Advice on Pistol Grip

[chferg]

As some of you know I shoot on the regular and am fairly well versed in firearms and shooting related practices...

However after the range this weekend I am having a few issues that I cannot correct and its playing havoc on my accuracy and on my hands.

Due to not having a large stature and having average to small sized hands I can't the best of grips on my larger pistols. My older much more compact 9mm I have 0 issues with but my Walther PPX (.40) and Kahr TP45 I am constantly scraping the top of my thumb near the base of it to the point of ripping skin away and making it painful to shoot.

I can't set my grip any lower as I won't have a good enough handle on the firearm. Is there anything I can do short of selling my two pistols to correct this? Also, do you guys have any suggestions on how to help my grandfather with his grip problem? He's in his 80s and I like to take him out to the range as it is one of the few things he can still do (Post-Polio, Heart Surgeries, Knee Replacements, Hip Replacement in the last 7-10 years). However, he recently bought a Ruger SR9E and it's quite fickle with firm grip and failure to extract. What can I do to help his grip; if there is even anything I can do.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Well, it's not a bad problem to have. It's always hard to get people to have the appropriate grip. As high as possible without scraping is the answer. You only need a fraction of an inch more. I can't imagine that it is a physical impossibility unless you have teeny weeny Trump hands. Even then I've seen small women or young boys have no trouble with double stacks like the B92. It's a far worse problem to have people trying to use a very low grip. The gun uses leverage against them to make much more pronounced muzzle rise.

There are some guns that just love to bite that hand that feeds them. The PPk was notorious. I don't have any experience with the two you mentioned to make a comment as to whether or not they are a problem.

You could just wear thin gloves. It might eventually cut through also but at least you can shoot some. I've seen people put bandaids on to cover the area that you get the cuts also. Same deal. It will cut through but you can just keep changing.

If you shoot thumb high (mostly old 1911 guy who still "rides the safety" even if there isn't one perhaps) then fix it. Some wrap the offhand thumb over the grip thumb to fix it.

If the Ruger is fickle, ime it's not the grip. Get rid of it. Now. You can't trust it. Maybe a revolver for the 80 year old. Even the superlightweights in 38 are not uncontrollable if you get the 125gr rounds loaded for a shortbarreled revolver (definitely not +p) or maybe one of the 32 revolvers.

 

[ChattanooGATOR]

My thought was if your thumb is contacting the slide, or is it just from the squeeze? If you're getting into the slide I'd say that definitely needs to be fixed, and Law's suggestion with the off hand sounds solid.

I don't have any experience with the PPX, but put several miles on the PPQ and smaller PPS without any issues. If your troubles are just from the squeeze and you wind up looking for something else, I would strongly recommend a look at the H&K VP9. I think it's their first dip in the striker-fired lake, and it has a similar overall sexy physique as it's Walther cousins. They also come with (I think) three different sizes of back/front/side straps, which give a lot of grip combinations.

As far as the Grandfather, that's awesome that you're still taking him - do anything you can to keep that up. I also like Law's suggestion with the revolver. I ran into some 38sp rounds that are great for plinking out of my 357's...I'm not where I can look right now, but I think they're called "cowboy loads". Smaller round and much lighter powder charge. From a full-size gun you can barely feel the recoil - reminds me of a cap gun when we were kids.

 

[Delg8tor]

My .02:
Since you are having so many problems you will probably be in the first round of those who get knocked off during the zombie apocalypse. Good luck with that. I would definitely get that corrected if you want to survive.

 

[jeeping8r]

Most any 38 special round in a 357 produces lighter recoil, Just the nature of the beast, I love them in my Dan Wesson for plinking. As for an auto the S&W shield 9s are fairly tame, I have a shield 40 and it hops a bit, Now they have a shield 45 and those who have them love them, The recoil is more of a push than leap per their reports.

If grandpa only shoots recreationally why not let him try a .22? Low recoil and (relatively) cheap bullets. I envy you being able to still spend time with him.

As for your issues have you tried the talon wraps? They can be customized by simply trimming. Some folks actually use old bike inner tubes. Have read where trigger finger placement can have a large effect on shooting, Try different placements... Tip, 1st crease, etc

 

[chferg]

Thanks everyone for the tips; I am going to try to respond to everyone's comment in this post...

