Pistol Grip

[natebick]

I am wondering if you are supposed to use the finger rest on the front of the trigger guard that comes on so many pistols these days. What are the pros and cons of using it?

[ToddG]

No, you shouldn't use it to rest your finger(s) as part of your firing grip. There are some people who learned this way -- some trigger guards were specifically designed with that poor practice in mind -- but it:

Eliminates your strongest finger from maintaining maximum grip around the gun.
Forces you to break your wrist upward, preventing you from locking your wrist.
Makes it far more likely you will impart sideways force on the gun during the trigger stroke.

[Adam]

This seems to be very popular with European shooters and gun designers. Many American instructors will have you move the finger down with the others. I feel that placing the finger in front of the trigger guard gives me less control over the handgun.