Sore hand

[kflach]

I've found that after I shoot Duelist the knuckle of my middle finger on my shooting hand is sore for a few days. When I shoot two handed it isn't. I don't feel any problems when actually shooting. I don't have any problems with the recoil at all (I don't really even notice it).

I'm shooting a heavy gun (Remington NMA) and that's the finger that it rests on so I'm guessing it's the weight of the gun causing it. I love the gun so the soreness is worth it, but I don't know if there are long-term problems that could come from this.

Is there a way I should adjust my Duelist grip or should I just not shoot Duelist with this particular gun?

[hellgate]

You might see if the trigger guard is hitting your finger under recoil or while cocking. That is one complaint of the smaller framed Remmies like the Euroarms guns. The Pietta has larger grips and the Uberti is somewhere in between. I don't know about the ASM guns.

[kflach]

Mine is a Pietta. I got it cause I liked the larger grip, but the space between the grip and trigger guard is a little tighter than I'd like. I like the boom, the smoke, and the fire of the Holy Black so much I haven't noticed if the trigger guard is hitting my finger under recoil.

[Cuts Crooked]

Try shooting with your pinkie finger under the grip frame. That might adjust your grip jist enuff to stop the problem.

[kflach]

Thanks! I'll practice with that adjustment this week and see how it works out.

[Dick Dastardly]

Give Gunfighter a go.  Tall loads in each hand and no "third" had to take the pressure off.  Anyway, hang in there.  GF is the way to go.  You have an opportunity to engage both mind and body.  Turns out, they work pretty good together.

DD-DLoS

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I agree with Cuts. I'll bet you dollars to donuts you are trying to cram your entire hand onto the grip.

I hang my pinky under the grip of all my single action revolvers. Shooting this way allows me to shift my hand down a bit on the grips, opening up a space of around 1/4" between the rear of the trigger guard and the knuckle of my finger. I can shoot heavy 45 Colt loads all day long out of my revolvers this way, and my knuckle never gets whacked.

[August]

Paper tape (see your local pharmacist).  Don't leave home without it.

Ever noticed that Tiger always wears tape on the middle finger of his right hand?

You're using you finger to hold up the weight of the gun and those aren't exactly friendly edges on the trigger guard. 

Tape your finger.

[kflach]

I got home, got my gun out, and did some experimenting. I found that the grip is big enough that if I put my pinky under the grip frame I can't reach the hammer with my thumb to cock it. Obviously that's necessary to shoot Duelist.

I was actually shooting "Working Cowboy" category but I tried doing the last few stages holding the pistol in a Duelist style.

I've only got the one gun so I can't shoot Gunfighter - unless that is referring to a type of hand positioning instead of a SASS class. I know I've seen videos online showing Gunfighter shooting so I'll see if I can track them down again and look at how they hold their hands.

I'll also check into paper tape. I hadn't thought of trying anything like that but a little extra support might do the trick. Maybe over time my hand will strengthen up. I'd like to be able to have the option of shooting Double Duelist or Gunfighter when I get my next pistol.

[Driftwood Johnson]

I got home, got my gun out, and did some experimenting. I found that the grip is big enough that if I put my pinky under the grip frame I can't reach the hammer with my thumb to cock it. Obviously that's necessary to shoot Duelist.

Allow the gun to recoil a bit. Allow the grip to rotate in your hand a bit and the hammer will come into reach of your thumb.

[fourfingersofdeath]

Allow the gun to recoil a bit. Allow the grip to rotate in your hand a bit and the hammer will come into reach of your thumb.

That's the trick, why do you think they made those grips so smooth and slippery, works a treat.

[kflach]

I'll experiment with that at the range a little later this week.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy

I agree with Cuts. I'll bet you dollars to donuts you are trying to cram your entire hand onto the grip.

I hang my pinky under the grip of all my single action revolvers. Shooting this way allows me to shift my hand down a bit on the grips, opening up a space of around 1/4" between the rear of the trigger guard and the knuckle of my finger. I can shoot heavy 45 Colt loads all day long out of my revolvers this way, and my knuckle never gets whacked.

     ditto +1

    I was use to shooting full house loads years ago, and would go through a brick of 45 long Colt  in one day of shooting, that's 500 rounds, I was sponsored back then and could shoot all I wanted, but Driftwood and the others are right , most Pards have hands that are larger than the grip on a SAA, or Remington , by dropping your pinky you take the pressure off your middle finger which will then allow you to have a more controllable and comfortable grip on your gun, dropping your pinky under the the bottom of the grip will also allow you more control and allow the gun to move back in recoil, which allows you to thumb cock your next shot with ease, don't have a death grip on your gun either, you want a firm grip without the white knuckles, to much of a grip will fatigue your hand or hands, and after about a box of ammo you will notice your hands shaking a little, and it harder to stay on target, between stages you can also exercise your fingers by  pulling your fingers backwards and hold them in a stretch for a few seconds,this helps to get the blood flowing back to the hand and relaxes the muscles in your hand and fingers,  do several reps. in each hand, this really helps the fatigue, it just takes practice, lots of shooting, and after a while you will become ONE WITH THE GUN.

                                                 Regards

                                            tEN wOLVES 

[Daniel Nighteyes]

I got home, got my gun out, and did some experimenting. I found that the grip is big enough that if I put my pinky under the grip frame I can't reach the hammer with my thumb to cock it. Obviously that's necessary to shoot Duelist.

I shoot Duelist, both single and double, and I have large palms but short fingers.  I've found that I have the same problem with my Pietta NMAs, but not with my Uberti NMAs (which is good because I regularly shoot the Ubertis).  The "grip geometry" is just enough different.  I'm in the process of slightly re-contouring the hammer spurs on my Piettas.

[Noz]

This is interesting. As I have become more and more experienced as a Frontiersman shooting 1860 Armys duelist style, my grip has changed from the pinky under to all fingers on the grip and now my hand rides very high, just low enough for the hammer to reach full cock before it touches my hand. When I tried to shoot with the pinky under I was getting the knuckle bump but no longer. When I'm shooting well now the web of my hand, between thumb knuckle and first finger knuckle is virtually parallel to the ground in a natural pointing position.
After a shot is fired the three outboard fingers hold the gun in place while the thumb cocks.
I've never watched anyone else's hand position.

[Dalton Masterson]

Noz, the hand forward up under the hammer way that you do it, is the way I have always shot my Remmys. Just seems more natual for my. I also get rapped when I try to change the hold.
One of mine will rap me on occasion, but it hasnt happened enough to notice why its doing it.
DM

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I don't see where anyone else asked, but is the trigger guard squared off on the back side?  My 1st Model Colt Dragoon has the squared trigger guard and it regularly bites my hand.

I'll bet that's why ya don't see 'em on new guns. (new gun designs, NOT repro guns)

I have smallish palms and moderately long fingers.

Have fun!


Here's a picture of my C & B guns.  You can see the difference on the Dragoon (top Left) vs. the 1860 Army. (top Right)

[kflach]

Mine is like the 1860 Army, not the Dragoon.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Mine is like the 1860 Army, not the Dragoon.

Just a thought.  Good luck!


SHB