Thumbs-forward grip

JR24 said:

Honestly, you probably wouldn't have a problem with a bigger bump, which are pretty much standard on most 1911 makers these days.

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You may be right. I do see the bump on a lot of guns anymore, but they are also usually on guns Im not inclined to buy, as I dont like all the "upgrades" on them, as the more basic guns seem to work better. At least mine have in the past. Other than sights, all but that one 1911 I had, are/were all basically box stock.

I just have to accept the fact that I have to shoot my 1911's like a 1911, and not like a Glock or the rest.

Vern Humphrey said:

And using mole foam to make a bump would detract nothing from the gun -- you can just peel it off any time you want.

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The peel off part is where I have an issue with things here. It would most likely be fine on a range gun, but stick on and peel of stuff never really worked out too well for me in the past for me, especially with hard use guns.

A big, added benefit with the Glocks for me has been "stippling". No more "skateboard tape".

Whatever this is. is mostly what I do.

Thats basically what I do, but my off hand is a little higher up on the grip, and my strong hand thumb sits on top of the base of my weak hand thumb, and not near the gun. That way its free and clear of all the controls that tend to get in the way.

The strong hand is grip is the same I use for shooting one handed (pistol or revolver only a variation of thumb placement to account for the cylinder release). I generally place my thumb where it does not interfere with the slide. I ride the safety where that is possible.



The weak hand then comes in to assist and generally takes a high hold.





These pics are about 13 years old.

One handed, my thumb is down, tight against the grip, just above the mag release.

More like this then...

That's about it.

I'd go a little higher with the support hand, while rotating it forward more to lock it in. Then rest the shooting thumb on the fleshy base of the support thumb. I might even use that thumb to squeeze the support thumb in.

Bringing my elbows up, pinches in my index and middle finger area, increasing grip and reducing recoil for action shots.

Relaxing my elbows, and push pulling, for slower longer range shots.

Yea, close. A little lower, like trying to make a fist.

Zerodefect said:

That's about it.

I'd go a little higher with the support hand, while rotating it forward more to lock it in. Then rest the shooting thumb on the fleshy base of the support thumb. I might even use that thumb to squeeze the support thumb in.

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Yup, thats exactly what I do.

tipoc said:

Whatever this is. is mostly what I do.

View attachment 933824

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I'm kinda close to that, but my off hand is higher, with my thumb usually right on/near the slide stop/take down. Hence the thumbnail chipping it constantly gives me.

As a side note, I just picked up a new (to me) Sig 228 and realized that shooting my EDC X9 almost exclusively this year has changed my grip just a bit from my prevoisly 1911/Glock only.

Some have noted the EDC X9 feels more like a Sig than a 1911 and I now fully agree since the previously uncomfortable Sig P series grip ( I always wanted to get higher) feels just great and natural now.

I'll verify this weekend when I shoot it but just looking at how I naturally come out of the holster with the 228 I might have even inadvertantly solved the riding the slide stop issue too.

JudgeHolden10 said:

I was kind of thinking the poll results would be closer to 70-30, but it looks like the vast majority of semiauto shooters prefer thumbs forward. Interesting.

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I would dare say that the poll respondents happened to consist of a large number of competitive shooters.

I would think that as the different techniques advanced, you would see similar results poll wise with each, when they were the latest and greatest. The competition shooters probably do lead the way, in both development and use, but the more serious among us are usually right on their heels too, and it all trickles down.

Of course, you will always have the hold outs. Although I would think its safe to say, the "cup and saucer" and "wrist wrap" grips have pretty much died off at this point.

JudgeHolden10 said:

I was kind of thinking the poll results would be closer to 70-30, but it looks like the vast majority of semiauto shooters prefer thumbs forward. Interesting.

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I would not draw that conclusion. I think y'd need a larger sample before honestly saying that. For one thing a person would have to know what "thumbs forward grip" means before having an opinion.

In most of the pics above my thumb is riding the safety as I also do with a 1911. This is how I was taught back in about 73 or 74. I don't think that is technically a thumbs forward grip. In guns with no safety, that I can ride, well I do otherwise and is closer to a "thumbs forward", as I understand it.

