sucks having small hands. Plus, I jamb my index finger under the trigger guard, using Ayoob's method for stabilizing the pistol.
 
Well - another use for the squared guards is when shooting from a barricaded position.
Especially weakhanded.
Turn the gun sideways and jam the guard up against the barricade and then pivot the gun up. You'll have about a 45* or 30* tilt... but you can still fire accurately, weak handed like this.
Some people dont like this method - some do.
Personally I was able to make consistant 10X ring hits at 25, weakhanded like this. With a snubby. No fish tale there either.
I'm not bragging here - I'm just pointing out how solid this position is.
 
They are just perfect for snagging on the holster mouth when attempting to re-holster.:0 Most noteably on concealment, and particularly, IWB rigs. Also, they help you maintain a looser grip with your support hand by freeing up the extra leverage and power provided by that pesky forefinger. :)
 
The reason for the question goes to what 45King said about them, they were all the rage in about 1981, and then the use seemed to disappear. I have seen LOADS of folks shooting, cops and some IDPA and IPSC gunners and literally not one using the hook. That being said, I was wondering why the gun companies still build put them on about every new gun. I'm surprised to hear from anyone using them. George, I'm going to try that bit with the barricade out. If you can't recall where you got it, you've got to name it "the George Hill Technique." Assure your place in history like some folks do. ;)

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Shamans emerge whenever certain needs remain unanswered...Mark Levy
 
I have little hands but I throw the old finger up there all the time. It helps me control the weapon. I design where the front of the guard is flat not curved though. A little checker up there helps.
 
I like the way the 225 SIG looks with the square guard. One of the best looking close battle weapons w/a square guard IMHO. Only problem is that they didn't checker it. My same gripe w/the other SIGs is the ones that are groved, should be grooved lower on the guards. Same with some other makes too. I'm really grasping for straws to point out this biggest of "faults" in SIGS. :rolleyes:

I've solved the problem, however. I simply added a special, durable, yet removeable and replaceable gripping surface! Presto! Problem solved.

EQ

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"But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one." -Jesus Christ (Luke 22:36, see John 3:15-18)
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"Reasonable gun law?............There's No such critter!" --EQ
 
Ed McGivern's book of Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting shows two-handed firing of both single and double action revolvers from various shooting positions using the index-finger-of-the-support-hand-on-the-trigger guard hold. This allows for good recoil control, weapon retention, and quick hammer cocking or smooth slip shooting with the gun returning "instantly to former pointing position, in which it was held before shot was fired".

I first learned the revolver and feel most comfortable with this hold when shooting such. Shooting my Browning High Power, even with its small rounded trigger guard, feels natural this way, too.

BTW, the index finger and/or thumb of the support hand may be relaxed if needed to reduce trigger finger interference or pulling shots to the weak-hand side. The strong grip of the support hand comes mainly from the palm and middle and ring fingers. The fingers of the support hand should at their first joint (behind the pads of the fingertips)fit between the knuckles of the firing hand (starting below the knuckle of the middle finger that would be used in a back fist) for the strongest possible hold.

I can't say with certainty, but a "combat triggerguard" may have been a requirement for the XM9 Service Pistol Trials in the early '80s.

[This message has been edited by JackNKoch (edited October 07, 2000).]
 
Futo Inu wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Pulling the shot as a result is nonsense - meaning that, if this happens, it just takes a minor permanent technique adjustment to forever change the point of aim back to where it should be.[/quote]

Well, I did make "a minor permanent technique adjustment": I stopped wraping my finger on the front of the trigger guard and instead, put it under the guard. Scores improved greatly. :) I still use that grip to this day, auto or revolver. It works for me.

If it's stupid but it works, it's not stupid.

A .45 doesn't kick that much. In my experience, the heaviest recoiling practical combat cartrdige is the .357, and that only gets really bad in a snubby. A .45 isn't a creampuff, but it's no magnum, either, and doesn't take all that much to control, IMHO.

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Shoot straight & make big holes, regards, Richard at The Shottist's Center

[This message has been edited by 45King (edited October 07, 2000).]
 
As a bit of history, the curved forefinger pocket was conceived by Paris Theodore with his ASP. The legal suits by the fellow who bought his patents seem to substantiate that pretty well.

I still use the old "finger forward hold" simply because I grooved it in so well in the sixties that it's hard to drop. Too much trouble to re-train long grooved in synapses. The concensus among most of the "experts", however, does appear to be that a solid two hand grip with the forefinger of the off hand wedged into the trigger guard and second finger of the shooting hand is more secure and recoil resistant.
 
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