[ArnisAndyz]

I've had my M&P 9mm for a couple weeks now, shot it in one IDPA match and another one coming up this weekend. The gun always fit my hand well, but even though I concentrated on pulling the trigger straight back, the gun squirmed around very slightly. Playing around with my grip and different backstraps I found what works for me is and extremly high grip, as high as I can put my off-hand palm on the frame without rubbing the slide. Some of the meat of my palm actually hangs above the frame and my thumb is just below the bore line pointing to the target (but not rubbing the frame). The web of my shooting hand gets pushed into the beavertail and it feels like I'm really on top of the gun. Pretty much the same grip as a 1911, but maybe even a little higher. IMHO the gun is definately designed with this grip in mind...anybody else?

 

[mad212]

works best for me also

 

[lunde]

Given the contours of the rear of the frame, along with the generous beavertail, it is obvious that a high hold is the most appropriate way to shoot the M&P.

 

[Jester]

agree, I to found this out not to long ago. Best time I could get was a 5.03 on my plate rack, and changing to a high grip brought me down to a 3.67.

 

[ArnisAndyz]

You'd be surprised how many people don't use this grip. Most anybody who shoots IPSC or IDPA or has been to a Defensive Pistol class use this grip but if you go to your local public range and observe some ot the other shooters techniques, there is a wide range. Not only does the high grip reduce flip, but just feels right on the M&P. I've put alot of dryfire practice in, just learning the feel of the gun and the higher I got on the grip the better it felt, probably 1/8" higher than my 1911. On the draw I like to take my weakhand palm and make contact half on the frame and half on the slide – thumb pointed slightly up, then crank the wrist forward pointing with the thumb, the thumbpad slides right into the sweet spot. Pretty sure this is why they designed it with a stiff slide stop. I love this gun!

 

[Dan Burwell]

This is one reason I am hoping for the 45 to have a thumb safety. When I shoot 1911 I ride the safety, I use it a good bit to help control recoil. It is not something I try to do but if I get on a 1911 without an extended safety I really notice a difference in my follow up shots. I also think the thumb safety helps get me into the really high hold without as much thought and anything that saves me some thinking is a good thing. :wink:



So here's to hoping for M&P thumb safeties

 

[ArnisAndyz]

I never thought about it, but your right...working the thumb safety on a 1911s makes you index a high hold without thinking about it. I think thats why I was a little low at first when indexing the M&P. But I never really road the safety on a 1911, the resting point feels the same, on the off-hands thumb joint. It would'nt bother me one bit though if the M&P 45 came with a 1911 style ambi-thumb safety. The extra security would be nice and its just as fast on the draw. I still go through the motions of swiping my thumb on my draw anyways.

 

[Puffy]

This is one reason I am hoping for the 45 to have a thumb safety. When I shoot 1911 I ride the safety, I use it a good bit to help control recoil. It is not something I try to do but if I get on a 1911 without an extended safety I really notice a difference in my follow up shots. I also think the thumb safety helps get me into the really high hold without as much thought and anything that saves me some thinking is a good thing. :wink:



So here's to hoping for M&P thumb safeties

Dan the mindreader has struck again! Right on the head Dan! I thought it was just me who did that..

It was the feel of the M&P that sold me in the first place. Just a lighter 1911.

 

[ncpilot]

In my forum surfing, reading about reloading presses, I came across Brian Enos' forum, and found this video gem in one of the threads:



http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4...3&q=handgun



Pretty interesting video that will change the way I hold the gun next range time...



It seems to echo what you've discovered...

 

[Jester]

I've seen that also, thats what made me see the light.

 

[ben2112]

I saw that video and others like that one.. I also noticed how shooters at USPSA Handgun Nationals held their guns.. I went to the range this past week I tried it out.. It does work.. Made a huge difference...



Ben

 

[coati858]

Wow. Thanks for posting that!! :idea: :idea: :idea:

Now to find time to practice it all...

 

[DesertRat]

That is a good video.

I like these also.

Click on Basic Grip & Grip Video Part 2.



http://www.springerprecision.com/video.asp

 

[toocool]

I tried this today at the range...can't hit the broad side of a barn holding my gun like that...I don't know if I just need to practice, but it also feels very unnatural to me...I do OK with my usual grip. I don't see any need to change.

 

[ArnisAndyz]

It depends on the type of shooting. This grip isn't any more or less accurate than any other, what it does do is allow for faster follow up shots. If your a bullseye or target shooter where your firing one controlled shot at a time it won't matter. You can't expect to go out in one day using a new grip and be much better than with the one you've been using for years. you need to relearn the pressure that is required from each hand. If you have any desire to fire a string of shots in rapid succesion it would be a good investment to give this grip a try otherwise stick with what works for you.

 

[toocool]

Most of what I shoot involves rapid firing...our qualification course for work is under time constraints, so I do a lot of rapid fire practice. I just can't hit anything either slow or rapid using this kind of grip. I don't feel like I have a solid grip on the gun, but I'll play with it a little to see if I can see some improvement.

 

[raz-0]

toocool, the way todd jarrett demstrates a high grip is pretty much spot on for shooting fast. It's worth learning. One important thing to keep in mind is that the grip isn't just about the hands, it's about the stance. If you are ina weaver stance trying to use the grip, it will be less beneficial. It's intended to be used with a modern isocolese stance. which has the body square to the target (more or less).



If you are cross-eye dominant, using the modern isocolese stance is a bit more work than weaver.

 

[toocool]

I do use the isoscelese stance, and I am cross-eye dominant, but that has always been something else that puzzled me; while I shoot right handed, I'm left eye dominant, but that isn't an issue, because of how my eyes work, I can't focus on my sights with my dominant eye; I need to focus with my right eye anyway, so isosceles works fine for me. I just don't feel like I have control of the gun with this type of hold. It's like it's not properly seated in my hand. I'll try it again and see what I can do with it.

 

[ArnisAndyz]

I just don't feel like I have control of the gun with this type of hold. It's like it's not properly seated in my hand. I'll try it again and see what I can do with it.

it might be your trying to control it too much. You should have neutral pressure (not much) in both hands. Use just enough pressure to support the weight of the gun. Then watch the front sight and adjust the pressure in either hand to get it to track strait up and down. You can't keep the gun from recoiling...the hight grip is more about letting the gun recoil and return to your line of sight than trying to stop it from recoiling.

 

[raz-0]

I just don't feel like I have control of the gun with this type of hold. It's like it's not properly seated in my hand. I'll try it again and see what I can do with it.

hmm. Well your hands should feel like they are basically enveloping the gun, but you don't gorilla the grip. You basically just want to have a good hold of the gun.



Control comes mainly from two things.



1) By placing the thumbs correctly, so that meat of the weak hand thumb fits into the the curve of the strong hand thumb (more or less weak hand 3rd joint ligns up with strong hand 2nd joint). When the gun is up and aimed at your target, this should creat a mild muscular tension along the top of the left hand forearm. This is a natural reflexive tension, and will be helping ot bring the gun back on target.



2) Position of the elbows. The elbows basically determine how much of the recoil impulse stays in the forearms or gets transfered to the upper body. Bring the elbows down for the former, and up for the latter.



3) makign sure that the weak hand is doing more of the gripping than the strong hand and keeping the gun tied into your stance well by making good contact with the gun and strong hand. This lets 1 &2 do their work, and helps isolate trigger finger movement from influencing the sight picture.