I got back a little bit ago from the National Junior Olympics Matches in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center. I had the honor of coaching a couple of my shooters there and also serving as a range officer at a few of the matches. My kids did great, both shooting PRs, and I got to enjoy the awesome environment full of VERY focused athelets. If you ever have the chance to spend some time at the OTC, do it. You will not be disappointed.
While there, I spent a lot of time thinking about how we introduce young people to pistol shooting. The advent of the supported shooting program for kids (and adults) has certainly been a step in the right direction, but all too often I see small hands struggling with big guns. Most of our air pistols are pretty nose heavy anyway, and when you are trying to learn a solid hold, we are doing kids no favors with a "one size fits all" grip that doesn't fit.
It was one of my team's shooters with an extraordinarily small hand that got me started making 3d-printed grips over a year ago. She had always shot a SW41 with a standard target grip and struggled to find her way. It wasn't until I made for her that first tiny, tiny grip that she was able to finally get control of the gun and immediately her scores started to rise. Since then I've made small and very small grips for Pardinis, Rugers, and others. I even made my first tiny Toz grip a week ago for a kid in California who shot the lights out in Colorado Springs at the JO match.
So if you'll pardon the commercial, I want to offer the opportunity for fellow coaches, clubs and anyone who works with a group of kids to get some small and very small grips into their hands. For the rest of the month of May, anyone can get three or more wood composite small or extra small air or standard pistol grips (of any type) for only $89 each. Shoot me an email and let me know how I can help.
We've got to do better by these kids if we want them to grow as shooters.
Andrew Berryhill
PrecisionTargetPistolGrips.com
Precision Grips for All Hands and Most Guns
The need for Small and XS grips (and an sale on them!)
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Re: The need for Small and XS grips (and an sale on them!)
This is about right - kids are growing fast at this stage. I have often thought that if they were cheap enough for a kid to buy outright, say $40.00, then they would be free to keep them as they please.
3D scan an existing grip, and then recreate them in a laminate. Could have a blank form and then fit it out 'quickly' (sub 10mins) with plasticene to get the form of it. Then scan the form.
But ehh, in my experience the Morini grips are usually good enough. I don't have enough free time or access to a 3D scanner - plus the specialised skill of fitting.
It would also make a reasonable insurance policy for an established shooter to have a digital record of what the profile of their grip looks like so if their gun was ever stolen at least they could have it accurately recreated.
3D scan an existing grip, and then recreate them in a laminate. Could have a blank form and then fit it out 'quickly' (sub 10mins) with plasticene to get the form of it. Then scan the form.
But ehh, in my experience the Morini grips are usually good enough. I don't have enough free time or access to a 3D scanner - plus the specialised skill of fitting.
It would also make a reasonable insurance policy for an established shooter to have a digital record of what the profile of their grip looks like so if their gun was ever stolen at least they could have it accurately recreated.
Re: The need for Small and XS grips (and an sale on them!)
Good on you Andrew, nice to see modern technologies being used to help the adoption of our sport - particularly for younger shooters who may otherwise not be catered to.
Chris
Chris