How to grip a handgun?

HandsomeRob · 12-22-2007, 06:40 PM

This is my first handgun question. I'm of legal age and was thinking about owning a handgun today(although I turned 21 almost a year ago). It reminded me of something a friend of mine said a while ago about how to grip a handgun. He said that your supposed to grip the gun with your dominate hand then support the bottom of the gun with your weaker, basically if your a righty, right hand on grip and trigger and left hand palm on the bottom of gun. I always thought it was dominate hand on grip and trigger, and weaker hand on other side. side-by-side basically. I agreed with him because our other buddy was backing him but it was the three of us. And we all know arguing with two people who believe the same thing is like talking to a woman, your getting nowhere! Neither one of them has had any actual handgun experience or training. They do shoot air shot though. So I just trumped it up to they had watched too many military type shows and were believing what they saw in the movies. So about a half an hour of searching the net like 95% of the gripping I saw was side by side. But I did find a video of the side/under grip. Is there a right grip? are the both acceptable? are there any advantages of holding one way over the other?

Here's a pic of what I mean by side by side.
http://tomschrimp.com/b2evolution/me...s/new/Grip.jpg

Here's a video of what I mean by side/under by a guy who qualified as a double expert in the U.S. Marine Corps with the Beretta M92 pistol and the M16 rifle, and he teaches handgun classes.
How to Properly Grip a Handgun : Target Shooting | Expert Village Videos

P.S.: I was joking about the talking to a woman thing.

N2914J · 12-22-2007, 06:51 PM

I have never tried this guys grip, but I guess there's more than one ay to do it. When I shoot my Smith, I grip the gun with my right hand, and wrap my left hand around from the other side, and cover the lower 4 fingers of my right hand. Then I push away from me with my right hand, and pull towards me with my left. This feels more solid to me than any other grip, and its what I always use. Find what is comfortable with you, and go with it.

BattleRifleG3 · 12-22-2007, 08:22 PM

I agree that either is fine, whichever works better for you in practical situations. The one thing to be careful of is the slide. Don't put any part of your non-trigger hand anywhere that can be hit by the slide when it cycles, and allow plenty of room for it to tilt backwards.

lefty o · 12-22-2007, 09:54 PM

find yourself a video of rob leatham shooting, he has about the best grip possible if you want to shoot fast and be accurate also.

HandsomeRob · 12-22-2007, 11:09 PM

thanks, I will look for a rob leatham vid. BRG3 thats one of the reasons I asked. With your hand on the bottom less of a chance to get get something caught but it just seems there is so much that can throw off individual handgun accuracy.

ouch · 12-22-2007, 11:40 PM

two handed is good but practice with both hands individually.
I am shooting with the left and my right

YouTube - Hi Point 45 Rapid Fire. 9 rounds in 3...

YouTube - Shooting Hi Point 45 ACP

Like most people on youtube I made the videos soon after I got the weapon.
At any rate, Practice a lot.
I used to live near you in Janesville but not for years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HandsomeRob

This is my first handgun question. I'm of legal age and was thinking about owning a handgun today(although I turned 21 almost a year ago). It reminded me of something a friend of mine said a while ago about how to grip a handgun. He said that your supposed to grip the gun with your dominate hand then support the bottom of the gun with your weaker, basically if your a righty, right hand on grip and trigger and left hand palm on the bottom of gun. I always thought it was dominate hand on grip and trigger, and weaker hand on other side. side-by-side basically. I agreed with him because our other buddy was backing him but it was the three of us. And we all know arguing with two people who believe the same thing is like talking to a woman, your getting nowhere! Neither one of them has had any actual handgun experience or training. They do shoot air shot though. So I just trumped it up to they had watched too many military type shows and were believing what they saw in the movies. So about a half an hour of searching the net like 95% of the gripping I saw was side by side. But I did find a video of the side/under grip. Is there a right grip? are the both acceptable? are there any advantages of holding one way over the other?
Here's a pic of what I mean by side by side.
http://tomschrimp.com/b2evolution/me...s/new/Grip.jpg
Here's a video of what I mean by side/under by a guy who qualified as a double expert in the U.S. Marine Corps with the Beretta M92 pistol and the M16 rifle, and he teaches handgun classes.
How to Properly Grip a Handgun : Target Shooting | Expert Village Videos
P.S.: I was joking about the talking to a woman thing.

Farmer · 12-23-2007, 06:02 AM

Rob,
I was taught never to put my thumb from the top hand around the pistol. I was taught to put it next to the trigger hands thumb. The reason is that if you hold it too high the slide will take it off

oldjarhead · 12-23-2007, 03:21 PM

Rob, I shoot using both techniques in addition to others. I use the one that feels the best for the weapon I'm shooting at the time. It doesn't hurt to know a variety of grips including the single handed grip that ouch demonstrates. The two handed grip places a larger body mass for your assailant to shoot at where the single hand allows you to turn your body sideways that provides a smaller (narrower) target. All are functional so try them all. Ouch brought out a good point...practice with both hands as the shooting hand, it has it's purpose.

