What grip and stance do you use?

[NMGonzo]

I just stand naturally and run a mag with strong, weak, both ... I suck but I hit COM at 10 yards every time.

I predict that I will hit squat at that distance while being shot at, and hopefully my perp is doused with gasoline because I will be shooting at the perp at 1 inch away and the muzzle flash will hopefully ignite the perp.

 

[kilo729]

Modern Iso or whatever it's called.

It just feels right, but I'm a youngin' so I was never really introduced to the weaver and whatnot.

 

[BUD&NANI]

lol

 

[Shawn Dodson]

It doesn't matter what the rest of the body is doing or not doing.

Unstable ground (slippery mud, loose gravel, snow, ice), uneven ground (embankment, gully, hillside, steps), using one hand to hold onto something to maintain balance on unstable/uneven ground, reverse footing, knocked onto one's @ss, physical struggle on feet, ground struggle, sitting at a table/booth, sitting in a vehicle - "Weaver beats everything else out there........except for Modern Isosceles."

 

[NRAhab]

There is a reason that all the top flight competition shooters, elite military, and top flight LE units all use a variation of the same stance/grip combo, the Modern Iso.

What is interesting though is I find that the more I shoot, the mutable my definition of "stance" gets. My grip is always the same thumbs forward grip that Todd Jarrett, Rob Leatham, etc teach because it's really the best way to hold a gun. But my "stance", where I position my feet depends entirely on what I'm doing. In this video, my stance changes depending on what I want to do next. If I'm going to be moving, then my weight will be differently distributed than if I had a static stage. If I want aggressive speed from a static position, I'm going to push my weight way forward.

My arms and torso are always the same. The goal is to get my legs to do whatever they need to do without screwing with my upper body.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I thought this "flavor of the week" had long since faded away....

I did a quick search on Youtube and found a couple amusing videos demonstrating this "stance" from about 2 yds. The guy is ALL OVER the target, but at least he was shooting fairly slow.....

It looks like a cross between a Weaverized Quell tension/alignment and a smallbore rifle skeletal posture...but then, in the 10min clip, I noticed that you're completely giving up contact between the gun and your support hand. Are we reverting to Tea-Cupping now?

...it actually looked like he was hitting OK...slow, but hitting... until he said he was shooting from 10 feet away

 

[Pete D.]

99% of my pistol shooting is Bullseye match shooting. So....one hand, unsupported.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Why do you spend a lot of time on shooting from the hip rather than a retention position?

AOK,

Speed is speed, not necessarily distance. Retention is only if they are close enough to grab your gun, as in grappling distance. You may have to move very fast at closer range to stop them from bringing their gun to bear.

Hip shooting can be done out to 5 or 7 yards if practice diligently (and you have buckets of ammo.)

Happily for my I have several ways to practice on the cheap.

I have a ‘laser’ Glock I made from a soft air gun I took the springs out, superglued a laser to the barrel, and snaked the pressure switch under the trigger (see photo.)

I also have a all metal replica of both a S&W snub and Glock 26 (I even superglued a Pearce base plate to make it feel just like my Glock 26.) These are used to practice drawing in the house.

And I have a AACK .22 unit for my Glock 26/27 for practice.

Plus I reload 9mm!

At the outdoor range I can put empty Gatoraid bottles out on the berm and hip shoot them (and all kinds of fun stuff.)

Indoor range they allow me to draw and hip shoot all the time (lucky me as lots of ranges don't allow 'nuthen.)

Deaf

 

[David E]

Unstable ground (slippery mud, loose gravel, snow, ice), uneven ground (embankment, gully, hillside, steps), using one hand to hold onto something to maintain balance on unstable/uneven ground, reverse footing, knocked onto one's @ss, physical struggle on feet, ground struggle, sitting at a table/booth, sitting in a vehicle - "Weaver beats everything else out there........except for Modern Isosceles."

What is your point?

