Go Gun's GAS Pedal review

[Aristotle]

I will sometimes "challenge" my beliefs regarding handgun technique, if nothing more, I need to "know" I am rite. Besides, many things will change in the state of a shooter, from capability to preferences learned, that it's often a good idea to revisit options later down the road. Before I shot competitively, I golfed, but I was never the type to be satisfied with "off the shelf", I "tinkered", that's what I do. And I would often go from cavity backs to blades as my game improved, with the flat stick... forget about it... I had every single design known to man, and have tried it all, owned it all at least once.

When I first bought my open gun, I knew I had to have a "thumb rest", I picked up an Arrendondo, but after one bad match... it was RIPPED off my gun and sworn off... I was all of a sudden on the "no thumb rest" crowd, until a good friend offered to let me shoot his gun that had a rest. And wouldn't you know it... I was back on, and said good friend made me my own, which I was more than satisfied with... until... I got to speaking with Dr. Chet about his "*thumb rest [generic]*". I thought I "knew" what I wanted, and knew how I wanted to grip my gun. Again, here's the part where you have to stay open minded. In my quest to getting better, I refuse to close my mind to anything that will make me a better shooter, even if I have to eat crow every once in a while. I spoke with Dr. Chet to extent at the last Area 1 match, and he was kind enough to give the shooters a *thumb rest [generic]*. I was pretty excited to go home and give it a try.

As with anything I've ever owned, I had to put my own little "tweaks" to it, to make it my own and to fit "my" hand. Upon installing the "*thumb rest [generic]*" I noticed rite off the bat, my grip has changed... significantly. My hand was more up rite, and not in the "thumbs forward" as I have been accustomed to... sure, what's a couple thousand hours worth of dry fire worth anyhow "scary". Not discouraged, I committed to the new grip. I spent the next 3 weeks locked up in my dry fire room working with the new grip. Then I took it to my older brothers super secret training facility and put 800 rounds through the gun, and I was really surprised with the results. This new grip, allowed for more of my "stronger" fingers to get on the grip including the "weaker" ones. The angle also allowed for my thumb to rest in a more natural manner that allowed maximum leverage on the *thumb rest [generic]* itself without having to consiously apply the pressure, and contrary to my old belief I used my thumb to apply pressure. The thumb rest pad, was so MASSIVE, it was impossible to miss!! That meant a much more "consistent" weak hand grip getting back on the gun = faster grip set up, quicker to break shots. The result was a much more consistent support hand placement, and improved recoil control.

Now comes the ultimate test... the next match was an important to me Sectional slot match. This was to be my anchor to secure my spot for a class win in my section. With a little under 80 hours of dry fire time and less than 1k rounds of practice with new grip... I go in guns blazing. Never mind the brain farts, I shot a solid match and if my math is correct, solidified my placement. Upon reviewing the match video, the difference was night and day, as many of you know, I rely heavily on my match vids as a training aide, and videos do not lie. My recoil management improved, my grip was faster and I was more accurate for this match, which hosted a ton of no shoots and hard cover... just my kind of match.

YMMV, but I'm inclined to say, if you aren't challenging your beliefs, just how sure are you of them? I am happy I switched.

Match video:

This picture will show the modifications I did to the *thumb rest [generic]* to fit my hand and preference. I cut out the bottom half of the pedal because it was not an area I used in my grip, and because it did not allow for me to remove the slide release without first removing the thumb rest. I also changed the angle slightly of the pad. But just as Chet instructed me to do, I placed the *thumb rest [generic]* as far back as I could get it.

Thanks again Chet!

[Aristotle]

By the way, just to clarify, I am currently NOT sponsored by GoGun and am in no way affiliated with them, nor am I receiving any sort of compensation for this review. I told Chet I would let him know, good or bad what I thought. It's nice to receive something from the shooters packet free bee bag that you can use that's not a shooting patch or gun oil. Not that I am not grateful for the freebee's. :-)

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Great review and good to hear it is working for you. Like you I am always trying different things. It must come from my car racing days always messing with the car between races to make it better and faster. Changing jets on Weber carbs on a Porsche 911 in hot weather is not fun I am using a Quinn II mount and I am not sure if it will hit the mount though. I would also have drilled and tapped the mount so I can remove it without removing the scope mount from the frame. It looks like a good mod to me. Thanks, Eric

[Alan Adamson]

Hello: Great review and good to hear it is working for you. Like you I am always trying different things. It must come from my car racing days always messing with the car between races to make it better and faster. Changing jets on Weber carbs on a Porsche 911 in hot weather is not fun I am using a Quinn II mount and I am not sure if it will hit the mount though. I would also have drilled and tapped the mount so I can remove it without removing the scope mount from the frame. It looks like a good mod to me. Thanks, Eric

Just another observation,

If you want a mount that doesn't require as much modification, already supports the hole pattern and overlay with all the 5 hole alchin mount, and allows for complete adjustability forward or aft, upright or laid down... Try the DAA thumb rest, similar angle without all the customization required.

