I’ve found during my very limited experience of handling different guns that I’m happiest with stocks that have a more pronounced pistol grip, so it will likely have a bearing when choosing my first gun. Is this element usually talked about (say to a dealer or smith) and measured in terms of angle, or curvature, or both?
Grips
- Thread starter rocky
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Good question and the answer seems to be no, at least not unless you go the full custom route with one of the bigger names. When it comes to grips people tend to just get on with it preferring to wax lyrical about how lovely the gun felt when they shouldered it in the shop and of course that magical word “handling” - nothing beats shooting the gun for real over at least two full rounds so you get to experience how the gun/grip behave under recoil as well as when held in different angles (when addressing) up, down or flat.
It is an important part of the overall feel an “fit” of a gun but admittedly not usually a deal breaker when buying a gun, small/big adjustments can be made later if you’re a serious enough shooter.
It is an important part of the overall feel an “fit” of a gun but admittedly not usually a deal breaker when buying a gun, small/big adjustments can be made later if you’re a serious enough shooter.
Interesting subject.
Grips are a big deal for me and I find many off the shelf versions are not ideal. Most Beretta grips for example put my hand much too close to the trigger. Perhaps I have overly long fingers !
A well designed grip should place your (average!) hand at the correct angle relative to the barrels and allow you to comfortably reach the trigger.
solutions for me are either a custom grip or a rounded semi-pistol. I also look for guns with adjustable triggers. Palm swells also make a difference, some people like them but others don’t.
one caveat, recently I took a semi-pistol gun to a major retailer to be valued for sale. They told me that they can’t sell guns with semi-pistol grips and so offered me a very low resale value.
Grips are a big deal for me and I find many off the shelf versions are not ideal. Most Beretta grips for example put my hand much too close to the trigger. Perhaps I have overly long fingers !
A well designed grip should place your (average!) hand at the correct angle relative to the barrels and allow you to comfortably reach the trigger.
solutions for me are either a custom grip or a rounded semi-pistol. I also look for guns with adjustable triggers. Palm swells also make a difference, some people like them but others don’t.
one caveat, recently I took a semi-pistol gun to a major retailer to be valued for sale. They told me that they can’t sell guns with semi-pistol grips and so offered me a very low resale value.
Wonko the Sane
Well-known member
IMO shotgun grips are the most overlooked and misunderstood piece of the stock. You need only look to competition rifle and airguns to see what hard evolution and anatomical understanding produces. Not the trad look by any means. The Evocomp and TSK styles stocks get a lot closer tothe ideal, even offering a number of grip sizes. The shape of things to come - well, OK, it's already started
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AW13
Well-known member
I had a semi-pistol grip B725 that was a lovely gun but the semi Prince of Wales grip started to cause me consistant mount problems as I also shot my MK60. Solution - I sold the B725 and bought another gun with a 'normal' shaped pistol grip. I say normal because of my 3 guns they are all full pistol grips but are all slightly different but not enough to affect the mount.
As I am sure you are more than aware - try and shoot the gun before you buy!
As I am sure you are more than aware - try and shoot the gun before you buy!
Yes it must be fairly fundamental to gun fit if a newb like myself picks up on it ..yet I don’t see much mention of it online 
Trying a gun with a (perceived) straighter grip made me lift my arm up uncomfortably high and immediately put me off the gun. I don’t have huge hands though so maybe grip thickness is a factor for me too, dunno.
All I really wanted to do was see if any of the big makers tended to have more angled/curved grips to help narrow down my ever growing list of must/must not haves and try to nail a gun to seek out & try.
Trying a gun with a (perceived) straighter grip made me lift my arm up uncomfortably high and immediately put me off the gun. I don’t have huge hands though so maybe grip thickness is a factor for me too, dunno.
All I really wanted to do was see if any of the big makers tended to have more angled/curved grips to help narrow down my ever growing list of must/must not haves and try to nail a gun to seek out & try.
You’ve hit the nail on the head , it has to feel right . Since I’ve gone back to shooting a Miroku mk38 trap , I’m finding I really like the somewhat old fashioned slim pistol grip . It has a nice radius , and everyone who has had a go with it tends to find a comfortable position . Conversely I’m finding that I don’t like the palm swell on my Krieghoff Sporter pistol grip half as much as I used to , same when I use my mate’s 725 pro sport they tend to give just one choice of hold . The only thing to do is spend some time trying guns for “ comfort “ as it’s such a personal choice . Most shooters would let you try their guns at a club shoot if you asked .
I believe that for ME (and a lot of other people) the Miroku grip is just about right. My 725 is currently having the palm swell removed. I have shot it for some 2 years with the standard palm swell grip but never really felt in control of the gun, more the gun controlling me. I have a S x S with a straight gripped, VERY slim stock. As it has double triggers, the straight grip aids the switch between triggers. My old Beretta 303 Sporter has a slim pistol grip stock and of course, a single trigger, but when that gun was made, most guns had slim stocks. I also have a Heritage 20 bore with a 1/2 pistol, or rounded grip or even a Prince of Wales grip ! Take you pick. Either way it is a very slim grip and I find it very comfortable to shoot. I also believe that the grip area on a gun is very often overlooked, but can make a vast difference to the shooter if it is not right for them.
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