Student Handgunner: It's Not A Rifle... Get A Grip

Serena firing a Tanfoglio Defiant Ltd. Master with JoAnna Wilson of Patriot Defense.

I don’t remember the exact words, but I do know my immediate response was an affirmative head nod, followed by a silent “yes, ma’am.” I gripped the 9mm Beretta 92F S Elite more tightly and pressed my left thumb against the pistol frame. Ping! The steel rang.

The 2020 She Never Quit fundraising event, run by the Women’s Outdoor Media Association, brought women from across the country to have fun, shoot and learn from one another. Over the course of three days, each participant had the opportunity to fire 51 different firearms while being coached by professional instructors and competitive shooters.

I came to volunteer (help in the kitchen), take photos and write about the event. To my surprise and delight, after several hours cleaning a bloodied fridge (someone left meat to defrost with nothing underneath it), I was told to report to the range the next morning.

Fittingly, the first guns I fired were rifles. As cliché as it sounds, shooting them felt like home. My head rested naturally on the stock. I pulled the butt into my shoulder. I relaxed. Pistols came next.

The steel targets were close, perhaps five yards away at most. The paint had already chipped off, so only the satisfying “ping” of a bullet striking steel revealed the fate of each shot. Approximately half of my first few shots announced their arrival at the correct and final destination. The instructor at this station advised me to grip the gun more tightly and to press my left thumb (I’m right-handed) against the left side of the pistol frame. I carried these tips through the remainder of the event and was successful most of the time. It was a confidence booster.

Competitive shooter Athena Lee (left) and instructor Shelia Hoekstra
(middle) coach Serena on proper grip at the She Never Quit event.

Ask an Expert

When I returned home, I consulted George Harris, co-founder of the SIG SAUER Academy. Though I’ve yet to meet George in person, he’s a dedicated mentor to me and someone I consider family. I wanted to understand why a minor grip adjustment seemed to make such a difference.

We arranged a Zoom call, and he took a look at my grip with my Kimber Micro .380 carry pistol. My hands were for the most part in the correct position. George has a way of instructing that makes sense; he’s able to explain the why and how behind things I observe on the range.

Putting light pressure against the frame with my thumb stopped the gun from going to the left when pressing the trigger. He also recommended I keep my support hand index finger tight under the trigger guard to brace the pistol. This keeps the muzzle from dipping when I pull the trigger.

Serena putting some new tips to the test with a Beretta APX.

Grip

One thing I still failed to understand was how tightly to grip the gun. To my chagrin, there’s no hard and fast answer. To my relief, my thought process wasn’t completely off-track.

Countless shots downrange with dedicated competition rifles have given me muscle memory and an automatic firing process. The rifle should rest in the non-firing hand. Clenching your hand tightly around the fore-end increases muscle tension which increases inconsistency. Natural point of aim is a product of muscle relaxation. To this same end, I would grip a pistol more tightly with my firing hand than my non-firing hand, not realizing I needed both to build a steady position.

George clarified control of a pistol depends on surface contact. Gripping the gun too tightly can not only tire you prematurely, but limits index finger mobility.

Why can gripping a gun too tightly be a detriment? Again, think surface area contact. Too much pressure can cause the palm and fingers to wrinkle. Picture the raisin-like ridges on your fingertips after a few hours in a swimming pool. The spaces created by these wrinkles are places where your hand no longer contacts the firearm, making it more likely to slip.

Also, your index finger needs to be able to move freely for proper trigger control. A death grip can limit index finger mobility. To test this, hold your firing hand in front of you as if holding a pistol. Then take the index finger of your opposite hand and pull back on the webbing between your thumb and index finger of your firing hand. Try to move your trigger finger. You’ll find it’s more difficult to move it with the extra pressure than without.

Understanding why something works — or doesn’t work — is key to improving. That’s why I never stop asking questions! They open doorways to new knowledge.

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