Rough day at the range

[macski222]

Took the shield 9 out today with newly installed apex kit and XS big dots, and I had a heck of a time adjusting to the new sight picture. I seemed to be all over the place until I was about 80-100 rounds in, and I was only shooting from about 7 yards out.

Getting accustomed to the skinnier grip of the shield (compared to my 9c), added with the new sight system made for a pretty frustrating day. I found myself shooting left due to the skinnier frame and too much trigger finger.

Lets just say its a good thing I've got another 300 rounds ready to go for Monday's session, because the new gun combined with the new sights, and apex's aluminum trigger are really taking some getting used to.

Any words of wisdom regarding adjusting to a skinnier pistol and or XS big dots are welcome.

 

[hpfenning]

I also went from a 9c to a Shield 9. I put on a set of rubberized Talon grips and it feels a whole lot better!

 

[mustangman]

Getting accustomed to the skinnier grip of the shield (compared to my 9c), added with the new sight system made for a pretty frustrating day. I found myself shooting left due to the skinnier frame and too much trigger finger.


Reading the above made me smile for some reason. No experience with sights, but I changed the grip size using a Pachmayr Grip Glove, and added Pearce pinky extensions on my mags, to give me a better feel. Those adds and trigger time helped me

 

[macski222]

It's funny that a grip sleeve never even crossed my mind. I guess I was just so set on having the gun stay as small as possible for IWB carry, but that may be something that I look into.

I had Talon grips on my 9c and I wasn't too impressed with the rubberized version.

 

[Randyp1234]

Getting accustomed to the skinnier grip of the shield (compared to my 9c), added with the new sight system made for a pretty frustrating day. I found myself shooting left due to the skinnier frame and too much trigger finger.


Reading the above made me smile for some reason. No experience with sights, but I changed the grip size using a Pachmayr Grip Glove, and added Pearce pinky extensions on my mags, to give me a better feel. Those adds and trigger time helped me

Pretty much the same for me except I used the Hogue sleeve - installed upside down so the finger groves lined up better for me. I tried the Talon rubber grips first and that helped a lot but the extra thickness of the Hogue sleeve was a turning point for me.

Randy

 

[macski222]

The only thing keeping me from ordering either of those grips are the reviews that say the grip slips around and doesn't stay where its meant to.

I would opt for a bike tube around the grip, as it would stay put, but that wouldn't address the need for added palm swell

 

[forrestinmathews]

I liked the part where the OP didn't blame any of the equipment for his poor adaptation to the new platform. Kudos to you sir!

The thinner grip will be more difficult to shoot, but carry guns are full of trade offs. You must master them or find a platform that you perform well with.

 

[OKFC05]

The only thing keeping me from ordering either of those grips are the reviews that say the grip slips around and doesn't stay where its meant to.

I would opt for a bike tube around the grip, as it would stay put, but that wouldn't address the need for added palm swell

I can never get the rubber grips to stay put for long, but I have had better luck with the stick-on AGRIP.

 

[Doug M.]

The Big Dot system is a niche piece of equipment and you do have to get used to sighting with it. It's a great fighting sight, but I found it pretty hard to shoot well out past about 15 yards until I had a lot of time on it. Take a good look at the literature that comes with it and make an effort to internalize the different sight picture it brings, and do a bunch of dry fire practice starting from the presentation to the sight picture and trigger press.

 

[macski222]

I liked the part where the OP didn't blame any of the equipment for his poor adaptation to the new platform. Kudos to you sir!

The thinner grip will be more difficult to shoot, but carry guns are full of trade offs. You must master them or find a platform that you perform well with.

I take credit where credit is due, even if it's credit for shooting like garbage with a new gun haha. I'm hoping that tomorrow I can start off on the same page that I left off on yesterday. I need to focus on not manhandling the shield so much / trying to mitigate recoil, and getting used to dotting the I with these big dots. We'll see how it goes... I'd rather fix my problem with practice rather than compensating by adding things to the grip of the shield.

 

[27Veer]

I absolutely hate the XS Big Dot. It is ment to shoot close, forget anything beyond 10 meters, you will miss the A zone often. I changed all my guns for Dawson fiber optic and my troubles ended. (of course my CORE has RMR reflex)

 

[Randyp1234]

The only thing keeping me from ordering either of those grips are the reviews that say the grip slips around and doesn't stay where its meant to.

I would opt for a bike tube around the grip, as it would stay put, but that wouldn't address the need for added palm swell

Here's what's worked for me - I take no credit for thinking this up, someone else on another Shield board posted this. Like I said, I started with the Talon grips and it helped but not enough. So I put the Hogue *on top* of the Talons. Using the tip posted on the other board (he might have here too but I don't remember) I sprayed the Talon's with hairspray and the Hogue slipped right on. Once the hairspray dried I've not seen a hint of movement of the Hogue.

