Almost made a mistake and traded in my Glocks

[Pat Riot]

I have some issues with my right wrist. I not only have carpal tunnel syndrome but I have learned I have severe arthritis in the joint at the base of my thumb where it meets the wrist and the first knuckle of the thumb. Enough about my medical issue.

I shoot CAS in the Duelist category (one handed). I also shoot my Glocks and my S&W revolvers one handed. Thank cannot do that any longer.

I have noticed that my revolvers do not cause me as much aggravation as my autoloaders do in regards to wrist pain.
I have a Glock 19X, a Glock 45, a Remington R51 and a Remington RM380.
The recoil of a semiautomatic is different from a revolver, obviously.

I decided I needed to sell the Glocks and buy a steel framed 9mm. Preferably a CZ75. But I planned to try out some guns allowed in California that had metal frames.

I went to the range and rented a CZ75 and a Browning Hi-Power, both guns that I have always been told are “Must Haves” for any gun collection.

I did not like shooting either one. I shot them two handed along with my Glocks using the same ammo.

I did find that if I hooked my index finger of my left hand on the front of the Glock trigger guard that the recoil against my right wrist was minimal and completely tolerable, much like a .38 Special out of my S&W 19 or 327NG.

Yes, I know what gun trainers say about the finger on the trigger guard. I do not need a lecture in tactics or gun handling. When your wrist feels like my wrist you’ll know why I don’t care.

Bottom line is I nearly made a mistake and sold two of my favorite handguns to buy a handgun that I thought I needed. The difference in felt recoil really wasn’t much different between the Glocks and the CZ when I used the finger on the trigger guard method.

I have decided that I am going to buy another Glock 34. I owned one years ago and loved it (still kicking myself for selling that gun). I am also selling the two Remingtons.

Thank goodness for gun rentals at shooting ranges. That just saved me some serious disappointment.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Glad you made your serendipitous discovery. Technique can go a long way towards mitigating issues, and now you get to keep your Glocks.

Good luck with the pain. I'm dreading the day. Just curious, do you find heavier guns less comfortable to hold, or is it just the recoil impulse causing pain.

Arthritis doesn't really run in my family, but that doesn't mean I won't end up with it. I also got out of the job I used to do years ago that would likely lead to carpal tunnel, so I'm not anticipating any major issues. But you never know. I find myself gravitating away from polymer because I find metal guns more fun to shoot. Seems the weight helps mitigate recoil and I'm hoping to ride that strategy into my twilight years.

 

[badkarmamib]

If you are safe, comfortable, and accurate, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of your shooting stance and grip.

 

[Pat Riot]

Good luck with the pain. I'm dreading the day. Just curious, do you find heavier guns less comfortable to hold, or is it just the recoil impulse causing pain.

Thank you.
It’s not the weight but the recoil. My days of stout loads in handguns are over. Even stout rifle loads cause me issues. I will just have to work around my wrist issues.

There is a surgical technique to fix it that involves a metal plate and will reduce my flexibility by over 40% but my surgeon, who shoots pistol Competitions, says that this surgery would end handgun shooting for me.

I’ll shoot heavier guns and lighter recoiling rounds like .38 Special and 9mm and leave the heavier loads alone.

 

[cw308]

I made myself a pistol rest , I have blown out my rotator cuffs in both shoulders , just holding my arms out straight is a problem . The rest enables me to shoot my 1911 3 & 5" 45's without pain . Just through out my lower back today . Would love to know what pain free is .

 

[Pat Riot]

I made myself a pistol rest , I have blown out my rotator cuffs in both shoulders , just holding my arms out straight is a problem . The rest enables me to shoot my 1911 3 & 5" 45's without pain . Just through out my lower back today . Would love to know what pain free is .

I know that feeling as well. I have no cartilage in my left shoulder. Holding up a heavy long gun is difficult at times.

 

[Reinz]

Glad you got things figured out the easy way Pat.

