Handgunners: Where Are Your Thumbs??

[Gary]

The class next month, is a Instructors Workshop put on by Glock.  It is a three day ish class, that will have each student shooting 1,000 rounds from their Glock pistol.

The class break down is at this link.  It should be interesting.   I was scheduled to attend that class, but moved it to a later date this fall.  That will be good for me, as I know someone taking this class. 

https://www.glocktraining.com/files/IW_Course.pdf

[SemperFiGuy]

Well, responses to the original post here have been both instructive and informative.

Shows the value of laying out issues for other folks to consider, review, and comment.   Got lotsa good insights and viewpoints.   Videos were especially helpful.

After hearing the responses, I went back and got out the Glock 23 for a fondling and gripping session.   Tried the Two-Thumbs Downrange approach once again, this time in the light of the posting comments.

Gained some new ways of looking at an old technique.

Such that I'm gonna try TTD for a few range sessions and see how it works out.  One new insight:  TTD might just keep the trigger finger from pushing the handgun to the left a bit better than my present grip.

We'll see. Truth is revealed on the range.

Thanks, All Who Commented.

sfg

[SemperFiGuy]

BTW:   Thanks to those Waggish Forum Members who, in response to this question:

Handgunners:   Where Are Your Thumbs??

Might have said:

"In the usual place:   Attached to the ends of my hands."

I had expected some such responses.

Your forbearance has been notable.

sfg

[bkoenig]

As a relative newbie to action pistol shooting I found that when I switched to a thumbs-forward grip I was better able to control the gun.  Followup shots were faster and more accurate, which IMO is plenty important whether you're talking about competition or self defense shooting.  I used to place my support hand thumb over the strong hand one, just because I had no training and didn't know enough to try any other way.  Now that I switched it feels much more natural.

Of course, when the buzzer goes off my mind goes blank and I still have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. 

[OnTheFly]

As the instructor told our class about grip as he prepared to teach us a handgun fundamentals, and I'm paraphrasing to the best of my memory...

The grip I'm going to teach may be completely different than the one you currently use, but just give it a chance.  Every advanced school, police force, military and world class competitor uses this grip.

I can't say what grip I was using before the class.  It may have been a modified thumbs foreword grip, but once I embraced the full thumbs forward, my accuracy and speed improved considerably. I'm confident I could not get to my current abilities with another grip. 

Regarding competition.  I know that jthhapkido will tell you that being a competitor will not make you an "Operator", but in lieu of testing such things on a battlefield, what better environment to test firearm techniques?  In competition, speed and accuracy are king.  You will likely need to shoot from all different angles and positions, similar to what is demanded of you in battle.  I should also note that the Army sends competitors to USPSA and multi-gun competitions, and they use the same thumbs forward pistol grip.

Fly

[Mudinyeri]

On the subject of Glock, pertaining to grip, why does Glock have the trigger guard, shaped the way they do?

I have asked that question before, but I have never gotten what I feel, is a satisfactory answer. 

I am guessing it has something to do with the support hand holding a tool. (flashlight, shovel,  radio, knife, etc.) and the gun is pressed into the bone of the support arm.   

A number of firearms have similarly-shaped trigger guards.  I find the extended point of the trigger guard makes an excellent striking tool in CQB.  I'm not sure if that's the reason for the design or not.

Here's my $0.02 on grip in self-defense situations.  It's a lot like stance in self-defense situations.  Both will, in all probability, be less than optimal.  Your muscle memory will kick in to a certain extent, but there will be a few other things going on during the firing of those muscle memory neurons that may cause a disruption.

With that said, one should remain open-minded and be open to instruction from others - even others one might consider less experienced.  You never know when you might learn something beneficial.

[sidearm1]

I am getting old.  The squared off trigger guard was first developed to aid in the "finger forward" hold used by some of the first IPSC shooters.  This type of hold was considered better than the old one handed hold.  The weaver and isosceles pretty much ended the use in competition (but was still available).   Now some people use it for a push forward rest in a barricade situation and other things.

[Gary]

With that said, one should remain open-minded and be open to instruction from others - even others one might consider less experienced.  You never know when you might learn something beneficial.

A great poem, says the same thing.

[abbafandr]

BTW:   Thanks to those Waggish Forum Members who, in response to this question:

Handgunners:   Where Are Your Thumbs??

Might have said:

"In the usual place:   Attached to the ends of my hands."

I had expected some such responses.

Your forbearance has been notable.

sfg

sfg, it was really difficult to retrain myself.

[abbafandr]

Of course, when the buzzer goes off my mind goes blank and I still have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. 

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[SemperFiGuy]

[quote]sfg, it was really difficult to retrain myself.[/quote]

Pity.

You shoulda dunnit.

Your Boyish Exuberance has always been one of your Greatest Charms.   (Yes....I've been talking to your teachers.)

sfg