Transitioning between pistols with different grip angles

Sambaru

Sambaru

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I was hoping for some insight on a problem I'm having. I have been shooting 1911s and M&Ps for a while and recently purchased a Glock 19. I really like the G19 but my dilemma is that when shooting AT SPEED, I have a hard time going back and forth between the Glock and M&P due to the different grip angles. Due to my experience, my index is set to the M&P/1911 angle. If I shoot the Glock for a while, I can reset my index to it but when I switch back to M&P, it takes a while to get used to that again. Will there ever come a point where I can seamlessly transition between the 2 platforms or will there always be a lag when switching? Should I just pick one and focus on it?

I welcome all advice but please keep in mind I am talking about when shooting at speed, not slow firing tight groups.
 
Are you transitioning for a particular reason like competition? If you are planning to compete I would stick with one firearm so that the muscle memory stays the same. Keep the others for recreational pursuits.
 
Ya, that's kind of the strategy I've been taking but I was just curious to hear if any more experienced shooters have any insight regarding switching back and forth. For example, can Bob Vogel pick up a M&P and shoot a stage almost as well as he can with a Glock or would all his shots go low because his index (which he has used for bazillions of rounds) is so set to accommodate a Glock?

If I hear people say it's possible but takes practice, my strong preference is to practice until I can achieve this so this is more what I'm wanting to find out. Otherwise I'll stick to doing it the way you mentioned.
 
Yeah, I doubt that you or I would ever shoot enough to address the transition to the degree that you wish. Unless you're a professional.

Doesn't mean that you shouldn't enjoy shooting different pistols: Just don't expect your proficiency to be the same as if you concentrated exclusively on one.
 
In all shooting the key word is comfort. Shoot in as comfortable position as possible.
Mother nature provided us with a comfort angle of our wrist when extended. I used to do a lot of one handed bullseye shooting. I would mount a strange gun in my hand, close my eyes and extend the gun into the shooting position. My natural comfort zone would take over and when I opened my eyes, if the gun handle fit that zone, I would be pointing right at the target.
I think the Glock angle is more "standard," and with that angle of grip I would be pointing at the target. I shot a Browning 22 Medalist extensively and it fit me perfect.
A S&W Model 41 is more like a 1911 and with that type of pistol I had to make a conscious effort to get the muzzle high enough, especially in rapid fire.
This may not directly effect your problem as you describe it, but it is what I found.
 
There are a number of companies in the US that will reshape the grip of a Glock to a 1911 like angle. I tried one but still outshot the Glock with my HK and Walther.

Everyone is a little bit different. Find out what works for you and don't stray from it!
 
Based on my own findings and from talking to a couple of guys that do VERY well at things like IPSC when they set their minds to it the answer is "NO".

The guys that take this stuff seriously ONLY shoot the one gun for the whole season. Or if they pick up other guns they don't even try to do any speed drawing and fast first shot drills because it'll mess up their muscle memory.

So if you're serious about getting good with on gun then you need to ONLY shoot that one gun for any and all speed related practicing regardless of it being "dry" draw and sight or "live" draw/sight/shoot. drills.

Then there's folks like me.... I don't take this stuff THAT seriously and I enjoy the variety in my collection. So I'm constantly shifting between not only different semis but semis to revolvers and both center and rimfire. So needless to say I just do not even try to build any muscle memory for any particular gun. Instead I've developed my draw and sight skill to present the guns so they are slightly pointed up. As the gun rises to the vision line between me eye and the target I place the front sight on the desired POI and begin tensioning the trigger as the rear sight notch is brought up to "cradle" the front blade. The final pressure builds up and fires the gun in about the same time. I'd have to time myself with the new timer I got recently but from the drills I've done to practice this with various guns I can get the first shot off using this method in around 1.2 to 1.3 seconds with an IPSC like setup and slightly longer for my IDPA setup since I have to sweep my cover garment out of the way to reach the gun with a clean grip.

And yes, it took a lot of practice to get to that point using this method. But now I can do it smoothly with any handgun I've got from a draw or from a low ready position with reasonable and similar ease.

The nice thing is that it's something you can do at home with an empty gun. Just rack the slide draw/sight/"fire" and if you're reasonably observant and honest with yourself you'll know if you did it right and "hit" the target or if you snapped the shot off early or jerked the trigger sideways.

And remember, the fastest direction to get the gun out there isn't a locked elbow swing up from the holster. The proper draw lifts the gun with a path that comes up and over to the sternum while pivoting the muzzle downrange and the support hand joins in the grip. From there you begin extending out and up to eye level so the eye can obtain the front blade and line it up with the target during the extension out and away. At the same time you're building some tension on the trigger in preparation for seeing the rear notch rise into alignment.

With a DA/SA gun or a DA only like the Glock you can pull the trigger back quite a ways to a "staging" point where you're poised to pressure it that last little bit to fire the gun when the sights and target are all in alignment. Often the gun won't even be all the way extended. But if your sights and target are all good then take the shot and get the next one in as the arms reach full extension.
 
Thanks for the advice, everyone. Still torn on what to do but I'll take the advice here and do some more thinking/shooting.

Cheers
 
You might want to try a Grip Force Adapter.

ht tp://gripforceproducts.com/PRODUCT.html

It doesn't totally replicate the grip angle of a 1911 or M&p but it does make the Glock point much more naturally (for me anyway) and it gives other benefits as well.

IMG_2377.jpg
 
Even with bigger size hands I find holding most of the Glocks feels like trying to grip a 2x4. A filler like this may address the angle of hold issues but it's going to make the gun feel even MORE blocky and big.
 
Clobbersauras said:
You might want to try a Grip Force Adapter.

ht tp://gripforceproducts.com/PRODUCT.html

It doesn't totally replicate the grip angle of a 1911 or M&p but it does make the Glock point much more naturally (for me anyway) and it gives other benefits as well.

IMG_2377.jpg
Click to expand...

BCRider said:
Even with bigger size hands I find holding most of the Glocks feels like trying to grip a 2x4. A filler like this may address the angle of hold issues but it's going to make the gun feel even MORE blocky and big.
Click to expand...

Yes, I was strongly considering these but my tiny hands can barely get around a Gen 4 G19 as is so that is my deterrent. I'm hoping to try one somehow to help me decide.
 
Have you considered selling the glock and going with a xdm? Same grip angle as a 1911 and after letting some buddies shoot mine they sold their glocks and went with springfeild.
 
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