Pistol grip with missing fingers

[alvincullumyork]

So my dad who is a bit of a fudd bought himself a Ruger P95. I am coming home this weekend and am going to do a little bit of shooting with. I want to teach him proper grip and stance but when he was in college his hand got stuck in a chain and went through some gears taking most of the fingers off of his right hand. The doctors took some skin from his side and built up his middle nub and he still has other smaller nubs and a full thumb. For rifles and shotguns he uses his middle nub and shortened stock and is a very good shot but for pistols he has to use his non dominant left hand. My question is should I have him try and use a normal two handed thumbs forward grip or weak hand only or something totally different?

p.s. I tried to talk him out of the P95 but, "Ruger makes good guns and I can get it for a good price."

[Shorts]

My perspective - I don't have use of my left hand/arm. I shoot pistol using only my right hand. I am familiar with adapting my techniques to suit the activity.

Let your dad have the ultimate say as to how he physically grips a pistol and with what hand. Only he knows his strength and mechanical skill. With those as the basis he will have confidence in his method. Strength + mechanical skill + confidence = proficiency with good practice. And for anyone with a disability these are keys for a complete successful activity.

Once your dad has his strong hand grip established, now you may diddle with other aspects. A question you probably need to answer is what is his goal when shooting? Is it for accuracy as if in a bullseye competition? Self defense/CCW practice? Shooting cans in the back yard? Each will have a few details that can change how you do the following adjustments. So answer that then use the methods and techniques specific to each kind of shooting events.

- The support hand - does he want to use it to support the gun? If so, work to find a suitable position. If he has full motor control and strength in his hand as a complete unit that can act as enough of a stabilizer for accurate first shots and consistent followups. If he has no control like I do, have him put his hand behind his back (acts to balance out and steady the body). Or if there's quick deployment from a holster work on keeping that arm/hand out of the line of fire and increasing body mechanics for the movements

- The stance - as a one handed shooter I find the strong leg forward and lean in to be the most comfortable, controllable and accurate method for firing. I shoot all calibers but a .45acp is my carry so I shoot most with it. Body position to control recoil is imperative for good follow up shots on target. I like to stand square to my target, not side ways (as in bullseye shooting). I feel it is a better ready position for me.


Is this his first handgun? I would definitely focus on safe handling, particularly clearing and reloading. Those are the harder things to do safely/smoothly, especially under duress. You know your dad so you know how much to push him to try to change any handling habits. If what he is doing is inconsequential, let him have it his way. Changing someone's mechanics is pretty hard especially if they physically can't do things from the normal script. Ultimately have fun, be safe. There will be some things he'll have to figure out on his own for his own comfort. Show him the foundation and good basics and let him take it from there.



ETA: on the grip is he shoots with one hand and no support hand, have him try a thumb high grip. It is easier to steady the gun during trigger pull because the thumb wants on the gun (subsequently taking your sight off target). Also thumb high does not fatigue the hand as quickly as trying to wrap the thumb. Try this, take your hand and make a "gun" out of your fingers. Keep your thumb high and pull the trigger with your index finger. See how your trigger finger feels pretty free? Now do the same again but wrap your thumb down on our middle finer. Now pull the trigger. How does it feel?

[Hogsgunwild]

I am missing a finger on one hand and have two that are not fully functional on the other hand. I have done the skin and meat graft thing. Your Dad needs to experiment a bit.
If the normal thumbs forward grip seems weird, your Dad may try the strong hand thumb folded under the weak hand thumb. I have done this on guns that had an awkwardly placed thumb safety and was surprised how well it worked. He will probably never have the advantage of a really strong clamshell / rearward pulling grip for stabilization from his weak-hand but you guys should experiment.

Weak-hand shooting is probably out of the question, but, I have a weak-hand with a ****ed-up index finger that does a good job of surprising me when the gun goes off! The result is that I shoot more accurately with my weak hand only versus with my strong hand only.

