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www.thearmorylife.com/crush-grip-ayoob-technique/ The article "Lost Secret of Pistol Shooting: The Crush Grip" by Massad Ayoob, published on April 2, 2025, explores the technique of firmly gripping a handgun—known as the crush grip—to improve shooting accuracy and effectiveness. Historically popularized by shooters like Rob Leatham and Brian Enos in the 1980s with a 60/40 grip method, the crush grip aims to solve the issue of "milking" where sympathetic finger movements alter accuracy. Legendary shooters and trainers like Col. Charles Askins, Bill Jordan, and Rex Applegate advocated for a firm grasp to ensure optimal control during shooting encounters, encouraging new shooters to adopt this approach and even endure initial hand tremors as confidence builds. Contemporary trainers such as Tom Givens and Ben Stoeger similarly endorse a strong grip to manage recoil and enhance trigger control, advising shooters to grip as hard as possible without impacting surprise trigger activation, reinforcing that this technique is indispensable in defensive and competitive firearm handling.

www.thearmorylife.com/crush-grip-ayoob-technique/ The article "Lost Secret of Pistol Shooting: The Crush Grip" by Massad Ayoob, published in The Armory Life, explores the effectiveness of a firm grip, or "crush grip," in improving handgun shooting accuracy. Historically, shooters adhered to a "60/40" balance between the firing and support hand, but Ayoob argues for maximizing grip strength to combat a common shooting error known as "milking," where the non-trigger fingers reflexively tighten and disrupt aim. The article highlights the historical advocacy for a strong grip by notable experts like Rob Leatham, Brian Enos, Bill Jordan, and Col. Charles Askins, who likened the necessary force to "crushing granite." It also includes contemporary endorsements of this technique from trainers like Tom Givens and champion shooter Ben Stoeger, suggesting that a powerful grip ensures better control, enhanced recoil management, and increased retention in defensive scenarios.