I'm interested in what grip angles people find work for them, as I'm looking seriously at designing a target pistol.
Listed are some existing pistols and their grip angles, in case you have a favourite pistol and don't know the angle.
Please pick whatever is closest to the angle you prefer for NRA Bullseye shooting - for your .22 or .32 (list ISSF Rapid Fire or other matches separately if you wish).
I have put a similar poll in the ISSF section for comparison between Bullseye and ISSF.
(The angle I've chosen for reference is the frontstrap, we can argue forever about what is the 'real' angle and whether I've measured it right or not)
Thank you for your input.
.22 Target Pistol Grip Angles - Bullseye
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.22 Target Pistol Grip Angles - Bullseye
Last edited by JamesH on Sun Aug 29, 2010 6:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Although the 1911 angle isn't really my favorite, we are pretty much stuck with it for NRA Conventional (Bullseye) Pistol Shooting in the U.S. I find it an advantage to have the grip angles of my .22 pistol and centerfire pistol to emulate the 1911. It cuts down on a transition when going from the .22 to CF and .45 matches when the grip angles are similar.
The M1911 grip angle seems to point more naturally, but the grip angle in the Pardini seems to promote a more stable hold.
Interestingly, I started shooting my .45 a lot more this summer and discovered that my .22 scores were plummeting (I shoot .22 with a Pardini). The problem appears to arise from operation of the trigger. Every book and article that I've ever read on trigger control says that you should pull the trigger 'straight back'. But, what does this actually mean, and how do you do it? I've never seen an adequate description of this, so here goes:
Ideally, you want to move the trigger in the same plane as that formed by the trigger and the bore, and parallel to the bore. So, place the gun in your hand and draw a line from where your finger touches the trigger back to the center of the backstrap, parallel to the bore, and note where this point touches your hand. When you pull the trigger, you want to bring the point on your finger that is touching the trigger to this point on your hand.
On the M1911, this point is a the center of the top of the web between your thumb and index finger. On the Pardini, this point is next to the base of the thenar prominence (way different from the M1911). Since this point is part of your body, you are basically bringing two parts of your body together, which can be done reliably with a little practice.
Once you can do this, then you can go on to adjusting your grip so that the gun doesn't squirm in your hand during recoil. And then you can start relaxing your grip to the point where you can get a stable hold with minimum wobble.
Interestingly, I started shooting my .45 a lot more this summer and discovered that my .22 scores were plummeting (I shoot .22 with a Pardini). The problem appears to arise from operation of the trigger. Every book and article that I've ever read on trigger control says that you should pull the trigger 'straight back'. But, what does this actually mean, and how do you do it? I've never seen an adequate description of this, so here goes:
Ideally, you want to move the trigger in the same plane as that formed by the trigger and the bore, and parallel to the bore. So, place the gun in your hand and draw a line from where your finger touches the trigger back to the center of the backstrap, parallel to the bore, and note where this point touches your hand. When you pull the trigger, you want to bring the point on your finger that is touching the trigger to this point on your hand.
On the M1911, this point is a the center of the top of the web between your thumb and index finger. On the Pardini, this point is next to the base of the thenar prominence (way different from the M1911). Since this point is part of your body, you are basically bringing two parts of your body together, which can be done reliably with a little practice.
Once you can do this, then you can go on to adjusting your grip so that the gun doesn't squirm in your hand during recoil. And then you can start relaxing your grip to the point where you can get a stable hold with minimum wobble.