Stock Design: Pistol Grips, etc.

[Art Eatman]

I didn't want to hijack or drift in another thread, and anymanusa got into a difference of opinion about stocks.

So: For all that I've messed around with ARs since back in the early 1980s (I've traded through four; have one now), I still prefer conventional. Conventional quasi-pistol-grip, not the straight style as in the Model 94.

My thesis is that the conventional is more of a natural positioning of my wrist, and holding/mounting the rifle "just comes naturally". For the AR-style, holding/mounting is more of a learned or trained process.

Note that this is sort of a trivial thing, really, and not worth getting excited about.

Okay: Opinions?

 

[gvnwst]

Well, i am still getting used to my ARs grip, as it is the first pistol grip gun i have. I like it more for standing, especially when doing supported standing. It allows me to have my wrist looser, not so twisted back, and that makes it more comfortable. It is hard to learn in prone though, and i can't go shooting much due to weather.

my $.02...

Oh, and good pistol grips (i have a ergo) feel much more natural, IMHO.

 

[briansmithwins]

Having recently started a friend shooting I disagree with the idea that straight stocks are more natural: The woman I was teaching to shoot needed to be shown and reminded where to place her hand when using the 10/22 and SKS. When given the Uzi and AK she put her hands naturally on the pistol grip in the correct position for firing.

BSW

 

[Safwan]

That 's a woman for you!

 

[elmerfudd]

I've got several of each and I don't really notice much difference. Both feel natural to me and I can't say I shoot one any better than the other. One thing I don't like though are those child sized AK pistol grips.

 

[taliv]

assuming we're talking about a carbine and practical use, the optimal positioning of the arms is elbows down for several reasons.

from an elbows down position, the natural position of the wrist would be a cant in the reverse direction of pistol grips and nearly 180 degrees off a traditional stock grip. (ok, maybe not 180, but a lot)

compare the position of your wrist while holding a garand to the position of wrists of any competitive boxer (with the later being a decent representation of 'natural' imho)

my contention is that a pistol grip is far more natural position for a carbine, and making it more vertical, and even going past the vertical would be an improvement.

i'd like to see an AR-style gun with a pistol grip that's maybe 20* off the vertical going toward the muzzle, with a trigger that is similarly rotated so that the direction of pull is partially down.

 

[elmerfudd]

i'd like to see an AR-style gun with a pistol grip that's maybe 20* off the vertical going toward the muzzle, with a trigger that is similarly rotated so that the direction of pull is partially down.

That would work particularly well on bullpups. The magazine would have less interference with the PG.

 

[benEzra]

My thesis is that the conventional is more of a natural positioning of my wrist, and holding/mounting the rifle "just comes naturally". For the AR-style, holding/mounting is more of a learned or trained process.

I think it probably has more to do with ingrained muscle memory.

I find AR/AK style stocks much more natural, but I pretty much grew up with them, and only rarely shoot rifles without separate handgrips.