Six Shooter Proper Hold

[Rob!]

Had a chance shoot a beauty Ruger Vaquero in 45 Colt on the weekend. Fun - and when I did my part - accurate too. But I couldn't seem to find a comfortable grip. I'm a 1911 kind of guy, but nothing two handed felt right - and even strong hand only seemed like there just wasn't enough to grab on to. Are these maybe meant to be shot from the hip or something? I got the feeling this was capable of so much more than I was getting out of it.

Guidance appreciated

Rob!

 

[Can-down]

It's basically a two finger grip with the pinky going underneath the beveled lower part of the grip. The pinky underneath helps counter act the torque of cocking the gun when firing with one hand.

 

[Trinimon]

I've used the pinky finger under the grip in the past, which works for a few rounds but after shooting some heavy 357 or 45LC loads, my pinky takes too much of a beating and the nerves get hammered to a point where the tip of my pinky starts to tingle. I've since switched over to the thumb on the recoil shield method like in the vid below.

 

[Dsiwy]

Your pinky should not be hurting, do you let the gun roll back? I have shot 44mag with pinky under method and it was very pleasant.

Shooting SA is totally different than DA revolvers and you want to let the gun shift in your hands during recoil. This will buffer all the recoil forces away from your tender soft hands

 

[Trinimon]

Your pinky should not be hurting, do you let the gun roll back? I have shot 44mag with pinky under method and it was very pleasant.

It rolls back a little but not a whole lot as my pinky usually arrests most of the recoil. Am I supposed to let my whole had roll back with the recoil. I got somewhat thin, bony fingers, not sure if that doesn't help with the padding. I used to grip it just like in Can-Down's pic but the nerves right on the knuckle under the grip is where it gets the beating making my finger tip tingle. Never had a problem with it in the past but the pinch only started showing up during my last couple range sessions when I shot a lot more ammo while testing out new loads.

 

[stevebc]

I'm with Rob! I've a K frame .38 S&W that I've worked out a grip for, but it's awkward looking: right hand grips low enough to leave just enough room for the left hand index finger to sit on top of the right hand's fingers. Left thumb rests across the back of the right thumb.

And I just noticed my pinky finger is under as well.

It's goofy looking, but it works.

 

[Dsiwy]

It rolls back a little but not a whole lot as my pinky usually arrests most of the recoil. Am I supposed to let my whole had roll back with the recoil. I got somewhat thin, bony fingers, not sure if that doesn't help with the padding. I used to grip it just like in Can-Down's pic but the nerves right on the knuckle under the grip is where it gets the beating making my finger tip tingle. Never had a problem with it in the past but the pinch only started showing up during my last couple range sessions when I shot a lot more ammo while testing out new loads.

I let the gun roll back so the barrel is pointing around the 11 O'clock position after recoil. This allows me to reach the hammer spur faster too. I curl my pinky under the grip, not sure if that makes any difference?

 

[josquin]

Tagged for interest, as I’ve never been able to shoot my Ruger NM Blackhawk .45 very well. in the latest Handloader mag (Nov-Dec 2016, p.10) Brian Pearce got asked about shooting single actions and here’s his reply. (Sadly, the bits about "carrying in a hip holster" and "field guns" are irrelevent to us up here.)

Welcome to shooting single actions. I have heard stories similar to yours for decades, which is a common scenario after developing skills with double-action revolvers, then changing to single actions. In short, single actions with traditional grip frames do indeed require more skill to master, but if you can master them, it will generally improve your DA revolver shooting as well.

In spite of the Ruger XR3 grip frame being rather small, many shooters with XL/XXL hands can grip and re them just fine. Shooters with large hands such as yours often drop the little finger below the grip frame. This may feel odd at first, but this method can help in exact duplication of your grip position from shot to shot. Your hand should be positioned on the grip frame so the palm supports the backstrap, or is somewhat behind it, and the barrel is in direct alignment with your forearm. It is imperative to position the gun in your hand exactly the same for each shot. Likewise, the amount of grip pressure executed must be identical from shot to shot. Lots of dry- fire practice (with snap caps) is suggested. Watch your sights after the hammer falls to be certain you are not “pulling” shots.

After much practice, if you are still unhappy with the results, you might consider purchasing oversized target stocks from Herrett’s Stocks that are much more forgiving as to hold and hand positioning.

The Ruger Bisley grip frame is very forgiving (as to hand position, etc.) while offering outstanding comfort, especially for shooters with large hands. It is also the best grip frame I have used for handling heavy recoil from cartridges such as the .475 and .500 Linebaughs – not that it is a problem with the .44 Special. Unfortunately, these benefits are not free, as it adds significant weight, is slower for fast-draw work and, if the revolver is carried in a hip holster, increases the height of the balance point.

Another important factor to improve your SA shooting skills is to obtain a good trigger pull. Most Ruger New Model Blackhawk revolvers are too heavy out of the box. A competent revolver smith can tune that pull for a light, crisp let-off, which will help with offhand shooting. Be sure to check and tighten screws as needed, as a loose grip frame will contribute to poor accuracy.

I hope these tips help, and don’t give up on that single action too quickly. Once you have mastered it, they are marvelous field guns.