Proper Handgun Fit

One of the best ways to ensure good hits on your target is to have a gun that fits your hand properly.
Improper fit leads to a poor grip form and style and that's one sure way to miss what you're aiming at a majority of the time.

Here is how to "try on" guns when you go shopping.

Before you pick up a gun, determine where the center of the web of your hand is...
That's the fleshy part between your index finger and thumb.
The point where it recesses the most when pushed, is the center of the web.

When forming your hand into the shape as if you were holding the gun, imagine a line drawn from that point down your palm..
that is going to be exactly where you want the backstrap to fit.


With the gun in your hand and WITHOUT scootching, wiggling, or otherwise adjusting your grip, you want to be able to reach the thumb safety (if there is one)...

And the magazine release...


Hitting the mag release with your firing hand is important for a couple of different reasons.
First, it's a good idea to have the magazine dropping out of the way while your support hand is on the way up to insert a loaded mag.
Also, if you have to change your grip at all, you will not have a proper grip and your aim/hit will suffer.
Wiggling your shooting hand around to the left (even a millimeter) will cause your follow up shots to pull to the right (as your hand twists to compensate for the new direction your index finger will pull). No matter how slight you think the difference is with gun in hand, the results will show widely on your target.
This happens if the gun is too large/wide for the shooter's hand.

This is one of the many reasons why the best way to purchase a gun for another person is to take them with you so they can "try it on".

There are ways that you can alter the grip to help the gun fit you better.
Some stocks (like Springfield's XDM, for example) have three different sized backstraps to change out.
On other guns (like the 1911 pictured above), you can change the grips to slimmer styles and also install an extended mag release.

Shoot safely.