Handgun grip: straight-thumbs vs. crossed-thumbs

[June4th]

I've been using the crossed-thumb hand grip shooting my semiauto and revolvers:

I noticed almost all handgun shooters on the show 'Top Shot' used straight-thumb grip (said to have been invented by Brian Enos):

Haven't read lots of Brian Enos whatnot, but I heard he's some kind of expert. And this article basically says the cross-thumb method is for newbies. http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics_training/combatg_100306/

Well, I think it's time for me to shed my newbiehood. What do you think?

 

[M1911]

Point your thumbs at the target.

Look at the top photo and the bottom photo. On which of those two photos does the shooter have more of his left palm in contact with the grip panel?

 

[whatluck]

I don't cross my thumbs.

 

[Sir_Macadoo]

I agree with M1911 - I like to keep as much meat on the grips as I can - that lends itself to the uncrossed thumb pointy method.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Thumbs forward has another advantage with 1911 style operating systems. Once you grasp the gun with your shooting hand and hold the gun with a "thumb on safety" grip, it doesn't move. Try doing crossed thumbs and your thumbs have to do a little dance once your second hand meets the gun.

(said to have been invented by Brian Enos):

This reminds me of a tour I was taking in a museum where the guide referred to the time before electricity was invented - and she was serious.

 

[Burgermeister]

Sig Sauer Academy taught thumbs forward.

 

[M1911]

Sig Sauer Academy taught thumbs forward.

As is most everyone these days.

 

[economist]

Sig Sauer Academy taught thumbs forward.

In the two classes I took at Sig Academy, the number one gun malfunction was the slide not locking back on an empty mag and it always involved a Sig pistol with that very poorly placed slide lock lever. One instructor actually was trying to get some of us to drop thumbs forward as it seems to make this Sig-specific problem worse. I just switched to a Glock.

 

[jasons]

I just switched to a Glock.

Good for you.

 

[Dirtypacman]

I just read an article in my Blue Press reviewing these two grips... I was sold on the straight thumbs but now have to work it into my technique.

 

[fbirdquik6]

Thumbs facing forward, however I rest my left forefinger on the front of the trigger guard.

 

[Keystone]

I'm weird.

Thumbs forward on semi's, thumbs crossed on revolvers.

 

[ochmude]

I'm weird.

Thumbs forward on semi's, thumbs crossed on revolvers.

I'm the exact same way.

 

[drgrant]

Thumbs forward all the time, if I can. On Sigs I use a slightly different configuration because of the slide lock problem mentioned above... with the exception of the X5, which more or less runs like a 1911... they also moved the slide lock out of the way on that gun.

-Mike

 

[SeanT]

In the two classes I took at Sig Academy, the number one gun malfunction was the slide not locking back on an empty mag and it always involved a Sig pistol with that very poorly placed slide lock lever. One instructor actually was trying to get some of us to drop thumbs forward as it seems to make this Sig-specific problem worse. I just switched to a Glock.

Yeah, I've been finding that problem recently with my Ruger Mark III. My thumb puts just enough pressure on the lever that it won't engage.

 

[Flyer007]

Straight thumbs here and loving it.

 

[TheRoland]

Straight thumbs works fine on a Sig with a little practice... and a little luck . Certainly part of the reason I've more or less switched away.

 

[BigAce74]

Thumbs forward on semi's, thumbs crossed on revolvers.

This was how we were shown at Smith & Wesson when I took my LTC class last year. I have a M&P9c and use thumbs forward grip. Don't have a revolver yet to try it on.

 

[Jose]

I'm the exact same way.

Neither of you are weird. In fact, both of you are correct.

Thumbs forward is correct for semi autos. Taking that grip without changes onto a revolver is a prescription for pain.

The correct revolver grip has the strong hand thumb down along the contour of the left grip panel's speedloader cutout and the support thumb OVER the strong thumb and then down/fwd. That is the strongest way to grip a revolver.

Jerry Miculek:

 

[JimConway]

Neshooters teaches a thumbs forward grip, because we think that it gives the best control of the gun.
You must understand that there is no perfect grip for everyone. All of our hands are different in size and the selected grip must work for the shooter. It is flaming stupid to insist on using a grip style, when it is wrong for you. The only possible outcome of doing this is poor shooting.

