How Much Do Custom Grips Help ?

For a 1911 handgun for 45 and a Nelson conversion for 22:

To keep it simple, I get as high a grip as possible up into the grip safety, think push the front strap into the rear with primarily the 3rd and 4th fingers and maintain a firm steady grip as I squeeze the trigger making sure not to squeeze the grip, just the trigger. I was resting my thumb on the safety to try to make sure that I did not use it in any way. 

 

I am looking to improve my BE score which after practice alternating with a 22 and 45 for almost a year is only in the low 80's.  Now that I have red dot mounted I see much more movement than I noticed earlier with iron sights. I attribute some movement to not enough endurance in shoulders and arm muscles, and I wonder how much movement is caused by my grip/trigger use. The lightest trigger that I've used (for a brief time only) was on a Les Baer wad 45, which is older and I have some doubts if it is still 3.5 lbs. Most of my 45 shooting has been on a Dan Wesson, trigger I'm guessing is between 4 and 5 lbs.   I like the idea of a Fung type grip what do we think about how much it could help? Does anyone have a b efore and after story to share? Thanks in advance, Bernie

chiltech500 wrote:For a 1911 handgun for 45 and a Nelson conversion for 22:

To keep it simple, I get as high a grip as possible up into the grip safety, think push the front strap into the rear with primarily the 3rd and 4th fingers and maintain a firm steady grip as I squeeze the trigger making sure not to squeeze the grip, just the trigger. I was resting my thumb on the safety to try to make sure that I did not use it in any way. 

 

I am looking to improve my BE score which after practice alternating with a 22 and 45 for almost a year is only in the low 80's.  Now that I have red dot mounted I see much more movement than I noticed earlier with iron sights. I attribute some movement to not enough endurance in shoulders and arm muscles, and I wonder how much movement is caused by my grip/trigger use. The lightest trigger that I've used (for a brief time only) was on a Les Baer wad 45, which is older and I have some doubts if it is still 3.5 lbs. Most of my 45 shooting has been on a Dan Wesson, trigger I'm guessing is between 4 and 5 lbs.   I like the idea of a Fung type grip what do we think about how much it could help? Does anyone have a b efore and after story to share? Thanks in advance, Bernie

Try pushing your thumb forward to counter the fingers 3 and 4 pulling back. I see this as a projection to the target.  And it seems to firm the wrist too. 

And forget score for now.  Work on shooting one good shot at a time.

Using a arched mainspring housing will put your hand as high as it can get into the grip safety, in my case this causes the trigger to feel heavier than when I use a flat MSH, if you want to try custom grips try the herrets nationals, they are the same profile as stock but add a thumb rest and a palm shelf, this will give you a more consistent repeatable grip if your having problems doing that with stock grips

Thanks guys. JackH I actually have been doing that with my thumb,  I discovered earlier this week that pushing that thumb forward did indeed seem to remind/reinforce the firmer wrist and straighter arm. I stumbled upon it as I tried different ways of "resting" the thumb.

I am gripping the pistol high enough to have created a callous in and stretch the web between thumb and forefinger. I found myself unconciously doing that to give me a firmer grip feel.

What I am extremely surprised by is that lack of folks jumping forward to say "I use these and..."

I envision the custom grips with finger grooves but I don't know. Do only the people who shoot the Benelli and Hammerli use them?

Thanks DavidR, I am checking out the Herretts and these sure look like a good place to start that won't break the bank.

chiltech500 wrote:Thanks guys. JackH I actually have been doing that with my thumb,  I discovered earlier this week that . . .

I envision the custom grips with finger grooves but I don't know. Do only the people who shoot the Benelli and Hammerli use them?

No. Rink, Vitarbo, Nill and others are available for 1911s.

RoCo grips on a Nelson Custom upper and STI Trojan lower.


RoCo grips on a Sig Sauer 1911-22


Vitarbo grips on an STI Trojan 9mm

Thank you so much for the info and in particular the pics. I ordered the stock Herretts for a good price and will start with them first to see how I feel. I may progress to a custom made.  The stock Herretts do not have any checkering or stipling, but I have some stipling material to try if the smooth doesn't suit me.

PS that STI trojan is a very cool looking firearm.

to enhance the herrets, get some grip tape, home depot, and put it across the right grip and it wont move in your hand even if its sweaty. Ive tried every grip made for a 1911, even had 3 sets custom made and to be honest, herrets work the best, but most use regular flat slab grips, its all in getting a repeatable grip, the herrets are enough like slabs to help

I come from the old, "The tighter the grip, the tighter the group," way of thinking.  I've tried the thumb rest and palm shelf stuff stuff.   Never felt like it improved anything.    I still play with some of the rest and shelf stuff but my bread and butter paper punchers have stippled/checkered front straps and arched mainspring housings.

I took some great advice on the forum, and I'm using the same standard slab side grips for my 22 (Nelson Conversion), centerfire (1911) and 45 (1911) and Service Pistol (1911).  Having the same grips on all 4 alleviates learning different grips styles for me since I'm a novice.  I had "ergo" grips on my MT and my scores went up when I went to the same setup as my other pistols. 

First and foremost, I'm not a master, so don't take that as advice, its not, I'm not qualified to give it.  But, it is what worked for me.  I've been working on my grip strength, dry fire and shot routine to be the biggest help.  I dry fire now than go to the range. 

Basically, I've found the more time I spend in "Fundamentals" vs. "Equipment" part of the forum the better my scores are.  That may change someday, but for the moment that's where I'm at. 

JayHawk, thanks for the novice to newbie advice. That is something much appreciated. I am certain consistency is the most important factor - stance, grip, trigger, follow through.

I have a Nelson conversion 22 on a Dan Wesson frame and had bought a Les Baer Wad gun so I had grip and trigger similarities. A handload case separated and blew out the grips and may have bent the frame on the Baer recently. I have a Springfield 1911 in 9mm coming back from a trigger job, so I have all similar grips and triggers.

That said, after I wrecked the Baer which is now back to Baer hopefully for repair, I pulled out my old Browning 22 and shot it. Well much to my surprise I really liked the slightly thicker grip and also like the roll trigger - which needs work to be more consistent. I also like shooting a Sig 225 single stack 9mm which is almost 30 years old. It also has a thicker grip and a roll trigger which is great.

I am feeling a dilemma here. Can a 1911 trigger be reconfigured to be roll? And if I like the Herrets I will get another likely for one of my other 1911's.

Repeating my post from the Targettalk forum where most shooter said they shoot slab or slab with an underlay to make them a bit thicker:


 I am a newer shooter and it is common for newbies to look at equipment for answers. As an analogy, I have skied since very young and in college friends and I had holes in our skis and edges missing yet could ski circles around people with the latest technology new and fancy equipment. It was the experience and practice period, not the equipment.

Unfortunately I became handicapped 2 years ago and shoot sitting, though I can walk but not very well. I turned to Bullseye because it's something I can do without too much lower body use. At 59 I am trying to catch up quickly on Bullseye technique thus my focus on equipment much like the newer skiers mentioned above

For the roll question, I believe so, but members with more experience would have to provide input on the modification.

http://tonybrong.blogspot.com/2008/12/clean-break-or-roll.html

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/zins.htm

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t674-should-i-get-a-roll-trigger