Hey guys,

 

I just purchased my first handgun. A Sig P226 two tone. My question is for grip point of reference. I'm just dry fire practicing with no intention of getting ammo till I feel 100% confident in my weapon handling habits. I've been using weaver stance with thumbs forward grip. It seems my thumbs never really get in line with my slide like alot of YouTube vids. Does anyone have a good reference point for gripping the pistol? Most online sources say the takedown lever is good, but for some reason my thumb go past the takedown if it were completely straight. Oh btw I'm looking for good training and leaning towards gun for hire as my initial course. Thanks all:)

I will say that I will be taking a GFH course in the near future. Anthony is a very friendly and generous gent and I am looking forward to actually meeting him and shaking his hand very shortly after taking delivery of my first pistol. As for your grip, I got nothin'.

 

Good luck.

 

C

Hey guys,

 

I'm just dry fire practicing with no intention of getting ammo till I feel 100% confident in my weapon handling habits.

 

Wow, what discipline! The first thing I want to do when I get a new gun (and I think I speak for most of us) is take it out and start shooting it.

Take a First Steps Pistol class at GFH, and they will help you out with your grip and just about everything else you can think of. Good luck to you!

Wow, what discipline! The first thing I want to do when I get a new gun (and I think I speak for most of us)

 

LOL i don't think it's discipline. I just don't want to start off on the wrong foot and let myself grow into bad habit =)

Is the grip too large or small?

Hey guys,

 

I just purchased my first handgun. A Sig P226 two tone. My question is for grip point of reference. I'm just dry fire practicing with no intention of getting ammo till I feel 100% confident in my weapon handling habits. I've been using weaver stance with thumbs forward grip. It seems my thumbs never really get in line with my slide like alot of YouTube vids. Does anyone have a good reference point for gripping the pistol? Most online sources say the takedown lever is good, but for some reason my thumb go past the takedown if it were completely straight. Oh btw I'm looking for good training and leaning towards gun for hire as my initial course. Thanks all:)

JCPG, congratulations on buying a Sig 226, it is a great gun. It's hard to explain how to hold your gun properly but if you go to U TUBE and find HICKOK45 he goes through stance, grip, sight picture etc You not only get verbal instructions you have the ability to see what he explains. Good luck.

Scig

Hickok's video:

 

http://www.youtube.c...h/0/A1Cf0WEeXZk

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/hickok45?feature=g-all-u#p/search/23/22msLVCtPk8

Thanks for the vids. I love Hickok videos. Hickok actually got me interested in the XDM 5.25, but i decided on the Sig instead. He definately holds his dominant thumb though. I've actually tried that grip and felt the web of my dominant hand pushing up on the backstrap more, but when i pull the trigger i see my sight move a slightly. I don't think it's my pistol grips. The sig definately feels wider than the XDM, and Springer 1911's with the exception of HK P30L which just fits like a glove. Im pretty sure my technique is off. I've been using these vids as my primary online sources for thumbs forward grip position.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTVeVKMLro8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdDFA9EtFc4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm9uG5bPubw

The critical thing is that the gun stay stable while you pull the trigger. Put a penny on top of the gun while you dry fire. If you can keep the penny from moving you are good.

 

I've seen guys shoot cross footed, feet together, off balance and destroy the bullseye because they keep the gun on target throughout the trigger pull. And their form was just because they didn't know any better. Just a few young adults at the range. Two could barely hit the target from 7 yards and the other guy was shooting 2 inch groups.

Expect there will be 101 different tips people can give, these are the 8 that I broke it down to when I was just starting..

 

1. Strong Stance - lean slightly forward rather than back, i.e. nose is above, or in front of toes)

2. High Grip - grip as high as possible, push the web of your hand up although watch out where the slide/hammer will move to

3. Firm Grip (40:60) - your strong hand (trigger finger hand) should apply 40% of the grip, your weak hand should supply 60% of the grip

4. Front Sight - focus on the front sight rather than rear sight or target

5. Smooth Rearward Roll of Trigger - the shot/bang should come as a surprise

6. Thumbs Forward - it can be good practice to get used to shooting without either thumb resting against the firearm, then when you switch between guns you are less likely to rest on a safety, slide lock lever, decocker etc.

7. Say 'One' 'Two' or breath out just before you shoot. This will reduce the pistols vertical movement.

8. Follow through - once the shot is fired do not release the trigger. Instead bring the sights back onto target and then allow the trigger to release until it resets. Try not to change the your grip between shots (I alas suffer this habit).

 

I have the bold part of the above printed and carry with me in my wallet. Useful as a reminder for myself or for others.

 

My first firearm was a Sig P226, that was 3 months ago. So welcome.

 

I would strongly recommend going to the GunForHire NRA Basic and/or First Steps pistol, it will provide you some of the basics which are much harder to gain from YouTube videos and a chance for an instructor to provide feedback on your technique.

 

You may also want to consider investing in a P226 Airsoft gun (e.g. KJA/KJW) so you can practice at home. The trigger pull, weight, action etc are similar enough for it to be a beneficial training aid.

