Try this range drill to see how grip pressure changes your accuracy

Grip pressure is one of those fundamentals that gets debated endlessly, and a short video from USCCA tackles it head on by comparing a hard grip against a loose grip in real time.

Snapshot

The speaker says their approach is simple: grip the handgun hard and try to crush the backstrap while firing. They acknowledge other instructors recommend different pressures, but argue the proof is visual, not verbal, and show a side-by-side of hard-grip and loose-grip shots so viewers can judge the difference themselves.

Key points

• The core technique: grip the gun firmly and focus on crushing the back of the frame while pressing the trigger.
• Acknowledged disagreement: the speaker notes other shooters advocate lighter or varied grip pressures, but stands by the hard-grip method.
• The demonstration: the video alternates between hard-grip and loose-grip shots to let the visual result make the case.
• The challenge to viewers: the speaker says to test it yourself at the range, firing one shot gripped hard, one gripped loose, and comparing.
• The takeaway: according to the speaker, the difference in control and accuracy becomes obvious once you try both side by side.

Quick take

This isn't a deep technical breakdown, it's a quick, visual argument for a firmer grip, and USCCA leans on the demonstration rather than lengthy explanation. If you've never deliberately compared your own grip pressure, the drill described is easy to run on your next range trip: a few hard-grip shots, a few loose-grip shots, and see what your target tells you.

Watch the full video: USCCA