Also, hands differ.

I was taught to shoot thumbs forward on Glocks in the early 2000’s. It’s honestly never dawned on me to grip them any differently.

I use a thumbs backward grip when shooting an HK.

No teacup for me! I use the bowl a' soup! Sometimes the Taco Tuesday grip!

9mmepiphany said:

It isn't obsolete, it just isn't as efficient in managing recoil/muzzle flip.

If you primary focus isn't putting rounds quickly and accurately on target, you can use whichever grip you like

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^^^This.

I’ve tried several grips when trying to shoot fast. No other grip gets me faster we’ll aimed shots on target than thumbs forward.

Going for bullseye or plinking, then do what ever feels best.

Thumbs forward for speed though.

Because this is a discussion on grips... I hope the question fits here. Didn’t seem worthy of its own thread.

I recently completed 9 hours of tactical pistol training. My experience level is beginner or put another way - clueless. During one of the sessions we were discussing grips and the instructor stated that the support hand provides 70% of the total grip with the primary/strong hand accounting for only 30%. I was surprised by that information. What say the masses?

Thank you for the reply!

My normal grips depend on whether I’m shooting one-handed, or two.

One handed - 1911 is a high thumb with as much grip as possible while not compromising trigger management.

HK or SIG one handed- low thumb with as much pressure as possible while not compromising trigger management.

HK or SIG: Two hands, most of the pressure comes from the support hand, thumbs are NOT touching the slide at all. Support thumb along frame and dominant hand thumb on top of support thumb knuckle.

1911: Dominant hand thumb on the safety, support thumb along frame.

This avoids interference with the slide stop, on everything I run including SIGs where thumb forward always causes slide catch failure to lock on the last round.

My current instructor, who is extremely experienced, respected, and well known, but a bit old-school, is having me run low crossed-thumbs, which is demonstrably superior for recoil management with combat loads and full size pistols, but has required effort to implement at speed for me, simply because my hands are huge. The fact that this instructor has been in more successful actual gunfights than anyone I know, and is one of the most squared-away people I know, is more than enough reason to make the effort.

JudgeHolden10 said:

During a discussion with some other firearms enthusiasts ... was that the thumbs-forward grip is the established way to shoot a handgun and that other methods are obsolete.

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Yes, thumbs forward is the result of evolutionary progression of semi-auto pistol grip.

While shooting USPSA matches, I found the grip that better isolated the trigger finger and minimized/eliminated input on trigger push/pull and pistol grip to not move the front sight produced smaller groups on target. And thumbs forward grip allows "V" of shooting hand's palm with "hook" of support hand to form a neutral vise like grip that allows the trigger finger to relax so as to not cause the 3rd/4th/5th fingers of shooting hand to move sympathetic with the trigger finger.

Here's my grip explained in this thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/trigger-control.834737/page-2#post-11245649

And further detailed in this thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ith-this-glock-22.861829/page-2#post-11354420




And demonstrated by Rob Leatham at 1:55 minute of video

Howland937 said:

Guess I need to watch more videos since I'm not sure if what I do has a name.

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Same. Been shooting for decades and doing quite well when I first heard the term "thumbs forward grip" a few years ago. I had to pick up my carry gun and look at my grip to realize I'd been using "thumbs forward" for as long as I could remember.

LiveLife said:

Yes, thumbs forward is the result of evolutionary progression of semi-auto pistol grip.

While shooting USPSA matches, I found the grip that better isolated the trigger finger and minimized/eliminated input on trigger push/pull and pistol grip to not move the front sight produced smaller groups on target. And thumbs forward grip allows "V" of shooting hand's palm with "hook" of support hand to form a neutral vise like grip that allows the trigger finger to relax so as to not cause the 3rd/4th/5th fingers of shooting hand to move sympathetic with the trigger finger.

Here's my grip explained in this thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/trigger-control.834737/page-2#post-11245649

And further detailed in this thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ith-this-glock-22.861829/page-2#post-11354420

And demonstrated by Rob Leatham at 1:55 minute of video

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Good stuff.

I'm even higher on the grip than you, but still thumbs forward. I need the beavertail on Glocks or I get slide bite.