Holding a Sixgun

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44 AMP

Staff
IF you are talking about different ways to hold an SA revolver, there are several and some don't work for some people with some guns.

The pinky finger under the butt works with guns that have the standard size grips, and for recoil levels up to standard .45 Colt, but, for me doesn't work otherwise.

Using the stock grips, and shooting loads that recoil heavier than the regular .45 Colt, the roll of the grip bends my pinky uncomfortably. even painfully..

And then there is the triggerguard slamming back into my middle finger....

For me, the solution is oversize grips, ones that are long enough to get all my fingers on the grip, and also that fill in behind the triggerguard.

I prefer Pachmayr for that. And, I don't squeeze the grip terribly hard, either. Firm enough to hang on is sufficient, and even with Pachmayrs, this allows the gun to roll in the hand enough to make thumb cocking with the shooting hand simple and easy, while still being less than the roll the stock grips allow.

This may not work for you, but it's been working great for me since '83!
 
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Dave T

New member
This issue is more a matter of hand size that what internet expert recommends it, or condemns it. My first hand gun was a single action (1967) I curled my little finger under the grip because four fingers wouldn't fit on the trigger guard/front strap.

At 74 I'm still shooting single actions (with full black powder loads) and I still curl my little finger under the bottom of the back strap.

YMMV,
Dave
 
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Drm50

New member
I’ve found out with all shooting related things such as grips, stocks and even the gun it’self is personal preference. Just because Joe Poo holds his pistol a certain way don’t mean it’s for you.
 
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arquebus357

New member
It looks to me like the shooter in the video doesn't have much choice but to let his pinky finger rest under the grip. My hands are not as large as his so that would not work well for me.

Post title should be .. How to hold a revolver if you have large hands.
 
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jetinteriorguy

New member
My son is a fashion photographer and he holds a pistol like his camera, a teacup hold. I’ve tried to teach him different but it just doesn’t work for him. He’s very accurate, as good or better than me.
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
It won't hurt his accuracy, but it will be bad for his recoil control. I'll bet, if you watch him, every time he shoots, he has to readjust his grip before the next shot.
 
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shafter

New member
The proper grip is the one that works for the shooter. Some techniques have better results for the majority of shooters but everyone is different and it's ok to be different if it works.
 
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jackmoser65

New member
I agree with the OP. It also keeps you on target and prevents the grip from shifting around. I also think that this was the way it was originally intended. If not then why did they design the various horse pistols and 1860 with a longer grip?
 
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44 AMP

Staff
I'll bet, if you watch him, every time he shoots, he has to readjust his grip before the next shot.
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I can't think of any way to shoot a single action revolver with one hand that doesn't involve "readjusting" my grip.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
using the other hand to cock the gun isn't what I consider one hand shooting.

You might consider it only one hand holding the gun, but you ARE using BOTH hands to shoot it.
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
using the other hand to cock the gun isn't what I consider one hand shooting.
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Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that it was. The point is that if you have to readjust your grip between every shot, that's slowing you down. Great for a day at the range or for slow-fire accuracy, maybe not so great for more serious purposes.

For what it's worth, the post I responded to was about shooting with two hands--using a teacup type grip. That's the context of my initial comment.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
Every shooter is a bit different, and some guns are different, as well. I have one semi auto that if I use the "cup & saucer" hold, it WILL jam.

What is best for rapid fire shooting a DA doesn't work the same with an SA revolver. NO, I'm not a speed shooter, never saw much point in shooting faster than I could aim, unless I was on a belt fed gun...:D

I think people misunderstand the base design concept and therefore have misconceptions and inflated expectations.

The SA revolver is for delivering REPEAT shots rapidly, judged against the speed of its competition when it came out. Beats the hell out of a single shot muzzleloader.

More modern designs have certainly eclipsed the SA's speed (in the hands of the casual shooter) and certainly should be chosen when the most rapid accurate fire possible is the priority.

For me, there's a lot more to pistol shooting than combat type stuff, and there, the SA still shines brightly.

A long, long time back, I was at a local bowling pin shoot and in the "Crank & Yank" (SA) class, shooting a 7.5" Ruger Blackhawk with full house loads (250gr swc over 10gr Unique for just under 1100fps, I cleared 5 pins off the table in 7.02 seconds. Since I was shooting for "speed" I was using my off hand to cock the gun. My time placed 4th......

Same shoot, .44 Auto Mag, 5 pins, 5.36 seconds, not even in the top 10 times.... And .357 Desert Eagle, 7 pins in 4.37seconds, again, not even close to the top times.

