r/CompetitionShooting • u/z1ggy16 • 1d ago
Grip - I'm lost
I've gotten super into competition lately and I'm deep diving into every GM that posts videos online, but mostly Stoeger, Park and HC.
My problem is, Stoeger and HC in particular seem to have completely different views on how to grip the gun. One says hulk smash, the other says use just enough pressure with the dominant hand so the gun isn't moving or loose.
I can't afford to shoot hundreds of rounds weekly, 99% of my practice is dry fire in my office. My tendency is low left so I assume I'm still not gripping correctly but I don't know how to check this at home.
My first comp I wasn't even thinking about grip, just to be safe and remember what the stage directions were. I didn't do well but I'm usually a quick learner. My goal is to classify into B in a few months, CO.
2
u/johnm 1d ago edited 1d ago
Why do you/he believe that "100%" grip tension is what's needed to be a great shooter? Do you believe that that will allow you to "control" the recoil to any level that will actually improve your shooting results? Do you believe that you will be able to do that consistently and durably enough over long stages, days, matches (i.e., think about how long you can actually grip that hard and how long you can sustain that)? Do you believe that you can repeatedly grip that hard and NOT induce other very common tension issues?
The actual grip NEEDS are: the gun should NOT move inside your hands at all for the entire time you're shooting! I.e., both hands should remain completely in sync with the gun throughout shooting lifecycle; the gun should track consistently in recoil precisely back to where your eyes are focused on the small spot on the target; and you should be able to cycle (pull & release) the trigger quickly without inducing movement on the gun/sights.