Читать книгу Guns Illustrated 2011 - Dan Shideler - Страница 16

THE MAGIC IS IN

THE FIT

Given enough time and concentration, most shooters can coax accurate shots out of handguns, Rifle or shotguns that do not fit them. While plinking at the range, a deliberate rate of fire – one shot every minute or two, for example – accommodates all manner of misfit gear. It is, instead, during high-intensity defense or duty training, or Heaven forbid, under the stress of a self defense emergency that ill-fit guns betray their unfortunate owners.

Instead of long seconds committed to getting the gun in just the right firing position, followed by a careful alignment of the sights or optics and slow, deliberate pressure applied to the trigger, under stress we find the gun extended toward target in an approximation of grip and stance, often fired while moving away from the threat or to cover. Trigger control must occur in an extremely compressed cycle, delivering multiple shots in a matter of seconds. Here, the shooter discovers that the compromised grip and shooting platform imposed by the ill-fitting gun interferes with accuracy, interrupts use of the sights (if there is even suffi cient light to see and use them), and exaggerates muzzle flip and recoil. How much better it would be to solve gun fit problems at the time of the gun purchase!

HANDGUN FIT

With the pistol centered in the web of the hand, both the length of the fi ngers and the meatiness of the hand determine how well the trigger fi nger will be able to contact the face of the trigger. A mere tip of a trigger finger is a poor candidate for a smooth, straight-to-the-rear trigger pull, especially at speed.

A handgun that allows the crease of the trigger fi nger’s first joint full contact with the face of the trigger while the gun is centered in the web of the hand gives the most natural pointing. Since babyhood, humans have locked out the arm and extended the index finger when emphatically pointing. A properly fitting handgun takes advantage of all those repetitions, and aiming it mimics that oft-repeated action.

When the pistol is too big, as is this big Glock Model 29 for these small hands, the mere tip of the fi nger on the trigger is insufficient for a smooth pull.

An extremely small-handed shooter or one mandated to use an overly-large gun accommodates by moving the backstrap toward or even beyond the ball of the thumb. A gun gripped thus naturally points somewhat to the right for a right-handed shooter and to the left for a lefty. A strong isosceles-style stance combined with a hard two-handed grip brings the natural aim back to center when poor fit thus compromises natural pointing. This is harder to maintain if circumstances throw the shooter into one-handed shooting, though responsibility for a child, calling for help on a phone or radio, or other concerns may result in one-handed shooting in a fast-breaking situation.

FITTING LONG GUNS

Classically, we’ve considered stock fit on shotguns acceptable if, when the butt is held in the crook of the elbow, the trigger finger has a good purchase on the trigger. It is still a good standard, though we see the value of an even somewhat shorter stock when the small-statured shooter operates the pump-action shotgun, or needs to be able to mount and fire the Rifle or shotgun rapidly. The shorter the stock, the easier, as illustrated by special response teams in law enforcement’s use of the collapsible AR stock.

For shotgunners, recoil control and subsequently accurate, rapid fire is considerably improved when a short stock accommodates quickly mounting the shotgun, attaining a repeatable cheek weld, and having a strong flex in both the shooting and support arm to hold the shotgun firmly against the pectoral muscle.

While we love the collapsible AR stocks for their easy adaptability for short shooters, many don’t encourage a good cheek weld, a factor that deserves consideration when setting up a Rifle for a woman.

SPECIALTY NICHE

In a world where gun stores with high-volume sales tend to stock products purchased by the majority of their customers, who are men, it can be a challenge for a smaller shooter to locate a good selection from which to choose. An industry that actively pursues the woman’s market must surely be heartened by small businesses like the newly-opened Rivendell Sales & Consulting, a one-woman operation focused on custom orders for women who need personalized attention to detail to be sure they get a gun that fits.

Owner Jennie Van Tuyl was getting her new business started at the 2010 SHOT Show, meeting not only with resources to help with the businesses’ operation, but identifying guns most likely to fit her customers.

It takes some extra effort to pull all the details together, but with determination and creativity, women can find a nice selection of pistols, shotguns and Rifles that work reliably and fit them well.

When this small-handed shooter centers the tang of a Springfield EMP pistol in the web of her hand, the trigger fi nger has good contact with the trigger.

Great fit and the left-handed option will sell this Remington rifle to a number of female shooters.

Glock’s 4th generation pistol and the insert used to adjust grip size.

Several start-ups that are bringing in more options in fashionable gun purses are Gun Tote’n Mamas and Designer Concealed Carry, with a variety of big, brightly colored bags with built-in holsters for concealed handgun carry.

For range work requiring belt holsters, Blade Tech’s women’s dropped and offset belt holster works well. Kramer Handgun Leather led the way in dropped and offset designs, and Kramer’s women’s belt scabbard continues to relieve holster discomfort for short-waisted women. Other alternatives include several of C. Rusty Sherrick’s holsters, FIST holsters, and Del Fatti Leather’s SLP/F model designed to be worn forward of the strong side hip. Its muzzle forward rake reminds me of one of the first women’s holsters I saw, Mitch Rosen’s Nancy Special, designed for short-barreled guns, and also using the muzzle forward orientation to get the grips away from the ribcage.

