When it comes to shooting a pistol effectively, mastering your grip is key to accuracy and control.
This isn’t just about gripping and ripping—it’s about understanding leverage, friction, and how to control recoil effectively. Let’s dive into it.
Tip 1: Ditch the Unquantifiable Grip Pressure
You’ve probably heard the old 60/40 grip pressure rule—60% pressure with your dominant hand, 40% with your support hand. But let’s be real, that’s completely unquantifiable.
If I ask one student to shake my hand at 60% and another at 40%, more often than not, the 40% handshake is actually stronger. That’s why we need to move away from arbitrary numbers and focus on something that actually makes sense: leverage and friction.
Tip 2: Leverage and Friction—The Real Key to Grip
Your grip should be built around leverage and friction, not just squeezing hard. Think of your hand like a tool: the high point of leverage is your thumb, and the low point is your pinky. When you establish a grip, get high on the tang, push forward with the thumb, pull down with the pinky, and drive that elbow down. This maximizes control without needing to death-grip the pistol.
Gross grip pressure alone does nothing to stop the gun from moving. Try this—if someone grabs your hand as hard as possible, you can still move their arm up and down. But when they focus on applying leverage and friction, that hand becomes locked in place. That’s exactly how your grip should work.
Tip 3: Stop Trying to Train Out Anticipation
A lot of shooters waste time trying to “train out” anticipation. Here’s the truth: anticipation is part of human nature. Instead of fighting it, work with it by focusing on leverage and friction.
People often diagnose low-left hits (for right-handed shooters) as anticipation, but it’s usually just bad grip mechanics. If you grip too hard with your middle and ring fingers, the front of the gun gets pushed left. Instead, focus on your high and low leverage points and allow those two middle fingers to apply minimal pressure. That keeps the muzzle stable as you break the shot.
Tip 4: Structured, Not Stressed Presentation
Your draw and presentation should be structured, not stressed. When presenting to the target:
Stand naturally, don’t lean forward or collapse your posture.
Your arms should track behind the pistol, not flared out to the sides.
Your elbows should be slightly bent to maintain leverage and control.
Think about squeezing a lime—if your elbows are tucked in, you can squeeze more juice. Same thing with your grip. Keeping your elbows in line with the pistol maximizes contact and control.
"The biggest takeaway from Rick's Baseline Pistol course was my grip. He used the 'empty Coke can' analogy for my primary hand and crushing the grip using my support hand. That and dropping and tucking my elbow made a world of difference in my shooting." — Scott W.
Tip 5: A Relaxed Shooter is a Fast Shooter
Tension slows you down. If you’re too stiff, you have to relax before you can move, adding unnecessary steps. Instead, stay relaxed but engaged. That way, you can transition smoothly between targets without wasted motion.
When you present the gun, nothing else should move—don’t drop your head, don’t crouch, just drive the pistol straight out. The more relaxed and fluid your movement, the faster and more precise your shooting will be.
Ready to Train?
These five tips will help you establish a stronger, more effective grip and improve your control when shooting a pistol.
But if you really want to master these techniques, sign up for a Baseline Pistol Course at Achilles Heel Tactical. We break down every fundamental and make sure you build a framework that actually works under stress.
Check out the Training Course Calendar at www.achillesheeltactical.com and start leveling up your shooting today!
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