Why a pistol grip rifle?

[Cholla]

I have seen some top shooters using a pistol grip ‘73. Since a shooter is not supposed to wrap a thumb around the stock when shooting I don’t see an advantage. Am I missing something?

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Well...the angle of the lever is different...

 

Maybe a bit more comfortable...

 

But, whatever works for you is what is best.

 

Phantom

[Hoss]

Ginger or Mary Ann? 

[Presidio]

Just now, Hoss said:

Ginger or Mary Ann? 

Mary Ann 

 

Rifle grip.... personal preference.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

The checkering attracts some folks.  

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

1 hour ago, Cholla said:

Since a shooter is not supposed to wrap a thumb around the stock when shooting I don’t see an advantage.

Says who?   And how is that relevant to the shape of the stock?

I have rifles with and without a pistol grip, and it seems to make no difference to me.  

[Boggus Deal #64218]

20 minutes ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

The checkering attracts some folks.  

You can get checkered in straight and pistol grip.

[Cholla]

56 minutes ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

Says who?   And how is that relevant to the shape of the stock?

I have rifles with and without a pistol grip, and it seems to make no difference to me.  

To be faster, a shooter is supposed to avoid wrapping a thumb over the top of the stock.

[Rip Snorter]

Well, you want to check on it, purportedly Annie Oakley would hold the bottom loop of the lever with her right hand fingers , thumb positioned in the trigger guard to fire rounds when the lever action bolt closed.  Left hand and shoulder mostly controlling the rifle.  Give it a try some time.  I have and it is fast.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

7 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

Well, you want to check on it, purportedly Annie Oakley would hold the bottom loop of the lever with her right hand fingers , thumb positioned in the trigger guard to fire rounds when the lever action bolt closed.  Left hand and shoulder mostly controlling the rifle.  Give it a try some time.  I have and it is fast.

Is Annie Oakley a SASS shooter?

 

Phantom

[Rip Snorter]

1 minute ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Is Annie Oakley a SASS shooter?

 

Phantom

Nope, just Little Miss Sureshot and a Legend.  Look her up, you might learn something.

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

1 minute ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Is Annie Oakley a SASS shooter?

 

Phantom

Not that I'm aware of but Yazoo City Gal is and that's the way she shoots her rifle but I think this is a long way from the original question.

 

When I bought my first '73 I thought the checkered pistol grip looked better, back then I didn't see any checkered straight stocks.  I have always stayed with the same style because to me they look better. I'm not one of the Top Shooters so my answer may not matter.  I don't wrap my thumb.

 

Randy

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

18 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

Nope, just Little Miss Sureshot and a Legend.  Look her up, you might learn something.

Hmmm...do you know what kind of bullets she used in many of her...trick shots?

 

Being the big historian that you are...I'm sure you do.

 

Back to the point, her "abilities" have very little application to the SASS environment...but...if I don't recall, you're not too big on going to SASS events. That is of course unless something has changed of the last couple of years.

 

Phantom

[Rip Snorter]

48 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Hmmm...do you know what kind of bullets she used in many of her...trick shots?

 

Being the big historian that you are...I'm sure you do.

 

Back to the point, her "abilities" have very little application to the SASS environment...but...if I don't recall, you're not too big on going to SASS events. That is of course unless something has changed of the last couple of years.

 

Phantom

Of course, and look at the places, the venues where she often shot.  No, I had already stopped shooting matches before I relocated to my Montana Ranch.  The explosion of rules and classes before, added to the considerable commute in the new location after were enough.  Add to that the fact that I need to protect the portion hearing that remains and cannot safely interact with folks I might like closes it off.  She would out shoot you, were she alive, on your very best day.  We will not speak again.

[Dilli GaHoot Galoot]

Some folks have wrist damage from years of being alive and all the things that go with that and may find the angle on one more comfortable than the other 

[Arcadia Outlaw, SASS 71385]

The lever angles are not really that much different, especially where we put our fingers to operate the lever. I like the looks of the pistol grip with the checkering on stock & forend. Now they are making the straight stocks with checkering. 
 

AO

[Dantankerous]

I have tried both over the years and don't notice enough difference to spend the extra money on the pistol grip over the straight stock but I do think the pistol grip looks nicer if that means anything to being able to shoot the gun well.

[Frontier Lone Rider]

My vendor said I could take the Deluxe Model with the pistol grip he had in stock or wait months for his next delivery which might have a straight stock in the order.

 

So, it was a Pistol Grip for me.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

11 hours ago, Cholla said:

To be faster, a shooter is supposed to avoid wrapping a thumb over the top of the stock.

 

Okay, that's fair.   I have noticed a lot of pards don't do that.  I tried it once, and I never felt comfortable.  I don't thing thumb wrapping slows *me* down any, but I am not a fast shooter.  I do know that I have sorta timed the thumb wrap to the motion of my hand, so I doubt it makes any difference.  For really fast shooters, it might, but I admit to saying that I honestly don't know.   But is nice to hear about these things.   They provide food for thought.

