Recently, I've been doing some informal tests comparing my shooting with a G19 Gen4 and M&P 2.0 Compact. The two are nearly identical in size, so sight radius, etc are very similar. Triggers are both stock. Picking them up cold, the M&P feels MUCH better in my hand. Nice contour to the grip panels compared to the blocky Glock grip.

Shooting is a different story. Whether short or longer range, slow fire or rapid, I shoot the Glock better. I know that flies in the face of logic, but it's the truth in my case.

Any similar experiences?

I'm a big fan of the Beretta 92FS. It was the first pistol I bought. It's the gun I used to learn how to shoot handguns. I still have it.

But it's big, especially for me. I have smallish hands, probably somewhere between glove sizes small and medium. When I grip the 92 properly, barrel lined up with my forearm, I can barely get the pad of my finger on the DA trigger. Yet, I've done my best shooting with that gun, both DA and SA. I've done better shooting with the 92 than with either of two custom 1911s I had, even though the 1911s fit my hands better, particularly in terms of trigger reach.

Go figure. *shrug*

I was so disappointed when I found out i shot glocks well. Up until then I had been a die hard SIG and 1911 fan and somewhat of a glock-basher. I still own SIGs and a few 1911s, but have several Glocks in the safe as well.

I shoot H&K P30 set with the "best fit" panels worse than P30 set with "I shoot this best" panels. Does this count?

The G19 feels kinda funky in my hands, but I can shoot it as well as my M11A1, which is way more comfortable. Love them both!

Outside of high level competition, I've always thought "fit" was a bit over rated. Unless it somehow hurts my hand, like a ppk slide does mine, I've never worried much about fit. If a handgun has the features I like and is reliable, it normally works fine for me.

I've long thought exacting and glovelike ergonomics was vastly overrated. Most any gun is not an ideal fit for me yet I manage to do reasonably well with most anyways. I do pretty well with Glocks but if I were to nitpick I can probably make the argument that they feel a bit too clunky in-hand. But after all those years shooting them they come up and point perfectly regardless.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
Recently, I've been doing some informal tests comparing my shooting with a G19 Gen4 and M&P 2.0 Compact. The two are nearly identical in size, so sight radius, etc are very similar. Triggers are both stock. Picking them up cold, the M&P feels MUCH better in my hand. Nice contour to the grip panels compared to the blocky Glock grip.

Shooting is a different story. Whether short or longer range, slow fire or rapid, I shoot the Glock better. I know that flies in the face of logic, but it's the truth in my case.

Any similar experiences?

Yes. Feelings lie. Targets and timers don’t.

I have to be picky when it comes to handguns. Fit is everything to me.
Missing part of my right index finger (trigger finger) and some handguns just don't fit.
1911's are fine. Sigs are good except for the 227. Glocks are good. Most handguns are except for the all steel CZ's. The trigger is a reach for me.

If a gun fits too well, I think you relax your hand too much. The blocky glocks make you wedge it in your hand more securely. HK P30 felt perfect, I could never shoot it well. G19 feels a bit blocky and a tad awkward, I shoot it well.

Ergos aren't really high on my list when evaluating handguns. For arguments sake, I'm only talking about full/compact size (ex. Glock 17/19). As you noticed, how a gun feels in hand doesn't generally translate to how it shoots for you. If possible i try to shoot something before buying then make any ergonomic changes i need after buying. That's just me though, and usually end up voiding a warranty in the case of polymer guns

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
I was so disappointed when I found out i shot glocks well. Up until then I had been a die hard SIG and 1911 fan and somewhat of a glock-basher. I still own SIGs and a few 1911s, but have several Glocks in the safe as well.

This is pretty much my story as well. Gotta go with what works best, like it or not.

quote:

Originally posted by HCM:
Feelings lie. Targets and timers don’t.

Bingo

When one trains with Rifles Only, director Jacob Bynum repeats the statement "believe the bullet". What matters is the results of putting rounds on target. If a firearm produces good results down range, it fits.

^^^^^^^

That's exactly why I test myself with identical exercises from time to time. We get stuck on wanting to shoot a certain gun better for whatever reason (sometimes silly like esthetics) and ignore the underlying purpose of achieving hits in the easiest, most consistent manner possible. Sure I could "learn" to shoot the M&P better, but the same number of rounds and hours of effort would also yield improvement with the Glock.

The P2000 ergos fit me like a condom, but I sucked so bad with the thing I was just sure there was something wrong with the thing.
Like most here, I shoot Glocks quite well, but they hurt after 50 rounds so I don't see the point.
I think there is a distinct difference between "ergonomicly pleasing fit," and "anatomiclly correct fit." The latter is much more condusive to propper tecnique.

I shot a 1st gen G19 as well as any of my other handguns although I hated the grip angle. It belonged to a retired NYPD buddy of mine that I got for 200.00 That gun was promptly traded away for a Sig 228. Worked out great for me.

For me it’s the Glock 26. Other pistols like the VP9 feel like they were made for my hand but I don’t shoot them as well as the little G26 with its 2-fingered grip and odd grip angle. The G19 gen 3 with the uncomfortable grip is not far behind the G26 as far as surprisingly good shooting is concerned even though it doesn’t “fit” my hand. I don’t want to like these guns but I do.

I've always seemed to shoot pistols with less ergonomic grips either better or just as well as the ones that "fit" my hand better. For striker-fired guns, I shoot the G26/29/17/34/45 better than the PPQ, M&P9 or VP9. The P320 is about even with the Glocks. I shoot the Beretta 92 as well or better than CZ-75s, but the CZs definitely feel better in my hand. I shoot HK USPs better than the P30 or HK45, but this might be due to the triggers and not the grips. For me, I've never really cared how a full size gun felt in my hand at the store.

What would Musashi say?

The Glock 19 feels better in my hand but I shoot my 26 better. A 1911 feels great in my hand but simply do not shoot them all that well. Beretta 92 feels like a brick to me but shoot them better than any other auto?