Grip tension

[Gort]

I have been experimenting with technique to overcome a plateau and have discovered for me at least, a very strong grip has helped to stabilize my sight alignment. My aiming area wobble is still the same, but the sight alignment seems to be locked in. My trigger control has not suffered with the increase in grip tension. My question: How tight do you grip AP?
Thanks, Gort

[RobStubbs]

General advice is that a very strong grip is not good. The advice I've heard is to hold the grip with the same tension as a firm handshake and imagine you're holding an egg. Too tight restricts the muscle movements required in the trigger finger.

Rob.

[Richard H]

I have been experimenting with technique to overcome a plateau and have discovered for me at least, a very strong grip has helped to stabilize my sight alignment. My aiming area wobble is still the same, but the sight alignment seems to be locked in. My trigger control has not suffered with the increase in grip tension. My question: How tight do you grip AP?
Thanks, Gort

How long have you tried this for? You may find intial improvements with changes but those improvements maybe short lived (Hawthorne Effect). Gripping tightly does have many pitfalls, more tiring, decreased trigger control, increased possibility of tendonitis, but there are some for whom this works. So if you are convinced that it works for you try it for a good long while to ensure the improvements are really and watch out for some the the possible negative side effects.

[2650 Plus]

The closest thing to concensus we reached was , 'grip until a tremmor appears then back off until it stops. Two reasons that I am, aware of. 1 greater uniformaty of tensions in grip 2 we were shooting 45s with full service loads and the tight grip was necessary to prevent the pistol from shifting in the hand because of the heavy recoil. I'm not sure the concept is still valid. Good shooting Bill Horton

[Lanning R. Hochhauser]

Try this -
Make a fist as tight as you can, then extend your index finger like you were going to pull a trigger. Try and move the finger in small controlled increments. Do you feel the tension and lack of control.

Now make a fist about as tight as a handshake with a 6-year old girl and do the same with your index finger. You should now notice you have much more control of fine movements of your index finger.
Lanning

[jackh]

Try this
Hold the pistol in down ready position or even against a firm support. (Using a support here will isolate the gripping act better)

Watch the sight and adjust grip tension, maybe even grip method, until sights become and remain the most aligned and stable.

Note that tension in mind, and hold the resulting sight stability as a goal.

Raise and fire normally