YMMV

Alan

Edited August 9, 2010 by Alan Adamson

[Mo Zee]

Without going into too much detail I think the difference between the 2 is that the Go *thumb rest [generic]* sits in line with the slide stop. I guess one of the thumb rest experts would provide better insight between them. Personally I have the DAA rest and it works for me, however I wouldnt mind playing around with the Go Gas to see what the difference is (for me that is).

[Aristotle]

You got it, I think that is where the difference is, and a big one at that. The pad rests on top of and inline of the slide stop. This is what changed my grip angle, which, after some heavy practice, made the difference. My support hand was sitting back, more of my support hand Palm, was on the grip itself, and more of the support hand fingers were on the grip. I have tried the DAA rest on a friends gun, and it was not the same as the GoGun pedal. YMMV because everyones grip is going to be different based on the way the gun is set up and your hand size, etc.

Edited August 10, 2010 by Duane Thomas

[Aloha Robert]

WoW! I am impressed with Aristotle’s comprehensive review. He figured out a lot of stuff on his own and the videos are terrific, fast and very little gun movement in recoil of any kind. And Ari is right that he figured it out on his own with a very powerful tool, his open mind.

Just to clear up a few things. The DAA product is a very fine product but it is a Thumb rest and difficult to use the *thumb rest [generic]* ® method with. Mozee observed the position is different and that is only one of the many differences. In order to get the most leverage and be able to get 2 axis 180 degree control the Thumb device needs to mounted farther back preferably aft of slide axis. In a nutshell, there are fine products out there is you want to “rest” your thumb, but the only one I am aware of that makes the *thumb rest [generic]* ® method work easily is the the *thumb rest [generic]* ® part.

Also Aristotle figured out another of the qualities differentiating the *thumb rest [generic]* ® method not often mentioned, as part of the 2 axis control, natural gripping motion allows the non dominant 3, 4 and 5 fingers to get substantial pressure which stabilizes yaw or windage. This effect is hard to achieve with most Thumb Rests because of their size and shape. But it is one of the features that eliminates steering induced error common in other thumb rest type products

Also about modifications, the *thumb rest [generic]* ® part requires no modifications and can be shot very well as a simple bolt on. Aristotle did some very creative mods to his but I don’t think it affected basic function. Actually I have seen other racers do all kinds of mods to it. One of the reasons it was made SO battle tough and out of solid aluminium is that is was anticipated some folks would want to do some milling of their own and keep the piece is still strong.

Sounds like Aristotle has the grip working good, Ari have you tried working on the draw yet? Once you understand the grip, you can practice the draw and pick up a little speed and with consistency in grip. When you draw, the nondomiant thumb finds the *thumb rest [generic]* ® first ( and since its big, it’s easy to find and the shape of the Pedal automatically finds the right spot), then you have a natural grasp motion which automatically put your hand in perfect grip everytime.

[Supermoto]

have you tried shooting back to back with a limited gun?

[Aristotle]

have you tried shooting back to back with a limited gun?

No, but I do not shoot in Limited, nor do I even own a limited gun, unless you count my single stack as a limited gun.

I consider myself a pretty dedicated Open gun shooter with no real plans to shoot anything but Open for the next several years, or at least until I accomplish some personal goals.

[JorDanO]

Does anyone know if they are available for lefties?

[Tim Egan]

Ari,

Thanks for the review, very similar to the results I achieved.

Only, I havent dry fired like I should be, my practice consists

of shooting matches...... I get what I put in....

Thanks again to Aloha Robert too - for putting a *thumb rest [generic]* into

every open shooters hands at Area 1. I would like to add one

to my limited gun...

TimE

[Aloha Robert]

A Few quick answers,

Sorry, there is no Left handed version yet, possibly in future.