If speed is the goal (along with accuracy) the SA revolver isn't the best choice. If speed isn't critical, its a fine choice.
 
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Driftwood Johnson

New member
You cock it with the other hand. Watch the cowboy action folks at work with their SA revolvers.
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Not all Cowboy Action shooters shoot that way. In the various Duelist categories, the revolver is held with one hand and the thumb of that hand cocks the hammer.

I have been shooting that way in CAS for over 20 years, and that is how I shoot a revolver, including curling my pinky under the grip. This works just fine with my Black Powder 45 Colt loads, which have fairly stout recoil.

I found out a long time ago that cramming my entire hand onto the grip placed the knuckle of my middle finger in contact with the rear of the trigger guard, which resulted in my knuckle getting whacked by the trigger guard. Just like the guy in the video said, curling the pinky under the grip opens up some space between the trigger guard and my knuckle. The trigger guard has not whacked my knuckle in years.

It may not work for everybody, but it has worked for me for a long time.

Perhaps if I was shooting 44 Mag, or some other really heavy recoiling cartridge I would hold a revolver differently, but not with my Black Powder 45 Colt loads.
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
In the various Duelist categories, the revolver is held with one hand and the thumb of that hand cocks the hammer.
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Yes, there's also Gunfighter where they shoot with a gun in each hand when the stage allows it.

How about a recap...

jetinteriorguy posted this:

"My son is a fashion photographer and he holds a pistol like his camera, a teacup hold. I’ve tried to teach him different but it just doesn’t work for him. He’s very accurate, as good or better than me. "

To which I responded:

"It won't hurt his accuracy, but it will be bad for his recoil control. I'll bet, if you watch him, every time he shoots, he has to readjust his grip before the next shot. "

The point was that the teacup grip (a TWO-HANDED grip, by the way) may work for accuracy but it is a bad grip for any kind of shooting where speed is important because you have to readjust your grip for each shot. If you have to readjust your grip between shots, it is slowing you down compared to just being able to shoot the next shot right away.

I didn't mean to imply that the Lone Ranger fired his gun with both hands, nor that all cowboy action shooters cock their gun with their off hand, nor that the fastest way to shoot an SA revolver is using the same grip that would work for a semi-auto or a DA revolver, nor should my comments be taken as supporting or attacking specific grip variations for shooting SA revolvers involving different placement of the pinky finger of either hand.
 
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jetinteriorguy

New member
JohnKSa said:
Yes, there's also Gunfighter where they shoot with a gun in each hand when the stage allows it.

How about a recap...

jetinteriorguy posted this:

"My son is a fashion photographer and he holds a pistol like his camera, a teacup hold. I’ve tried to teach him different but it just doesn’t work for him. He’s very accurate, as good or better than me. "

To which I responded:

"It won't hurt his accuracy, but it will be bad for his recoil control. I'll bet, if you watch him, every time he shoots, he has to readjust his grip before the next shot. "

The point was that the teacup grip (a TWO-HANDED grip, by the way) may work for accuracy but it is a bad grip for any kind of shooting where speed is important because you have to readjust your grip for each shot. If you have to readjust your grip between shots, it is slowing you down compared to just being able to shoot the next shot right away.

I didn't mean to imply that the Lone Ranger fired his gun with both hands, nor that all cowboy action shooters cock their gun with their off hand, nor that the fastest way to shoot an SA revolver is using the same grip that would work for a semi-auto or a DA revolver, nor should my comments be taken as supporting or attacking specific grip variations for shooting SA revolvers involving different placement of the pinky finger of either hand.
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Having to readjust your grip may apply to a SA pistol, but we’re shooting my Model 57 using a Hogue Monogrip with finger grooves and no need to readjust your grip. No problem speed wise in DA either. My point was, not one certain grip style works for everyone.
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
If you watch him shoot carefully, you'll see that he is readjusting/reacquiring his grip after every shot. Recoil will force his hands apart and he'll have to rebuild the grip.
 
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FrankenMauser

New member
And then there is the triggerguard slamming back into my middle finger
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I have never really understood this complaint - especially from people with hands similar size to my own.
Several people in my family will not shoot my SBH, because they claim it splits their knuckles with the square trigger guard. Our hands are reasonably average, arguably a bit on the long side.

I used to think the knuckle busting could be chalked up to bad grip technique - gripping the 'plow handle' too high, and/or not letting the revolver 'roll' under recoil. But I have seen them shoot enough other single action revolvers to forget about that theory.

I don't know. I haven't figured out what is going on.
It has never been an issue for me.
 
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