New to guns, quick question
- Thread starter nm555
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thefamcnaj
Inactive
When you pick up the gun, you want to make sure it doesn't feel to big and heavy. Put saftey checked gun in your shooting hand and hold the fire arm down by your side. You want to be able to put the pad of your trigger finger on the trigger comfortably. You don't want to have to cock the gun left or right in your hand to be able to reach the trigger.
The advice someone gave you might not apply to someone who hasn't had a chance to handle any gun before. How would you know what "feels" right. You need something to compare it with.
What they mean is how well it points, how easily you can reach the trigger---in other words how it fits ergonomically.
On the other hand, you are perfectly capable of learning how to use any gun on the market and shoot it well.
If you shoot a SIG and come to like it, and shoot well with it, then the Glock will not feel right for you, but you can still learn to shoot it.
It's possible to shoot a gun that doesn't seem to "feel" as right in your hands as another better than the one that feels good. Best bet, is to shoot a number of them and you'll see what feels best. Then buy it and learn to shoot.
What they mean is how well it points, how easily you can reach the trigger---in other words how it fits ergonomically.
On the other hand, you are perfectly capable of learning how to use any gun on the market and shoot it well.
If you shoot a SIG and come to like it, and shoot well with it, then the Glock will not feel right for you, but you can still learn to shoot it.
It's possible to shoot a gun that doesn't seem to "feel" as right in your hands as another better than the one that feels good. Best bet, is to shoot a number of them and you'll see what feels best. Then buy it and learn to shoot.
Basic gun handling...
The "feel" of the grip is important.
You should grip the semi auto pistol like you are shaking a person's hand. Your index or trigger finger(called the strong or firing hand) should fit directly over the trigger. Some instructors & gun owners use the thick pad of index finger, I prefer to use the first joint to control the rate of fire as needed in a critical incident.
When you fire the pistol, you need to apply a bit of force to hold the pistol & avoid what's called flip. If you do not correctly hold the firearm you may have what's called "limp-wristing".
Your support hand should wrap around your firing hand with a light amount of force to hold the pistol steady.
A solid firm grip can be had with most modern pistols.
I like the P series SIG Sauer models best for the natural grip design.
It fits properly in either right or left hand.
ClydeFrog
The "feel" of the grip is important.
You should grip the semi auto pistol like you are shaking a person's hand. Your index or trigger finger(called the strong or firing hand) should fit directly over the trigger. Some instructors & gun owners use the thick pad of index finger, I prefer to use the first joint to control the rate of fire as needed in a critical incident.
When you fire the pistol, you need to apply a bit of force to hold the pistol & avoid what's called flip. If you do not correctly hold the firearm you may have what's called "limp-wristing".
Your support hand should wrap around your firing hand with a light amount of force to hold the pistol steady.
A solid firm grip can be had with most modern pistols.
I like the P series SIG Sauer models best for the natural grip design.
It fits properly in either right or left hand.
ClydeFrog
If you get a chance go to a gunshow. You do not need to purchase anything but a venue like this will allow you to handle all variety of guns that most gunshops will not carry. Only this way can you make an informed decision. The gun should feel like an extension of your arm and hand. When I purchased my handguns I knew exactly what I was going to get just by the way I liked how it felt in my hand. When I decided on a manufacturer or model even though pistols were of equal caliber and quality it was what felt good in my hand that helped me sway over one handgun over the other. The same thing will happen with you. You will know it.
peacefulgary
New member
To be honest, most pistols today will feel good in most folks hands.
Don't focus so much on the feel of the pistol...instead go with the pistol that you are most accurate with regardless of "feel".
Don't focus so much on the feel of the pistol...instead go with the pistol that you are most accurate with regardless of "feel".
Edward429451
Moderator
You could try closing your eyes and pointing different guns at a target and then open your eyes and see which one pointed best towards the bullseye for you. The best pointing one for you will be the one that fits your hand best. Bet'cha 
Mike Irwin
Staff
You've asked a very subjective question that no one can really answer for you.
It's not unlike being confronted with a totally new food and asking someone "Will I like this?"
