Technique Question about Gripping a Glock

[matthewdanger]

Gurus,

I used to grip my Glocks with a sort of thumbs down or tucked thumbs grip. This would curl my thumb down and away from the slide stop lever (slide release), but it prevented me from getting good contact with on the grip with my support hand. The lack of contact with the support hand caused my sights to track inconsistently.

I got tired of chasing the front sight down between shots and have spent the last two months undoing years of built up muscle memory so I can present the Glock efficiently and consistently in a thumbs forward grip. In doing this I have seen some very measurable gains in speed from shot to shot so I am very pleased.

There has been one issue that keeps nagging me. When I grip with the thumbs forward grip, the part of my thumb where it joins the palm will at times contact the slide stop lever. This prevents the slide from locking back on empty or, at times, locks the slide back early. This seems to happen when I grip too high with my support hand.

One thing that I have found that helps me is to press the weak hand thumb lightly against the dust cover area of the frame (the part forward of the trigger guard). This creates a sort of arch or bridge with the weak side thumb that pulls it out and away from the lever slightly. So as of right now I am doing dry fire draws in between range sessions in order to beat the new grip into myself.

So I guess my questions are how do you guys deal with this? Can anyone post pics of their hands as the grip a Glock (from the top and support side would be helpful)? Any tips or direction would be great.

Thanks,
Matt

[skyugo]

i haven't had an actual failure due to contact with the slide stop lever, but i have noticed this. i've considered dremeling my slide stop lever down to a nub. i always pull the slide back to release it.

[matthewdanger]

i haven't had an actual failure due to contact with the slide stop lever, but i have noticed this. i've considered dremeling my slide stop lever down to a nub. i always pull the slide back to release it.

I have thought about doing that too but another thing I have been training is using the slide stop on reloads.

[spr1]

I used to shoot the "tucked thumb" method as well, I attribute it to years of revolver shooting. I switched a number of years ago to the thumbs forward grip on autos, but am still somewhat conflicted when I go back and shoot revolvers.
I was able to retrain myself very quickly to the point that locking the thumb down feels funny, and thumbs forward feels natural.
By the way, I shoot Glocks way more than anything else.
As a suggestion, practice placing your strong hand first, with the thumb lower on the frame, and then, bring your support hand in to "find room". It is probably just a matter of getting your strong hand thumb habituated to a position a 1/4 or 3/8 inch lower. Eventually, you will develop "muscle memory" of the exact position to make everything fit and work.
Getting that support hand to provide solid contact with the frame is worth the time.

[LittleRedToyota]

One thing that I have found that helps me is to press the weak hand thumb lightly against the dust cover area of the frame (the part forward of the trigger guard). This creates a sort of arch or bridge with the weak side thumb that pulls it out and away from the lever slightly. So as of right now I am doing dry fire draws in between range sessions in order to beat the new grip into myself.

i never really thought about the issue you raise, but i just looked at my own grip. i don't actually press my thumb on the dust cover, but my support thumb does touch it.

the slide stop does end up sort of in the little bridge between where the "top" of my palm touches the grip and my thumb touches the dust cover, but it is as the very back of that bridge and, really, i am pressing against the slide stop (in, though, not up) with the area where my palm and thumb meet.

looking at it now, i could see how it could be a problem, but, in reality, i have never had any of my g17s lock back prematurely. i have had a very few instances of the slide not locking back when empty, but that always happened with a dirty mag with an old spring, so i always attributed it to that. i can see now, though, how it is possible that i was actually pressing on the slide stop and preventing it from popping up to catch the slide (though it has never happened to me with a magazine with a fairly fresh spring, so...)

my grip is as high as i can get it without touching the slide. i don't think you really want to lower your grip if you can help it. i think you get better recoil control with a higher grip.

also, if anything, i'm thinking you might want to try raising your grip a bit so you end up pressing the slide stop in rather than up. that might at least get rid of the premature locking back--which, imho, is a much bigger problem than not locking back when empty. just a guess, though.

my digital camera is broken, so i can't post any pics unfortunately.

take this all fwiw. i hope maybe it helps somehow.

[woodandsteel]

I used to tuck my thumbs down as well. I also used to be an average shooter with the Glock. I would do well on the quals, but in the practical course of fire, I would always find myself shooting low.

Earlier this year, I was at the range, and one of the instructors saw me shooting. He didn't like how I was holding the gun. Instead, he had me hold the gun with my support hand slightly under and around my strong hand. He also had me shooting with my thumbs in the up position. It was akward at first. And I did have one case where the slide failed to lock back. But, after shooting with that kind of a grip, I found myself shooting much better. I also found that the sights were aligned right in front of my dominant eye.

It is easier to show rather than explain the technique. But for me it works. After 15 years of shooting the Glock, I can finally shoot the gun. I find that I get less fatigued and my vision doesn't get all blurry. A day at the range used to guarantee me a headache for the next day.

[matthewdanger]

Thanks for all of the replies so far. I am gleaning some good info.

Some points of clarification:

- I definitely try to grip as high as I can with both the weapon and support hand. I do not want to have to lower my weak hand.

- When I say my support hand thumb presses against the frame I mean very lightly. It is mostly just resting there.

I drew my beat up old G22 from the holster into my grip and had my wife snap some pics. Please tell me if anything obvious jumps out at you.

Here it is from the top down. You can see the slight gap created by my weak hand thumb placement.


Here it is slightly rotated to show more of how much clearance between my hand and the slide stop lever I have.


Here it is from the support side.


I have tried it with my thumbs held out away from the Glock but doesn't seem as secure or natural as having some slight contact.

Again, I appreciate any feedback you can give.

Thanks,
Matt

[Alpha Sierra]

I used to shoot the "tucked thumb" method as well, I attribute it to years of revolver shooting. I switched a number of years ago to the thumbs forward grip on autos, but am still somewhat conflicted when I go back and shoot revolvers.

Do not try to shoot revolvers with the thumbs up technique that works so well with semi autos. Control will suffer, so will the web of your hand just inside the strong side thumb. Curl that strong hand thumb down and ride the weak hand thumb over it. Also, if you shoot a heavy caliber (.44 Magnum and up) your weak hand thumb can be burned, cut, or even its tip severed by the gasses escaping out the cylinder to forcing cone gap if you use an aggressive thumbs forward grip.

[matthewdanger]

Good point. A thumbs forward grip on a revolver is a good way to loose some flesh on your thumbs!

[spr1]

I do use the grip shown for revolvers. I have been experimenting a bit to see if I can get more support hand meat on the grip, but nothing has worked as well as the old tried and true.