Solving Accuracy Problems: First Check the Fit of the Grip

Sometimes, poor accuracy is attributed to a gun or its ammunition, when the problem may be something much more basic; namely, the way the gun physically fits’or doesn’t fit’t he shooter’s hand. My intention here is not to address all the areas associated with "fitting" a gun to a given shooter, but rather to offer an example of one of the most overlooked areas, the grip and the grip-tobarrel relationship. This, in fact, is what determines if a gun shoots naturally where it’s pointed.

There are many styles of handguns and many different grip styles, some with changeable backstraps that determine how the gun fits the hand. It’s the relationship between the barrel and the grip and how this relationship is maintained in the shooter’s hand that determines how well a gun "points." Think of the relationship this way: When you point at an object with your index finger, whether you’re right or left handed, your finger points to exactly where your dominant eye is looking.

This is a function of handeye coordination, which is something we all started to learn as children. You can help a customer determine which eye is dominant by having him point at an object with both eyes opened. Then have him close one eye at a time and look at the object with the other eye. The eye that is in line with the finger and the object is the dominant eye.

I’ve found that, in order for a gun to maintain this coordinated picture between the hand and eye, the gun’s barrel must point in exactly the same direction as the shooter’s finger does when he points at an object. This is where the fit of the grip comes in. A proper fit of the grip actually helps in two areas: First, when shooting instinctively, and second, when trying to acquire a sight picture. Instinct shooting, of course, involves shooting without a sight picture.

The Western-style point-and-shoot showdown, such as shooting from the hip, is a prime example. Close-quarters tactical shooting or shooting in lowlight conditions when the sights can’t be seen is another example of a case where the gunner must simply point instinctively and shoot.

Even when the sights can be plainly seen, if the gun points where the index finger naturally points, it’s easy to imagine how much less wrist adjustment is needed to line up the sights with the target, and thus target acquisition is faster and easier. The eyes are merely verifying that the gun is pointing at the correct spot, and improved accuracy is bound to result from a proper fit and a gun that points naturally.

So, the next time a customer asks a question like "can you make my gun more accurate?" or makes a statement like "this gun just doesn’t feel comfortable in my hand" you should be wondering if what you’re dealing with is a "fit" problem. The project detailed in this article provides a good example of properly fitting a gun to the hand. The fit of this revolver was so remarkably poor that it does a great job of illustrating the problem and at least one possible solution.

You’ll probably find that most revolvers and semi-autos are not this far off, but the principles for correcting the problem are exactly the same. Of course, fit is an individual thing and what may be way off in one person’s hand may be a perfect fit in someone else’s. This classic Western revolver, however, didn’t properly fit anyone’s hand that had tried it! Take a look at the first photograph. The flare at the bottom of the grip along the backstrap is typically Western, although it is seen on some other

Above left and types of revolvers such as duty guns. The shape of the grip is what determines how the gun fits the hand and where the barrel points in relationship to the index finger. This may sound obvious, but apparently it is not obvious to all gun makers or all gun owners.

The way to identify a grip problem is to have your customer hold the gun as if ready to shoot, with the finger on the trigger as shown in the second set of photographs. (Make sure the gun is unloaded and pointed in a safe direction.) Have the customer withdraw the trigger finger while maintaining his grip and let the gun point in its natural, relaxed direction.

At this point, you might want to measure the angle between the pointed finger and barrel using a protractor, or mark the angle by taping a couple of pencils onto apiece of paper at that same angle, which you can measure later. This will tell you how much "tilt" needs to be removed and gives an indication of the modifications needed to get the proper fit. As you can see in the photograph, the gun points high or up from where the finger is pointed.

Thus, if the shooter tried to point and shoot naturally, the shots would go high. Even trying to align the sights would re- The extreme "flare" on the original grip is the cause of the misalignment between the trigger finger and barrel. quire an abnormal amount of wrist movement to compensate for the grip angle, which would be difficult and possibly even painful to maintain. Accuracy, in that case, would be sure to suffer. So, how can this problem be corrected?

