Whine!

[SIR WILLIAM]

I have been busy for the past few days. I tried to break in a S&W M10, I have been testing out a rebuilt S&W "Victory" M&P, I have been getting comfortable with a 2" S&W M10 RB I found for part-time CCW and I just ran through 500 rounds of 45 ACP in my Colt M1991A1.  I have a few blisters.  The trigger finger, the third finger and the palm of my hand.  How do you practice heavily and avoid blisters?

[Doc Shapiro]

Most likely it's your grip.  How are you holding the gun?  Can you provide a picture?

If the gun isn't stable in your grip and is sliding around, you will develop blisters.  You need to change the way you hold the gun in order to make it stable.

Doc

[SIR WILLIAM]

The grip is the problem.  My pinky hangs off by itself when I grip the M10.  I have small period grips on it.  I use hot 158 gr loads.  The revolver slides around under recoil.  I am going to switch to a 30s era checkered grip.  It might help.  The 1911 is the greatest grip I know of.

[Doc Shapiro]

I didn't mean the physical grips on the gun, I meant...  how do you hold it?  Can you have someone take a picture of how you hold the gun?  You need to find a way to hold the gun so that it doesn't slide around under recoil.

Doc

[Standpat Steve]

Howdy Sir William,

Sometimes you get blisters from an extensive shooting session, and the culprit is the firearm itself. Hold the revolver in question, and look at where your blisters contact the gun. Are there any edges on the gun that you could take a fine tooth file or emory cloth and smooth out? Tyler's T-Grip (?) is an aluminum filler piece that can be purchased to fill in the area above and behind the trigger guard while still using the older period grips, that might also help. When gunsmiths prepare a carry package, they often blend, or ease all the edges on a gun that might contribute to blisters.   

[SIR WILLIAM]

I think a Tyler T grip adaptor is illegal for competition.  I have switched to the checkered grips and I will try again with another M10 next week.  I will be getting some black plastic S&W repro checkered grips and fitting them to the revolver.  I note that the blisters lined up with the edges on the trigger, the trigger guard and the backstrap/grip interface.  The trigger is serrated combat type.  I am going to swap out a smooth target and see how it goes.  Thanks folks!