The only way for you to truly understand the concept is for you to get grip time with as many handguns as you can, just as you would have to taste a new food in order to determine if you like it or not.
It's not unlike being confronted with a totally new food and asking someone "Will I like this?"
The only way for you to truly understand the concept is for you to get grip time with as many handguns as you can, just as you would have to taste a new food in order to determine if you like it or not.
I think one of the first things people should figure out is what they want a gun to do. It's like buying a car - you need to figure out what you want it for because guns like cars come in different shapes, sizes and models suited for certain things and some of these purposes some times these purposes overlap well - like a range gun and a home defense gun, sometimes they are at cross-purposes, like a concealed carry gun and a target pistol.
So the first thing I would do is define as much as possible what you want it to do. Home defense / night stand pistol? A pistol to learn shooting on? A range gun / target shooting? Self defense - to carry on your person? A lot of times, people who are new to guns want a gun to do everything, but thats like trying to get a car that drives like a Porsch, gets gas mileage like a Honda Civic, and hauls people and groceries like a mini-van.
I think you'll find a lot of different opinions on this. Another aspect of this that I think people tend to under-estimate the importance of is working and evaluating the controls. Some people will tell you that no matter what kind of safety, slide stop (slide release), magazine release and or decocker controls there are - you'll learn to operate them efficiently with practice.
You'll also read where people will trade or sell a gun because they just never got used to this control or that.
The controls may be less important on a target pistol / range gun than on something you're going to get for self defense.
If you're primarily getting a gun for defense, you should evaluate the controls and work the controls on a pistol and ask yourself if you think you can learn to work those controls under stress.
To deploy some guns - like revolvers and a lot of striker-fired semi-autos, you simply pull the trigger. Other pistols have safeties on them. Some of these safeties are mounted in different places on the gun and you should work them and start thinking along the lines "Could I learn to flick this safety off quickly if I had to use this to stop an attack?"
That's my opinion...
So the first thing I would do is define as much as possible what you want it to do. Home defense / night stand pistol? A pistol to learn shooting on? A range gun / target shooting? Self defense - to carry on your person? A lot of times, people who are new to guns want a gun to do everything, but thats like trying to get a car that drives like a Porsch, gets gas mileage like a Honda Civic, and hauls people and groceries like a mini-van.
I think you'll find a lot of different opinions on this. Another aspect of this that I think people tend to under-estimate the importance of is working and evaluating the controls. Some people will tell you that no matter what kind of safety, slide stop (slide release), magazine release and or decocker controls there are - you'll learn to operate them efficiently with practice.
You'll also read where people will trade or sell a gun because they just never got used to this control or that.
The controls may be less important on a target pistol / range gun than on something you're going to get for self defense.
If you're primarily getting a gun for defense, you should evaluate the controls and work the controls on a pistol and ask yourself if you think you can learn to work those controls under stress.
To deploy some guns - like revolvers and a lot of striker-fired semi-autos, you simply pull the trigger. Other pistols have safeties on them. Some of these safeties are mounted in different places on the gun and you should work them and start thinking along the lines "Could I learn to flick this safety off quickly if I had to use this to stop an attack?"
That's my opinion...
jwrowland77
New member
I'd have to disagree. When I went bought my first handgun, I had no idea what I wanted or what I was looking for. I went to a nearby store and just started asking the clerk if I could hold certain ones. I held probably 15-20 different handguns and the one that seemed to fit in my palm and felt the most comfortable was the Walther.
I would have to disagree with his also. If a pistol does not feel comfortable, is it going to feel comfortable when you shoot it....probably not. If it doesn't feel comfortable when you shoot it, how willing are you going to be to practice...not very often.
You want something that you WANT to shoot...not something that is so uncomfortable that you don't want to shoot it. Me personally, I have small hands and the Walther PPS 9mm fit in my hands perfectly. Same thing with the Sig. The Glock, S&W, and Berettas were way to bulky in my hands and I did not feel comfortable in trying to fire them while under pressure (CC).
Just my .02.
jwrowland77
New member
Why buy a $300-$600 handgun though if it's doesn't feel comfortable in the store? Most places won't take back guns and if you sell them back you won't get full retail value for them.