Randy

 

[macski222]

I absolutely hate the XS Big Dot. It is ment to shoot close, forget anything beyond 10 meters, you will miss the A zone often. I changed all my guns for Dawson fiber optic and my troubles ended. (of course my CORE has RMR reflex)

Well, for what the sights are made for, up close and personal self defense... if I have to shoot more than 11 yards, I'm going to be in some trouble with the law. As far as "being made to shoot close", I don't see that at all. What I see is a learning curve that many people are not willing to overcome in order to become proficient with the sights. I've seen many videos of some long distance shooting with the big dots... It's all about getting good with them.

 

[macski222]

Here's what's worked for me - I take no credit for thinking this up, someone else on another Shield board posted this. Like I said, I started with the Talon grips and it helped but not enough. So I put the Hogue *on top* of the Talons. Using the tip posted on the other board (he might have here too but I don't remember) I sprayed the Talon's with hairspray and the Hogue slipped right on. Once the hairspray dried I've not seen a hint of movement of the Hogue.

Randy

Good to know. I may give this a try depending on how the shooting goes tomorrow. Thanks for the input.

 

[Randyp1234]

I take credit where credit is due, even if it's credit for shooting like garbage with a new gun haha. I'm hoping that tomorrow I can start off on the same page that I left off on yesterday. I need to focus on not manhandling the shield so much / trying to mitigate recoil, and getting used to dotting the I with these big dots. We'll see how it goes... I'd rather fix my problem with practice rather than compensating by adding things to the grip of the shield.

A lot of people seem to get results from changing position of their trigger finger. Some need less and use the ends and others, like me, need more. With my Glock 19 I use the middle of the first pad, with my Shield I have to put the crease of the first knuckle right on the right edge of the trigger.

Randy

 

[Deadeye Dick]

Sometimes I read these threads and just have to scratch my head. You all go out and buy the tiniest, most compact pistol you can find in order to make it "easier to conceal" then you start adding bulk to it in the form of grip sleeves and finger extensions in order to make it shootable. Anyone ever think to buy the smallest gun that you are capable of shooting well first and then figuring out how to conceal it second? It is not as difficult as you might think to adequately conceal a medium sized pistol. I'm a little guy, only 5'7", 145lbs., yet with the proper holster and only an untucked golf shirt I was able to conceal a full sized M&P40 well enough that a LOE was shocked when I told him I was carrying.

 

[macski222]

Sometimes I read these threads and just have to scratch my head. You all go out and buy the tiniest, most compact pistol you can find in order to make it "easier to conceal" then you start adding bulk to it in the form of grip sleeves and finger extensions in order to make it shootable. Anyone ever think to buy the smallest gun that you are capable of shooting well first and then figuring out how to conceal it second? It is not as difficult as you might think to adequately conceal a medium sized pistol. I'm a little guy, only 5'7", 145lbs., yet with the proper holster and only an untucked golf shirt I was able to conceal a full sized M&P40 well enough that a LOE was shocked when I told him I was carrying.

If you mean to tell me that you think a full size mp40 is as easy to conceal as a shield with a grip sleeve, I don't even have a response to that. As far as the finger extension to the shield, it adds nothing to the gun that will print, as it only adds to the front of the grip and not the back.

I'm not afraid to learn to shoot a smaller gun than I'm used to... even if I see it fit to throw some add ons to the gun. Why in the world would I want to strap a full size m&p to my hip to CC when I can have a shield there instead? ( Especially since I'm in MA and limited to 10 rounds mags )

 

[mustangman]

Sometimes I read these threads and just have to scratch my head. You all go out and buy the tiniest, most compact pistol you can find in order to make it "easier to conceal" then you start adding bulk to it in the form of grip sleeves and finger extensions in order to make it shootable. Anyone ever think to buy the smallest gun that you are capable of shooting well first and then figuring out how to conceal it second? It is not as difficult as you might think to adequately conceal a medium sized pistol. I'm a little guy, only 5'7", 145lbs., yet with the proper holster and only an untucked golf shirt I was able to conceal a full sized M&P40 well enough that a LOE was shocked when I told him I was carrying.

I didn't buy the tiniest, most compact pistol I could find. What I did buy was an excellent concealed carry pistol that was ALMOST perfect for me. Why would I pass on a great gun, when a $10.00 - $20.00 add could give me exactly what I want. People make all kinds of changes to their guns, sights, any number of Apex mods, grips, whatever. Since everyone has different needs, there is almost always a compromise, especially where mass produced guns are concerned. Oh, I didn't like the 3 white dots either, and that was another 99 cent fix. BEWARE HUGE SHIELD PIC.

 

[Deadeye Dick]

Why not an M&P compact if you wanted a thicker grip? Or one of the many other compact pistols on the market? If you have to tinker with a sub-compact to make it the perfect gun for you then maybe it is not the perfect gun for you. All these grip gizmos make your sub-compacts essentially the same size as compact pistols is all I'm saying. I see no gain.

 

[mustangman]

Why not a compact? Because it is longer, a little heavier, and the WHOLE gun is wider. Putting a rubber grip on the RH gun in the pic below does not turn it into the gun on the left. Ironically the compact comes with 3 different size backstraps.