Law:

Thanks for the advice; I have been thinking about placing a bandaid and or wearing gloves to shoot it. My accuracy is good for about 80-100 rounds and then it goes to **** so hopefully a thin glove would help keep my thumb from being knicked. My grandfather has a revolver and also a Henry .22 that he recently bought but he just doesn't want to give up on the striker fired pistols. I don't have the heart to tell him that he should and since he only shoots with me. I also know the gun isn't really at fault though; I went through three magazines and had 0 failures. Everything on Ruger forums say that the SR pistols have that issue. If it was a personal defense gun I'd advise him to sell but it's not and hell he isnt going to live forever so I'll work with the grip.

ChattanooGator:

It's not so much of the slide knicking me as it is the the underside of the polymer frame that is rubbing against my thumb that is causing my issue. I have an a little FEG PA-63 that I got for around $100 that does catch the slide and it is a bitch to fire. I'll def take a look at the other pistol you suggested when I get to buying another gun eventually. As for my grandfather; just read what I said to Law about it. I just don't want to take away the last few things he can do.

Deleg8tor:

A pistol would not be my use of choice for the zombie apocalypse. I have an SKS for when SHTF. Sure I have other "nicer" guns but if I want reliability, accuracy, and an easy to acquire round; it's my SKS all day, every day.

Jeeping8r:

Read my reply to Law about my grandfather. He has revolvers, .22's, and a few other guns but he had to give up the higher powered rifles and the black powder. I just can't find it in my heart to suggest that he give up the striker-fired pistols; he has had to give up most everything else that he used to love. As for the talon wraps; I've never heard of them but I'll take a look at it.

Thanks again for your help everyone. Always good to learn from smarter and more experienced shooters. Truth be told I know a different firearm would be better for my grandfather but after somehow avoiding the fatal heart attack twice now when he has had over 90% blockages in his arteries and his bypassed arteries, I am not entirely sure how much longer he will live. He was only the third male in his bloodline to live past his 50s as most of them died before and during the 50s due to heart attacks; even the two that survived had a massive one at 49 and the other has had three in his lifetime. I think I am going to try to help him on his grip; my grandfather worked his ass off all his life and never used polio as an excuse. Now at 82 he has had to give up many of the things he loved; motorcycles, fast cars, golfing, and what he told me "being useful." I'd rather help his grip than take away this.

I admire him more than any man I think I'll ever know. This last minor heart attack he had a few weeks ago really has put it in perspective for both of us; he isn't going to live forever and although I've spent a lot of time with him since I moved back to Texas, I want to spend more of it with him because I am not sure how long he will live. I'll get it all straightened out but I do appreciate the help.

 

[t-gator]

Dude, you won't survive the zombie apocalypse without a machete or a crossbow.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

My .02:
Since you are having so many problems you will probably be in the first round of those who get knocked off during the zombie apocalypse. Good luck with that. I would definitely get that corrected if you want to survive.

Shutup! We need some guys to get knocked off quickly. Meat shields for the rest of us.


Ferg: I forgot one thing, this is your RIGHT thumb assuming you are right handed, right?

Don't laugh but I've seen people try to shoot with their left thumb over the right thumb behind the grip, one of the old revolver grips.
Obviously when you try that with an automatic, the left thumb tends to get cut.

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

As some of you know I shoot on the regular and am fairly well versed in firearms and shooting related practices...

However after the range this weekend I am having a few issues that I cannot correct and its playing havoc on my accuracy and on my hands.

Due to not having a large stature and having average to small sized hands I can't the best of grips on my larger pistols. My older much more compact 9mm I have 0 issues with but my Walther PPX (.40) and Kahr TP45 I am constantly scraping the top of my thumb near the base of it to the point of ripping skin away and making it painful to shoot.

I can't set my grip any lower as I won't have a good enough handle on the firearm. Is there anything I can do short of selling my two pistols to correct this? Also, do you guys have any suggestions on how to help my grandfather with his grip problem? He's in his 80s and I like to take him out to the range as it is one of the few things he can still do (Post-Polio, Heart Surgeries, Knee Replacements, Hip Replacement in the last 7-10 years). However, he recently bought a Ruger SR9E and it's quite fickle with firm grip and failure to extract. What can I do to help his grip; if there is even anything I can do.

Not sure if you've considered this: http://www.pachmayr.com/home/tactical-grip-gloves.php