P&S GRIP/METHOD = LESS RECOIL/BETTER ACCURACY

If you are involved in a Close Quarters gunfight, you will shoot with your strong hand, and there is a better than 70% chance that you will not use the sights. You will use instinctive shooting.

Those are 2 of the findings of the NYPD'S SOP 9 study of thousands of Police combat cases; and they have not been replaced by other studies/data to date.

And in accordance with them, the use of the P&S grip and the P&S method is clearly superior to the use of a traditional grip, the use of sights, and using the index finger to pull the trigger at Close Quarters.

The pics below show why that is so.

The pics are of a G17 replica whose "square" grip has been "rounded" to better fit my average sized hand.





Note that with my index finger on the trigger, there is considerable space between the top of my hand and the tang.

As such, with firing, recoil forces would drive the nose of the gun up and off target more than if there was no or very limited space between the tang and the hand. That is simple physics.

In the pics below using the P&S grip, the index finger is placed along the side of the gun and the middle finger is on the trigger.

The gun is now 5/8 of an inch lower down in the hand than it was in the above pics. And the space between the tang and the top of the hand is very limited.

As such and with firing, the resistance to and control of recoil forces, would be much improved.





With the index finger positioned alongside the gun, you will be able to aim the gun accurately and automatically without the use of the sights at Close Quarters, and for each and every shot taken. Also, extending the index finger brings a plus with it, as it helps to lock up the wrist, which in turn helps in recoil control.

In an article "Getting A (Combat) Grip" which was presented on Officer.com, here is what Steve Denny had to say:

"Finally, the web of your hand needs to be as high on the back of the grip as you can get it. There should be a little ripple of flesh in the web of your thumb and forefinger as it presses up against the grip tang.

This gets the pistol as low in your hand as possible, giving the best alignment of the axis of the bore with the axis of your forearm. This is the firm support an auto-loader needs to function most efficiently.

It also minimizes the felt recoil. If you let your hand slide down on the grip, even a little, it acts as a fulcrum to allow the gun to "whipsaw" upward as it recoils and the slide reciprocates.

I can't even count the number of people I see do this and then complain about the "nasty recoil."

Recoil is what it is. It is how we manage it that determines how it feels.

If you have a high, strong grip on the gun, it will function better (you will not have to worry about so-called "limp-wristing"), you will have better shot-to-shot recovery and you will be more accurate. That sounds like a pretty good combination to me."

And here is the info from the US Army's Combat Pistol Manual on gripping a gun.

GRIP

"A proper grip is one of the most important fundamentals of quick fire. The weapon must become an extension of the hand and arm; it should replace the finger in pointing at an object. The firer must apply a firm, uniform grip to the weapon.

a. One-Hand Grip. Hold the weapon in the nonfiring hand; form a V with the thumb and forefinger of the strong hand (firing hand). Place the weapon in the V with the front and rear sights in line with the firing arm. Wrap the lower three fingers around the pistol grip, putting equal pressure with all three fingers to the rear. Allow the thumb of the firing hand to rest alongside the weapon without pressure (Figure 2-1).



Grip the weapon tightly until the hand begins to tremble; relax until the trembling stops. At this point, the necessary pressure for a proper grip has been applied. Place the trigger finger on the trigger between the tip and second joint so that it can be squeezed to the rear. The trigger finger must work independently of the remaining fingers.

NOTE: If any of the three fingers on the grip are relaxed, the grip must be reapplied...."

Now, if as instructed, only the three lower fingers are gripping the gun with the index finger being held aloof/independent of the other fingers, and the thumb resting along the side of the gun without pressure; then when the gun is fired, you can expect that the recoil action will be very significant as the first point of real resistance to the recoil force will be the base of the middle finger, which given the height of the pistol (5.51 inches), is 2 1/2 inches below the center bore line.

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