Is there any truth to Glock grip angle?

[jmstr]

If you start with a Glock, IT will be the natural one.

I also find it points high for me.

HOWEVER, I have to admit that I am more consistently accurate with it than I would expect, and even more so than some of the other pistols that point 'more naturally' for me.

I can't bring myself to love them. I can't bring myself to buy more than one. But I respect them enough I can't bring myself to sell the one I have: Despite how odd it feels in my hand.

 

[RickB]

I usually see the difference between Glock and 1911 expressed as five or six degrees.

Since the Glock's grip angle is very near that of a Luger pistol, which is considered to be one of the most naturally pointing guns ever, I don't see where all the condemnation for the Glock grip comes from.

I think the two guns most widely claimed to be natural pointers are the Luger and the Single Action Army, and I don't find either to be the least bit natural.
Pointing comes into play only when you ignore the sights, so it shouldn't matter much.
Gaston Glock apparently studied the hands of 100 Austrians to help shape the grip of the G17, so maybe it's natural only for people who are from Austria?

 

[lee n. field]

We visited Kenny Polhamus, owner and operator of Kapguns of Loves Park, to find out.

Long time supporter of Illinoiscarry. Just BTW. He started out dealing guns for a hobby from his basement, went "pro" 4 or 5 years ago. He has the only indoor range in the region that I am aware of. (Oh, I know Bullet Stop has one. But, you have to have bought the gun from them.)

Freeport, IL

You might check Snyder's, BTW. He quoted me a better price on a Shield, the other day, than was listed in the JS article.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

But we all agree that a flat mainspring housing as opposed to a humped mainspring housing on a 1911 affects how it points, right?

Yep and the Glock is like one with a exaggerated curved MSH which is why some Glocks point high for me, but not all. They got the angle/backstrap of the G19 just right. It's all about the hump placement as well. It varies on the backstrap depending on which size Glock.The lower it sits (G17,G21) the higher the front sight is. The G26 has the most exaggerated back strap, but thankfully Glock modified it a little with the Gen4 models.

 

[Robk]

It has nothing to do with actual grip angle. I suggest you do this, make a gun with your fingers.like you did as a kid. Note that your wrist is lower than your thumb.This is a natural position for most hands,even just put your hand out to shake another hand.Same orientation.Natural for most.Pick up a Glock and you haev to break your wrist down to almost align your thumb even with your wrist.That's the entire issue in a nut shell.Don't own anything that would make me shoot in the manner that a Glock does.It alos does not fell natural to me.To test this, I alos picked up every pistol I own and lifted it up with eyes closed in front of me to a target.All came within an acceptable distance of the target and was always level, that being the most important part for me.Just my experience with Glocks and my hands, but I feel this is the correct way of explaining it.

 

[HistoryJunky]

Thank you for all your input guys. Didn't mean for it to look like a drive by post, just fell asleep

I figured it was more of the clerk's bias than anything, just figured it was potentially worthy of discussion.

Thanks Lee for the local input as well. Where is Snyders?

 

[Dragline45]

While I shoot Glock's fine, they don't point naturally for me, which means I have to be conscious about it when shooting them.

 

[Gats Italian]

It's more than the grip angle alone. It's the fat butt. It's the exaggerated back strap hump. It's the ridiculous molded in finger bumps. It's that unrelieved area between the front strap and the trigger guard. It's the cheesy feeling two piece trigger.

The grip angle is a minor sin compared to some of the other ergonomics goofs in the Glock.

 

[lee n. field]

Thanks Lee for the local input as well. Where is Snyders?

Up Henderson Road, north of Winneshek.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

The G26 has the most exaggerated back strap, but thankfully Glock modified it a little with the Gen4 models.

I never liked Glocks until I picked up a Gen 4... it was weird. I didn't really give much though to the Gen 4, but that tiny little fraction of an inch they shaved off the grip circumference made all the difference to me between near perfect comfort and holding a 2 x 4. My Gen 4 G19 feels as good as my M&Ps or the E2 Sigs I don't own but lust after.

 

[HistoryJunky]

Thanks Lee. Sounds like its out in the boonies somewhere. Maybe I'll make a trip sometime this week.

 

[lee n. field]

Thanks Lee. Sounds like its out in the boonies somewhere. Maybe I'll make a trip sometime this week.

About 5 miles north of town on Henderson Rd.

 

[gyvel]

Since the Glock's grip angle is very near that of a Luger pistol, which is considered to be one of the most naturally pointing guns ever, I don't see where all the condemnation for the Glock grip comes from.

According to whom? This statement gets brought up ad nauseum. When was the magical study of all firearms in current production using thousands if not millions of people in order to come to such a conclusion?

Take it up with the advertising department at DWM. That was one of the major selling points for the Parabellum pistols.

Also, while I am not going to quote verse and chapter, many persons far more knowledgable than I have praised the natural pointing abilities of the Parabellum pistols.

 

[AK103K]

I'm sure if I would practice with a Glock that this would go away, but I have no interest. YMMV

Finally, someone actually comes right out and admits the real reason and the truth.