I hook my finger on the trigger guard as well. It works for me in spite of current tactical ideology. Of course I’ve been shooting that way for almost 40 years and not willing to change because of so called negative issues that don’t affect me.

 

[danez71]

There is a surgical technique to fix it that involves a metal plate and will reduce my flexibility by over 40%......

Because of arthritis in my foot... I had the main big toe knuckle removed, fused together with a titanium plate and 5 or 6 screws put in - see avatar.

I have no movement there.

Still have arthritis in the rest of the foot and the other too.

I can relate to the pain and trying various things to be able to do most... some... of the things used to do and never gave a 2nd thought about.

 

[Jasper9117]

Glad you have found what works for you to be able to keep your glocks . I too have arthritis in my right hand due to a tramatic injury while I was in service and have had some issues with how i have to grip my weapons as long as your grip is safe and you can put rounds on target it doesnt matter how you shoot. . I would suggest moving too a gen 4 or gen5 I have gen 4 and 5 glocks and it might be all in my mind but I find felt recoil is less in them then gen 3 or gen 2 pistols I have . Good luck and many more years of shooting .

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Glad it worked out for you before you got the wrong kit for you.

This is interesting to me though. Guess heavier wasn't as helpful as I would have guessed in this instance. Maybe due to the Glock frame flexing a little under recoil and so making it feel softer to shoot? Or that the grip angle of the Glock works for you better. Things to ponder.........

 

[murf]

can you start shooting left-handed?

murf

 

[Pat Riot]

Glad it worked out for you before you got the wrong kit for you.

This is interesting to me though. Guess heavier wasn't as helpful as I would have guessed in this instance. Maybe due to the Glock frame flexing a little under recoil and so making it feel softer to shoot? Or that the grip angle of the Glock works for you better. Things to ponder.........

I was actually surprised as well. When I compared the weight of the CZ75 and the Glock 45 in my hand(s) the CZ definitely weighed more.
Per specifications:
CZ75 = 34 or 35 ounces, depending on model
Glock 45 = 22 ounces

I think it has everything to do with the action of the slide. A revolver feels one way and an automatic feels another. That reciprocating action of the slide cycling puts a different kind of pressure on the wrist and that really aggravates my wrist if I don’t use a two handed hold with my left index finger in the trigger guard.

Now I am going to have to get coordinated shooting two handed with my left hand. This should be interesting. It was hard enough to train myself shooting one handed with my left hand. Hahaha

 

[george29]

Apples to Oranges is always a difficult decision. SA vs DA. Steel vs Plastic. Hammer vs Striker. Always favored Steel, SA, Hammer guns, tried Glock (17, 19) but couldn't get used to them. Bit the so called bullet and bought an M9A3 and now a G48 and I think the G48 is my new favorite. Going to shoot it tonight and see. It just feels right, dry firing the trigger has little creep and whether it's a 6lb or 11lb trigger I don't know or care, it strikes crisp.
Even though I have big hands I never liked the double stack Glocks, well before I was blessed with arthritis so maybe try out a single stack Glock?

 

[Pat Riot]

Apples to Oranges is always a difficult decision. SA vs DA. Steel vs Plastic. Hammer vs Striker. Always favored Steel, SA, Hammer guns, tried Glock (17, 19) but couldn't get used to them. Bit the so called bullet and bought an M9A3 and now a G48 and I think the G48 is my new favorite. Going to shoot it tonight and see. It just feels right, dry firing the trigger has little creep and whether it's a 6lb or 11lb trigger I don't know or care, it strikes crisp.
Even though I have big hands I never liked the double stack Glocks, well before I was blessed with arthritis so maybe try out a single stack Glock?

I tried a 43 and a 48 before I moved to California from Oregon. Alas, I cannot get a 48 here at a reasonable price. Good luck with yours, though. I hope you like it.

 

[george29]

Well, even with my bad eyesight was hitting a plastic bottle at dusk from 25 yards. Very enjoyable, recoil was more controllable than the G19 I shot 2 days ago, gun pointed much more naturally than anything I have shot recently and 10 is more than I need. This was a perfect buy and an glad I didn't get the 43X as the extra 1/2" just makes it the right balance and sight picture plus I read that the is an improvement in velocity.

