The first important step when buying a handgun is to find one with a grip suitable for your hand. There are a lot of variations so you will need to try different models. It’s important to get this right as it can have an affect on a number of factors such as accuracy, control and comfort. This is why a great deal of emphasis is placed on what a handgun feels like when you are holding it. If you do not have the correct grip on your handgun then your performance will be affected. So let’s review some of the things that you will need to take into account for the perfect grip.
A classic two handed handgun grip.
Can You Reach The Controls
Reaching the magazine release and safety lever without changing your handgrip is an essential minimum requirement for any handgun you purchase. Preferably the side lock lever should also be reachable but if that is not possible then the off-hand thumb can still be used. There are also handguns designed for people with smaller hands that will still allow you to reach the safety without changing your handgrip position. It is common to find the safety lever in a difficult position and controls on small semi Autos can be hard to reach for people with larger hands. If you find that you cannot reach the controls then sometimes you can work around these issues with a bit of practice.
Hand Grip Is Too Wide
For the recoil to be absorbed along your arm and into the body your forearm will need to be in a straight line with the gun. This will not work if the handgrip is too wide as it will force you to shift your hand resulting in the handgun no longer being aligned with your forearm. This will cause the recoil to enter your hand and thumb and lessen any control you have over the handgun. If the hand grip is too wide for your hand it will be difficult to correct and may result in you having to buy a totally new model.
The Trigger Reach Is Too Long
Sometimes you can’t get adequate leverage on the trigger resulting in you shifting your handgrip. This can often be related to the thickness of the hand grip even though the grip may feel okay. Double action semi-autos and revolvers with double action triggers can cause this problem.
The Hand Grip Length Is Too Short
If you find that the hand grip length is too short this can be fixed with longer Revolver grips and magazine grip extenders. A short hand grip may make it difficult to place some of your fingers. In most cases this may not be a problem but some guns may have a high recoil and require a firm grip with all your fingers.
Finger Grooves
There have been some guns appearing on the market that have finger grooves located in the handgrip. You may want to avoid these types of handgrips as they basically force your hand into a position aligned with the finger grooves. If you try to grip the gun outside the finger groves it will feel uncomfortable and is possibly going to result in some loss of control when the gun recoils.