Trying to determine which backstrap to put on my 2.0 (45acp). They all feel great in my hand, which is better? The small which allows you to wrap your shooting hand almost all the way around the grip or one of the larger one, allowing for the support hand to aid in gripping the gun. Is there an accepted method or do I just experiment with each on the range?
-
Forum Update: We've upgraded the software to improve security, performance, and the overall experience.
👉 Read why we made the change | Support the Forum
Backstrap size determination
- Thread starter acarste
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Raisin
Member
Go try them all at the range. Which one do you shoot best with.
The backstraps are so easy to swap out on the M&Ps that you should be able to simply swap them out while at the range and find the set that feels the best in your hand. You probably won't see a huge difference in how well you shoot, however. For example I still shoot my Glock 19 better than my 2.0 Compact even though I absolutely hate the grip shape and feel of the former.
Raisin
Member
Make yourself a 14 round magazine and you will be impressed. Check the link below for what it takes.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...p-compact-magazine.html?510701=#post139477202
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...p-compact-magazine.html?510701=#post139477202
Ranger17
Member
Seems to me when I first got my 1.0 full size that the backstrap that seemed best at home was not what i ended up with after range time. Try them all while shooting to see what truly is best for grip, finger placement on trigger, accuracry, etc
Trailryder50
Member
Mine came with the Medium backstrap installed. Have shot with the small, medium and medium large straps. The pictures reflect a gap/air between my trigger finger and the grip with the small and slighlty less with the medium. With my normal grip, the medium large strap eliminates the gap between my finger and gun grip.
I feel I get a more consistent trigger finger placement and my target groupings seem to reflect that.
I feel I get a more consistent trigger finger placement and my target groupings seem to reflect that.
Attachments
You don’t need to be shooting to find the best backstrap and grip. Start at home with dry presentations and firing. If you can’t consistently get on target comfortably at home, you shouldn’t be able to do any better at the range. Your trial and error adjustment can be done at home basically for free rather than at the range for $.25 per mistake.
Unload and remove ammo from the room. Keep an empty mag in the gun. Put a small target on a wall ~20’ away. Do these presentations one handed. It is too easy to artificially force a gun into alignment using your second hand. This is not a competition to see how great you are at getting on target. It is an exercise to determine whether you need a different backstrap to point naturally.
Ideally, do these exercises drawing from a holster. If not, then from your waistband, or even a table or chair. Do not start with the gun in your hand. You need to establish your best grip on the gun that will be repeatable and controllable. Grip the gun as high as possible. Grip it tightly, but not so much as to cause the gun to shake. I like to put my trigger finger high above the trigger pointing straight toward the target until I actually do my dry firing.
Present the gun at least 10 times after each change you make. Note carefully where it is naturally pointing in reference to the target. Don’t force it onto the target.
If you are close to aligned on the target, especially if you are just a little left or right, adjust your grip on the gun. If you are way off, especially above or below the target, you probably would benefit from a different backstrap. The goal is to find the backstrap that will give you the consistently closest presentation to good sight alignment on the target with the least amount of grip adjustment necessary.
Still going one handed with your best backstrap and grip, start dry firing and see how little you make the gun jump when you press the trigger straight rearward without touching the frame. Adjust your finger on the trigger for the least movement of the sights. If you feel you are forcing the gun on target or cannot keep it held directly at the target, you need more dry fire practice before wasting rounds at the range.
When you feel pretty good with your presentations and pointing, add your second hand for stability, not for aiming. Your trigger hand needs to be the aiming one. If your second hand is pushing the gun to the aiming point, then it is fighting your trigger hand. This is not natural pointing, but muscling the gun. It is one of the leading causes of inconsistent accuracy.
While shooting at the range is gobs of fun even when you are not very accurate, it is much more rewarding when you can actually hit precisely where you are aiming. The fundamentals of grip, sight alignment and trigger pull cannot be ignored. They all can be practiced at home without $$ cost.
Unload and remove ammo from the room. Keep an empty mag in the gun. Put a small target on a wall ~20’ away. Do these presentations one handed. It is too easy to artificially force a gun into alignment using your second hand. This is not a competition to see how great you are at getting on target. It is an exercise to determine whether you need a different backstrap to point naturally.
