We’re currently experiencing what I consider to be the "Golden Age Of Pistols," a confluence of design, technologies, manufacturing and most importantly, higher levels of skill have pushed the envelope on human performance with handguns. This also means that technologies are now mature and nearly every gun company has cracked the code on general purpose semi-automatic pistol reliability to the point where choosing model A vs model B on the basis of reliability alone is pointless.
Similarly, the Golden Age Of Pistols has made it so easy to find parts and accessories to the point where it’s hard to go wrong with nearly any mainstream handgun model supported by the market. This golden age also means that shooters are awash in more options than ever before. How does one filter through the endless options presented to them to find the right pistol for them?
The old cliché is to go to the range or shop and “find the one that feels good in the hand.” While this adage is vague, there’s some validity to it, and I decided to examine it on a deeper level.
Pistol grips have three general elements that all make them useful: the grip angle, the grip contour and the grip texture. In addition to my own on-range experiences and through conversations with shooting instructors and others in the firearms industry, I cannot help but notice certain elements that constitute what I’d consider an “ideal” pistol grip.
The Grip Angle
The grip angle of a handgun is one of the most nuanced yet most impactful features of any handgun’s design. In handguns, the grip angle specifically refers to the geometric “space” where frame and grip meet. Glock pistols have a 22-degree angle, the famous Luger P08 has a 55-degree angle, all M1911s have an 18-degree angle, and so forth. This angle influences how the entire gun sits in the shooter’s hand and also plays a major role in the relationship between the shooter’s eyes, the gun’s sights/red-dot and the target downrange. More specifically, the angle directly determines how the gun’s sighting system indexes in relation to the target.
Take the 22-degree grip angle of the Glock 17, for example. For how much the Glock grip angle gets trashed, an iron-sighted Glock 17 sits in my hand in such a way that the sights naturally point at the target. However, as soon as the same Glock gets a red-dot sight mounted, suddenly the grip angle isn’t as “efficient” anymore. This is due to the dot’s reticle sitting on a higher plane that’s taller than standard Glock iron sights, which is no longer working in tandem with the angle. Overcoming this with that same 22-degree grip angle means that I have to deliberately dip the muzzle for that clean sight-picture. It’s very subtle, and it took me some time to notice this pistol-presentation height-grip-angle phenomenon. It was only by virtue of my professional exposure to various dot-mounted pistols over time that I picked up on this.
The subtlety of this phenomenon is exacerbated by the different types of slide-mounted reflex sights and their window sizes. A shooter’s skill level and consistency of presentation on the draw will also be a factor. My experience suggests that there’s a sweet-spot of grip angles for a modern handgun that lies somewhere between 18 and 22 degrees. One of the reasons the M1911 is so well-loved is due to its “naturally pointing” 18-degree grip angle. This more neutral angle appears to work well with both iron sights and mounted optics alike, and this is something I noticed after putting in some time with Smith & Wesson’s M&P 2.0 family of handguns. Smith & Wesson isn’t shy about informing its customers that they borrowed that 18-degree grip angle from the M1911; personally, I think they hit it out of the park. This is also the case with other modern designs including the Walther PDP, HK VP9, the Springfield Armory Echelon and the SIG P320 family. It does make one wonder if John Moses Browning was, in fact, divinely inspired when designing the M1911.
Front Grip Contours
Modern and efficient pistol grips include some degree of undercutting at the junction of the trigger guard and the fronstrap. The fronstrap itself allows enough space for three adult-sized middle, ring and pinky fingers to fit comfortably, which is crucial because it allows the firing hand to more efficiently clench the pistol’s grip with its three extra fingers. Ultimately this results in a higher degree of control with one’s master firing grip without straining the muscles and tendons of the hand—mistakes that can lead to trigger freeze.
At The Rear
I’ve noticed that the most effective backstraps, independent of actual physical size, all tend to have a gentle oval shaped hump that sits roughly somewhere along the bottom-third. This oval shape accomplishes three things along the entire length of the backstrap. Oval shapes taper at either end, and this confers some advantages both at the very top of a pistol’s backstrap where the frame meets the slide as well as the bottom, near the magazine well. At the top of the grip, the oval shape’s tapering allows for the frame to have deeper radiusing where the web between the firing hand’s index finger and thumb fit into the frame.
To clarify, “radiusing” is a machinist’s term for removing material off a workpiece that results in a curving concave “cut-out.” Virtually all pistol frames have some degree of radiusing at the back of their grips, underneath the hammer or striker assembly where the frame and slide meet.
An oval-shaped backstrap permits a deeper radius over this area, which benefits the shooting hand with more efficiency and control, not unlike having a generously undercut trigger guard. In fact, a deep radius and generous trigger-guard undercut work off the same idea. During shooting, the hand exerts pressure and squeezes these two areas to build the core of a master firing grip. To a lesser degree, a deep radius also decreases the distance from the front of the index trigger finger and the face of the trigger. This grants the trigger finger more leverage over the trigger of which facilitates improved trigger control, especially at speed.
