Ready! Fire! Aim! That’s how the next time you pick up your firearm might feel like if you choose to skip over grip work. Don’t let the pressure of the situation coupled with a poor grip affect the way in which you shoot. Your gun is an extension of your hand and proper grip is essential. Improving your grip is vital to sighting, maintaining proper balance, your ability to pull the trigger, your ability to work the safety mechanism (if your firearm has one), absorbing recoil and your personal safety.

The next time you pick up your firearm, you may not have time to think, so getting a grip is important in these situations. When you improve your grip, you improve almost all aspects of your shooting ability. Let’s discuss how to get a grip and why it’s important.

1. Improve the fit

There’s no one grip that fits all hands. Our hands and fingers can have so many variations. Some hands are dainty and thin, while others might have husky sized hands with little vienna sausage fingers. We’re not here to judge, but to prove that grips can vary greatly from person to person.

When you attain a proper grip, you will have more control over your firearm, thus you will be able hit your targets with more precision. You need a grip that fits you precisely.

2. Function over form

There’s a saying that motor heads love, it’s “go before show,” as in put your efforts into making your car run fast before making it look pretty. We couldn’t agree more. When changing or upgrading the grip on your gun, you should approach it from a functional standpoint over aesthetics.

There are options that do include making the grip look great, so you don’t have to completely discard its looks. Just make sure you take functionality into consideration first. The proper function of your grip will allow for more targets hit than a pretty looking firearm ever will.

3. Put the stipple iron down!

Stippling your gun handle is a permanent event that cannot be undone. Stippling is a process done to increase traction on the handle and make the grip functional for you specifically. Many gun owners believe they can add this detail with their very own iron and we urge you to put the iron down, now.

Being a novice at stippling is not going to be a fun experience. Many times, areas are not polished and borders are not cut properly. There are areas of the frame that are thin. and not knowing where or how deep to cut can lead to frame failure. The process takes a ton of time and requires precision. This is an art form that is definitely not easy and will become a quick headache.

In fact, at Overwatch Precision, we have custom packages to stipple your firearm to perfection. We do not cut corners, and we always offer competitive turnaround times. We pay attention to detail so you don’t have to watch hundreds of YouTube videos trying to figure out the proper method of stippling (if those videos are still allowed on the site). We guarantee our work to be free from defects, and not fail under normal shooting conditions. If you’ve ever considered adding stippling work to your grip, you must leave it to the professionals.

4. The elements

It is easy to pull up to a gun range, unload your equipment and begin an afternoon of unloading round after round. There’s plenty of time to relax, move slowly and take careful aim each time you pull the trigger. You can focus on your breathing and other minute techniques essential to shooting. It can feel pretty easy and simple.

Now, let’s get back to reality. In a real life situation, there are many other elements you might be battling. Sweat, blood and cold weather might come into play when gripping your firearm. A properly stippled grip will allow for long strings of rapid fire, even while battling the elements.

In conclusion, grip work is a must for being able to properly and accurately use your personal firearm. Resale value may diminish somewhat, but it can be a big game changer for you. Always consider going to the professionals for the best results and the best quality work.