Bad Grip or Thumb Safety Problem?

[mortum]

HI guys

I need your help with this issue I have.

I am right handed and I am trying to learn proper grip (a-la Todd Jarrett and alike - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48 scroll to 0:38) in isosceles stance, which forces me to turn my gun slightly more to the right to establish natural point of aim and for better recoil control. This position of the gun seems unnatural to me but I would continue to train myself until I am comfortable with it if not for a particular problem: my thumb safety keeps smashing my thumb’s first joint and at some point, shooting further becomes fairly painful. I have a little discomfort in that area when I am shooting in weaver but not nearly as much:







I have read a lot about proper grip in each stance (i.e. thumb rides safety and both thumbs are pointed towards the target) but when I am trying to do this “right”, I am experiencing the above problem. At this point, I feel like either my grip is wrong or the lower cut-out on my thumb safety is not sufficient. I looked for other thumb safety options and I have noticed that Ed Brown’s Tactical (http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1...ACTICAL-SAFETY) has much slimmer plate:



where Wilson Combat’s Tactical (http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1...D-THUMB-SAFETY) has much deeper cut-out:



Should I try to replace my stock with either one of those (shaving and blueing the stock MIM part seems silly)?



Or, any other ideas on how I can fix this?

[BillD]

I had the same problem on my Trojan. It would cut the web of my hand right at the same spot.

My GS blended the TS and the frame quite a bit before it quit doing it.
Of course, then I had to have it hard chromed.

[vasiggie]

I got the same gun, but not te same problem. I would try to rotate your thumb a bit more forward, and see if that makes a bit of a difference.

[SRJim]

I had to go grab mine to see if I could understand how that could happen. I couldn't replicate what I'd think would cause it though.

Everyone's hands are built different and mine does ride in the same place as the first picture (2nd picture obviously you have you thumb cocked upward riding the on the slide) but there's not enough pressure for it to be a problem.

Could it be recoil snapping it back into the web of your hand, digging into the base of your thumb? I can see that happening if for some reason you're letting the gun jump/snap back/up. That could be bad alignment of your arm/wrist/hand on the direction of fire or not supporting it with your left hand enough to control it.

I know I've gotten "bit" there in the past, but it's usually on s single shot that did something obviously, or not so obviously wrong in my grip.

If it were me, I wouldn't consider changing the gun yet until I knew what I was doing to cause it. If it's just the shape of your hand, then maybe.

I see you still have the stock rubber grips, which are nice a grippy and nice and thick so I can't see that being a problem. They're probably about the best for shooting, even though most of us change them for pretty, or cool.

[mortum]

Originally Posted by vasiggie

I would try to rotate your thumb a bit more forward, and see if that makes a bit of a difference.

I am not sure what you mean by “rotate your thumb a bit more forward”. When my thumb rides safety, there is no room to move it forward at all - only backwards, to reduce thumb safety bump pressure on my thumb joint.

Originally Posted by SRJim

Everyone's hands are built different and mine does ride in the same place as the first picture (2nd picture obviously you have you thumb cocked upward riding the on the slide) but there's not enough pressure for it to be a problem.

Too bad I don’t have a tripod to take a picture with a full grip (i.e. both hands on the gun) - I think, it would be more illustrative. I will see if I can find someone to take that picture for me...

Originally Posted by SRJim

Could it be recoil snapping it back into the web of your hand, digging into the base of your thumb? I can see that happening if for some reason you're letting the gun jump/snap back/up. That could be bad alignment of your arm/wrist/hand on the direction of fire or not supporting it with your left hand enough to control it.

Well, that’s the thing: I don’t feel this when I shoot in weaver at all since the gun is placed exactly in the middle of the web of my hand and forms a straight line with my arm and elbow. In isosceles however, I have to turn the gun slightly to the right to form this natural point of aim. Otherwise, I need to twist my elbow way upwards to compensate this angle. Not sure if this makes sense or not…

Originally Posted by SRJim

If it were me, I wouldn't consider changing the gun yet until I knew what I was doing to cause it. If it's just the shape of your hand, then maybe.

I agree, I am trying to figure this out… hence my post here

Originally Posted by SRJim

I see you still have the stock rubber grips, which are nice a grippy and nice and thick so I can't see that being a problem. They're probably about the best for shooting, even though most of us change them for pretty, or cool.

I tried other grips too (wood, polymer) - not on this gun but in general, and even though I like how some of them look, these rubbery stock ones feel the best in my hand so, I have decide to leave them on. I am planning on getting a higher end 1911 in the near future (most likely Les Baer or Ed Brown) - this is where my grip imagination will run wild