Glock Grip Angle Question

[ExtremeShot]

I am comparing the Glock with the XD and I'm puzzled why the Glock is naturally nose high? For you guys that shoot the Glock, do you think Glock made the grip angle this way so that you are lining the barrel up with your arm more in order to reduce recoil?

Darren

[Flexmoney]

Funny. I thought the XD was naturally nose low.

[EricW]

You may be able to fix the "nose high" problem by pushing the gun out farther. At least with my physiology, extending my arms lowers the front sight and vice versa. So, with and XD or a 1911, my elbows are more bent than with the Glock. With the Glock, I'm nearly, but not quite locked out.

The other, far more expensive solution is to have the backstrap on your Glock recontoured. That will run you $150 to $300+.

If you're willing/able to do neither, the simple solution is to shoot the XD and pass on the Glock. There's no sense in fighting something that doesn't fit you. I prefer the controls and mags on the XD, but not so much that I'm willing to dump my Glocks.

[Exiledviking]

I shoot both a Glock 35 and a SA TRP Operator.

I find that when I am shooting fast, ie Steel match,

the Glock sights line up beautifully.

IIRC, when Glock was initially designing the Glock

they had both shooters and non-shooters come and

test different grip angles. They found that their

grip angle worked the best for all people tested.

That being said, it seems that the Glock is easier

to line up for people shooting in an Isoceles stance.

[Loves2Shoot]

I shoot both a Glock 35 and a SA TRP Operator.

I find that when I am shooting fast, ie Steel match,

the Glock sights line up beautifully.

IIRC, when Glock was initially designing the Glock

they had both shooters and non-shooters come and

test different grip angles.  They found that their

grip angle worked the best for all people tested.

That being said, it seems that the Glock is easier

to line up for people shooting in an Isoceles stance.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm, the opposite of my experience, even some people who shoot them for a living competitively say you have to point it down because it points high. I think the exact same thing was said about the 1911 at one point (being the suposedly perfect grip angle.)

It isn't really that hard to get used to. If you are shooting more than one gun on a regular basis it does feel weird, but if you shoot it for awhile your adjust. I think they made it that way because it worked for Gaston, the XD points better for me, but then again I've shot a 1911/2011 for 7 years and they point very similiarly.

Either one will work fine once you get used to it. Not a big deal one way or the other.

[the duck of death]

When I switched from a 1911 to a Glock it pointed high. Now it's natural and the 1911 points low. It's a matter of what you're used to shooting.

[Alan Meek]

Not to thread drift but this phenomenon also exists when you switch between arched mainspring housings and flat mainspring housings on a 1911.

[chp5]

Funny.  I thought the XD was naturally nose low.   

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+1

. . . as well as 1911's

[Nik Habicht]

Funny.  I thought the XD was naturally nose low.   

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....as well as everything else I own. My standard remedy has been to buy arched mainspring housings or grips that are shaped as if they contained arched mainspring housings. That doesn't fix the problem entirely, but it at least lets me know that the front sight didn't fall off the gun.....

[Kevin Kline]

Thats one reason why I have chosen to stick with the Glocks. I started shooting Production about 9 months ago with my G34 after taking a break for 1.5 years. AFter making GM with my STI, it was hard to get used to the Glock grip angle, but I like the Glock better than the XD.

If I switch to shooting another division besides Production, I will have to stick with Glock because I dont feel like bouncing back and forth between grip angles. It has to point right for me or it annoys the hell out of me.

[knightkrawler00]

I bought a G17 a little while ago after shooting 1911's for a long time and didn't notice the problem at all, which I thought was weird. It took me a few dry-fire sessions to figure it out. With the 1911, I shoot thumbs forward, and thumbs down on the Glock. If I tried thumbs forward on the Glock, it pointed high, the 1911 would point down if I went thumbs down on it. Apparently when I pull my thumbs down into the gun, my hands turn down just slightly and sight alignment is perfect. Give that a try and see if it works for you.

[Kevin Kline]

Knightkrawler,

Thanks, but I dont want to change my grip from one gun to the other. For instinctive and reaction reasons and my job (LEO) would probably suffer. Im trying to stick with everything the same for that reason.

[GuildSF4]

I think grip angle depends on what a person likes, how their hands and arms are built, and their stance. Some people swear by Glock, some by XD, some 1911. Also people modify guns to fit what they like. (Note: at least 3 different styles of mainspring housings for the 1911.)

Just like some people prefer a Commander lenght 1911, some GM lenght.

[skeeter]

Funny.  I thought the XD was naturally nose low.   

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+1

. . . as well as 1911's

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+2