The approach I took with this Western-style pistol will work with most revolver frames, but similar modifications would not be as easy with a semi-auto because of the mechanisms in the grip-frame area. Nevertheless, this approach should trigger some ideas (pun intended) and may help in getting the correct fit for your customer. The next photos show a "bird’s-

head-style’ grip next to the original grip, showing the difference along the backstrap. Notice the flare of the old grip. This flare is what forces the hand to be at the wrong angle to the barrel. The solution here was to remove the flare and install the bird’s-head-style grip, which curves in the opposite direction. In this case I purchased anew backstrap to modify, which was easier than trying to recreate the upper portion of the backstrap where it attaches to the frame.

I cut the backstrap just before the point where it began to flare, and attached a frame I made of cold-rolled steel. This was blended into the cut backstrap, and attached with two countersunk #6-32 button-head screws and some urethane glue. The new shape produced an angle that was much more natural in the shooter’s hand. Also, the original gun did not feel "balanced" because the original grip frame and trigger guard are made of aluminum alloy and the remainder of the gun is steel, making it top heavy.

So, making the grip frame from the heavier steel and lengthening it by about 3/4 inch to fit the hand better also produced a better balance. The final photographs show the results with the new grip in place. The gun now points in the natural direction of the pointing finger; the shooter’s hand is in a comfortable, relaxed position while holding the gun; and the line of the knuckle is inline with the barrel.

In other words, the gun now points just like the index finger, and the bullet tends to go where the shooter instinctively points. Also, when using the sights, there is no more contorting of the wrist to get the barrel lined up with the target. This is what you want to accomplish for your customer.

In this case, the gun owner didn’t want to detract from the original design and value of this pistol in the event that he choose to sell or trade it at a later date, so the new grip frame was made to mount utilizing the same front strap (part of the trigger guard) and mounting holes. This is something to consider when making modifications to a gun, as some changes could render the gun a "one-owner" pistol.

You should make your customer aware of this as many people might rather trade for anew, better fitting, pistol rather than diminish the value of what they have by making permanent changes. This pistol can be returned to original at any time and the owner will keep the original grip. Try to accomplish this whenever possible. Your customer will appreciate having a better fitting gun that hasn’t diminished in value.

The new grip panels I used here are two pieces that replace the original one-piece grip, but this was my decision and I could have gone the other way. I made these grip panels as well, but you can probably find offthe-shelf grip panels and shape anew frame to accomplish the same thing. This is where you can use your imagination, especially if you have the ability to do your own woodworking.

Although I haven’t run across such a case, it’s reasonable to assume that a poor fit between grip and hand could cause the barrel to point down from where the index finger naturally points, instead of up as in this example. In this case, you would have to correct the problem by adding material where I removed it from this gun, bringing the barrel up into alignment with the index finger. How can we accomplish the same thing with a semi-auto pistol?

First, as previously discussed, when a customer brings you a pistol you should check to see where the barrel is pointing in relation to their index finger. Semi-autos are not as likely to have an exaggerated problem like this Western-style pistol, but the same problem can still exist. Also, keep in mind that the smaller the pistol, the shorter the sight radius, and thus a small amount of misalignment can really affect where the pistol points. Some of the newer pistols come with replaceable backstraps.

If this is the case and the ones offered don’t give the proper fit, you may be able to modify one or make a custom backstrap. You can use modeling clay, tape, and strips of wood to temporarily build up a section of the original grip for a proper fit. The pliable clay also allows you to customize the grip to your customer’s hand shape. Grip size and how the finger sets on and reaches the trigger are other things to consider when making these changes.

Conclusions When addressing accuracy problems, first check the fit of the gun in the shooter’s hand. If you think you can improve the fit, set up a means of taking measurements needed for the modifications. If you can make temporary changes to see if the modifications will get the results he wants, all the better. Once you establish that the changes will work, you can make them permanent.

Some guns, of course, could be such a poor match to a shooter’s hand that it may be more practical and cost effective to recommend a different gun altogether, but the fit of most can be improved with minor modifications. That’s a decision that has to be left to you and your customer. I