BlackSteel Grip Control Module

Opposable Grips, Gas Pedals, Thumb Rests. Technically they are all different devices, but all produce the same end result. A small ledge on the support side of a handgun that allows the user to apply downwards pressure with their support thumb. A simple concept that has been around since the late 1980s as far as I could tell and started making their way into mainstream competition around the mid 1990s. And according to Go Guns USA, every world champion since 2000 & every USA National champion from 2015-2022 used some form of a Gas Pedal on their platform. Since this is a tool the best of the best are using, I figured it definitely worth taking a peek at. I’m G, and I run the Rebel Spirit Operations Channel & today we will be looking at the Grip Control Module from BlackSteel USA.

So if you haven't figured it out by now, the grip control module is a gas pedal of sorts with a unique aspect to it. Its hinged and spring loaded which in my opinion makes it a perfect option for many applications including EDC. And even though this article will be primary reviewing this specific product, I’m also going to use this opportunity to talk about Gas Pedals in general & why I believe that there is not only a good argument to be made on why the individual should run one but the why I think guns will start coming with them stock from the factory. Or at least why they should.

The Grip Control is produced by a company called BlackSteel USA. Which is a small shop located around a town called Belt Buckle in TN. The device itself or at least all the models I’ve seen, replaces the take down lever of said firearm with an identical one that has the gas pedal affixed to the support side. Which seems to be a common theme amongst many different brands, however unlike most options on the market the one from Black Steel is collapsible. Greatly reducing the profile of it & surprisingly making it compatible with existing holsters with little or no modification. They also come in 3 different lengths for both left & right-handed shooters as well as support a ton of different makes & models of firearms, so you're bound to find something that fits your needs. And if you don’t well, they actually have a way to vote on their next model on their website which I thought was really cool way for them to include the community.

Gas Pedals in general provide the user with a reliable consistent point of contact for them to apply downwards pressure on as a way to combat muzzle rise. They come in all shapes & sizes & have been around 40 years give or take but haven't been widely accepted for general use in large. Although, while doing some research for this video I came across a few sources that suggest they are more prevalent in European countries compared to the U.S. which if true I just thought that was an interesting bit of lore.

As to why they haven’t been widely adopted... Well, that isn’t quite clear, but they have been popping up more frequently both in the competition world as well as coming stock from the factory. Granted, a fair amount of the models are marketed towards competition shooters & most of them are just a small ledge built into the polymer itself, with a few exceptions.

This baffled me because once I experienced firsthand just how much of a benefit a Gas Pedal provided, not only was I completely sold on the concept but I whole heartly believe they are the biggest game changer in handgun shooting since the adoption of the red dot onto the platform. Some people may disagree with that statement, which is perfectly fine because it’s an opinion statement, however they would also be wrong as hell.

All jokes aside I’m perfectly aware that a proper hand placement, grip technique, & pressure control reduces the need for a thumb rest. Just like I’m perfectly aware that proper sight allotment between my rear & front sight post will land me accurate shots. But I as well as many others, likely including yourself, still choose a red dot over iron sights. This isn't because it provides us any new capabilities, but because amongst other things its more efferent & 95% of the time increases the overall capabilities of both the untrained & highly trained alike.

Now I know you're the real-life manifestation of John Wick as you think to your self how I should just “Get Good” to some degree, however, again myself as well as most others are not. Proficient handgun shooting is difficult thanks to the design of the platform & how it's meant to be operated. And in my opinion, as long as the juice is worth the squeeze so to speak, I’ll look into anything that can make the process easier or more consistent.

The only thing a Gas Pedal does is give the user a new angle at which to control the muzzle rise. It could be argued that it gives the user an additional RELIABLE point of contact, but that's neither here nor there & depends on a host of other factors. The angle benefit alone is enough for it to be on equal footing with a red dot in terms of added benefit for the end user. Again, in my opinion. I have to emphasize that word because apparently some people are emotionally attached to shit like this.

Also, any time I bring up Gas Pedals wither it be in discord, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, whatever, there's always some yahoo fudd making some sly comment about how people don’t need a Gas Pedal to control the recoil of a 9mm. Which is hilarious in its own right given the fact they don't know the difference between muzzle rise and recoil. But I figured I would nip that comment in the butt as well.

