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Checkering on under side of trigger guard


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I was fondling the new Kimber Tactical Custom II the other day and noticed that the under side of the trigger guard was checkered. When I got a grip on this gun, it really locked in. Has anyone used this type of checkering, or maybe grip-tape under the trigger guard? It seems to help index the grip and I would think that your grip would stay locked in. Just checking the consensus on this.

Edwin

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I've shot guns with the underside of the trigger guard checkered before. Frankly, I don't care for it. It interferes with my hand sliding smoothly into place on the draw. One thing for sure, if you like this feature, you better be one of those guys who gets his grip perfect with first hand contact to the gun every time - because once you lock down, your hand ain't goin' nowhere.

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I have always liked something under the triggerguard. If I don't have checkering, I usually have a strip of grip tape. I even use it on my revolvers. I found it keeps my weak hand locked in position and makes my grip solid.

Neal in AZ

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I use the middle finger of the strong hand to hit the mag release, reaching under the trigger guard. I actually had the smith who did my match gun take off half the trigger guard checkering he put on because it would bind me up trying to get to the button.

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I've shot guns with the underside of the trigger guard checkered before. Frankly, I don't care for it. It interferes with my hand sliding smoothly into place on the draw. One thing for sure, if you like this feature, you better be one of those guys who gets his grip perfect with first hand contact to the gun every time - because once you lock down, your hand ain't goin' nowhere.

Amen to that! I actually carve out the underside of my trigger guards so they make room for my weak hand index finger. Putting anything there would seem counter productive to mounting and dismounting the pistol smoothly. Lock your wrist out right and it won't move anyway.

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It seems to me that if you index the gun the same each time, that the checkering would lock in the grip and your grip would be more stable. Thanks for the input, this good to get all sides of the argument.

Edwin

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If I recall correctly (from tapes or whatever) some kind of texture under the trigger guard is advocated by Matt Burkett -

The way he explained it is rather than push your strong hand into your weak hand (which checkering, etc would interfere with?),

you actually bring your left hand more "up" into the grip to the trigger guard during the draw, "locking" it in the checkering/serrations/tape, then you kind of roll and torque your hand back into the grip to complete your grip, creating a very "locked"grip.

Apologies to M.B. if I mis-remembered my reference.... :unsure:

Anyway, I've tried, I like it. Its a very stable grip.

But if you don't put upwards pressure into your weak hand while gripping during the draw, it won't really do anything for you, I'd guess.

I take a dremel with a cutoff wheel and make notched serrations in the underside of the trigger guard of my S_I grips, put grip tape on the rest.

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I don't like checkered trigger guard undersides.

My caspian ss 45 that I won in Oregon, is 'high gripped', but it smooth.

My SV framed 40 lim and 38super open are high gripped and smoothed. I beveled the edges under the trigger guard and along the frame just behind the trigger guard. Otherwise they hurt too much after an hour or so of draws and reloads.

I think if you dry fire enough, you will find all of the places on your gun that either need to be relieved, smoothed, or checkered. Just holding the gun the same is a start, but if anyhing doesn't index the same every time, then it'll mess you up.

Speaking of callouses, I have some specific ones in specific paces just from where the grip and safetys make contact with my hands. In the web between my thumb and forefinger, on the right side of my thumb, and just below the first knuckle on my middle finger. Other than that, my hands are lightly calloused.

The grip tape in the right places is nice for a while, but as I shot more I developed my grip sufficiently and didn't need them anymore.

My grip is stippeled aggressively, but only so much that I can maintain a firm but loose hold while being able to shift my grip in case I pick it up strangely as from a table or from inside a mailbox or briefcase. I tend to hold the gun like an egg, just enough that it does not fall out of my hands, but not enough to crush it.

I think it is better to let the gun do what it is going to do instead of trying to squeeze it into submission. Too firm a grip causes more problems than it solves.

-Drew

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  • 3 weeks later...
If I recall correctly (from tapes or whatever) some kind of texture under the trigger guard is advocated by Matt Burkett -

The way he explained it is rather than push your strong hand into your weak hand (which checkering, etc would interfere with?),

you actually bring your left hand more "up" into the grip to the trigger guard during the draw, "locking" it in the checkering/serrations/tape, then you kind of roll and torque your hand back into the grip to complete your grip, creating a very "locked"grip.

Apologies to M.B. if I mis-remembered my reference.... :unsure:

Anyway, I've tried, I like it. Its a very stable grip.

But if you don't put upwards pressure into your weak hand while gripping during the draw, it won't really do anything for you, I'd guess.

I take a dremel with a cutoff wheel and make notched serrations in the underside of the trigger guard of my S_I grips, put grip tape on the rest.

I understood the same thing when I took a class from MB. So we understood or got it wrong the same! ;)

I find it helps me lock in my grip and prevents my grip from breaking down on long strings of fire. I find if I don't run it, I have problems griping too hard....which causes all kinds of other problems! :blink:

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Obviously this is a personal preference thing. When I went back to a steel framed gun though one of the clear benefits was being able to checker under the trigger guard. I love the gun configured this way. Even on plastic guns, I stick the grip tape under the trigger guard.

Like I said in an earlier post - if you're just doing it then be prepared for some rough spots on the hands for a while.

JB

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I'm with Duane,

I don't like it, tried it. It hampers me from locking up smoothly. Same counts for griptape on my magwell, there's no way to correct a poor draw/grip when you have the stuff on until you make a reload.

Henny.

PS. Indeed it's a personal thing!

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Speaking of callouses, I have some...In the web between my thumb and forefinger...

I have one there, and it's beginning to bug me a lot the more I dryfire. It's where the thumb safety comes to the edge of the frame that my thumb makes contact, and I can't dehorn it anymore w/o having the safety break off.

I tried sanding down the callous. Tape and bandages help, but screw up my grip. I really don't want to change my grip, but it may come to that.

Any suggestions? :(

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Nope you guys did not get it wrong about Matt and the checkering under the trigger guard.

Matt usually travels with a checkering file so I am surprised he did not do the the checkering himself.

He does recommend it.

I use skate tape on my Trojan and Matt checkered my Edge.

In fact I left my Trojan in the trunk of my car and it was so hot that day the tape started to come off during a match. I really noticed it be gone while I shot the rest of the match. I like the skate tape on my single stack.

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