pistol grip

American  

noun

1. a handle or grip, as of a rifle or saw, shaped like the butt of a pistol.

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pistol grip British  

noun

1. 1. a handle shaped like the butt of a pistol

   2. ( as modifier )

      a pistol-grip camera

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Other Word Forms

• pistol-grip adjective

Etymology

Origin of pistol grip

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

"It was a mistake - but the reason being there was so much going on and I had one hand on my pistol grip - three or four other things to do at the same time."

From BBC

But few gunmakers saw a semiautomatic version of the rifle — with its shrouded barrel, pistol grip and jutting ammunition magazine — as a product for ordinary people.

From Washington Post

Likewise, it said, California’s assault weapons ban does not prohibit the possession of all semiautomatic rifles or pistols, just those equipped with certain accessories — such as a pistol grip or a flash suppressor.

From Los Angeles Times

Video images showed the assailant fired at Abe with a device that had a pistol grip and what appeared to be two pipes covered in black electrical tape.

From Reuters

The suspected gunman shot at Abe with a device that had a pistol grip and two pipes covered in black electrical tape, according to photos and video images of the incident.

From Reuters