Currently USPSA rules do not allow a *thumb rest [generic]* ® grip or any thumb rest for that matter in Limited. They are allowed in International Standard but must fit in box so *thumb rest [generic]* ® might have to be modified for International use. It can be put on a non competition 1911/2011 gun but it requires a spacer to clear the slide release. Basically, the *thumb rest [generic]* ® as currently designed is for Open competition. The GoGun *thumb rest [generic]* ® grip is designed, invented and made in the USA.

Thanks to TimE for kind words. He and bunch of folks (including Ari) worked very hard to put on a terrific Area One match so it does not surprise me, TimE has no time for practice, but he told me he had one of the best matches he ever shot with just putting the Pedal on and shooting the match. That is the type of comment I hear frequently from those that like the concept.

[werewolf45auto]

Hello: Great review and good to hear it is working for you. Like you I am always trying different things. It must come from my car racing days always messing with the car between races to make it better and faster. Changing jets on Weber carbs on a Porsche 911 in hot weather is not fun I am using a Quinn II mount and I am not sure if it will hit the mount though. I would also have drilled and tapped the mount so I can remove it without removing the scope mount from the frame. It looks like a good mod to me. Thanks, Eric

Yes It will work with the Quinn II mount

I got one of these from area 1 and not being a believer I to just had to try it. I have a Quinn II mount and it fits but the tip of my thumb touches the mount. That didn't bother me. I really didn't give it a chance, I dry fired with it for one day and shot one Steel match with it, I took it off that night and it's in the parts box since. I was more concerned about messing up my grip for when I do want to shoot limited or the like. Either way at some point I would like to try it out for more then a day.

[AWLAZS]

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=40193/Product/GAS_PEDAL_COMPETITION_THUMB_REST

I was looking at them here if anyone is interested

[matt2ace]

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=40193/Product/GAS_PEDAL_COMPETITION_THUMB_REST

I was looking at them here if anyone is interested

Once again.....no joy for us lefties

[werewolf45auto]

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=40193/Product/GAS_PEDAL_COMPETITION_THUMB_REST

I was looking at them here if anyone is interested

Once again.....no joy for us lefties

I spoke with the guy (sorry really bad with names) who gave thes out at Area 1 and he is a very nice and easy to talk to guy with a lot of great info on this product. If you got in touch with him maybe you could get him to make you a one off. Just an idea but mamma always said it don't hurt to ask!

[werewolf45auto]

ok now that I think about it I don't think it would work because this thing is big and would be in the way of the ejection port.

Edited August 11, 2010 by werewolf45auto

[Aristotle]

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=40193/Product/GAS_PEDAL_COMPETITION_THUMB_REST

I was looking at them here if anyone is interested

Once again.....no joy for us lefties

I spoke with the guy (sorry really bad with names) who gave thes out at Area 1 and he is a very nice and easy to talk to guy with a lot of great info on this product. If you got in touch with him maybe you could get him to make you a one off. Just an idea but mamma always said it don't hurt to ask!

Hey Werewolf, his name is Chet, and he's on this thread and goes by Aloha Robert. :-)

[Bigpops]

Ari,

Any chance you could post a picture of your new grip with this installed? I am curious as to how it changes the support hand position.

Thanks,

Steve

[jkatz44]

This guy has them on his SV's......

http://www.matsbackstrom.com/Equipment/Bettan.html

[matt2ace]

PM'd with Chet....great guy, very sympathetic to the plight of us lefties.

Net: They do plan to offer a version for lefties in the future.

BTW: Ejection port issue for a right mounted version could be a concern. I will wait to see what Chet comes up with.

[rmerritt]

With a little milling, the *thumb rest [generic]* works well with a side mount c-more.

[Aloha Robert]

Ari,

Any chance you could post a picture of your new grip with this installed? I am curious as to how it changes the support hand position.

Thanks,

Steve

There are some good pics on this thread. IMHO to get the most out of the *thumb rest [generic]* grip and method the Pedal should be mounted as far back as possible aft of slide axis. There is a pic of this grip method on

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=111063&st=25

My post of Aug 6 and it shows the hand position. Most shooters will start with the pedal mounted more forward ala the thumb rest method but if you are brave and want to try something totally different you get a lot more mechanical advantage when mounted aft.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Aloha Robert

[Aristotle]

Ari,

Any chance you could post a picture of your new grip with this installed? I am curious as to how it changes the support hand position.

Thanks,

Steve

sorry, I just saw this post. I will try and get something set up to take a picture tomorrow for you.

ari b

[Bigpops]

Thank you Robert and Ari.