 

[Pat Riot]

Well, even with my bad eyesight was hitting a plastic bottle at dusk from 25 yards. Very enjoyable, recoil was more controllable than the G19 I shot 2 days ago, gun pointed much more naturally than anything I have shot recently and 10 is more than I need. This was a perfect buy and an glad I didn't get the 43X as the extra 1/2" just makes it the right balance and sight picture plus I read that the is an improvement in velocity.

When I shot the G48 I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t “rock” more under recoil. I owned a G19 Gen 3 years ago. I hated shooting it. I didn’t like the gun from the first trigger pull. It “rocked” too much.
I love shooting my G45 and G19X. At the time I attributed my dislike due to the finger grooves. I had a G34 Gen 3 with the grooves, but those lined up with my fingers.
I got to shoot a Gen 4 G19 and I still didn’t like it.
The G45 and the 19X have G17 frames. I think it’s the frame length that I like.
Like you I have big hands. I wear 2XL gloves. In the case of my revolvers I like slimmer grips but the thicker grips of my Glocks don’t bother provided I have a full grip.

 

[Shipwreck]

Glad it works for ya. I have neck issues, and I have had to sell off my rifles. I just cannot sit there for more than a couple of minutes with my neck in that position. So, only handguns for me.

 

[jak67429]

Have you tried a padded shooting glove. If anyone gives you grief about your grip have them watch lena Michalec.

 

[HighRoadRover]

This validates the old advice of "try the gun at the range" before you buy it. Good advice in this specific situation, and generally good advice to see if any pistol/revolver fits, feels good, operates as expected, etc.

Unfortunately, I don't always follow this advice myself -- so I've bought a few guns that I learned later I did not like that much.

 

[JDR]

I have big hands and I put the large beavertail backstraps on my Gen4 Glock 21 and my 19X. For me anyway these BT backstraps lock the gun into my shooting hand and improve the way that the guns point to the target. And I have Grip Force Adapters on my Gen3 17 and 19 and these work just about as well as the backstraps for the Gen 4 & 5. And I like those Hogue Handall grips on my Gen 3 17 and 19X. I have the Pachmayr Tactical Grip Gloves on my Gen3 19 and Gen4 21.

It can’t hurt to try one of these out on one of your guns since the beavertail backstraps are just sitting in the Glock boxes anyway, and the Grip Force Adapters, and the Hogue and Pachmayr rubber grips are fairly cheap.

 

[CharliesHammer]

Glad you kept the guns that YOU enjoy. The Glock 34 is also one of my favorites. Years ago I started having vision issues that hindered my shooting. I cut way back.
Today IDGAF and have modified my guns and only compete against myself. I have changed almost all of my sights now, fiber optics sit where Bomars set before, even a few micro red dots.
Back into the sport and getting better. Hope you find what works for you.

 

[peacemaker45]

Now I am going to have to get coordinated shooting two handed with my left hand. This should be interesting. It was hard enough to train myself shooting one handed with my left hand. Hahaha

Definitely don't write this off. I shot CAS for years, and 1911s as my "outside of Cowboy," guns. When I caught the tips of my trigger and middle fingers in a machine at work, and lost most of the first joints, I switched to two handed lefty.

It actually works out a lot better than you might think. With the Modern Isoceles grip, most of the grip force comes from your "weak" hand. If that happens to actually be your strong hand, then that's all to the good. Most of the complex manipulations you have to do, reloading, racking the slide, etc, are all done with the "weak" hand, as well. If you have your more coordinated hand doing those, also good. The "strong" hand really just hold on and pulls the trigger.

If your left wrist is in better shape to take recoil, and you can still do the rest with your right, then I would highly recommend giving lefty a try.

 

[Pat Riot]

I would highly recommend giving lefty a try.

Thank you. I am working on it.