NCJ Number
187914
Journal
Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Dated: 2001 Pages: 32-39
Editor(s)
Lawrence F. Travis III
Date Published
2001
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the influence of grip strength on semi-automatic handguns in basic law enforcement training. The grip strength and marksmanship scores of police recruits were measured.
Abstract
An overwhelming majority of police recruits carry semi-automatic weapons instead of revolvers with limited reliable information on the influence of grip strength on shooting with semi-automatic handguns. The Police Training Institute had previously conducted analyses of the marksmanship scores of its police recruits, which indicated that grip strength had a small but significant effect on marksmanship. The purpose of this study is to investigate the following concerns: (1) could police recruits improve their marksmanship by participating in a grip strength training program; (2) is there a relationship between grip strength and marksmanship; and (3) is there a difference in shooting scores between male and female recruits that is attributable to a difference in grip strength? All recruits underwent the same basic firearms training and about half the recruits were given a Grip Master to exercise with in the hope of improving their grip strength. The grip strength improvement was similar for recruits with and without the Grip Master. Both groups significantly improved their marksmanship by the end of the training. The women’s scores were significantly lower than the men’s scores due to the women’s lower grip strength. The influence of grip strength on marksmanship scores was small with semi-automatic handguns but constant throughout the grip strength range of the police recruits. References