 

hth

 

TheWombat

Thanks for the vids. I love Hickok videos. Hickok actually got me interested in the XDM 5.25, but i decided on the Sig instead. He definately holds his dominant thumb though. I've actually tried that grip and felt the web of my dominant hand pushing up on the backstrap more, but when i pull the trigger i see my sight move a slightly. I don't think it's my pistol grips. The sig definately feels wider than the XDM, and Springer 1911's with the exception of HK P30L which just fits like a glove. Im pretty sure my technique is off. I've been using these vids as my primary online sources for thumbs forward grip position.

 

 

Can you post a picture of your P226 so we can see which grips it has and whether it has a beavertail.

 

This is my P226 USPSA with the standard Sig grips (and has a beaver tail)

 

 

This is the same gun with the grips replaced with the Sig E2 grips which have are much thinner in terms of diameter

 

 

 

Unlike (some of) the Springfields, Walthers, H&Ks the Sig does not have interchangeable grips to make them larger or smaller. So depending on what the firearms had that you picked up they may feel more suitable in your hand. Replacing the standard Sig grips (which are plastic and have screws) to the new slimmer E2 grips is straight forward. You can get the E2 grips from TopGunSupply for about $45. There are plenty of instructions on the Internet on how to do the switch. Most new Sigs are now sold with the E2 grips as standard - with the exception of a few special editions.

 

I find the beavertail on the P226 actually pushes my hand a bit lower than not having the beavertail due to Sig's design and my hand

 

Alternatively you can look at Hogue grips, e.g. the G10s are recommended by many.

 

hth

 

TheWombat

Woah. That's alot of very helpful and well thought information there Wombat =) Much appreciated. I must say i never thought a gun forum would have this much constructive and positive sense of community.

 

I have been following through w/ single action only while dry firing snap caps at home. I take a half breathe out and try to keep consistency w/ my finger placement and angle. I've also taken your penny advise, but used a snap cap instead. My grip is perhaps 60/40 or at least 50/50 during double action. I focus mainly on my middle finger and ring finger for grip balance similar to how hickok demonstrated in his videos. Mind you i have no idea how recoil feels so this is simply preliminary or foreplay before my first time unloading *pun intended*. I only hope when the time comes im not way off the mark and I keep a basic understanding of what I can do and need to improve in. Oh my Sig doesn't have a beavertail and already had E2 grips from the factory. I just found these piranha grips from hogue and seriously thinking of getting this tonight.

 

http://www.hoguestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=7092

 

I'll post pics of my pistol when i get home later tonight. Thanks again everyone!

A few weeks ago at the range I was shooting a little off. Trying to hit a water bottle at 10 yards and I kept missing it. Had my thumbs parallel on gun like in the Travis videos. Took my thumbs off and had them sort of just in the air and hit the bottle 3 times in a row. Point being, like Hickok says you just have to find what works for you.

 

I can't take any credit for that penny idea. I just read it elsewhere.

Along the lines of the penny on top of the slide, I have used an empty casing on top of the slide. Makes it very to see very quickly if you are jerking the trigger.

One think I learned being a somewhat new shooter myself is there's not ever really an absolute answer in

regard to grip, shooting stance, style, etc. Everyone is built different so different things work for some

people but don't for others. The way you're going about it is good. Get qualified training and use that as

a baseline. Then as you become more comfortable you can slowly adjust things to accommodate your

particular needs.

My Sig 226

 

 

Since you are quite the methodical practitioner I would suggest hitting the range with the sacred rules in the back of your mind. I was of the same mindset when I purchased my first firearm (H&K P30) that I borderlined on paranoia according to a few of my friends but I believe that it is the sign of caution. My particular area of NJ is EXTREMELY safe (no regrets here) that I do not need to worry about home invasions, petty theft, and the like, but I still do not treat my pistol as a toy. Keep the rules ingrained in your mind but also get some practice. They go hand in hand and there can be no safety if there is nothing to protect against. If you do not know the power and feel of your firearm the level of risk feels less.

thats a nice looking gun, now go get some ammo otherwise its just an expensive club.

thats a nice looking gun, now go get some ammo otherwise its just an expensive club.

 

...and a lousy club at that!

Picked up 200rds alongside 100 addition range ammo of WWB and Rem UMC from Dicks. The same day I went to bullet hole and applied everything on this post to the my 1st day experience. I noticed my groups would generally stay in decent collective shape within 6 - 7 yards, but for some reason i was hitting bottom left. I switched to my friends glock 17 and immediately hit each desired target dead center. I almost feel like the glock 17s longer yet more deliberate grip width helped manage some of my natural flaws. The single action on my Sig was noticably harder for me get used to as the break distance in comparison w/ the glock trigger is substantially different. There's nothing wrong w/ the Sig, but i know it's not going to be as easy to get used to as that glock. Should i just get used to the stock e2 grips or switch up to something wider (hogue aluminum or NILS wood grips) knowing the glock is more suitable for my hand? Im not trying to buy my way into better accuracy. I simply feel like my hand may be too large for the smaller profile e2 grips.

 

 

 

I've found the following article which im sure is exactly what im doing being a new shooter. Please correct me if im wrong. Thanks =)

 

http://www.pointshooting.com/1alow.htm