To loosely quote Larry Vickers, you can screw up your grip, breathing, stance, and follow through, as long as you have a proper sight picture and trigger control. You will get good hits.

 

[DUSTYDOG]

I just read an article in my Blue Press reviewing these two grips... I was sold on the straight thumbs but now have to work it into my technique.

Can you post the article ? I would be interested in all opinions. I seem to do i little of both but i'm shooting a compac
thanks

 

[PaulD]

Point your thumbs at the target.

Look at the top photo and the bottom photo. On which of those two photos does the shooter have more of his left palm in contact with the grip panel?

I dragged out my 226 and tried both. For me at least, it doesn't seem like either has an advantage for how much contact my left palm has.

 

[MJM]

Neshooters teaches a thumbs forward grip, because we think that it gives the best control of the gun.
You must understand that there is no perfect grip for everyone. All of our hands are different in size and the selected grip must work for the shooter. It is flaming stupid to insist on using a grip style, when it is wrong for you. The only possible outcome of doing this is poor shooting.

To loosely quote Larry Vickers, you can screw up your grip, breathing, stance, and follow through, as long as you have a proper sight picture and trigger control. You will get good hits.

this.
itd be pretty hard to tell someone they are not using the correct grip when they are making accurate shots just because it is not what you practice or train on.

 

[Supermoto]

To loosely quote Larry Vickers, you can screw up your grip, breathing, stance, and follow through, as long as you have a proper sight picture and trigger control. You will get good hits.

You can shoot with the gun upside down with your pinky and still get good hits, but you are not going to have fast follow up shots, why ingrain a grip and stances that limits your shooting.

 

[JimConway]

This is becoming a great discussion. To encourage further ideas, I have put a few pages about the firing grip from the Jim Crews book "Some of the answer - Handgun" on the Neshooters web site at
http://www.neshooters.com/crewsfiringgrip.pdf

The whole book can be purchased at neshooters.com and we have them in stock

 

[M1911]

I dragged out my 226 and tried both. For me at least, it doesn't seem like either has an advantage for how much contact my left palm has.

Perhaps I didn't explain it well. Look at the two pictures in the OP. In the top picture, the palm of the left hand is not firmly in contact with the grip, because the rear of the palm is on the thumb of the right hand.

In the bottom picture, see how the meat of the left hand is hard against the grip? Notice also the forward rotation of the left wrist.

 

[PaulD]

Perhaps I didn't explain it well. Look at the two pictures in the OP. In the top picture, the palm of the left hand is not firmly in contact with the grip, because the rear of the palm is on the thumb of the right hand.

In the bottom picture, see how the meat of the left hand is hard against the grip? Notice also the forward rotation of the left wrist.

I tried my 229 with rubber Hogue grips after posting that and I could see what you're talking about a bit more. The 226 is an Elite with the thick wood grips and on that one, it didn't seem like so much of an advantage due to the angle it puts my hand at.

Also, on the 226 at least, using the cross thumb grip I feel like a can grab the gun better with my right hand (my right thumb gets more purchase). Maybe I should ditch the wood grips on the 226.

 

[jar]

I use the thumbs forward grip as well. The key point isn't really the thumb position, but getting as much of your hands on the grip as possible and as high as possible. The 'camming' of the support hand wrist is the important point.

 

[M1911]

I use the thumbs forward grip as well. The key point isn't really the thumb position, but getting as much of your hands on the grip as possible and as high as possible. The 'camming' of the support hand wrist is the important point.

Agreed.

 

[jar]

Neither of you are weird. In fact, both of you are correct.

Thumbs forward is correct for semi autos. Taking that grip without changes onto a revolver is a prescription for pain.

The correct revolver grip has the strong hand thumb down along the contour of the left grip panel's speedloader cutout and the support thumb OVER the strong thumb and then down/fwd. That is the strongest way to grip a revolver.

Jerry Miculek:

It depends on your hand size. I shoot my Model 66 the same as autos, but I have smallish hands. Craig Buckland (Team S&W shooter and IDPA national SSR champ) also shoots revo thumbs forward.