This oval-shape’s bottom taper is beneficial because it lets both the firing and support hands (especially the support hand) exert more pressure at the very bottom of the pistol grip. Keeping firm pressure at this specific point of the pistol’s grip aids in shooting consistency, but most importantly, it promotes better recoil control. During shooting, any handgun’s tendency will be for the muzzle to flip upward and back from recoil. Due to their “horizontal L-shape” the bottom of the grip will move upward in tandem with the muzzle too, but in the opposite direction—forward instead of backward. Therefore, by exerting pressure on the bottom-most edge of the frame with both hands, shooters can better control recoil, muzzle flip and slide-tracking from the opposite end. Many contemporary instructors refer to this as “pinky pressure.” In short, the tapering from an oval backstrap at the magwell can better promote more effective pinky pressure, which leads to overall improved control of the handgun during shooting.
Over The Surface
A pistol's grip angles and contours are important because of how they influence the gun's sighting system and how they directly interact with the firing hand. But without the right type of grip texture, the third element, even the most ergonomic grip can feel slippery. Grip texture can vary the same way tire treads on vehicles vary depending on the type of vehicle and where it drives. A pistol used exclusively for competition shooting may have an extremely aggressive grip texture, not unlike how a race car driving in an enclosed circuit might use racing slicks. In this case, both the racing slicks and the sharp grip texture seek to maximize contact surface and traction between the gun/hand or car/track.
On the other hand, an extremely coarse and gritty texture on a carry gun that’s holstered and kept close to the body can not only grate on skin, but it could destroy garments, too. In this case, too much “traction” is not an asset, it’s a liability. Frankly, from the three core elements covered in this writing, grip texture is probably the one most driven by personal preferences. It’s not uncommon for shooters to swap out stocks with more aggressive patterns or to augment their polymer-framed pistols by either stippling or adding layers of coarser materials.
Takeaways, Instructor & Industry Input
Ever since I started writing about firearms, I’ve been quite fortunate in my ever-increasing exposure to a wide variety of different handguns. By this point, I’ve managed to handle and shoot a healthy cross-section of currently available makes and models. While I haven’t tried it all, the sample size of pistols that has passed through my hands is notable enough to make me appreciate the finer details in a handgun’s grip. The grip, after all, is the most important link connecting the shooter to the handgun itself (much the same way that a tire connects a car to the road).
These three elements of grip angle, grip contour and grip texture are most relevant when examining modern compact or full-size double-stack semi-auto pistols. While these elements still matter to micro-compact guns, keep in mind that these are already designed around compromising “shootability” for size. Ultimately, an individual’s hand size and shape always play a major role and this needs to be taken into account. Good thing Golden Age Pistols come with interchangeable backstraps.
I reached out to Matthew Little, aka Greybeard Actual, a retired Special Forces soldier, SWAT operator and seasoned competitive shooter with whom I’ve trained and with whom I’ve squadded in matches. He kindly took some time to discuss the elements that he seeks out in pistols’ grips.
“I strongly prefer the classic 1911-style grip angle. I find it to provide a more natural index with a pistol compared to other options. I don’t like finger grooves on the front strap of a pistol, as they seldom line up properly when I build my grip. However, I do prefer a “double undercut” on the front strap and trigger guard, as this makes it easier to not only build a proper two-handed firing grip but also allows me to grip the gun closer to the bore axis.
I prefer my competition or duty pistols to have extremely aggressive grip-texturing, but for a carry-gun I’ll tone it down to something more moderate in order to prevent discomfort or damage to my clothing. Due to my hand size, I personally prefer a straight backstrap over a palm-swell, but this will always vary by the individual.
For smaller carry guns, the grip-pressure builds from where the pinky finger is, so I need a long enough grip to have full purchase on the pistol with my entire hand. With micro-compacts, adding a magazine basepad extension will usually do the trick.”
Beside input from a top shooter like Little, Smith & Wesson’s engineering team also kindly provided some insights from their manufacturing and design perspective:
“Along with the importance of being proficient in CAD software to be able to develop a well put-together model, the user’s comfort has to be put into question as well. This can be anything from the size of the user’s hands, to how much of their grip strength is preferred when using the firearm. Thus, promoting the design intent of a natural hand position and even distribution of pressure throughout the grip handle. The importance of an ergonomic grip handle is crucial for reducing strain and fatigue during prolonged use, improving comfort and efficiency. Therefore enhancing control and precision, leading to better performance and user satisfaction, which is what we strive for at Smith & Wesson.”
Ethan Ashline — Product Design Engineer
"In our development cycle, the design of any complex shape is a slice of art and engineering while having the ability to listen closely to the direction of the project. Even if you have an existing product to draw inspiration from, the challenge is still daunting and there are many decisions to consider and predictions about what could change during the design process. Input from marketing, mfg, and engineering have to meet together to form an end result that meets everyone’s criteria. Now, to actually get all these specs into a working CAD file so it can be shared and manufactured requires a certain level of knowledge with the toolset we are using. Expert-level Advanced part modeling and surfacing being at the core of creating any ergonomics in a frame, stock, fore-end or grip. Without these tools and the knowledge to employ them proficiently, learn, and improve each time, the task would be impossible and even then, it’s still a steep hill to climb. At the end of the day, I’m proud to say I was part of the team that developed that product.”
John Matrishon — Drafting/CAD Supervisor
