Grip question:

I have been reading and re-reading Brian Zin's Fundementals clinic and most importantly the trigger control portion to improve my overall scores and specifically my SF (another post). My question is the grip most commonly used out there, assuming your right handed, shooting non-anatomical grips, do you wrap the thumb around the left slab or side, or is it projected up and out? I ask because that's how it was shown to be done when I started out, the Zin article pictures his grip with the thumb pressing against the slab.

Either one is fine as long as the thumb isn't doing any work during the shot.

If the thumb is not touching the grip it can not press against it.

Dave C.

Trail and error is the only way to find what works for you. Zins has his own style of grip, and it works for him. He teaches others to use it but in reality he is the only person in top ranking i know of that does it that way. I tried it several times and I have more control using the grip that countless national champs use and have taught for decades, putting the gun in the non shooting hand and twisting it into the shooting hand.

Good for me to hear. I had shall we say, an adjustment period when I began in this game coming from the world of the 2 hand combat grip and now I'm comfortable with the thumb being up and out. Is it safe to say that if in the process of developing my optimum grip that so far as I'm bringing the gun up on target without having to move or torque the wrist, have proper and consistent trigger finger placement that permits me to press the trigger straight to the rear without the dot or sights moving off target, I'm doing things right?

Sounds right to me.
Tell me more about your "proper" trigger finger placement.

I find if I can center the crease of the first joint on the trigger, I can press straight back on a more consistant basis. I'm not trying to parrot every phase of Zin's Fundementals but that technique resonated with me and in doing so, I am forced to work the guns grip into my hand to get there. I've been practicing it and raising the gun without dry firing, focusing more on where the dot is when I come all the way up. My thinking is to develop my shot process in segments, growing comfortable and confident as I work to shooting 10's. I've tried dry firing within a silent 5 count but seem to hang up. Could it be that I'm creating a mental overload trying to work on too much in a single drill? Should I keep working on stance, grip, breathing, raising the gun, repeat until I can say to myself, now lets focus on breathing, raising and pressing? I am going out for some range time tomorrow evening and want to maximize the effort as opposed to blowing through several boxes of rimfire gold. ;-)