Author Topic: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy  (Read 722 times)

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Offline kennisondan

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how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« on: October 21, 2007, 04:24:52 PM »
I realized today that my shooting with my 475 is mosre consistent with a tighter hold on the gun and it seems that varying the hold changes the point of impact despite the same sight picture.. since I got used to the recoil I held it loosely on the bench with forearms on the support.. I held it tightly offhand with my left hand forefinger on the front of the trigger guard and both hands putting some pressure on the gun; then tried tightly with my left arm bent but right arm straight and left arm against a tree for a field rest... ALL  the variations tended to be inconsistent except the offhand shooting with a tight grip... the  others varied in impact points to the point I wondered if my sights were shifting a tiny bit. 
Is it even possible that the grip could lead to inconsistency.. I realized today I was gripping the gun gingerly due to an injury, and was not getting the same pressure on the grip all the time... then when I got more consistent it was more consistent too... bu not by a little bit, we are talking ten inch or larger groups with improvised rest shrinking down to five shots offhand in a six inch target with four within 4 inches... can it make that big a difference ?
at 40 yards 50 yards 25 yards ? this is the first time I played with my grip, due to the elbow injury and the expected recoil of the larger bore gun... please advise.. I am going back to the range this week as I plan to hunt this weekend coming and would like to use the big pistol, but will not if it does not get more consistent fast..
at the end of the day a 40 yard offhand shot and shorter was no problem for a six inch group, but no better.. and it seemed all due to the tighter grip ( damn the dr. orders to not squeeze anything tightly ) and to really working to keep the grip the same tightness each time...
well what do you great minds and experienced pistoliers think..??
big difference... small difference.. ?

Offline Ken ONeill

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2007, 12:58:49 AM »
Consistency is everything. Everything. Sight alignment, trigger squeeze, and grip position and tension, all require uniformity. While .22's can be shot consistently with a soft grip, big bores / heavy recoilers will require a firm (but not trembling) grip with the shooting hand. I simply support that tightly gripped shooting hand in my off (left) hand without applying pressure with that off-hand, but I have known at least one very good shooter who applies pressure with both hands. My counsel is a tight grip with the shooting hand, rested in the grip of the support hand, beside it. I've been shooting so long, I rest the support hand forefinger against the front of the trigger guard...a position which has somewhat fallen out of favor in recent years, but I'm not about to change, due to long familiarity.
Shooting positions can affect point of impact. Offhand impact will likely be different (usually higher) than point of impact achieved by shooting off a bag rest, or field rest if the position of the support hand changes slightly or downward pressure is applied to the rest, that won't exist in an off hand position. This can be minimized by striving to just lightly rest the gun (even the barrel...carefully) on the support rest, and being conscious on the position and tension of both hands, to mimic your offhand position.

Offline kennisondan

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2007, 10:47:11 AM »
theleft hand grip on the front of the trigger guard seemed to buck the recoil better than any other way... I am getting a stone bruise in the palm of my left hand from the other grips used... I never had used a soft grip before, always was pushing with the right and pulling back with the left keeping the handle in the middle with isometric pressure... this worked for years for me.. I was experimenting due to an elbow injury that is aggravating the fool out of me.. I will try the grip on the front of the trigger guard more cause it rotates my palm out of the way to avoid this bruising... I can handle the bruising, but it is unnecessary... happens with my blackhawk and my FA but not with full bisley grips... as they are longer...

I am amazed at the amount of difference the different rests and grips caused in the point of impact... I will try to be consistent and just cut the shooting amount down if it hurts too much.. the doc wanted me to abstain .. but I am an addict... I admit it .. and I don't want to be well just don''t want to hurt as much.
dk

Offline StrawHat

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2007, 04:35:01 AM »
kennisondan

Grip pressure does affect accuracy and group size.

I competed for about a decade with a handgun and found a few things that worked ... for me.

Everyone had pachmyer grip so I had to have them too, found out they made my scores drop about 5 points because they shifted around on the gun each shot.

I wound up with the factory stocks from S&W with a bit of reworking done to make them fit my hand.  I also bedded them to the revolver so they would not shift.

Don't be afraid to use a file and sandpaper to fit the gun to your hand.

I don't know what gun and grip you are using but find a set of grips on a similar gun that you do well with and try to duplicate them n your gun.

This probably won't happen before your hunting trip but it will serve you well for the next one.

Good luck
"Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result"  Winston Churchill

"A law without a punishment is merely advice."  anonymous

Offline kennisondan

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2007, 08:21:11 AM »
Thanks Straw hat... good advice..
dk

Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2007, 08:32:30 AM »
when i grip with both hands on my 454 i push with the right hand (  gun hand ) and pull with the left . Not to hard just enough to steady the gun . also i realize that i can't keep the gun from moving so i make it move like i want it to . I make a circle where i come down thru. the target and time the shot to break at 6 o'clock .
you also have to trust your sights and not get into over correcting .
If ya can see it ya can hit it !

