I currently have a Glock 32 (compact, .357 sig round) service pistol and can't seem to come to grips with how it feels in my hand. I think it's because I have a relatively small hand. The Glock just feels like a board in my hand.
In addition to my problems with the Glock's ergonomics, or perhaps because of, I don't shoot the pistol near as well as my buddies 1911. I can't seem to stop pushing the trigger, shooting low left.
I was thinking about trying a Sig p226, p229, or the 250. I'm just looking for a better fit. Anybody had a similar issue that has shot both pistols?
Well, I wasn’t going to reply to this thread; it’s already too long to be of interest to me; and, in a little while, I’ve got to leave the house. However, since you’ve mentioned, ‘service pistol’ I’ll take a few moments to help you out.
First, it’s kind ‘a odd for you to say a G-32 doesn’t fit your hand? (But, I’ll take you at your word.) Some internet ideas seem to have a life of their own! Right now, ‘pistol fit’ seems to be a really big, often repeated item on internet gun forums.
Back when I learned how to shoot (You know …… the, ‘dark ages’) we never worried about how a pistol fit the hand. We just picked whatever it was up and taught ourselves how to shoot it. I will add, however, that many people seemed to do combat pistol work better with a semiautomatic than with a revolver; but, over time, and with the examples of: Elmer Keith, Bill Jordan, Jim Cirillo, and (of course) Jerry Miculek this too began to change.
You don’t say; but let’s assume you’re right handed – OK. I don’t think you’re, ‘pushing the trigger’. Instead I think you’re, ‘flinching out of sequence’ with the shot. You are, also, entirely correct: Your main problem is with your grip.
I’ll keep this short and sweet while, at the same time, saving you several thousand rounds of training ammunition. (1) You need to begin dry firing for 10 or 15 minutes twice everyday. I’ve been doing this for more than 50 years; and, I still dry fire (and continue to handle a pistol better than most) everyday! (2) Get over that, ‘I need the most comfortable gun in the world mentality.’ (3) You need to adjust your thinking and reflexes to the gun instead of the other way around. (4) Work to perfect your grip with the pistol you’re presently shooting.
In order to do this practice grabbing the pistol in exactly the same way every time.
THE PISTOL’S BACKSTRAP IS THE KEY TO IT ALL.
Make sure you always have the backstrap CENTERED into the web of your gun hand; and, set your strong hand as far up on the frame as possible. Recognize that it is impossible to accidentally tighten your fingers while firing or to jerk the trigger just before the sear breaks, …… IF you are already maintaining proper control of the backstrap!
How do you do this? (Good question!) You do it by, first, discovering the exact control point on the pistol’s backstrap – That’s how! This point, which I like to teach as the, ‘magic spot’ is located either at the midpoint on the backstrap, or else it’s on the backstrap’s highest point.
You can discover it by grasping the pistol very squarely and very tightly. The part that, ‘digs’ into your gun hand is what you’re looking for. Now, while I do NOT subscribe to a certain famous firearms instructor’s ridiculous assertion to, ‘white knuckle squeeze’ a combat pistol, I do recommend that you maintain very firm pressure on a backstrap’s, (Ready?) ‘magic spot’.
The human mind is a funny sort of thing. (As if you didn’t already know that, right!) It seems that the brain is only capable of focusing on one predominant thought at a time. Consequently, it’s been my experience that if you are consciously working at controlling a pistol’s backstrap, then, you will NOT be able to either flinch or tighten your grip while firing, and will stop dropping shots.
When you’re learning how to set your grip, remember to raise your thumb immediately after you grasp the pistol. Raise your thumb, squeeze the grip into your gun hand from FRONT TO BACK, and then return your thumb to a, more or less, straight forward pointing position.
Right now great shooting minds are arguing over whether or not any lateral pressure should be applied to the frame by the support hand – and especially by the support hand thumb. My answer? If you’re getting a lot of side-to-side shot dispersion, ram your support hand up tight underneath the trigger guard and press in harder with both of your thumbs.
All really good pistol shooting begins with the proper grip. After you’ve got the right grip, THEN, you can begin to concentrate on a proper trigger pull – Which in combat pistol work is actually more of a, ‘tap’ than either a, ‘pull’ or a, ‘press’. (This is particularly true whenever you fire a pistol very fast.)
Hope this helps you (and your service pistol) out. I’m now late; and I’ve got to go!)
