Two thumbs up
Speaking of, there was an article on the M9 in Guns and Ammo. A soldier was shooting with his left index finger on the front of the trigger guard. Is that what the military does now?
Remember, I do this to entertain me, not you.
Uncle Pays the Bills
 |
|
Find Local
|
Categories
- ATF (769)
- Death Match (10)
- Eminent Domain (225)
- In the bag (9)
- Notes to Junior (546)
- Poker (74)
- Recipes (142)
- Shotgun Noob (11)
- The Airing of Grievances (19)
- uncategorized (47,725)
January 15th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Probably not. It’s more likely a by-product of only shooting once a year.
January 15th, 2010 at 11:58 am
A gazillion years ago, I was told to put the index finger of my weak hand on the front of the M9’s trigger guard. My instructor was a big believer in that the further forward you could get on the gun, the better you’d be able to control recoil.
January 15th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Not militree. Probably saw it on the net or gun rag. It is different now thus it is cool so since cool kids want to do cool things (how else to explain finger foreward, position Cul, all the stupid brown guns, inter alia).
“Finger forward” was popularized by a group of Southern California practical pistol shooters (who likely associated with Caleb’s father). Gun makers even started to curve the trigger guard so people could put their index fingers there.
It was tested and later discovered that you have less control over the pistol by weakening the support hand.
It looks cool since it is different and since most people go to the range to have everyone look at them, it is still around.
January 15th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Caleb, a gazillion years ago, your instructor was… WRONG. All that does is break up your grip by introducing a gap in it. Like front cocking serrations, squared off trigger guards are “improvements” that promote unsound practices.
The thumbs up technique is solid.
January 15th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
MH in GA, well gosh, thanks for telling me something I already knew. The finger forward of the trigger guard doesn’t do anything for recoil control, but when you’re shooting a big heavy M9, the recoil is negligible anyway. It’s a pretty easy gun to shoot well.
January 15th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Yep when I first started pistol shooting I was putting my hands WAYYY forward (Thankfully the first revolver I tried was only a .22!!!) My groups sucked, then I started shooting like a normal (not cool) person, and the groups shrank.
January 15th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
As to the thumbs, I had a lot of trouble with this until I got some training. Just didn’t know what the hell to do with them. The instructor in my NRA Basic Pistol class showed me a couple of options, and I’ve settled on thumbs high after trying them all on the range.
January 15th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
There’s superstitions (unproven myths) about shooting as much as about anything else, I guess.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Yeah, the “finger on the trigger guard” thing was really popular for a while; as evidenced by the number of guns from the 90s that had concave trigger guard fronts. I personally blame Mel Gibson and Lethal Weapon for this.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Hmmm – I just pulled out my G30 to see, and I see my thumbs are indexed all right, but the other way (left over right)AND have my index finger on the front of the trigger guard. I tried it the way that picture shows and my right thumb rides up onto the slide (and we know what happens with THAT (ouch!)).
Either way, if I don’t put my index finger on the front of the trigger guard, either my left hand is too low to allow all my fingers to be in contact or I have to lay my index finger alongside the frame, so I think it works better for me on the guard.
If someone can show a better way, please do!
January 15th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Well, the grip has to be adapted for little guns, or people with big hands.
January 15th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Last time I checked the pistol marksmanship field manual, the trigger hook method WAS listed as a valid option.
January 15th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
“I personally blame Mel Gibson and Lethal Weapon for this.”
Maybe a re-birth of such silliness, but who is initially to blame is Michael Harries (yes, that Harries) who posed for photos in crazy Uncle Mel’s “Surivial Guns” a gun culture classic. It looked cool and was from California so everyone and his brother started doing it.
It was silly in the ’70s and it is silly now.
January 15th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
I try to shoot like that picture, with my support hand wrapped around my strong hand with my thumbs high (I index on my weak thumb on the pivot point of the slide release on my USP), but I find it very difficult to come back to that position after a reload. For some reason, I instinctively go to a position where my support hand index finger goes to the front of the trigger guard. I haven’t noticed any difference at all in my groups or POI from magazine to magazine, so it’s not affecting my shooting, but it’s wierd that I just can’t break the habit. I’ve tried a ot of reloading practice, too…
Incidentally, the safety on the USP sucks with this grip – it’s hard to ride the safety without decocking inadvertantly.
January 18th, 2010 at 4:26 am
I shoot that grip.
Of course, I was a Southwest Pistol League competitor in the ’80’s, so I guess that explains it …