Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbajoe45
+1 on sasu and WC145. For defensive shooting, the strongest possible grip makes sense to me - first and foremost, for retention purposes, and as WC145 says it aids accuracy, recoil control and follow up shots. Also a very valid point about consistency in your grip - one handed, off handed, 2 handed, revolver, autoloader - you shouldn't need a different grip for each (KISS).
It sounds like you started shooting this way and so it feels natural to you now. I started with thumbs curled in and have experimented with the newer 'thumbs-extended' technique, but don't use it anymore for my 1911s - it just doesn't feel natural to me. When I pickup/draw/handle a gun, it is ingrained in me to grip it the way I always have - just like not putting your finger in the trigger guard. We all tend to revert to our training when the chips are down.
Revolvers and autoloaders have very different frames. Thus having two grips is actually better, despite the "inconsistency" between the different platforms. Trying to force the exact same grip on both will lead to compromise on one platform or the other.
Now, I don't own an N-frame yet, so let's just try this - a 4" K- or L-frame is pretty comparable to a 1911 in terms of overall size. Lay or hold one over the other. See how the grip frames are entirely different profiles? Not even close.
For me, whenever I pick up an auto, I immediately go to a thumbs-forward grip. While for revolvers, I immediately go to a "thumb tucked" grip. Anything else on either platform feels completely unnatural for me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WC145
The grip in the first pic feels weak to me, I have to compromise my strong right hand grip to accomodate fitting my left hand/thumb as you are illustrating.
Then you're doing it wrong (for an autoloader, again). All good firing grips do start from the strong hand alone, about this you are correct. Then bring your weak hand to wrap around both the gun and your strong hand - filling in anywhere on the gun that your strong hand doesn't cover. Get a good strong-handed grasp, with your hand as high into the gun as possible (thus lowering the relative bore line) and your thumb pointed forward. If the gun has a frame-mounted safety, you can rest your strong thumb on top of it. Now take your weak hand and wrap it around. Your fingers should wrap around your strong hand, with the palm covering both your fingertips and the area of the gun not covered by your strong hand. The contour of your weak hand and thumb should be directly following the contour of your strong hand and thumb. The end result is your strong thumb resting in part on your weak hand, with both thumbs pointed forward close to the bore line. You end up pointing your thumbs to point your gun.
Revolvers lack a suitable place to put your strong thumb up high and forward - namely, the "correct" position for a forward-thumb on a revolver is right on the cylinder latch itself (if you are gripping the gun high... grip it low and you can put your thumb forward underneath the latch, but the low grip is going to really hurt recoil control).
Having the thumb high and forward on an auto does allow for a more solid one-handed grip, as it tends to increase the stability achieved between thumb and forefinger. Try this - put your thumb low, and wiggle the gun around (rotationally and side-to-side). Now try it again with your thumb high. I myself do notice more resistance with the thumb high - and more resistance to motion means more stability.