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2007, 12:28:27 PM »
I do the push pull thing too. Dont do the finger on the front of the trigger guard as it never felt natural to me. consistant grip strenght in critical. Even more so with the big guns becase you have to have them recoiling the same in your hand everytime or you will get vertical stringing. If you think it doesnt matter try shooting a 5 shot group at the beginning of a shooting session with a linebaugh and do the same at the end. I cant tell you how many times i cranked on sight screws with the big guns when i first started but learned to leave them alone. As far as feild rests i fine the leaning on the tree deal to be about the worse. I do better off hand then like that.
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Offline kennisondan

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2007, 05:36:23 PM »
I was wondering how much the difference could be .. I am struggling with a busted right elbow tendon, and was instructed to stop shooting for a few weeks at least.. AND  insturucted not to hold too tightly onto anything. .. also if it hurts stop.....
I have been over correcting, too... probably... and I am getting extreme vertical stringing and the off the tree thing is not that good for me.. better with off hand.. been shooting five careful shots... over and over and correcting, as it seems to be changing..it was taking a while to see what was happening, thougnt the sights were moving...
typically :  I was starting off with a weak hold.. then getting carried away and tightening up a lot, then getting some real pain and lightening it up some.. and had some at the bottom and the top, and then drop some right in the middle.. I could not beleive that the different grip strenght and positioning could make that kind of difference... now I realize it can... \\STUPID STUPID STUPID..
now that I have loose handed shot it.. I realize it can be held exactlyl like my 44 with the loads I am using, so that is what i will do..just tight and consistent.... if the pain keeps up, I will just shorten the shooting sessions and do them more often till it is time for some hunting... I would operate on it if it would speed things up any but I doubt it.. guess therapy is it for me next... it is a real bother that is for sure..

thanks all..
dk

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2007, 11:27:41 PM »
dan your best off listening to your doctor. I had corpal tunnel (spelling) operations done to both hands about 10 years ago and was told to take it easy on them and just happened to get a new 500 about then and pushed my luck and set myself back about 6 months with the healing. I only shot about 10 shots and thought i was doing well but when i shot the last shot i knew something let loose. Take a 22 or 38 out and do some plinking for a while.
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Offline kennisondan

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2007, 01:18:16 PM »
Darn it Lloyd, voice of reason......LOL
I guess you did not miss that it, too is new... ? the other big new guns are out too probably... I don't know if I can do this.... I have some stuff just coming in any day... 308 barrel arrived today for encore frame expected tomorrow.... 460 on the way.... 358... maybe if I asked him again a different way... or something..
I will give them a LITTLE time to get me right.... I need a doctor who hunts, so he understands the perspective...and the importance.... hunting is not everything but it is way ahead of what is in second place....
dk

Offline Paladin

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2007, 03:43:40 PM »
Dan, your as bad as my brother. he needed a heart by pass, he says no big deal if he has a heart attack dies so what. my response was what if you have a heart attack and don't die. same with your elbow, keep screwing around and you'll make yourself left handed. let it heal up, even if ya half to miss some hunting now and not a lot later. OK I'm done

Offline kennisondan

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2007, 04:09:29 PM »
thanks guys... you are right.. it will not be easy to stay put for long... but maybe the doc is right.....
I am lucky I do not have to have a by pass yet.... yet.... if I cannot get my darn veins and arteries to enlarge a little and the gunk keeps increasing I am almost there.. already on many meds...
I really don't have time to have a bypass... but you make a good point..
tell your brother that persons who have it done feel ten years younger... that is what I hear and they get a lot of other perks that they thought they were done with.... so I hear...
I am gonna go to therapy, get the cortizone shots in it again ( 3d round ) then if that does not work talk turkey about what to do and if it matters that much when it is done.... it does hurt though, and the pain meds make me buy more guns... (works for me... LOL)  just cannot shoot them...keep buying big ones...
since my theory that shooting would help failed... I will concede for now... but they better get a move on... times a wastin'...
you guys being nice to me and all wish I did not have to go bash it out in court tomorrow for truth and justice...etc.... sort of warm and fuzzy round here... No Joke.. I do appreciate that.... really.. I will do better ... watcha got to sell....????
dk

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2007, 12:54:13 AM »
time for a nice custom 44 special Dan!
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Offline 44 Man

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2007, 02:44:18 AM »
Amen to that!  Enjoy a nice, versatile .44 spl for a while and save the big guns for after the arm heals.  Shooting fun is shooting fun, which gun you shoot is less important.  Give it some time.  44 Man
You are never too old to have a happy childhood!

Offline Glanceblamm

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2007, 02:45:20 AM »
Quote
keep screwing around and you'll make yourself left handed
Quote

Kennisondan
This is an interesting prospective...Perhaps while healing you could plink with the .22 or .38, like Lloyd suggested and practice with the 475 Left handed...
This might seem like a crazy idea but I got used to shooting a .36 cal Navy colt left handed while reserving my right hand for the 1860 army colt. It got to where I was shooting a lot better than I thought I would.
Course that cap n ball would be like a pop gun in comparison to your 475...other factors might be the dominate eye thing but with a two hand hold and both eye's open you might get by with it.
Again, just a crazy idea to think about.

Offline kennisondan

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Re: how much difference does the grip make on accuracy
« Reply #15 on: October 25, 2007, 02:08:08 PM »
44 special huh ? hmmnmm !  I know that a 5.5inch clements 44 MAG downloaded to special would not do .. or would it ? 
I will load down the 44 or (since I just got it one ragged hole sighted in and hate to mess with it..) just go to loading the 45 colt, give me a great reason to love that light little blackhawk conversion... with lighter loads than used in the five holer and lighter than 44 mag loads, and the gun is lighter, to boot.....
now just need to decide whether to cool down the 44 or the 45 for the time being....
that 44 shoots unbelievable : at short range, I shoot three shots that cover with a quarter, pik a different site spot and do it again.. with some magtech 240 factories that I had laying around for my smith that left my employ...
the 45 light small conversion has mostly been shot with stif for cowboy 45 loads, like 200 or 210 grain round loads, and kicks not at all with them and is really accurate, like head shot on rabbit accurate at fifty steps...
that is what I SHOULD DO .. but then LLoyd and 44 man go and put those ideas in my head.... get me to thinkin' 44 special would be ... would be.... well : SPECIAL...  right ? I wonder if the old lady will think that a 44 special if really different and a necessity for MEDICAL REASONS....  maybe even rehabilitation... yeah... that is it.. REHAB SPECIAL I WILL CALL IT...  now
where do I get the money again ?  please advise.
dk