I am excited to show how the proper size grip panel and backstrap on your gun can optimize your trigger reach, improve recoil management, help with asymmetrical hands, increase your natural point of aim and even give you the best “first firing grip” … or show you the exact opposite. A poor pistol grip drastically compromises your shooting accuracy, speed and safety.
Not all hands are the same size. Not all fingers are the same length. Not all muscles perform the same for each person. Not everyone cares about the same features on a gun. Not everyone has the same purpose and uses for training with a firearm.
It is wonderful that there are so many different manufacturers and models of pistols out there for people to choose from. Different firearms have different weights, trigger positions, looks and feels, recoils, sights or mounted optics, trigger pull distances and so much more. Did the pistol you chose come with a “grip kit” so the gun fits your hand best?
Heckler & Koch’s VP9 line comes with a modular system of interchangeable backstraps and side panels (the VP9CC comes with backstraps only) to customize the gun’s frame. This innovative design allows shooters to alter the grip’s width, depth and overall shape to achieve a perfect, custom fit.
The sizes are easy to remember:
Because the left side panel, right side panel and backstrap can all be changed independently, you can mix and match the pieces to create 27 unique grip combinations. Once you have established something that feels good, it is now imperative to ensure that the size of the panels and backstrap also allow your trigger finger to reach the trigger perfectly.
The backstrap thickness dictates how far your index finger must reach to contact the trigger face. Swapping to a small backstrap helps shooters with shorter fingers achieve a proper finger bend, preventing them from “pulling” shots. A large backstrap stops shooters with long fingers from over-inserting their fingers, which can cause “pushing.”
Human hands are not perfectly symmetrical when gripping an object. HK’s independent side panels allow you to run a large panel on your palm side to fill the hollow of your hand, and a small or medium panel on your finger-tip side. This ensures maximum surface contact and skin-to-grip friction.
By maximizing the physical contact between your hand and the frame, recoil forces are distributed evenly across your entire palm, rather than concentrating in one hot spot. This directly reduces muzzle flip and speeds up your follow-up shots.
When you close your eyes and present the pistol, the sights should naturally align with your target. Adjusting the palm swell via different panel combinations allows you to fine-tune how the gun sits in your hand, so it points naturally without conscious wrist correction.
Gedde Wilson, the lead pistol instructor of Ga Firing Line, says that it may be extremely easy to rent a pistol from the VP9 line at a range. Since your main goal is to experience the different grip possibilities, Gedde recommends that you call your local range and give it a “heads up” that you want to rent a VP9 to get acquainted with the different grip lengths, so your trigger finger reaches the trigger properly. It is very important to ask them to set up one of their VP9s with a small backstrap and small panels (if that is what you are looking for).
I also suggest that you bring the gun you normally shoot so you can do “comparison” shooting. Try these drills first:
If you had an “Aha!” moment on the importance of a good solid grip and an easy reach to the trigger, then my work here is done. Sometimes a brain shift is all we need to get to the next level of shooting.
Check out the line of personal defense pistols offered by Heckler & Koch so you can start finding the perfect grip combination.
Shelley Hill wears a "bunch of hats." Her husband, Brian, named her the “Indispensable Organization Wizard” about 25 years ago and that has become her official title. Shelley is the CEO and instructor at The Complete Combatant. She is an HK Brand Ambassador, publishes regular articles in Women’s Outdoor News and Shooting Illustrated, teaches online classes, is an Active Self Protection Certified Instructor, an Instructor Graduate of Modern Samurai Project's Red Dot Instructor program, NRA Certified Instructor, Certified NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Refuse to be a Victim Instructor and is a Certified OC (Pepper Spray) Instructor through Chuck Haggard's Agile Training & Consulting. She is the designer and mastermind behind Image Based Decisional Drills, Smart Choices , LockedIn Grip, The Complete Combatant's annual The Mingle for professional ladies in the "firearms/self defense" industry and The Quest for red dot shooters. She is also the President of a non-profit organization called Blue Line Ponies. This 501c3 focuses on providing a retirement range for our career service horses. Shelley is also a presenter at several national conferences is a public speaker and she actually loves people. View all posts by Shelley Hill