Broad definition
There are finer points to the subjective "feels right" when it comes to particular points like distance to the trigger and controls, how it affects the pointing / grip angle of the gun but those are preferences that you'll discover (if you keep an eye out) as you start shooting more.
When I try on new grips or heft a new gun I take notice of grip size.
Specifically - how much finger strength does it take to simply hold the gun up to eye level and operate?
If the grips are too large for your hand size your fingers are more extended and beyond a certain point you'll have less control of the firearm during recoil, when shooting one-handed, or during a struggle.
For example, let's say someone can "palm" a basketball and hold it still with one hand. Fine. I might be able to do that but every finger is squeezing just to keep the ball from dropping. Now let's add some controls to that basketball- can I reach them while trying to hold it? No. A baseball sized object would do much better.
A grip too small for my hand isn't going to "feel good" either. If we continue our analogy - it would be difficult to hold a Ping Pong ball securely and manipulate controls on it. I would have "more finger" than I knew what to do with. Like using a remote control, cell phone, or iPod that's just way too small.
So with regards to size - if you relax your grip moderately, does the pistol feel like it will fall out of your hand? On the other side of the spectrum there are pistols that are very small like the Keltec P3AT, LCP, J-frame revolvers - and typically require an adjustment in technique or other grips to obtain optimal grip size for accurate shooting. Most who have these (I have a j-frame) however like how concealable they are and accept the trade-off.
Shape and Texture - is usually a factor when someone says "it feels good in the hand". Some like a hump in the backstrap (the rearward part of the grip that faces the shooter) to contact their palm. Some hate that and like a flat backstrap instead. Some guns have grips that are shaped more rectangularly or more like the cross section of an oval. A lot of those issues depend on your hand / finger / palm size. The grip shape can affect the grip angle which people may have developed a preference for. Ever see in the movies those old single shot black powder pistols that are so straight they look like a curved stick rather than anything with a "grip"? Like those, some handguns have a steeper grip angle than others. And some grips with those humps on the backstrap or palmswells on the sides can affect the distance your finger has to reach to the trigger.
Texture - this one's tricky because sometimes what is comfortable here may not be what helps us shoot best. Silk would be pleasing to feel but not really offer any grip. Some checkering / stippling / grooves in the grip can be too severe and discourage someone from practicing or irritate the hand. Older service revolvers came with these beautiful wooden grips that were aggressively textured - nicknamed "cheese graters" that many dumped immediately for rubber grips. But having some sort of texture does help - even if it's not a built in bump or groove but just the roughness of the finish (parkerizing) in the metal. Some people like finger grooves built into their gun - others find that the grooves don't match up with where they naturally place their fingers. Some people purchase grip tape and aftermarket grips later on as a little enhancement. To me, texturing is less important than grip size/shape because it can be easily modified without altering the handgun itself.
The newer a person is to shooting, the more open their options are as far as not being "used to" a certain grip angle or shape. And those issues that relate to hand size and finger length can be adapted to with changes in technique - up to a certain point and depending on what type of shooting you're doing. I like to ponder the biomechanics involved but the good news is that here is a test to see if all of the above work for you with a given gun WITHOUT having to understand them: Find a place with rentals and rent several different handguns of the same caliber (if semi-auto I recommend 9mm, if revolver try 38 special). See which you shoot best with and if "comfort" does in the case of that handgun help you shoot best. Note what you like about that handgun.
I once read some advice arguing for moderately priced handguns as a first gun rather than the most expensive ones. It's a relative scale yes, but here was the reasoning. At first you haven't had the chance to learn what works or doesn't work for you in a handgun. You've had your hand your whole life but haven't observed how it interacts best with a gun. So feel free to pick a "decent" gun and learn what you like and more importantly what you don't like about it and should you choose to spring for a fancier one you'll know exactly what you're looking for. This is preferable to buying the most expensive of a given type of handgun and then finding you don't like a lot of things about it. Basically, anyone's first gun won't be "perfect" for them (there is no perfect gun actually) so focus less on the pressure of choosing the perfect one. Plus, it likely won't be your last gun.
