Safe REVOLVER Hand Grasp

[DrDoctor]

I recently saw another site wherein a self-proclaimed “expert” recommended holding a revolver the same as one would a semi-auto (ie: “thumbs forward”), given the user’s primary weapon’s a semi-auto, so as not to become confused in an emergent situation. Three of the prime directives I received from a GMCM while in the Navy were – 1) never point any weapon at anything you wouldn’t destroy; 2) never put any of your personal anatomy in front of any weapon (see rule #1); and 3) never put any of your personal anatomy in front of the cylinder of any revolver (lest you not have that anatomical part after discharging said revolver). I guess this aforementioned self-proclaimed “expert” never heard of “traumatic amputations”, as he “only gets a sooty finger”. His opportunity awaits . . . Opinions/Comments???

 

[Bumpus13]

I recently saw another site wherein a self-proclaimed “expert” recommended holding a revolver the same as one would a semi-auto (ie: “thumbs forward”), given the user’s primary weapon’s a semi-auto, so as not to become confused in an emergent situation. Three of the prime directives I received from a GMCM while in the Navy were – 1) never point any weapon at anything you wouldn’t destroy; 2) never put any of your personal anatomy in front of any weapon (see rule #1); and 3) never put any of your personal anatomy in front of the cylinder of any revolver (lest you not have that anatomical part after discharging said revolver). I guess this aforementioned self-proclaimed “expert” never heard of “traumatic amputations”, as he “only gets a sooty finger”. His opportunity awaits . . . Opinions/Comments???

Let us know when he loses his thumb.

 

[murphydog]

If you have relatively small hands (short thumbs) and hold them straight forward against the lower cylinder frame window, this technique may not cause any problems. But with longer thumbs, or being forgetful angling them upward (or with a Chiappa Rhino) - that will leave a mark.

Never tried this method with a revolver and probably won't.

 

[Paul105]

Let's see if this works. I have arthritic thumbs and hold the gun similar to the thumbs forward technique -- I don't have small hands and my support thumb is no where near the bbl/cyl gap. The gun is a 2 3/4" M69 .44 mag.

https://photos.imageevent.com/paul105/miscpublic/IMG_0782.MOV

 

[Univibe]

I hold my revolver the same way I hold my semi.

Right hand thumb under safety (or where the safety would be) and left hand thumb over RH thumb, locking it down.

Definitely lacks the hi-speed, lo-drag special ops look of having your thumbs pointing towards the target, but it provides a firmer grip and no chance of the thumb hitting the slide release lever secondary to recoil.

 

[upcountry]

I hold my revolvers that way. I soon found out how far forward the thumb should go.

 

[Grayfox]

When teaching a new person about revolvers, I always take a heavy paper target, roll it up, place it beside the barrel/cylinder gap and pull the trigger. Their eyes get real big and the point gets made.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly with "THOSE" pictures that are floating around somewhere on the internet.

 

[muddocktor]

When teaching a new person about revolvers, I always take a heavy paper target, roll it up, place it beside the barrel/cylinder gap and pull the trigger. Their eyes get real big and the point gets made.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly with "THOSE" pictures that are floating around somewhere on the internet.

All they have to do is look at the episode of Mythbusters where they experimented on this with a S&W 500 Mag. It wasn't purty, what that 500 did to their hand stand in.

 

[Protocall_Design]

You can get away with that on light .38 special target loads, or similar other calibers. If you shoot anything medium to hot like that, you will know about it after the first shot. If all parts are behind the front of the cylinder, you will be OK.

 

[reddog81]

You’d have to get your thumb pretty high and pretty far forward for it to be a problem. I couldn’t find any natural or comfortable way to position my hand so that such an issue would ever be a problem on anything from a J frame to an X frame.

There’s a big difference between thumbs forward with your thumb ending at the middle of the cylinder and thumbs forwards and your thumb extends over the barrel cylinder gap.

 

[Paul105]

Don't know if you can see the video clip posted above, so I isolated this picture from the video -- if you look closely at the far left edge, you can see the muzzle flash.

