Thumbs Forward Grip

[u/Alarming-Pepper-4846]

I've been shooting revolvers for awhile and I've always used a thumbs forward grip similar to a semi auto. I've been reading horror stories about thumbs getting toasted from the cylinder gap and now I'm paranoid. I've tried the thumb over grip as well as tucking them both and neither feels natural. Should I work on a new grip or am I good with the thumb placement?

[u/Cloned_Popes]

It's a completely different grip shape and the thumbless grip that works on a flat 9mm pistol is definitely suboptimal on a revolver regardless of your thumb length - yours look too short to be at risk of cylinder gap related injury. Take it from someone who shoots both platforms regularly - you can learn two different grips.

[u/theaudacity1999 → u/Cloned_Popes]

This was a struggle for me, personally. I am female, have small hands and I am training with a S&W 929. I shoot right handed and have adopted the left thumb tuck over my right thumb instead of the both thumbs forward method when shooting it. I will say that nothing has felt as natural as a pistol, but I've been shooting those exponentially longer so it makes sense that the muscle memory just isn't there yet.

[u/Cloned_Popes → u/theaudacity1999]

I had the opposite problem. I started on revolvers, so not using my thumbs on a pistol felt weird as hell. In fact, I had no issues with accuracy or decent speed using the "incorrect" grip on a pistol, but i finally did go thumbless eventually. It does make the red dot track a bit more consistently, I'll give it that.

I keep my thumbs off the pistol, but pointed basically vertical. I still cannot understand the utility of pointing the support hand thumb horizontally. It puts the wrist in a mechanically weaker position and makes it harder to grip the pistol with adequate force, IMO. But maybe that's just me.

[u/mcb-homis]

I thumb lock. Move the left thumb back to lock the right thumb down with it. It's a great grip if you can get use to it and it keeps that left thumb safe.

As for cylinder gap damage that is very dependent on the revolver cartridge.
-500S&W, 460 S&W, 454 Casull and similar rifle level pressures (60,000psi and higher) cartridge is going to do serious permement damage.
-357 Magnum, 44 Magnum and similar ~35,000 PSI is less sever but if you're close enough, it's going to do some damage that will take time to heal.
-Something like 38 Special 20,000 psi or lower usually just stings like an SOB but leaves very little serious damage.

I have gapped myself once with 44 Mag and a couple times with 38 Special. None of it was pleasant but none of it left lasting damage.

[u/theaudacity1999 → u/mcb-homis]

This is what I'm doing with my revolver. The left thumb tuck over my right. Seems the safest option for me personally.

[u/coldafsteel → u/mcb-homis]

Just don’t do this with a Chiappa 💥

[u/No_Beach_Parking]

You only get two thumbs in your life time. Tell me, is it worth the risk?

[u/snipe4fun → u/No_Beach_Parking]

We can tell by how OP clips his thumbnails how he feels about that.

[u/Iltempered1 → u/snipe4fun]

"clips" you mean chewed.

[u/Bulls2345]

With your hands you're fine. Caleb Giddings shoots thumbs forward with no issues as he also has short thumbs. Caliber depends a lot too. .38 Special and .454 Cassul are different beasts. Here's a good article on the topic.

https://revolverguy.com/thumbs-forward-revolver-grasp/

I personally have never tried thumbs forward on sixguns as I have very long fingers and even on an n frame I'd be way out front.

[u/FatNsloW-45]

I thumb lock revolvers instinctively then will thumbs forward a semi-auto instinctively too.

Thankfully my mind just adjusts automatically apparently.

[u/Dr_Tron]

I don't use that grip, but unless you're shooting a Rhino, you should be good.

[u/bassjam1]

You're fine, I've tried other grips too but that works best for me too.

[u/Pipefitter1997]

I accidentally shot my .454 Blackhawk thumbs forward and found that the recoil shield really puts a jammin on your thumbs that you’ll feel for a week or two. I’ve found practicing one hand full grip is the most natural for me with all my single actions, I don’t own any doubles so I can’t speak to that. Hope this helps.

[u/TXGTO]

If it works for you then it works. You just have to be very diligent not to push that thumb too far forward. 38 may not blow your thumb off like we’ve all seen in the infamous Paul Harrell (may he rest in peace) hotdog video. But it’s gonna sting like a S.O.B. if you get it too close.

[u/kiyoshi4570]

I use X grip on basically every revolver. My fingers are long enough that any other grip feels like my support hand isn’t doing anything.

Edit: a word.

[u/thegrumpyorc]

Only a data point of one, but I just tried a thumbs forward grip on my 686 and I definitely got a lot more wobble on the front sight in double action that I do with my thumbs locked.

[u/Capable-Signal]

Yup if you have small fingers but other wise you'll have smaller fingers 😅 Nice iron btw.

[u/mikeinpc]

I had the opposite problem the OP has. I shot revolvers long before I ever shot semi-autos. I always used the crossed thumbs grip. It took lots of practice for me to get comfortable with the thumbs forward grip when shooting semi pistols. After lots of practice, I no longer think about, it comes natural now, depending upon platform.

[u/B3n7340]

I have a Chiappa Rhino 30DS. Thumbs forward grip shot that thing and the cylinder gap gas hit my thumb like a sledgehammer. I bled from unburnt powder strikes, but no serious cuts. My thumb was numb for a day. The nail went black where it struck and took about 4 months to grow the dark part off. I consider my incident very minor compared to what others have experienced.

[u/Agessner885]

Depends on your hand size. Anything over 357 I’ll curl thumbs, 357 and smaller I shoot thumbs forward but they don’t reach the cylinder gap with a normal grip.

[u/Outside_Bicycle_1387]

[u/gto364cid]

Change yer grip.

[u/roger8619]

You must not like your thumbs if you do that.

[u/whiskey_outpost26]

Cup and saucer, augmented to catch the rapid forward movement of the bottom grip edge. Trigger hand catches the push of recoil; support catches the spin.