HandsomeRob · 12-23-2007, 05:51 PM

Cool thanks for the info guys I don't currently have a handgun but everything will surely be taken into account when I do.

Farmer · 12-25-2007, 05:51 AM

See this is why i love this site!!!!!!
Here in aus, if you dont do it one way "Your a danger". I have shot combat trials here in which we shoot left handed, right handed and both handed, but if you tried an un orthodox hand hold you would be yell at.

But its also like calber choice in aus, if its bigger than a bunnie, you need a 308!!!!!!!
And on this site you suggest many options....

12-22-2007, 06:40 PM	#1
HandsomeRob Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Wisconsin Posts: 170	How to grip a handgun? This is my first handgun question. I'm of legal age and was thinking about owning a handgun today(although I turned 21 almost a year ago). It reminded me of something a friend of mine said a while ago about how to grip a handgun. He said that your supposed to grip the gun with your dominate hand then support the bottom of the gun with your weaker, basically if your a righty, right hand on grip and trigger and left hand palm on the bottom of gun. I always thought it was dominate hand on grip and trigger, and weaker hand on other side. side-by-side basically. I agreed with him because our other buddy was backing him but it was the three of us. And we all know arguing with two people who believe the same thing is like talking to a woman, your getting nowhere! Neither one of them has had any actual handgun experience or training. They do shoot air shot though. So I just trumped it up to they had watched too many military type shows and were believing what they saw in the movies. So about a half an hour of searching the net like 95% of the gripping I saw was side by side. But I did find a video of the side/under grip. Is there a right grip? are the both acceptable? are there any advantages of holding one way over the other? Here's a pic of what I mean by side by side. http://tomschrimp.com/b2evolution/me...s/new/Grip.jpg Here's a video of what I mean by side/under by a guy who qualified as a double expert in the U.S. Marine Corps with the Beretta M92 pistol and the M16 rifle, and he teaches handgun classes. How to Properly Grip a Handgun : Target Shooting \| Expert Village Videos P.S.: I was joking about the talking to a woman thing. __________________ You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass.

12-22-2007, 06:51 PM	#2
N2914J Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 391	I have never tried this guys grip, but I guess there's more than one ay to do it. When I shoot my Smith, I grip the gun with my right hand, and wrap my left hand around from the other side, and cover the lower 4 fingers of my right hand. Then I push away from me with my right hand, and pull towards me with my left. This feels more solid to me than any other grip, and its what I always use. Find what is comfortable with you, and go with it. __________________ God Bless America

12-22-2007, 08:22 PM	#3
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	I agree that either is fine, whichever works better for you in practical situations. The one thing to be careful of is the slide. Don't put any part of your non-trigger hand anywhere that can be hit by the slide when it cycles, and allow plenty of room for it to tilt backwards. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

12-22-2007, 11:09 PM	#5
HandsomeRob Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Wisconsin Posts: 170	thanks, I will look for a rob leatham vid. BRG3 thats one of the reasons I asked. With your hand on the bottom less of a chance to get get something caught but it just seems there is so much that can throw off individual handgun accuracy. __________________ You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass.

12-23-2007, 06:02 AM	#7
Farmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Limbri NSW Au Posts: 296	Rob, I was taught never to put my thumb from the top hand around the pistol. I was taught to put it next to the trigger hands thumb. The reason is that if you hold it too high the slide will take it off __________________ Cheers, Rob

12-22-2007, 09:54 PM	#4
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 4,812	find yourself a video of rob leatham shooting, he has about the best grip possible if you want to shoot fast and be accurate also.

12-23-2007, 03:21 PM	#8
oldjarhead Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mansfield, MO Posts: 820	Rob, I shoot using both techniques in addition to others. I use the one that feels the best for the weapon I'm shooting at the time. It doesn't hurt to know a variety of grips including the single handed grip that ouch demonstrates. The two handed grip places a larger body mass for your assailant to shoot at where the single hand allows you to turn your body sideways that provides a smaller (narrower) target. All are functional so try them all. Ouch brought out a good point...practice with both hands as the shooting hand, it has it's purpose. Last edited by oldjarhead; 12-25-2007 at 12:10 AM.

12-23-2007, 05:51 PM	#9
HandsomeRob Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Wisconsin Posts: 170	Cool thanks for the info guys I don't currently have a handgun but everything will surely be taken into account when I do. __________________ You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass.

12-25-2007, 05:51 AM	#10
Farmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Limbri NSW Au Posts: 296	See this is why i love this site!!!!!! Here in aus, if you dont do it one way "Your a danger". I have shot combat trials here in which we shoot left handed, right handed and both handed, but if you tried an un orthodox hand hold you would be yell at. But its also like calber choice in aus, if its bigger than a bunnie, you need a 308!!!!!!! And on this site you suggest many options.... __________________ Cheers, Rob