# Ergonomic Grip



## slofyr (Jan 6, 2014)

Here is some shown-and-tell inspired by the fine work of Thomas Rink and Cesare Morini who manufacture superb ergonomic grips for competition handguns. A match grip for a firearm is designed to conform to the contours of the hand, resist the downward force from the weight of the pistol, and to keep the sights aligned with consistency and comfort. State-of-the-art handguns like the 50-meter "Free Pistol" [used in the Olympics] are purpose-built with elaborate grips to increase the chance of hitting a 2" 10-ring from a distance of 50 meters [164'] with the pistol held in one hand. All the curves, ledges and other nuances of their grips have a function.

















Simply adding slingshot forks to one of these grips just makes a fancy looking slingshot. With a hand-held catapult, the twisting forces are obviously different from the hanging mass of a firearm. So, with polymer clay I worked up a grip that is ergonomic, aligns the forks perpendicular to the ground when canted or held 90*, and helps counter band forces. It retains the applicable support surfaces of the firearm grip and eliminates the unnecessary ones.

I've had other shooters try this slingshot and all of us agree that it is quite comfortable. My skill level with a slingshot is still evolving, so I can't claim that the grip improves accuracy. Currently, my groups are similar with commercially-built slingshots. As with a precision firearm, a grip by itself will not win a match--the operator makes it happen. But, maybe this will spark the imagination of you craftsmen to think outside the box and create something unique.


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## JohnKrakatoa (Nov 28, 2013)

Very nice work , looks really ergonomical  I shall try that.


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## WATERLOGIC (Feb 4, 2014)

Very nice, but unfortunatelly NOT applicable for slingshots :nono:


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

WATERLOGIC said:


> Very nice, but unfortunatelly NOT applicable for slingshots :nono:


Why not WATERLOGIC ?

A well shaped hammer grip handle, looks very ergo :thumbsup:


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## WATERLOGIC (Feb 4, 2014)

Well it is easy to answer :

I shoot pistols for cca 10 years as well some .22 9mm etc.

This grips are made for comfortable relaxed hand. The ones shown are most common with .22 cal competition guns .

These calibre causes insignificant blow back, whereby with slingshots you have significant momentum and optimum would be ergo handle with a rigid arm brace . In other words although those handles look fancy, high tech, cool - they do not help solve the real issue with slingshots ...


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

That seems like a cool idea, and very similar to the concept of the slingshots I am replying to WATERLOGIC below



WATERLOGIC said:


> Well it is easy to answer :
> I shoot pistols for cca 10 years as well some .22 9mm etc.
> 
> This grips are made for comfortable relaxed hand. The ones shown are most common with .22 cal competition guns .
> These calibre causes insignificant blow back, whereby with slingshots you have significant momentum and optimum would be ergo handle with a rigid arm brace . In other words although those handles look fancy, high tech, cool - they do not help solve the real issue with slingshots ...


So are you saying these slingshots are not applicable? Or different to the ops post?
















Photos taken from below threads
http://slingshotforum.com/topic/19787-spanish-accuracy/
http://slingshotforum.com/topic/17158-spain-slingshot-championship-2012-july-13-15th/

Because those pistol grips seem like would be comfortable to shoot with, as a slingshot, if the forks were placed in the right orientation to the hand... And it seemed to work for many people that have that type of ergo slingshots..... However, if the forks were positioned more foreword like the barnett , or saunders, or maybe even a combination of both ( like mine ) then yes you would be right to think you need an wrist brace









LGD


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## WATERLOGIC (Feb 4, 2014)

lightgeoduck said:


> That seems like a cool idea, and very similar to the concept of the slingshots I am replying to WATERLOGIC below
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks you are a nice person but you are missing my point, which is you can use them but there is no substantial increase in stability .

The Barnett (or Saunders ?) with rigid brace in your bottom picture fullfills all criteria for controlling the ss , although also here there is still space for minor improvements ...

Be well !


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

WATERLOGIC said:


> Very nice, but unfortunatelly NOT applicable for slingshots :nono:


I guess I should have quoted this too, because this might be the reason I missed your point, and maybe shows that what we took from the posters thread was different.. I do think the idea is applicable , as I am sure others will as well. There would be benefits to mimic this design, even with out an arm brace.... Keep in mind I am not dismissing your thoughts an the benefits of an arm brace, I am just making a point, that an arm brace does not cancel out all ideas that do not include one. Honestly, it seems like that is the foundation of your responses to topics that provide an opening for your case.

Well, anyway.. I think both of our points are clear, and presented, so I am sure it will be beneficial to viewers of this thread, giving them something to ponder on and reach a conclusion for themselves.

Cheers

LGD


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## S.S. sLinGeR (Oct 17, 2013)




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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

WATERLOGIC said:


> Well it is easy to answer :
> 
> I shoot pistols for cca 10 years as well some .22 9mm etc.
> 
> ...


Okay thanks for your answer, sounds not bad,

i can only comment how it looks and how i think how it feels, because i never test a grip like this, cheers mr.teh


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## Lacumo (Aug 18, 2013)

My hand is XXXL and I shoot a lot better with a beefier, ergo style handle. Those elegant Morini and Rink free pistol handles may not be the panacea for slingshot frame handles, but I think what'll prove best for me will be more like an AR-15 ergo style handgrip than the handle on a Wham-O Sportsman. If I had to pick a slingshot handle style and my options were: 1--Wham-O Sportsman handle; 2--Present day curved profile with palm swell SS handle; 3--AR-15 sculpted ergo style handle... I'd pick #3.

I believe some of the concepts and principles used in fancy pistol grips can be adapted and applied to slingshot handles and that the handles on today's high-end compound and recurve bows supports that belief.


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## WATERLOGIC (Feb 4, 2014)

lightgeoduck said:


> That seems like a cool idea, and very similar to the concept of the slingshots I am replying to WATERLOGIC below
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well I rest my case - I see no use persuading the persuaded anyway here what other people think about this issue

http://www.theslingshotforum.com/f5/superergo-radically-new-custom-handle-33600/

looks Mr Jorg Sprave has the same opinion regarding those pistol handles :

Quote:

But for a slingshot, those handles need to be shaped differently. A .22 has very little recoil, so the torque on the wrist is small. A slingshot handle needs to withstand all of the draw force, which can be very significant.

It is obvious that he understands the issue "open headed" i.e. knowing the mechanics of slingshots and pistols

he puts this to work to make/develop/design something that will work for SSs .

Note: Since rigid braces are not legal in Germany obviously he tries with a kind of fork base lever pushing on the hand which is far less effective as a rigid brace that transfers the momentum to the arm which is much stronger than the hand top to take the momentum caused by the drag force ... but his thinking helps to a certain extent ...

Be Well ! :wave:


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