How to Hold a Revolver

The right way to hold a revolver — also referred to as the right way to grip or grasp a revolver — is the way that protects you from accidentally shooting your hand and improves your aim.

Forget everything you’ve ever seen in the movies. Holding a gun sideways is never going to help you hit your mark.

Instead, take a strong stance, use both hands, and lift the gun so it is at eye level and you can better see exactly where you are shooting.

How to Properly Hold a Revolver

There are a couple of different ways to hold a revolver correctly. The one you choose should be based on your preference.

The first one starts with holding the back of the revolver in the palm of your dominant hand, with the thumb of that hand pointed down, your pointer finger on the trigger, and your other three fingers wrapped around the handle, pointing back at you. It’s important to make sure that you have enough of your pointer finger on the trigger so you can pull it back smoothly.

The non-dominant hand wraps around this grip, placing all four fingers over the three fingers of your dominant hand, so they are pointing back at you and the thumb is pointing down.

Note: The smaller the gun, the bigger the recoil. This means that every shot after the first will require re-centering. The two-handed method allows for greater control and a better ability to absorb the recoil and readjust for the next shot.

How to Hold a Revolver the Wrong Way

There are a number of ways of holding a revolver that will make it more difficult for you to aim and/or absorb the recoil quickly so you can take your next shot.

For example, crossing your thumbs rather than pointing them down as described above can cause muscle strain, and placing your non-dominant hand underneath the grip makes it harder to control the shot.

Where Can I Learn How to Hold a Revolver Properly?

If you’re not sure that you’re holding your revolver properly or if you would like to learn more about safe gun techniques, Delray Shooting Center offers classes that can help you learn how to take care of your gun and shoot your gun, starting with getting comfortable with a safe and effective grip.

We also have shooting lanes so you can practice your grip and get familiar with the recoil. This allows you to improve your accuracy in a safe setting.

In some cases, you may find that different types of guns will benefit from different grips, so if you’re shooting a semi-automatic weapon or a rifle, a revolver grip won’t work for you. Come down to Delray Shooting Center to get the practice you need holding a revolver the right way.