=== From The Editor===
One of the most common questions we get from people looking to buy their first gun (or add to their arsenal) is…
“What’s the best personal defense handgun I should get?”
I’ve picked up a number of great “handgun secrets” from our network of experts and since everyone has their own opinion, I decided to get some feedback from a good buddy of mine (and best-selling author) on what he thinks.
I caught up with my friend Ox, who clued me in to a great way to pick the right gun the FIRST time, without blowing a lot of ammo trying different models to find what’s comfortable and accurate.
I’ll let him take it from here…
The Weird “Punching Trick” That Helps You
Choose The Best Personal Defense Handgun
Choosing the right gun doesn’t have to be complicated.
When it comes to selecting the weapon that’s right for you, the fact is that you need to get your mitts on as many different handguns as you can.
That’s step #1.
But then I have another little “trick” to show you…
Choose the Right Gun By Handling As Many As You Can
Run each gun you handle through a test like this:
- Grab them in a good, firm grip.
- Essentially, punch the pistol outward.
- Pick a small target that is five to ten feet away.
- Ram the pistol into that imaginary target with your fist.
As you try different pistols with different grip angles, grip shapes, and grip sizes, you will find that some will naturally be aimed at the target as you punch.
The reason this trick is so useful is because thousands of after-action reports and security videos show it:
The normal stress response with a handgun is to punch outward with it and pull the trigger.
What If You Punch With All Four Knuckles?
If you’ve ever boxed, fought, or trained to punch with all four knuckles of your hand, you’ll probably shoot better with 1911-pattern handguns, as well as any other gun with a grip angle close to 90 degrees.
You’ll tend to shoot high with guns like Glocks, because these have a different grip angle.
What If You Punch With Only TWO Knuckles?
If, instead, you have trained to punch with the first two knuckles of your hand, which is common among karate stylists, you’ll shoot better with modern firearms like Glocks.
You really won’t know how you’ll do, though, until you choose different guns, punch them toward your target, and see which way the gun is pointing when you do.
If you are naturally pointing the firearm at your target when you punch, you’re that much farther along when it comes to shooting.
You’ve got the key to natural aiming when you understand that relationship, which is:
The natural relationship between your brain, your hand, and the firearm will address the majority of aiming for you.
Picking the right gun the first time can really cut your learning curve in subsequent training.