And while we're on the topic of having a less expensive gun handy - you're learning gun handling / maintenance / disassembly etc... you may scratch or break parts as you learn. And if you ever introduce someone new to shooting it may be better to let them use the "beater" rather than your gold-plated bundle of joy.
That's what I think "feels good in hand" means to some extent. Hope this helps and I think you'll have lots of fun with your new hobby.
There are finer points to the subjective "feels right" when it comes to particular points like distance to the trigger and controls, how it affects the pointing / grip angle of the gun but those are preferences that you'll discover (if you keep an eye out) as you start shooting more.
When I try on new grips or heft a new gun I take notice of grip size.
Specifically - how much finger strength does it take to simply hold the gun up to eye level and operate?
If the grips are too large for your hand size your fingers are more extended and beyond a certain point you'll have less control of the firearm during recoil, when shooting one-handed, or during a struggle.
For example, let's say someone can "palm" a basketball and hold it still with one hand. Fine. I might be able to do that but every finger is squeezing just to keep the ball from dropping. Now let's add some controls to that basketball- can I reach them while trying to hold it? No. A baseball sized object would do much better.
A grip too small for my hand isn't going to "feel good" either. If we continue our analogy - it would be difficult to hold a Ping Pong ball securely and manipulate controls on it. I would have "more finger" than I knew what to do with. Like using a remote control, cell phone, or iPod that's just way too small.
So with regards to size - if you relax your grip moderately, does the pistol feel like it will fall out of your hand? On the other side of the spectrum there are pistols that are very small like the Keltec P3AT, LCP, J-frame revolvers - and typically require an adjustment in technique or other grips to obtain optimal grip size for accurate shooting. Most who have these (I have a j-frame) however like how concealable they are and accept the trade-off.
Shape and Texture - is usually a factor when someone says "it feels good in the hand". Some like a hump in the backstrap (the rearward part of the grip that faces the shooter) to contact their palm. Some hate that and like a flat backstrap instead. Some guns have grips that are shaped more rectangularly or more like the cross section of an oval. A lot of those issues depend on your hand / finger / palm size. The grip shape can affect the grip angle which people may have developed a preference for. Ever see in the movies those old single shot black powder pistols that are so straight they look like a curved stick rather than anything with a "grip"? Like those, some handguns have a steeper grip angle than others. And some grips with those humps on the backstrap or palmswells on the sides can affect the distance your finger has to reach to the trigger.
Texture - this one's tricky because sometimes what is comfortable here may not be what helps us shoot best. Silk would be pleasing to feel but not really offer any grip. Some checkering / stippling / grooves in the grip can be too severe and discourage someone from practicing or irritate the hand. Older service revolvers came with these beautiful wooden grips that were aggressively textured - nicknamed "cheese graters" that many dumped immediately for rubber grips. But having some sort of texture does help - even if it's not a built in bump or groove but just the roughness of the finish (parkerizing) in the metal. Some people like finger grooves built into their gun - others find that the grooves don't match up with where they naturally place their fingers. Some people purchase grip tape and aftermarket grips later on as a little enhancement. To me, texturing is less important than grip size/shape because it can be easily modified without altering the handgun itself.
The newer a person is to shooting, the more open their options are as far as not being "used to" a certain grip angle or shape. And those issues that relate to hand size and finger length can be adapted to with changes in technique - up to a certain point and depending on what type of shooting you're doing. I like to ponder the biomechanics involved but the good news is that here is a test to see if all of the above work for you with a given gun WITHOUT having to understand them: Find a place with rentals and rent several different handguns of the same caliber (if semi-auto I recommend 9mm, if revolver try 38 special). See which you shoot best with and if "comfort" does in the case of that handgun help you shoot best. Note what you like about that handgun.
I once read some advice arguing for moderately priced handguns as a first gun rather than the most expensive ones. It's a relative scale yes, but here was the reasoning. At first you haven't had the chance to learn what works or doesn't work for you in a handgun. You've had your hand your whole life but haven't observed how it interacts best with a gun. So feel free to pick a "decent" gun and learn what you like and more importantly what you don't like about it and should you choose to spring for a fancier one you'll know exactly what you're looking for. This is preferable to buying the most expensive of a given type of handgun and then finding you don't like a lot of things about it. Basically, anyone's first gun won't be "perfect" for them (there is no perfect gun actually) so focus less on the pressure of choosing the perfect one. Plus, it likely won't be your last gun.