It's more than the grip angle alone. It's the fat butt. It's the exaggerated back strap hump. It's the ridiculous molded in finger bumps. It's that unrelieved area between the front strap and the trigger guard. It's the cheesy feeling two piece trigger.

fat butt.....my Combat Commanders grip is "fatter" than any of my Glock's at the widest point. Commander...1.34", Glock 17...1.21".

exaggerated hump..... I just measured the "hump" to frontstrap measurement on my Combat Commander which has an arched MSH and it measured 2.26". My Glock 17 which is stippled, making it slightly larger than the non stippled guns, measures 2.24 at the same point.

The Commander measured at the narrowest point, grip safety depressed to the underside of the trigger guard at the front, measures 1.93". The Glock at the same point, 2.07".

There is an exaggeration here, but it has nothing to do with the "true" grip measurements.

that unrelieved area between the front strap and the trigger guard...when I hold the 1911 next to the Glock at the trigger guards, I get basically the same relief radius.

It's the cheesy feeling two piece trigger..... come on, just admit you dont like Glocks and be done with it. You dont have to make stuff up.



Ive owned, shot, and carried pretty much all the different major makes/platforms at one point. In the 40 or so odd years Ive carried a handgun daily, Ive carried a 1911 of some sort, more than anything else. I still shoot one a couple of times a month as well. SIG's, HK,'s Walthers, S&W's, Glocks, etc, you name it.

I dont care what you normally carry, they all take a mag or cylinder or two to get your brain rewired to whats in your hand at any given moment, and then youre right back in it.

I point shoot them all as well, and have no troubles switching back and forth.

I personally believe its the people who dont have the experience with anything other than what they own, and/or just flat out hate Glocks for whatever reason, who are the biggest complainers when it comes to this. Those of us who shoot them all, know its all BS.

 

[TunnelRat]

I personally believe its the people who dont have the experience with anything other than what they own, and/or just flat out hate Glocks for whatever reason, who are the biggest complainers when it comes to this. Those of us who shoot them all, know its all BS.

You're right, it's part of the grand conspiracy to topple Glock!

Seriously, it cracks me up that the Glock fans can't accept that someone might not like their pistols. It's as if you were committing sacrilege.

 

[4thPoint]

Since the Glock's grip angle is very near that of a Luger pistol, which is considered to be one of the most naturally pointing guns ever, I don't see where all the condemnation for the Glock grip comes from.

Umm... are you certain of that?

A little web-searching says about the Luger; "The Luger pistol was manufactured to exacting standards and had a long service life. William "Bill" Ruger praised the Luger's 145° (55° for Americans) grip angle and duplicated it in his .22 LR pistol."
That's more than a bit sharper than a Glock's +/- 112° grip angle.

 

[AK103K]

Seriously, it cracks me up that the Glock fans can't accept that someone might not like their pistols. It's as if you were committing sacrilege.

I couldnt care less if you like the Glock, or what ever. Thats youre choice. Just say so. No need to nit pic non issues, or make crap up just to justify your decision. You like HK, great, have at it. Nice guns. Do they do anything better than a Glock, nope!

I like most of them, and shoot a lot of them, all the time, and I really dont have a problem with any of them. Do I have certain guns I like better, sure, we all do.

My reason these days for going mainly with Glocks, is simply a matter of value. I get more Glocks and accessories for my money, than anything else so far. My SIG's worked great, so did my HK's, Colts, S&W's, etc. Thats never been an issue. Getting almost 2 for 1 of something that works just as well, and in some cases better than the others, why wouldnt you?

Im not really a brand snob. If they work reliably out of the box and I can shoot them well, I dont see a problem. I have yet to come across a good example of any of them, that isnt easily shootable, once you put in a little time to learn the gun. From a lot of the pissy stuff you hear thrown about about any of them, its not to hard to tell who hasnt bothered to do that.

 

[Skans]

Some folks will complain about a 2 degree difference in the grip angle of a Glock vs. whatever and then claim their Ruger Mark II is the best gun ever made. Go figure.

 

[Dragline45]

I personally believe its the people who dont have the experience with anything other than what they own, and/or just flat out hate Glocks for whatever reason, who are the biggest complainers when it comes to this.

Judging from your posts about Glock's, I am going to come right out and say you are biased. If what you posted above makes you feel better about Glock's, than great, but you couldn't be further from the truth.

If anything, people who have a problem with Glock grip angles are not inexperienced, they are experienced enough and have enough experience with a variety of pistols to know that the Glock grip angle does not work for them.

It's as simple as this, while I shoot Glock's fine, they don't point naturally for me as other pistols do. When plenty of guns out there fit my hand better and point natural for me, I see absolutely no reason to shoot Glock's and have to force myself to work around the problem. It's like wearing a pair of shoes that don't fit right.

 

[JN01]

Seriously, it cracks me up that the Glock fans can't accept that someone might not like their pistols.

It's not that, it's the fact that the reasons given are often not accurate. As pointed out in previous posts, the grip angle is not particularly unusual, and grip thickness and other measurements are comparable to or smaller than other popular pistols.

I think the main difference is the cross-sectional shape of the grip. A 1911 with standard grips is quite a bit thicker than a Glock, but is much more oval than rectangular.

Finding the shape of the grip or finger groove/swells un-ergonomic, or being dissatisfied with the mediocre trigger pull can be good reasons for not liking a Glock. Some of the other criticisms are not so valid.

The weird grip angle canard might prevent some folks who might be satisfied with one from even trying a Glock.