About Me

I am also the author of 4 books, available on Amazon, and at many major outlets. I have been contributing writer for Combat Handgun Magazine and Women and Guns Magazine.

I was an instructor for many years, Recently retired.

Thank you for following along with me as this journey continues.

Safe Shooting!



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Thoughts, comments and insights for women who shoot and the men who love us!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Fitting the Gun to YOUR Hand

So often when women go shopping for a gun, the person behind the counter points them to something small.  Small is not easy to control.  Just because a gun is larger doesn’t mean it won’t fit in your hand.

I’ve recently become a convert to Glock.  I was a Ruger girl for years, still have three of them, but my primary is a Glock 19.  Some people are surprised that I carry something that big, concealed, and not noticeable.  But when I work with a student, and let them try the 19, they are usually surprised at how well it fits in their hands and how much fun it is to shoot.
The key fit is the backstrap to the trigger.  Can you comfortably hold the gun and reach the trigger?  This is more important than the “size” or caliber of the gun.  If you can’t hold it, you can’t control it.

I did a comparison between the Gen3 Glock 17 (full size), 19 (compact) and 26 (sub-compact or Baby Glock), all 9mm.  What I found surprising is the fit to the hand is pretty consistent across all three. 

·         The Glock 17 is 7.32” long, 5.43” high, 1.18” wide and has a trigger pull of 5.5 pounds.

·         The Glock 19 is 6.85” long, 5.00” high, 1.18” wide and has a trigger pull of 5.5 pounds.

·         The Glock 26 is 6.29” long, 4.17” high, 1.18” wide and has a trigger pull of 5.5 pounds.

Notice any similarities?  They are also the same distance from the backstrap to the trigger.  This means that I can wrap my hand around the full size 17 the same as the baby 26.  I happen to like the 19, as a primary carry gun, because it is big enough to be comfortable to handle and compact enough to be easy to conceal.  I also like that is has a “double-stack” magazine which means more rounds fit in a smaller space.
What is my next gun?  A Glock 26, I think it would make a great backup gun, and in a pinch, I can use my extra 19 magazine. 

Yes, there are a lot of great manfacturers out there.  I haven’t had my Glock long, but it is a lot easier to shoot than my Ruger every was.  It is less finicky with ammunition, I’ve never had a mis-feed because my wrist wasn’t firm enough…
Bottom line…fit the gun to you.  For average sized people, this should be fairly easy to find something comfortable.  If you have unusually small, or large, hands, you can have a gunsmith alter your pistol to fit you better.  Women don’t need tiny pocket guns, and men don’t need hand cannons.  Neither is easy to control. 

Safe Shooting!

11 comments:

  1. I use my husband's Glock and it fits fine but I don't feel it's for me. Is it possible to not feel connected with gun? I'm shopping for a conceal gun but the .380 are pretty small. I was looking at a Taurus .45 .. Maybe I am too picky lol

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  2. The fit is a personal thing, it should feel right to you. I don't think you are being too picky, it is like shoes, they need to fit you. I have a Ruger LCP .380, it is incredibly difficult to shoot and control. I have to lock my wrist pretty hard and it still jams every few rounds. I have used it as a backup last resort but never as a primary. I looked up the Taurus .45 ACP and it only weights 22.6 ounces! Before spending the money I would look for a chance to fire one. I carry a Glock 19 (9mm) as a conceal gun, with the right holster you can conceal a full size semi-auto. I just bought a Glock 26 (9mm) as a back up. Just personal preference and my experience with Glock has been very good. The thing to remember is that you need to be comfortable and feel comfident with your gun. Sometimes that means shopping and trying a few different guns. Understand that the smaller the gun, the more difficult it is to shoot accurately and that a small gun in a higher caliber can be especially difficult.
    Stay Safe!

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  3. Well I pack a Ruger .44 mag when I'm hunting or fishing and I love that. I have no problem firing or hitting my target but it's not easy to conceal lol

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  4. Strong! :-) But that kind of power in a light frame is surprisingly difficult to control. Good luck finding just the right one.

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  5. Thank you very much! I don't think I'll buy it till I try it.. Same as the .44.

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  6. I completely agree that finding your gun is all about fit. I always tell the guys on the forums when THEY are trying to pick a gun for the wife, girlfriend, etc. that the lady needs to try as many models as she can before SHE decides what is right for her. ;-) I don't think some of them really care for this advice.

    BTW I'm a Glock girl, too. G19 is my personal firearm of choice.

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  7. I completely agree that it's all about fit. I always tell the guys on the forums when THEY are looking for a handgun for the wife, girlfriend, etc. that SHE needs to try as many models as possible before SHE decides what is right for her. ;-) I don't think some of them appreciate this advice very much.

    BTW I'm a Glock girl myself. G19 is my personal firearm of choice.

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  8. I agree about fit! I "try on" guns when I browse. I own several Smith & Wesson because they fit my small hands. Two have been deliberate purchases, others have been impulse purchases. We own three Ruger Mark II pistols (.22LR). Why? Because every pistol has a different size grip. It is because 5 of us in our family shoot & the Rugers are "communal property". My kids used my Ruger (smallest grips) when younger & progressed through the pistols until they stopped growing. Also, I plan to acquire the same amount of pistols per (adult) children so that each will have one.

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  9. I find this problem a lot. Boss Man was fanatical about making sure we took the time to properly fit a gun to a person's hand (man or woman) and explain to them how important it is to their shooting. In fact, I'm such a believer in gun fit that I did a post on it a few months ago.

    I loved my Glock, and I shot it well, but it didn't fit my hand, no matter how much I wanted it to. I switched to a 1911 and my skills went through the roof - just because I finally got a gun that fit.

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    Replies
    1. i had the same problem with glocks (although they are still great weapons) until i said to heck w/ it and just went back to being a revolver guy like i always have been lol

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  10. I love my Glock! It fits me well, but I have noticed a difference in my shooting depending on the size of the gun. My 27(baby Glock in .40 ) is great, but I am more accurate with a larger model. I tried to conceal the 23, but it just was a no go on my frame. The accuracy isn't that much if a difference, but it's there.

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