Another alternative that works extremely well is one-on-one work with smaller holster makers who are happy to work up a custom holster solution for women. Sometimes – as in the case of Concealed Carry Magazine editor Kathy Jackson’s experience with Ted Blocker Holsters of Tigard, Oregon – a couple of small but vital modifi cations yielded an extremely comfortable IWB holster worn in front of the strong side hip. Ladies who want to cash in on Kathy’s success need only call this holster maker and ask for the LFI-OZC.

Up-and-coming holster maker John Ralston of 5-Shot Leather provided the same kind of service when he made a deeply canted IWB the author wears behind the strong side hip. Minimal in design, the Ralston holster is a take off on his stock item, the Inside Burton Scabbard.

Both the Blocker and Ralston holsters are comfortably carried on contour cut belts from the makers of the holsters, and the contoured belts go far to increase the comfort of holsters worn for long hours at a time.

Diane Walls likes the control her custom Choate pistol grip gives her Remington 11-87.

Jennie Van Tuyl chose the Rock River Arms LE Entry Tactical Stock to tailor her DPMS Panther Arms AR-15 Rifle to her shorter stature.

THE BIG WORLD OF LONG GUNS

If the backstrap to trigger measurement is the key to good handgun fit, on rifles and shotguns the critical element is the length of pull, measured from trigger face to the end of the stock. Women who like to shoot shotguns and rifles get help with stock fit from the so-called youth models, as well as variable length “collapsible” tactical stocks, or they find relief in replacement stocks in shorter lengths of pull. Fortunately the prevalence of 12- and 13-inch length of pull stocks, often in the mis-named “youth models,” are a common variant among all the reputable shotgun and rifle lines.

When fitting rifles and shotguns to women, another factor can complicate gun selection. Women have higher incidences of cross-eye dominance than do men. The easiest cure is to shoot the Rifle or shotgun from the shoulder corresponding to the dominant eye, which in the case of cross-dominance is usually the left side. Consider the plight of the woman eager to join her friends at the shotgun or rifle range, If left-eye dominant, she faces the further challenge of operating a gun designed for right-handed shooters with her less dexterous hand!

With shotguns, we value features like Mossberg’s tang-mounted safety that make the gun more ambidextrous. With semiautomatic rifles, innovations like Stag Arms’ fully left-handed AR-15 are welcome indeed. With nearly all of the AR-15s sold optimized for right-handed shooters, we are particularly appreciative of Stag Arms fully adapted left hand AR-15! Though lefties can make do with the standard right-handed semiauto rifles, how nice it would be to have the “fire” and “safe” switch under the thumb where it is most ergonomic.

In bolt rifles, Remington, Savage, Browning and Ruger have a variety of excellent options for both short hunters and left handed ones, as well. The Ruger M77 Hawkeye comes in lefty and righty configurations, as well as models with the standard 13-1/2-inch length of pull and a compact version with a 12-1/2-inch LOP. A half dozen caliber choices run the gamut from .223 Rem. to .308 Win.

Kramer Handgun Leather was one of the first to make what became their wildly successful Women’s Dropped and Offset holster, shown here with a S&W M640.

WHAT TO WEAR

Speaking of hunting, women’s outdoor clothing has long been one area in which smaller manufacturers have excelled, with the options ranging from moderately reworked men’s outdoor wear, to some very feminine fashions for outdoor wear. Smaller gloves, boots and socks, functional jackets, vests, trousers and even coveralls are marketed to female outdoors enthusiasts. At the 2010 SHOT Show, a feminine Henley short sleeved shirt that had its own protective recoil pad sewn into the shoulder area particularly charmed me.

There’s probably a market for both pink, cutsie outdoorswoman clothing and toys, but for my money, I am considerably more heartened by clothing and products made to meet women’s specific needs – proper fit for the smaller frame, true functionality like weather proofing and comfort – than I am by sheer, lacy pink camouflage negligees! [Editor’s Note:There is probably room for opinion on this point. -DMS]

EOTAC, Fernando Coelho’s tactical clothing company, has just added a line of women’s tactical trousers for female shooters, competitors and the more serious needs of women in law enforcement. Featuring a shorter rise than EOTAC’s men’s tactical trousers, but still fitting through the seat and thigh, the pants are available in four colors of light weight rip stop fabric. Coelho predicted that future variations would include more fabric choices, shorts and maybe even capris!

Good fit comes first on these Wiley-X safety glasses; the pink accent color may attract the female customer.

Foxy Huntress’ shooting shirt in women’s sizes and styles makes shotgunning more fun.

Tina Coelho of EOTAC shows their tactical trousers specifi cally designed for women.