Modifying Your Pistol's Grip [Part II] We discussed the general fit of the pistol grip to the hand in the last "tip", and now we need to look at the adjustments that should be made to the grip to bring the line of the sights on the gun into congruence with the line of the eye/target when in shooting position. You often see the silly statement that the gun should be in a straight line with the bones of your arm, and also with your shooting eye. A second's thought and a quick look shows you that unless you are a contortionist, the gun will NOT be in a straight line with the bones of your arm if it comes anywhere near lining up with your shooting eye! the gun obviously sits in the hand at a small angle to the bones of the arm—and if "cross dominant" (right-handed and left eye dominant for example), a somewhat greater angle! This angle can be adjusted by making additions or cuts to the grip. To have it clear where to add or remove material from the grip to adjust alignment, cup your shooting hand slightly and think of the center of the hollow formed in that palm as the pivot point for right and left adjustments. This means that if the front sight points to the left when you are in shooting position, then for the gun to move to the right, there must be LESS wood at the front of that "pivot point". Most grips have a shallow depression at the side/front where the fleshy pads at the base of the fingers can nestle. If this groove is deepened (and at the same time dimensioned for YOUR hand), then the gun can pivot to the right. Now the same effect can be realized by ADDING material to the LEFT (if you are right handed) side of the grip, at the back, where the big fleshy pad at the bottom of the palm rests against the (hopefully) curved surface. This is the hypothenar muscle and where it fits against the grip is a primary index feature. When you fit the gun into the hand, you press that pad against the wood first, and then wrap the hand around the rest of the grip. So, adding material there - in BACK of the pivot point - will move the front sight to the right. Now, obviously just the reverse of the above - taking material away from the hypothenar contact "pocket" - or - adding material to the groove in the front side of the grip - will move the front of the gun to the LEFT.
The next thing to consider as you are working on the front groove is to more sharply define and perhaps add to the RIDGE that is formed in front of the groove. This ridge should go into the crease at the bottom of the fingers where they join the palm. It is your second index feature. As you wrap your hand around the grip after getting into the hypothenar pocket, you should feel the ridge slip into the crease. Building UP this ridge CAN move the front of the gun to the LEFT, of course. The total effect will be a very secure feel, and a grip that results in the sights being in near perfect alignment!
Don