And while we're on the topic of having a less expensive gun handy - you're learning gun handling / maintenance / disassembly etc... you may scratch or break parts as you learn. And if you ever introduce someone new to shooting it may be better to let them use the "beater" rather than your gold-plated bundle of joy.
That's what I think "feels good in hand" means to some extent. Hope this helps and I think you'll have lots of fun with your new hobby.
So im looking for a 22 semi auto pistol just for target shooting just for fun. I dont plan on carrying it around ir relying on it for self defense. i figure i should really learn how to handle a gun before i worry about that. But i went to the store yesterday and i held a ruger sr22, beretta neos and a browning buckmark camper. The browning felt the best, but it was also the most expensive. The ruger wasn't what i really wanted. But when i first picked up the neos it rubbed on my thumb to hand joint kinda funny. I like the looks and price of the neos but is the rubbing something that would stop you from buying the gun or would you just adjust your grip?
Learned technique defines the boundaries
Some of the things people suggest as criteria to what "feels good" are actually shaped by what they've learned about shooting. But these are unspoken.
For example, I learned to drive car by manipulating the pedals using only my right foot. If for some reason my left foot was kept away from the pedals I wouldn't say driving that car is impossible.
I was taught to hold a pistol by first almost making a "V" with my hand. Not just by sticking my thumb out to the side like an "L" (left handed example) but by rotating my wrist slightly so that the line formed by the top of the gun is in line with the bones of my forearm. This was supposedly to help deal with recoil and I've stuck with the habit.
Some people were not taught this way and tend to come around the right side of the grip more (if right handed). Can you see how this would affect whether or not a gun "pointed" well? A lot depends on if that gun matches your previous habits but if you have none, it can be confusing to judge. On a side note - if you come around the right side of a gun too far you are forced to squeeze with your thumb muscles to hold the gun and deal with recoil. And when you're that far "around" the gun, you have difficulty reaching the controls with your thumb. That's another reason I have stayed closer to the "V"
So again broadly speaking - the more muscular strain it takes to merely hold the gun and reach the trigger - the less in my mind that gun will lend itself to accuracy. Muscles fatigue so your whole platform would shift as the range session continues.
Some of the things people suggest as criteria to what "feels good" are actually shaped by what they've learned about shooting. But these are unspoken.
For example, I learned to drive car by manipulating the pedals using only my right foot. If for some reason my left foot was kept away from the pedals I wouldn't say driving that car is impossible.
I was taught to hold a pistol by first almost making a "V" with my hand. Not just by sticking my thumb out to the side like an "L" (left handed example) but by rotating my wrist slightly so that the line formed by the top of the gun is in line with the bones of my forearm. This was supposedly to help deal with recoil and I've stuck with the habit.
Some people were not taught this way and tend to come around the right side of the grip more (if right handed). Can you see how this would affect whether or not a gun "pointed" well? A lot depends on if that gun matches your previous habits but if you have none, it can be confusing to judge. On a side note - if you come around the right side of a gun too far you are forced to squeeze with your thumb muscles to hold the gun and deal with recoil. And when you're that far "around" the gun, you have difficulty reaching the controls with your thumb. That's another reason I have stayed closer to the "V"
So again broadly speaking - the more muscular strain it takes to merely hold the gun and reach the trigger - the less in my mind that gun will lend itself to accuracy. Muscles fatigue so your whole platform would shift as the range session continues.
I have 3, 22lr handguns. 1 is a revolver with 6"bbl and 9 shots made by H&R. The other 2 are semi-autos, 1 made by Bersa and the other made by Sig Souer. For accuracy the H&R is probably the most accurate with the longer bbl. But I like the speed of the 2 semi's. The Bersa is the older Firestorm and the Sig is the Mosquito. Both are great guns, but each has their own quirkyness that makes them fun to shoot. So keep looking and I'm sure you'll find one that fits your hand like a glove.