Is this a viable way to aim a handgun?

[Kynoch]

In all sincerity, is this a viable way to aim a handgun? I realize that arms shouldn't be "locked-out", but is there any advantage to have this much bend in the arms? It's almost as if he cannot see the front sight so he's moving it closer to his eyes?

Or is this position just pure television fantasy? Thanks.

 

[Twiki357]

I always had to laugh every time I saw him pretend to shoot. But I guess it could work with a real gun if you don’t mind getting a rear sight planted in your forehead.

 

[earlthegoat2]

It can work.

There is a reason competition shooters don't use that form.

 

[Kynoch]

I was thinking that it might be an actual technique designed for very close quarters? More and more though, I suspect it's a product of ignorance.

 

[phonejack]

A technique used by a fictional character in a fictional situation firing a non-lethal firearm.

 

[HisStigness]

I just saw that commercial and thought the same thing. NCIS right? Think about how big the gap in the rear sight would be when it's that close to your face.

Anybody ever see Andrew Lincoln pretend to shoot a gun?

 

[FishEngineer]

There are several actors who practice that same silly style. Almost like someone trained them to do it.

 

[Sam1911]

Not 100% sure, but it looks like he's simply using a rather exaggerated version of the old Weaver stance. His strong arm is dead straight. The support side elbow is often quite bent like that. You don't see much of it any more so it looks a little strange to a lot of today's shooters, especially when pictured from an odd angle.

 

[Kynoch]

There are several actors who practice that same silly style. Almost like someone trained them to do it.

I wonder where it came from?

 

[Kynoch]

Not 100% sure, but it looks like he's simply using a rather exaggerated version of the old Weaver stance. His strong arm is dead straight. The support side elbow is often quite bent like that. You don't see much of it any more so it looks a little strange to a lot of today's shooters, especially when pictured from an odd angle.

That would be a VERY exaggerated example of the "push/pull" technique of generations past.

I honestly do wonder where the value of displaying this "technique" comes into play? Can the camera zoom in closer on Caruso while still keeping the entire gun in the shot? Was it simply invented on the fly by Caruso?

 

[Deaf Smith]

What you are viewing in the photo is the 'Chapman' stance.

Invented by Ray Chapman (one of Cooper's pears) who was a world champion combat pistol shot and Deputy Sheriff for years.

It's a modified Weaver stance.

And yes, it could, and does, work.

Deaf

 

[Sam1911]

Very exaggerated, unless he's presented the gun, expecting a threat at his front, and then sees a threat to his left. As he turns his aim left the strong arm gets stretched and the support arm gets compressed.

I doubt it is a really carefully choreographed thing. If you run shooters through dynamic scenarios you'll see the various stances all morph and shift a bit as they react to threats which present not quite dead ahead.

 

[AK103K]

It almost looks like he might be cross eyed domanant, and using his left eye to aim. That, or hes trying to get into the old Quell stance, and isnt quite there yet.

Heres one of Cooper in a pretty hard Weaver.....



Not sure what this one is. The Yoga Bear stance maybe ?

 

[ugaarguy]

This will not be a discussion of acting or other TV/Movie weirdness. We can keep it open as long as the discussion stays focused on handgun shooting stances.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Looks doable to me.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

To me it looks like he is doing his own version of the weaver stance. Sort of his own "modified Weaver".

I know I shot that way still to this day just not with my head down as far and not the hunched shoulders.

The weaver stance or the modified weaver was taught to a lot of PPC shooters decades ago and while I admit that isosceles is the preferred combat type stance today, it is hard for some of us to break old bad habits and switch over.

If I just pick up a revolver at the range, I tend to drop into a form of this type of stance.



I have slowly modified it around to drop my left elbow slightly but I still lean into the shot and twist lightly. This is a shot of me chrono-ing a 38/44 HD over the 35P at the range.

Quick edit, you asked if it is viable.



50 shots, 15 yrds offhand shot as shown above. I guess if you get used to it, you can call it viable. It has its limitations which is why it is not commonly taught anymore. Old habits are hard to break.

 

[HexHead]

Just looks like a variation of the Weaver stance.

Still better than what the FBI used to use...

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

The OPs photo stance is pretty realistic to me, especially when shooting from the rig at a target moving to your left.
Or even when standing with a sudden target to your 9 O'clock.
Pretty hard to get both arms extended, and your arms swivel faster than your hips and trunk.

I would say to shoot from the stance you feel comfortable in.

JT

 

[PistolPete45]

OK Best guess here Shooter in motion not shooting but keeping the gun ready ..

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

All this really is, is a Weaver stance with the arms bent a little bit more. He does have a good two-handed grip on the gun, the currently unfashionable placement of his thumbs notwithstanding. There are valid reasons for assuming such a stance. We don't know how far away his adversary is. If your attacker is just a few feet away, extending your arms fully will make it easier for him to deflect or grab your gun. Also, some pictures I've seen that show a frontal view, like this ...

... indicate he may have a cross-eye-dominance issue.

But mostly, it is just acting.

 

[WestKentucky]

I have military and law enforcement friends who simply cannot shoot a PISTOL because of the training that they received for rapid acquisition of a target using only the front sight, only the rear sight, and varying stances. Put a revolver in those guys hands and every one of them goes pretty much into a weaver stance. The whole ordeal of moving with a purpose while unholstered seems to have made training more about moving than it is about shooting which might also explain the poor hit ratio many members of the law enforcement community manage to achieve in situations requiring the use of force.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'm amused that what was once a dominate technique is now seen as TV/Movie fantasy.

The first picture is classic Chapman arm positioning. Where the classic Weaver as seen in the 2nd picture above (post #20) has both elbows bent, Chapman straightened his right arm and used his arm much like a rifle stock...he also bladed his body more.

The support elbow is supposed to be that bent. The purpose of the bent arm was to exert downward pressure on the gun to bring it back from recoil faster.

There are many people who are shooting from the Chapman, but mistakenly call it a Modified Weaver...although, I guess that would still be technically correct

 

[JO JO]

A buddy of mine shoots ppc very much like that and is a strong shooter
works for him quite well ,

 

[ArchAngelCD]

When I saw the picture I thought the same thing, it looks like some sort of Weaver stance. I didn't know about the Chapman arm positioning though.

 

[Inebriated]

I always had to laugh every time I saw him pretend to shoot. But I guess it could work with a real gun if you don’t mind getting a rear sight planted in your forehead.

Just how far back do you think that slide moves?