You guys will probably have to experiment a good bit to find the sweet spot. Good luck and good for you for doing all of this for your Dad!
Very admirable.

[Hogsgunwild]

After reading Short's excellent post a bit closer I thought that I would add something. While attending a recent Vickers handgun course, I was perplexed to be shooting worse with my strong-hand only versus my weak-hand only. During the Dot Torture, I was fine weak-handed, but, hit the dot once out of five tries when strong-handed only. I ask instructor Dave Royer (from Whiskey 7 Tactical, who was helping Larry) what he would suggest that I do. He instantly suggested that I lean forward, even more into the gun / stance.
I was incredulous! Great advice and upon my next Dot Torture drill, I smoked the dot 5 out of 5 times.

[ra2bach]

if his right hand is impaired then his left hand IS his dominant hand.

having just spent a couple months of "doing right" (I'm left hand but carry a Shield right hand as a BUG) I find it's a short period of adjustment. I will probably never become as proficient RH as left until I decide to make a complete transition, which I will never do unless I have to. I have too many years the other way around...

[RHINOWSO]

p.s. I tried to talk him out of the P95 but, "Ruger makes good guns and I can get it for a good price."While most people don't like Ruger P-series pistols, my friend owned one and it was a tank, flawless, reliable, accurate enough, and built like a tank.

Not my first choice in a handgun (or second, or third), if handed a Ruger P-series pistol and told to defend myself with it, I wouldn't be too concerned with the weapon failing me.

YMMV,

[alvincullumyork]

My perspective - I don't have use of my left hand/arm. I shoot pistol using only my right hand. I am familiar with adapting my techniques to suit the activity.

.....Snip....


I am missing a finger on one hand and have two that are not fully functional on the other hand. I have done the skin and meat graft thing. Your Dad needs to experiment a bit.
....snip....

You guys will probably have to experiment a good bit to find the sweet spot. Good luck and good for you for doing all of this for your Dad!
Very admirable.

Thanks guys it is great to hear someone with similars perspectives that my father has. I figured it would be trial and error but I will try and take what you have told me and apply it to him.


if his right hand is impaired then his left hand IS his dominant hand.

For handguns and bowling I guess his left hand would be dominant but everything else he still does with his right. He likes to have fun with it to, telling kids that he picked his nose to much, telling my friends he was in the mafia...


While most people don't like Ruger P-series pistols, my friend owned one and it was a tank, flawless, reliable, accurate enough, and built like a tank.

Not my first choice in a handgun (or second, or third), if handed a Ruger P-series pistol and told to defend myself with it, I wouldn't be too concerned with the weapon failing me.

YMMV,

This is basically what I told him and seeing as the pistol might see 200 rounds this year and 50 every other after that it should be okay. Maybe I can convince my mom to buy something a little nicer.

[Shorts]

He likes to have fun with it to, telling kids that he picked his nose to much, telling my friends he was in the mafia...

Hah! Reminds me of my uncle. He lost a few fingers to a serpentine belt one year during harvest season. He likes to boast he can do fractions.

Yall have a good time out there. If you have any questions about how to do certain things feel free to ask away. Remember, where there is a will, there is a way.

[alvincullumyork]

Hah! Reminds me of my uncle. He lost a few fingers to a serpentine belt one year during harvest season. He likes to boast he can do fractions.

Yall have a good time out there. If you have any questions about how to do certain things feel free to ask away. Remember, where there is a will, there is a way.

Awesome thanks!

[alvincullumyork]

Well the day of shooting went fairly well. My dad's P95 had a couple of FTF and didn't lock back on a couple of mags but after a little dipstick oil it started running smoothly again. My uncle and two cousins came and I got to show them a thing or two as well. My cousin was pretty amazing with an old Smith 38 wheel gun.

Yesterday he called me up and was wondering what holster to buy for concealed carry. Does anyone know of a left handed concealed holster for a Ruger P95? Leather would be best and I am think 70 bucks will be the max he is willing to go.