Now, straight vs. pistol grip, that I will say I don't believe affects me at all one way or the other.  I get the feeling that for most shooters, it don't affect them either, as I have seen really fast shooter, and some winners, with both types of stocks.   But like almost everything in this game, that which makes no difference to one shooter might make all the difference to another.  

Of course, I also guess that for me, it's kind of all a moot point anyway; I usually shoot a Lightning. 

[Totes Magoats]

I like the Rifle pistol grip and it matches my shotgun stock. I also think it looks better. Does it make me faster… I doubt it. 

Totes

[Rye Miles #13621]

Ive tried a pistol grip 73, personally I like the straight stock better. Just MHO

[Rye Miles #13621]

10 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

 

Deleted mistake

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I always thought that a Mares Leg with a pistol grip style stock would look wicked cool. 

[Go West]

I don't recall seeing a pistol grip rifle in TV or movies or for that matter a straight trigger.

[Shooting Bull]

Don't take this as gospel, it's just something I was told by a top SASS gunsmith.  He said to get one of each style, straight stock and pistol grip.  With your eyes closed shoulder each and then open your eyes.  Whichever one has the sights lined up is the right style for you.  He said most folks with longer necks find the pistol grip style works better because when that style stock is shouldered it puts the sights higher. He also highly recommended your rifle and shotgun have the same style stock for the same reason.  

 

If you don't like the above explanation please don't flame me.  It's not mine, just passing on some info I heard from what should be a reliable source. 

[Stump Water]

1 hour ago, Go West said:

I don't recall seeing a pistol grip rifle in TV or movies.

 

Winchester offered the 1873 with pistol grip stock as a special order option.

 

Originally priced at $50 in 1873, these rifles could be purchased for $19.50 by the end of the century. Winchester also offered a special Model 1873 sporting rifle featuring fancy checkered wood and a pistol grip stock at a price of $35.50.

 

https://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/the-american-west-1850-to-1900/case-20-colt-winchester/winchester-model-1873-lever-action-rifle-(6).aspx

 

[Shooting Bull]

1 hour ago, Go West said:

I don't recall seeing a pistol grip rifle in TV or movies or for that matter a straight trigger.

 

 

I don't recall seeing any TV or movie star use two hands to shoot their pistols.  

[Eyesa Horg]

1 minute ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

 

I don't recall seeing any TV or movie star use two hands to shoot their pistols.  

Gawd, don't go there!!

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

11 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

Of course, and look at the places, the venues where she often shot.  No, I had already stopped shooting matches before I relocated to my Montana Ranch.  The explosion of rules and classes before, added to the considerable commute in the new location after were enough.  Add to that the fact that I need to protect the portion hearing that remains and cannot safely interact with folks I might like closes it off.  She would out shoot you, were she alive, on your very best day.  We will not speak again.

Isn't it funny how folks are sooooooo offended by folks that have a different view?

 

Isn't it funny how some folks want the WIRE to be a little protected oasis where they should not be questioned?

 

Anny Oakley was a exhibition shooter that used all sorts of "tricks" to best entertain her audience. To equate this to CAS is absolutely one of the funniest things I've read on the WIRE.

 

Phantom

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

6 minutes ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

 

I don't recall seeing any TV or movie star use two hands to shoot their pistols.  

I guess this would be important if you shot B-Western...

 

[Bailey Creek,5759]

Magnificent Seven when. When James Cobern is shooting at the horse at a distance.

He is shooting with both hands.

[Stump Water]

1 minute ago, Bailey Creek,5759 said:

Magnificent Seven when. When James Cobern is shooting at the horse at a distance.

He is shooting with both hands.

 

Occasionally, when the bad guy was about to get away, Marshal Dillon would dismount, kneel down, take a two-handed grip and cap him.

[Rye Miles #13621]

1 hour ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

 

I don't recall seeing any TV or movie star use two hands to shoot their pistols.  

They're actually a few times, I can't remember exactly but it was mostly if they had to make a long range shot.

[Rye Miles #13621]

1 hour ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Isn't it funny how folks are sooooooo offended by folks that have a different view?

 

Isn't it funny how some folks want the WIRE to be a little protected oasis where they should not be questioned?

 

Anny Oakley was a exhibition shooter that used all sorts of "tricks" to best entertain her audience. To equate this to CAS is absolutely one of the funniest things I've read on the WIRE.

 

Phantom

 + 1000000

[July Smith]

17 hours ago, Cholla said:

I have seen some top shooters using a pistol grip ‘73. Since a shooter is not supposed to wrap a thumb around the stock when shooting I don’t see an advantage. Am I missing something?

I think most top shooters know a pistol grip looks better. 

 

All jokes aside it really comes down to personal preference.  I'm not a top shooter but I find I am faster with my SxS that has a straight or English style stock (SKB 280) compared to PG sxs.  On days I am shooting my SxS I like to also use my 1873 with straight stock.  On days I am shooting my 1887 shotgun I prefer my 1873 with pistol grip stock.  I know this sounds dumb, but it makes sense to me mentally and I figure that is where I will make or break a stage is in the mental department.