This grip evolved over time as my thumbs became more arthritic. Not suggesting this grip is for everyone, but I've shot close to 100,000 rnds of .44 mag, .45 Colt Ruger only, .475 Linebaugh and several other big bore revolvers over the last 10 yrs or so and have never had a problem. \

Here's a picture of one of my friends shooting the same gun -- notice that his grip is totally different. He happens to be one of the best shots I have ever seen.

Use the grip that works best for you.

FWIW,

Paul

Paul

 

[JimCunn]

I notice in both of those photos, that the left index finger extends forward to the cylinder gap.
Is that a potential problem?

 

[delcrossv]

As a matter of policy, I don't have anything in line with the cylinder gap. (Among other things,I have a 460V and a 500).
I teach my kids the same. I could see how one could get away with a low placed finger in front of the trigger guard with a 38, but I'd never try it with an X frame. Best practice IMO, is just don't do it.
Even with everything behind, If I shoot enough rounds, I get "black finger" anyway.

 

[Nightowl]

I have seen Julie Golob demonstrate the thumbs forward grip on a small frame revolver. I tried it for awhile, on an N frame and I have smaller hands. It was hard to get used to after 50 years of a thumb over thumb grip. I began to shoot a lot of low right shots after awhile and never could figure out why, so went back to my standard grip. I have seen people with very small hands try to shoot thumb over, and I think thumbs forward might work better for them.
My left thumb never came near the the b/c gap.

 

[jcelect]

Thumbs?

Hey Nightowl, one explanation! With the thumbs crossed behind the revolver, you are actually holding the gun with the left hand(assuming a right handed shooter) and the right hand is some what relaxed. When you use the thumbs forward hold, usually the left hand looses contact with the gun under recoil(assuming large calibers). This lose of holding power causes you to grip the gun with the right hand harder pulling the muzzle downward. This can be seen in the above video at the very end! I also have experienced this when trying to use the "auto hold"! I solved the problem! Don't shoot those bottom feeding auto jammers!
jcelect

 

[Erich]

My 6'3" friend at the range yesterday, shooting my 640-1:

 

[DrDoctor]

This might get me in poor standing with some of you, but I tho’t I’d mention my own grasp – it’s called the “tea-cup grasp” by an ex-cop instructor. My hands are “sizable” (not gorilla-sized, but not dainty, either), and wrapping one hand around the other while holding a 460V (3¾ pounds) fitted with its black-walnut custom grip ( bigger than the original rubber grip, but not by much . . .), just wasn’t comfortable. So, the gun instructor showed it to me, and it works. I grip the gun with my right hand, put it into my left one, grab my right one with my left one, and I’ve got a good solid hold of the “cannon”. It’s probably abit unorthodox, but it does work. Regards to all . . .

 

[flagman1776]

Right hand thumb under safety (or where the safety would be) and left hand thumb over RH thumb, locking it down.

What he said!

 

[ABPOS]

Jerry Miculek uses thumbs forward on N frames. Honestly I don't see how he does it as it's been said he's got very big hands.

I can never get used to thumbs forward on any gun. Semi or auto. I find locking the left thumb on top of a lower right thumb the most intuitive for me. Semi or Revolver. Plus there's the added bonus of not having it be in the way of the hot gases.

I would think some peoples hands might slip to where the tip of the thumb could get too close. Like someone said, probably isn't a big issue with .38's but could be a problem for hot magnum loads?

I don't know. I don't want to find out. LOL.

eta: I can't find where he showed it. He's showing locking thumbs on this vid and explains the dangers. I could've swore I seen him do high thumbs specifically on an N frame with rubber grips that cover the backstrap. But maybe I'm wrong.....

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEHNZFTfSD8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEHNZFTfSD8[/ame]

 

[Old cop]

Having XLG hands w/long thin fingers/thumbs I learned to shoot revolvers w/my thumbs crossed behind the backstrap. It’s especially effective to control recoil w/a J frame.