Every handgun has muzzle rise regardless of the caliber. Some highly specialized ones are made to have a verry little amount, but they are bulky and not practical for EDC use. And while larger calibers will typically have more muzzle rise than smaller ones, the biggest factor is the design of the pistol itself. I don't want to get too much into details here because I’ll get lost in the weeds & we are starting to drift into muzzle rise vs recoil territory, but in short this is why pistols like the Alien from Laugo Arms is the talk of the town whenever they come to market. I’ve never shot one but mechanically speaking they should produce less muzzle rise than your more standard option like a Glock.

Gas Pedals combat muzzle rise very well & give some much-needed control back to the shooter. So much so shooters are often a bit shocked once they experience it for the first time. I know it was true for me and true for most of the people I’ve shot with. On the higher end of the skill spectrum, shooters rave about how they help provide a more consistent grip. So why are they not standard feature or more widely adopted? Well, I don't know to be honest or at least not exactly. I’m guessing it’s a combination of factors like manufacturing capabilities, fudd lore, holster fitment, logistics & as well as a hand full of others. Most of which I think are either over hyped talking points or have been made less relevant as time & technology progresses.

Holsters for example have not only dramatically increased in overall quality, now adays it's extremely easy to have a custom one made or to alter an already existing one allowing for the accommodation for a gas pedal. Which in their own right have also increased in quality and capabilities as times progressed. Case & point the Grip Control Module from Black Steel is a shining example of this. Their spring-loaded lever that auto deploys is a really cool idea that works both in theory and in practice. It’s also a great option that requires very minimal alterations to your already existing holster if any at all.

The module also comes in three different lengths depending on the needs of the shooter. Most of my experience has been with their number one model which is the shortest out of the bunch and find it to be an adequate option. After picking up their #2 model which sits slightly closer towards the muzzle, I find it fits me best as it aligns up perfectly with my natural grip & meaty hands.

The face of the peddle itself is also something I wanted to take a peek at. Here is where you can kind of have your cake & eat it too in a manner of speaking. You can see that not only does it have some texture to it which is a nice touch by the way thank you for that, but it has a large face which is great for my thick hands & great for gloved work as well. Yet even with that large face it still has a very small profile when riding in the holster thanks again to that spring hinged collapsable design.

Is it possible that the hinge mechanism on it breaks in some form or fashion. Sure. Is it likely? I don't think so, at least not from my firsthand experience. Between myself and a few buddies who meet up and shoot bi-weekly, we have 6 separate modules in our testing pool in both left & right-handed configurations with thousands of rounds put on them. None of which have even lost their springiness much less had an issue. The one currently on my P-10 F has just under 2000 rounds on it along with countless dry fire draws & the only sign of damage is the finish. Everything can break but seeing as we have a bigger than average sample pool size with zero issues gives me a fair amount of confidence in this particular product.

For the past few years, compensators and ported barrels have been growing in popularity for their ability to reduce muzzle rise & perhaps provide a small amount of recoil reduction. And as much as I love a good comp, they are a bit of a hassle to initially get into not to mention fairly expensive when you consider all the factors. They require consistent maintenance & no matter how good they are, all of them affect reliability to some degree. Ported barrels are much of the same thing, plus as far as I know, they reduce bullet velocity which is just a no go for me personally.

A gas pedal is very much a plug & play device that super affordable. You don't need any special components like a threaded barrel, you don't have to worry about any kind of timing, set screws or additional maintenance & there's no need to send part of your gun off to get cut drilled or anything of the sort. Simply slap it in & get to work. Depending on the model you choose, there may be some initial holster fitment issues you’ll have to work out, but that really is a simple fix & once it’s done there's nothing left to do. And again, that's what makes this model from Black Steel such home run. I barley had to do anything to my holsters.

Anyways guys that’s my long-winded argument for Gas Pedals, Thumb Rests whatever you want to call them. As well as my review over the Grip Control Module.

NOTE: After seeing my initial review of their product, myself and BlackSteel began talks to perhaps start working together in some fashion. I'm pleased to say that BlackSteel USA is now an official partner of the RSCTA community & as such is offering a discount to all of its users. Big shout out to them for being such a cool company to work with.

DISCOUNT CODE: RebelSpiritOperations15