Ideally, do these exercises drawing from a holster. If not, then from your waistband, or even a table or chair. Do not start with the gun in your hand. You need to establish your best grip on the gun that will be repeatable and controllable. Grip the gun as high as possible. Grip it tightly, but not so much as to cause the gun to shake. I like to put my trigger finger high above the trigger pointing straight toward the target until I actually do my dry firing.
Present the gun at least 10 times after each change you make. Note carefully where it is naturally pointing in reference to the target. Don’t force it onto the target.
If you are close to aligned on the target, especially if you are just a little left or right, adjust your grip on the gun. If you are way off, especially above or below the target, you probably would benefit from a different backstrap. The goal is to find the backstrap that will give you the consistently closest presentation to good sight alignment on the target with the least amount of grip adjustment necessary.
Still going one handed with your best backstrap and grip, start dry firing and see how little you make the gun jump when you press the trigger straight rearward without touching the frame. Adjust your finger on the trigger for the least movement of the sights. If you feel you are forcing the gun on target or cannot keep it held directly at the target, you need more dry fire practice before wasting rounds at the range.
When you feel pretty good with your presentations and pointing, add your second hand for stability, not for aiming. Your trigger hand needs to be the aiming one. If your second hand is pushing the gun to the aiming point, then it is fighting your trigger hand. This is not natural pointing, but muscling the gun. It is one of the leading causes of inconsistent accuracy.
While shooting at the range is gobs of fun even when you are not very accurate, it is much more rewarding when you can actually hit precisely where you are aiming. The fundamentals of grip, sight alignment and trigger pull cannot be ignored. They all can be practiced at home without $$ cost.
Last edited:
Just another 22 shooter
Member
He's shooting a full size 45, not a nine compact..
Last edited:
Trailryder50
Member
Philadelphia Patriot
Member
Medium large feel best in my hand, but I’m most accurate with large. Ironically, I shoot my Glock Gen 4 most accurately with no back straps on.
Rastoff
US Veteran
By all means, start at home. But, the only thing that matters is what you see at the target. Try it at home, but shoot at the range and see which gives you the best results.
The target doesn't lie. Nothing else matters. If you have gaps, or a little discomfort, but small and accurate groups, isn't that the goal?
The target doesn't lie. Nothing else matters. If you have gaps, or a little discomfort, but small and accurate groups, isn't that the goal?
I have never met anyone who shot accurately at the range who could not dry fire well also. It is possible to dry fire fine and shoot poorly because of the added elements of live fire, in particular, the shooter’s reactions to perceived recoil. So the target at the range is the ultimate test.
Unfortunately, I have seen many shooters putting inaccurate handgun shots down range and not learning or progressing because they don’t know the value of getting the basics sorted out at home for free.
Choosing the correct backstrap is important and can be done at home. If attempted at the range only without the basics most shooters will not find the correct backstrap because they shoot poorly with all of them. That’s frustrating and expensive. Often the gun gets blamed. It is almost never the gun.
Unfortunately, I have seen many shooters putting inaccurate handgun shots down range and not learning or progressing because they don’t know the value of getting the basics sorted out at home for free.
Choosing the correct backstrap is important and can be done at home. If attempted at the range only without the basics most shooters will not find the correct backstrap because they shoot poorly with all of them. That’s frustrating and expensive. Often the gun gets blamed. It is almost never the gun.
Rastoff
US Veteran
You're right CB3, dry practice is the key to quality shooting. However, you've opened up a larger can; training.
Without instruction, practice only re-enforces bad habits. Practice doesn't make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. How can perfect practice be done without first receiving quality training?
In the context of the OP though, let's crawl before we walk. We know nothing about the OP's ability. Maybe his fundamentals are excellent.
So, as I said before, by all means, start at home. Find that grip that fits, is comfortable, fills all the gaps, etc. That will help find the right starting place. Then shooting at the range will confirm it. That shooting doesn't need to be Olympic level, but it's very likely that one grip will help shoot better than the others.
Without instruction, practice only re-enforces bad habits. Practice doesn't make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. How can perfect practice be done without first receiving quality training?
In the context of the OP though, let's crawl before we walk. We know nothing about the OP's ability. Maybe his fundamentals are excellent.
So, as I said before, by all means, start at home. Find that grip that fits, is comfortable, fills all the gaps, etc. That will help find the right starting place. Then shooting at the range will confirm it. That shooting doesn't need to be Olympic level, but it's very likely that one grip will help shoot better than the others.
