New Pardini, need to get a grip!

[JoeW]

Just posted this on the Bullseye Forum; repeating here given all of your experience shooting Pardinis and other European pistols. So, I bought a Pardini a couple of weeks ago and am struggling to get comfortable with the ortho grip (and have declining scores to prove it). I think I've acclimated mostly to the grip angle--I no longer have major adjustment issues switching back to my 1911 slabs for .45--but I have a very unsteady hold. It seems like all of my muscle twitches--heretofore unnoticed when shooting a 1911--are transferring in a major way to my Pardini hold. There's lots of movement, particularly during the trigger pull, that I just haven't experienced before. Perhaps I'm gripping too hard or not hard enough? Scores are starting to go back up, maybe it's just a settling in period and I have to accept the learning curve... Anyone else have similar experiences they can speak to shooting european .22's or ortho grips in general, and hopefully some suggestions on ways to overcome this? I must say, shooting this thing during sustained fire is an absolute joy in terms of feeling virtually zero recoil. I couldn't believe all the "extra" time I had in rapid fire... Now I just need to stop the excessive movement! Many thanks in advance!

[Rover]

Stop playing "pocket pool."

[jaxontarget]

Stop playing "pocket pool."

Hey, I was just counting my loose change!

I have had issues with a pistol where I was not staying in the black. Not just the occasional wanderer, but target-of-shame material. It always felt I was 'straining' to release the trigger - it felt something like you describe...as if too many muscles in my hand seem to be straining to engage the trigger. I attributed it to a grip that was too small and a trigger that was engaging to far back. I went to a larger grip and adjusted the trigger shoe quite a bit forward and that changed everything. The strain was no longer there so pressing the trigger was now effortless, the rest of my hand remained neutral, and I could keep my shots in the black. I also find I'm better with an upswept palm shelf, FWIW. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[JamesH]

I have this same problem, all control goes to crap with a standard Pardini grip, I made my own grips with a less steep rake. I think Italians have different physiology to everyone else.

One tip, keep your head upright, bring your shoulder up and tuck it under your ear - the grip angle won't seem so radical.

I can't find the greatest pictures but its more or less the difference between these two.
It can be awkward and inconsistent but an advantage is muzzle lift is reduced further. Don't drop your head though.

[Rover]

I had a set of modified Morini's on my .45. Worked well.

[SamEEE]

1.5kg weight (milk jug) attached to a length of rope wound around a bit of broomhandle. Hold it out arms stretched. Palms down. Wind it up and down slowly from ground to shoulder height.

10 reps x 3. Twice a day, 3-4 times a week until you can strike with the force of a thousand suns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRf49fMVOLE

Rink makes one if you have cash to splash.
https://www.formgriffe.de/shpSR.php?A=118&p1=400&p2=308

[Gwhite]

This exercise was made famous (?) in the movie "Hannie Caulder", where Rachel Welch is taught to be a gunfighter by Robert Culp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjkifyQ4NiU

The relevant bit starts at 1:07 & ends at 1:22

[Gregbenner]

I have 2 Benelli MP90Ss and borrowed a friends Pardini for a while. Both have the extreme grip angle. I seem to be used to it (?), but do not shoot either of them as well as my GSP Expert which has a more upright grip (all have the orthopedic grips). I love orthopedic grips, for me, it is the grip angle. Have you (or can you) try a GSP or 208? Both are much closer in grip angle to a 1911. Also, Dick Horton (and perhaps others) makes an orthopedic grip for a Pardini with a 1911 grip angle.

Just FWIW, my coach would almost assuredly say to get more "dry fire' practice.

Just posted this on the Bullseye Forum; repeating here given all of your experience shooting Pardinis and other European pistols. So, I bought a Pardini a couple of weeks ago and am struggling to get comfortable with the ortho grip (and have declining scores to prove it). I think I've acclimated mostly to the grip angle--I no longer have major adjustment issues switching back to my 1911 slabs for .45--but I have a very unsteady hold. It seems like all of my muscle twitches--heretofore unnoticed when shooting a 1911--are transferring in a major way to my Pardini hold. There's lots of movement, particularly during the trigger pull, that I just haven't experienced before. Perhaps I'm gripping too hard or not hard enough? Scores are starting to go back up, maybe it's just a settling in period and I have to accept the learning curve... Anyone else have similar experiences they can speak to shooting european .22's or ortho grips in general, and hopefully some suggestions on ways to overcome this? I must say, shooting this thing during sustained fire is an absolute joy in terms of feeling virtually zero recoil. I couldn't believe all the "extra" time I had in rapid fire... Now I just need to stop the excessive movement! Many thanks in advance!

[Superseven]

I had Andrew Berryhill make a Pardini grip with a 1911 style angle for my SP. It helped as I too did not like the stock angle plus I have wide palms but fingers are short, he made it to fit. I had him take out some of the palm swell but will be putting it back in if I have him make another or I may do it myself with some grip putty of some sort.

Andrew Berryhill
PrecisionTargetPistolGrips.com

[morten]

Both Karl Nill and Rink have grips that aren't as steep as the original Pardini SP/HP grips, they have the same angle as the GSP,Hammerli 208/215 modells or Feinwerkbau AW93

Karl Nill's version is the same angle as old GSP and Hammerlie's

From Rink you can order Steep ( same as original Pardini grip) or none Steep version simular to the GSP, Hammerli

Nill http://us.nill-shop.com/Adjustable-Matc ... oves-large

Rink https://www.formgriffe.de/en/shpSR.php? ... fC=italian

[Gwhite]

There's quite a bit of variation in what people consider a good grip angle. Here's a post I did on Pardini grip options:

http://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php?t=19764

The Pardini SP New factory grip is tilted about 10 degrees more than the Rink grip I got to replace it.

I can't shoot a severely tilted grip without elbow pain, and getting the Rink helped a lot. I actually shimmed it so it's a few degrees closer to vertical.

Part of the theory is that the angle helps to lock up the joints in the wrist, but I think many vendors carry this idea way too far.

[crankythunder]

Get ahold of Dick Horton in Illinois.

I got a set of Horton grips for my pardini specifying the standard 1911 grip angle.

Worked wonders.

I struggled with the raked Italian grip angle. just did not work at all for me.

Dick Horton grips.