Would you buy a gun that didn't fit your hand well?

I've yet to find a currently in production, supported with parts readily available double stack that fits my hands well and want to carry a double stack. So I carry a gun that doesn't fit my hand ll that well. I still shoot it well enough for defense and probably casual competition. If I wanted to be competitive in competition I'd probably look seriously at other options.
 
I don't think you have to choose between a gun that fits you well and one that is reliable. I did buy a pistol within the last couple years that didn't fit my hand well. In my case it was an HK USP Expert model. I decided to give it a try anyway. Totally reliable and very accurate gun, just didn't fit me and I didn't keep it. I have other psitols as accurate and reliable that do fit me well. Those I keep.......ymmv

BTW, I had a Glock 34 too. Excellent pistol and my favorite of the Glocks. Glocks don't fit my hand as well as several other pistol types. Didn't keep the G34 either.
 
It has to fit.

When I pick up a new gun the Feel is everything.

If it's not comfortable in my hand off to another gun.

I don't go any further

AFS
 
To the OP I would say NO don't buy something you have to fit into, especially when there is most likely something that fits you very well. Echoing what others have said, TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! That's what I did when transitioning out of the 1911 world. For fit and feel reasons, I quickly had to reject the Glocks and wound up with an HK 45C and a Walther PPQ (M1). Are Glocks good guns? Absolutely (ugly, but reliable).

You may notice a discrepancy above where I said you should not have to fit into something and both the HK and PPQ have paddle magazine releases which are radically different from the button style on the 1911. In my case, I instantly fell in love with the paddle release and so had no fitting into to do.
 
I absolutely would. I've found that how a gun "feels" in your hand does not always translate to how well you shoot it. The only benifit I can see for seeking out a gun that "feels good" is if you require a good feeling to motivate you to shoot more. Just my observations of course based on my experiences.

What I look for is how well you shoot the gun as well as how well you are able to reach and manipulate controls.
 
I did buy one that I mistakenly fit my hand well. It didn't and was almost painful to shoot. It was a Glock I no longer own and the only one I'll ever own.
 
TBT: said:
I've found that how a gun "feels" in your hand does not always translate to how well you shoot it.
Click to expand...

Training & practice determine how well you can shoot on a consistent basis. Ideal hand fit "can" make a gun easier to shoot decently, but you have to work at it to be able to shoot well.
 
Ideal hand fit "can" make a gun easier to shoot decently, but you have to work at it to be able to shoot well.
Click to expand...
So I'm told. Often.

My experiences are different outside of "size of grip" I guess. The "feel" of the gun in my hand has had zero influence on how well I shoot the gun. I've gone through a lot of guns through the years (more than I'd like to admit) to come to this conclusion. Everyone is different though. Like I said, these are my experiences.

I always make sure I can manipulate the controls of the gun and I'm happy with those. I look at the reputation of the firearm and the maker, trigger, the caliber, the available accessories and parts, and then make my decision. How the gun feels never enters the equation for me. I put that right around "looks" as far as considerations. I make my decision and then I train with it. Only then will I know if it's a fit or not.

YMMV.
 
No......

And this idea that the glock is more reliable than many other guns is nonsense as well in my view.....so no reason to buy one based on reliability either....
Click to expand...

That was posted previously and I couldn't agree more. There are just SO MANY GOOD CHOICES out there, there's no reason to settle for a Glock just because you're told it's the only reliable gun.

Glock are great, if they fit you well, go for it. But they are BY NO MEANS the only reliable option on the market. If you prefer the fit and feel of another top-tier gun (CZ/Walther/Smith/Beretta/HK/Sig) you can feel 100% confident with it.

Truth is, no gun or gun company is perfect. Every single gun malfunctions eventually, even the mythological Glock. As long as we're talking about the "Top Tier" brands, they're all essentially equal with reliability. Pick based on your comfort with the weapon.
 
Nope, there are too many options to choose from today. The only possible exception would be of it had replaceable grips and I knew there was a good chance I could get it to fit with other grips.

Grip angle differences does not bother me as I often shoot guns back to back with various grip angles. I would prefer them all to have the same grip angle.
 
I owned a G20 back when the grips resembled a 2x4. Loved the idea but hated that gun. With a generation 4 I picked up a G29 and love it.

As a civilian there is simply no reason not to buy a gun that fits you well. If this was a "one or two sizes fits all" thing we would all follow the lead of the FBI and there would be two handguns available in the gun store rather than... well lots
 
I've owned my 1911 for over 40 years and put umpteen thousand rounds thru it. It feels more than comfortable, more like an extension of my arm\hand and now when I look for another purchase I look for that same feel.
I found that feeling with two more purchases, a Charter Arms Bulldog which isnt all that useful but I just love the way it feels in my hand and my Sig SP2022 which has the feel\fit and is a bit more useful in self defense situations.
In both these cases fit, feel and ergonomics were most important to me. They are both totally different but both fit the bill.
Then again I have enough plinking guns that I adjust to so i'm working on my wish list now.
 
I love the glock 34 but it doesn't seem to fit my hand very well like the 1911 or xdm does. Would you pick the glocks reliability over hand fit? Thanks guys.
Click to expand...
All handguns are a compromise.

We choose a handgun because a rifle or shotgun would be harder to carry/conceal/ have at hand, etc...

Sometimes a pistol with a smaller grip is more easy to carry/conceal/have at hand, etc....

It's a compromise.
 
Maybe if it was super cheap.

I dislike the 2x4 Glock grip. The real dealbreaker, though, is the backstrap hump. It makes it point super high for me.

If I had to fire one in a hurry, I'm concerned that muscle memory would take over and I would fire clear over the target.

It looks like a Gen4 with no backstraps might work. I'd have to handle and maybe rent one. But then it would still have a 2x4 grip.

The real problem is that the Evil Pawnshop made me a deal on a VP9, which has excellent ergonomics.
 
There are more really good service pistol options on the market today to compete to carve out Glock's market share. But when I work with my 17 and 21 to get a consistent grip, stance and trigger control, I can shoot both my Glocks and my other guns better.
 
My hand will conform to just about any shape I put in it. Worrying about how well a gun "fits" is highly over rated IMO. There are some people with hands too small to work with some of the larger guns. But other than that I believe this is a non-issue.
 
Maybe if it was super cheap.

I dislike the 2x4 Glock grip. The real dealbreaker, though, is the backstrap hump. It makes it point super high for me.

If I had to fire one in a hurry, I'm concerned that muscle memory would take over and I would fire clear over the target.

It looks like a Gen4 with no backstraps might work. I'd have to handle and maybe rent one. But then it would still have a 2x4 grip.

The real problem is that the Evil Pawnshop made me a deal on a VP9, which has excellent ergonomics.
Click to expand...

I had exactly the same concern and thought, and it was true. Gen 4 with no back strap worked great for me. A few thousand rounds in and I can pick up any gen Glock and it points perfect for me. Didn't affect my use of any other platforms either, muscle memory is a great thing.

That said, hard to pass up the VP9 if you like it (I didn't, sadly).
 
I buy guns for all kinds of different reasons, but if it was going to be my main carry gun I want the one that points naturally and feels good in the hand.
 
"If it doesn't fit, you must omit". (With due respect to Johnny Cochran :)

No, I buy guns for me. Why would I knowingly buy something that doesn't fit? Like undersized shoes, what's the value there?
 
My X5 doesn't fit my hand all that great compared to many others, it's still the most accurate pistol I've ever shot. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top