How to grip 1911

[jcaoloveshine]

So I've been gripping the 1911 like this:



With my right hand thumb on top of the safety and left hand thumb forward on the frame like in the picture.

Problem is, every time I squeeze off a round the recoil makes my left thumb slip off the frame. Is there any way to correct this? Does my support hand thumb need to ride the slide? I have the support hand thumb pressed against where the frame almost meets the slide.

[ThatsJustBadTaste]

Thumb on thumb pointing to the direction of your target

[ThatsJustBadTaste]

And try keeping pressure on your middle two fingers both hands and your other pointer finger on the trigger guard... It's not pictured but that's what my sergeant told me to try out

[S dot]

Trying putting more pressure against the frame with your left hand "heel" if you will. I am referring to the meaty portion just below your thumb. When you miss, do you tend to miss left? I put my thumb just forward of the slide stop, its nice little spot for me and easy to index.

[TheExpertish]

Essentially your thumbs add nothing to the grip; it's just a matter of where to put them. I know many a competition shooter that just "let them fly".

[Duranimal]

I also like the support hand index finger in front of the trigger guard helps keep it all tight

[Matt P]

Sorry, try to avoid that index finger in front of the trigger guard.
Quite easy to steer the gun with tension from that finger. Most who make a small living from shooting professionally discourage it.
Gads is right that the thumbs should float, and not really contact the handgun. Again, they can steer it.
Elbows slightly bent, cam them up more to help you press in with the meaty part of your support hand as another member suggested.
Changing your grip to a better, stronger one can be a challenge. Made more so by all the time a shooter spends griping improperly.
If you embrace what Todd J endorses, you should end up being nearly as good as him........................Oh, and maybe after a few thousands rds of proper practice.

All the above just my opinion.

[PRCABR4Christ]

I also like the support hand index finger in front of the trigger guard helps keep it all tight

that's how I shoot, it works well for me and gives the gun a firm platform to cycle on, it also brings the bore axis up just a hair more...I would imagine if you went too tight it would throw your shots, but I have yet to have that problem, YMMV

[Matt P]

Actually I would disagree with that style bringing the bore axis up more.

Try this, point with your forefinger on your support hand. Notice it points straight out.
Now, tilt that same hand in more of a 45 degree angle. Where is that same finger?

You can easily place more of your body up higher on the handgun by simply locking your wrist out more, or getting the 45 degree angle. Thumb pointed straight forward.
Trying to make that contact around the front of the trigger guard may cause you to bring the meaty part of your hand/palm down for comfort.
Eric Grauffel is one of the few pro shooters who does the finger on the trigger guard thing.
In my classes I have put on most who used to do it, learned from someone else. It was just the way that or this person did it.
I am not suggesting it does not work for you.
Just that I disagree with bringing your body up higher to the bore axis through that hold....
I do read you saying "It also brings the bore axis up just a hair more". I felt what you meant to say was that by using that trigger guard hold, it moves your hand up higher.

Or, did you mean something else?

[zfields]

Sorry, try to avoid that index finger in front of the trigger guard.
Quite easy to steer the gun with tension from that finger. Most who make a small living from shooting professionally discourage it.
Gads is right that the thumbs should float, and not really contact the handgun. Again, they can steer it.
Elbows slightly bent, cam them up more to help you press in with the meaty part of your support hand as another member suggested.
Changing your grip to a better, stronger one can be a challenge. Made more so by all the time a shooter spends griping improperly.
If you embrace what Todd J endorses, you should end up being nearly as good as him........................Oh, and maybe after a few thousands rds of proper practice.

All the above just my opinion.

Quite a few of the older competition guys did damn well using index on the trigger guard.

I personally dont do it much, just not comfortable for me. For guns with a hard DA pull, it helps keep me on target though.

[CK_32]

OP your going to get 1000 different shooting styles as they change ever couple of years and people add their own twist which is what wroks for them. I personally shoot hand over hand with fingers pointing... The best?? not sure but how I saw and tried it and I liked it because it worked for me.

Everybody is different. But the way you shoot your 1911 is fine.

[Matt P]

Quite a few of the older competition guys did damn well using index on the trigger guard.

I personally dont do it much, just not comfortable for me. For guns with a hard DA pull, it helps keep me on target though.

And such zfields, we have learned there are other ways to approach the grip on a handgun.
If it works for you and others then great.
I really am unaware of anyone teaching modern technique with a handgun, that endorses the finger on the trigger guard thing.

[Sturnovik]

I use finger on the trigger guard. Its not a bad thing to do. I find its great on the DA/SA and Glock style triggers too. I even do it on revolvers. Modern isn't always better, just depends what your most comfortable with, just like some like weaver and some like isosceles.

[PRCABR4Christ]

I do read you saying "It also brings the bore axis up just a hair more". I felt what you meant to say was that by using that trigger guard hold, it moves your hand up higher.

Or, did you mean something else?

For me it seem to brings the bore axis a little "lower", maybe I wasn't clear, with my index on the trigger guard it brings my support hand higher, thus giving me the sensation that the bore axis has been lowered a little more (thumbs still pointing forward of course...either way, it's more comfortable for me to shoot more accurately, YMMV

[BunnySlayer]

The technique is a good one, if and only if you are willing to put in the practice needed to develope the muscle memory NOT to inadvertently let your thumb interfere with the slide motion. Todd Jarrett is...well Todd Jarrett and and I'm sure his technique was only implemented after about twenty or thirty thousand dry draws.