10 Meter Air Pistol Grip

I just received my first true target pistol.  True, it is only a 10 Meter Air Pistol, and an entry level one at that, but I am already fond of it.  It is an Air Venturi V10, right-handed, with the right grip formed and the left one a flat side of wood.  I notice that similar firearm pistols exist and assume some of you folks know what to do with them.  Specifically, I need to alter the left grip to better fit my hand, particularly the thumb rest and am not at all handy, and therefore, not at all sure how to go about it.  Any tips would be appreciated.

sjs wrote:I just received my first true target pistol.  True, it is only a 10 Meter Air Pistol, and an entry level one at that, but I am already fond of it.  It is an Air Venturi V10, right-handed, with the right grip formed and the left one a flat side of wood.  I notice that similar firearm pistols exist and assume some of you folks know what to do with them.  Specifically, I need to alter the left grip to better fit my hand, particularly the thumb rest and am not at all handy, and therefore, not at all sure how to go about it.  Any tips would be appreciated.

Try and fit. Repeat many times. I found that some of the Dremel attachments were very useful, such as these: https://www.amazon.com/Carving-Expert-Double-Tungsten-Carbide/dp/B01HTET42Y/ref=sr_1_8?hvadid=177772927157&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9016447&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1888049763083238944&hvtargid=kwd-36331075420&hydadcr=1645_9901543&keywords=dremel+bits+for+wood+carving&qid=1697635478&sr=8-8 Plastic Wood, Bondo, etc. are good too!

Perhaps an approach might be to make a model using an epoxy putty.  Tape the gun where the grips attach and apply a release agent (car or floor wax would be good).  Mix up a good sized ball of epoxy putty (JB Weld?) and apply to one side then use a popsicle stick to shape it to your hand while you grip the pistol.  You can then use this as a model for shaping your grip.

Search online and there is more info, but this is a good starting point:

https://www.airforceshooting.org/GripFitting.pdf

Wait wait wait.  We are going 100 miles an hour, but judging by wording in the OP's post he may be new to the anatomic grips?

SJS, are you new to anatomic grips?  If so then I would suggest using these as is and try to analyze where and how you are positioning right hand, such that your thumb is not too comfortable on the left side.  Usually anatomic grips promote high positioning of hand on the grip, hence thumb shelf is usually seen quite high.  Thumb shelf is also positioned that way to "disconnect" you pushing down on the grip with your thumb.  Often the shelf is not a first, nor only thing that people alter ))

Let us know and send a pic or three of you holding a pistol.  Adjusting thumb shelf is very easy with a dremel or sandpaper if and when you figure out how you want your grip to be.

I think I am new to anatomic grips because I did not even know that is what they are called, and the issues you describe are exactly what I am dealing with.  Unfortunately, only 24 hours after receiving the pistol it seems to have sprung a leak and is going back to Pyramid Air tomorrow.  I was really getting into this air pistol thing, especially the part about shooting in my back yard, or garage, or house, without ear protection.

Thank you very much everyone who responded.  I learned a lot and will apply it to my next air pistol, which will probably be a different brand and model.

Actually Venturi is pretty solid from.what I heard. Sorry you got a dud )).
You made me laugh. In the great state of NJ firing this pistol anywhere on or around property, or in the house, is considered discharging a firearm. You will get mandatory years in prison and thousands in fines should anyone snitch on you.

My goodness, you need to escape that place.

I tell my wife that every other day ))

Tripscape wrote:Actually Venturi is pretty solid from.what I heard. Sorry you got a dud )).
You made me laugh. In the great state of NJ firing this pistol anywhere on or around property, or in the house, is considered discharging a firearm. You will get mandatory years in prison and thousands in fines should anyone snitch on you.

As many pellets as I've shot over the years in my 10 meter range in my basement, if I lived in New Jersey, I would probably be serving a life sentence!

Here anything that shoots metal projectiles is classified as a firearm. Even braced slingshot. Not sure how nail guns avoided that fate though. The only reason plastic bb guns avoided that classification is because paintball arena sued decades ago to keep paintball projectile guns as non classified, so they made a distinction metal vs plastic. Yeaa, everything makes total sense in here ))

"Come to our blue state...where shooting BB guns is a felony but shooting drugs is a citation you don't have to show up for"

SJS. This is just my 2c. No doubt others might not agree with me.

I've owned a lot of anatomical grips and have spent a lot of time and money finding grips that work for me and then "customising" them.

Wobbly's suggestion of trying to "squeeze a ball of plastic wood" to create a form fitting grip sounds perfect - but it is not so easy - I know, I've tried! The famous grip maker, Thomas Rink, does indeed follow a somewhat similar process when "starting from scratch" with a new customer at his factory in Germany. But, as I know from a recent visit I made to him, he also prefers to start from a "near fit" grip, then cut and putty it up to perfection.

One approach that I have tried reasonably successfully (also with a cheap air pistol) was to go to a Hobby Lobby or similar well stocked model shop and buy some pieces of Balsa wood. This stuff glues and carves really easy. I built up a rough grip from planks of Balsa so that it would mount on the gun, then carved + sanded + filled + sanded till I got a well fitting form. Takes quite a lot of time and is also not super-cheap.

Another approach is to contact our resident 3D Printed grip maker:- https://www.precisiontargetpistolgrips.com/
and order one from him. Many folks have had good results with his grips. It is certainly a faster/cheaper way to at least get to decent starting point.

I would also suggest that, if possible, visit an Air Pistol match or a vendor of target quality air pistols in your area and at least put your hand on a few factory Anatomical grips so that you least understand how they look and feel.

Thanks Roy Dean, but can you or someone explain to me the theory on why a normal grip look is on one side, and a flat slab of wood on the other?  If superior, why aren't non target pistols given such grips?

SJS,
Target pistol grips are made for one armed / handed shooting as it descended through centuries.  Shooting was "always" a one handed endeavor, where shooter would stand sideways to minimize his silhouette (try not to get shot) and shoot with one hand / arm.  Army trained this even through WW2.  See this interesting video below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP7J-JNSUu4

It was not until much later that 2 handed shooting became the norm that it is today. 
Precision shooting sports honor the tradition of one handed shooting.  Tactical / Defensive / Action shooting go with modern 2 hand hold. 

Target grips for precision shooting are made to shoot with one hand, so the right hand grip will be set up in such way that it feels like a glove.  Repeatability of hand placement is a key.  You put your hand into the grip and the pistol locks to your hand.  The more it locks the better the repeatability. Left hand slab is an afterthought (what's below the thumb rest) and is there in worst case because it gives grips a nice wood look and in best case because it just adds more weight into hand to make pistol less nose heavy and balance better. << Anyone can correct me if I am wrong.  
There are Nill anatomic grips that have left hand cutout, but normally anatomic grips will be a thick slab on the left side.

Oh and to answer your question - non target grips are not designed this way because the expectation is that most of the people will use a two hand hold.

Thanks.  Great explanation.

SJS,

A-ha, sorry, I and several other responders missed the point that you are indeed an absolute beginner. Nothing wrong with that, we all have to start somewhere. Well done Tripscape for realising that important point. Yes, that basic anatomical grip on your first air pistol is indeed meant to be used one-handed by a right handed shooter. Not the right starting point for two-handed shooting.

To get a better idea of how target air-pistols are meant to be used try searching for Air pistol World Championships or similar on YouTube. I personally find shooting air pistol really well even harder than 22 or larger "real" guns. But they are an excellent entry point to Bullseye and International target pistol sports.