If there is a good reason to only use one hand, then use only one hand! Hopefully you'll have practiced a good one handed TECHNIQUE before you need it.

Some of the scenarios listed allow for two hands on the gun. In which case, the Modern Iso beats everything else out there, even while seated, moving or knocked on your butt.

But realize the OP asked about stances in general, not about specific techniques with limited applications.

RTFQ2

 

[NRAhab]

Deaf, just out of curiosity, how fast can you draw and hip shoot an 8 inch circle at 7 yards? Have you ever done it against a timer to see?

 

[Sheepdog1968]

It's a weaver stance. It has less to do with firearms and more to do with martial arts as a whole. The stance I use is one I'm comfortable using for martial arts, stick fighting, boxing, and shooting. What I don't want to have to do is have a specific stance for shooting and then a different one for this martial art and then a different one for stick fighting, etc. Also, I don't wear a vest so that isn't a factor.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

But realize the OP asked about stances in general, not about specific techniques with limited applications.

Stances ARE techniques.

Stances aren't necessarily static. If one acquires an isosceles style stance and then naturally rotates the waist and flexes the knees to engage a target to the left or right then the shooter's body dynamics causes him/her to move into a modified/reverse Weaver or Chapman technique.

I suggest learning the fine points of each, training frequently with each, and experimenting with various realistic conditions one might encounter to develop the ability to efficiently adapt to situations and perform effectively when a square range technique is inappropriate or cannot be achieved. New or novel situations increase reaction time. In those instances where textbook form cannot be achieved and a shooter must improvise then being able to quickly adapt and intuitively employ the strengths of the technique on which a field expedient stance is based provides the shooter a time competitive advantage and a performance advantage.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Stances ARE techniques.

Not to put too find a point of it, but in the interest of accuracy:

Stances are stances (a foundation to start from) and are by definition static...at least in the limited scope of the OP's question

Transitioning from one stance to another...or moving in general...is a technique (a process to accomplish a task)

 

[wally]

Point shooting from the hip is a skill all its own and a very important one. Unfortunately, not one you can typically practice at most shooting ranges.

Agreed, and its also a good excuse to get a full sized Airsoft analog to your carry gun to practice with before you go to live fire.

Pre-Airsoft, I made primer powered wax bullets to practice my draw and point shooting with before I went to live fire. These are dirty and messy, Airsoft is a better option these days, at least with the realistic models.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Deaf, just out of curiosity, how fast can you draw and hip shoot an 8 inch circle at 7 yards? Have you ever done it against a timer to see?

NRA,

I'm an old IPSC and IDPA shooter. I do have my own timer (a PACT timer that doubles as a chrono.)

Now let's talk about how to time this...

What kind of hip shooting? Belt level with the gun just over the holster? Gun a bit in front of the buckle where your peripheral vision can see the weapon (kind of like 1/2 hip point shooting position but with the gun a bit closer to the shooter?) Or just where?

Concealed or unconcealed (that most definatly affects the time needed?) And what kind of concealment?

What kind of holster? Retention of some sort or open top? What postion will it be worn? Appendix, behind kidney, cross draw, or where?

What kind of gun? And yes that matters as for hip shooting as longer ones have an easier 'feel' to point the weapon with.

Including reaction time or not including reaction time (reaction time can vary widley as your state of mind may or may not stay focused?)

Now I can say, using an IDPA target and the '0' zone, IWB holster, at 4 yards I can go below one second, even with a concealment jacket, but not with just a t-shirt, and that includes reaction time and using my Glock 26 from in between the 1/4 and 1/2 hip positions.

But I'll also say I have never timed it at 7 yards but I doubt I can keep all my shots inside 8 inches at below 1 second speeds!

Deaf

 

[David E]

Not to put too find a point of it, but in the interest of accuracy:

Stances are stances (a foundation to start from) and are by definition static...at least in the limited scope of the OP's question

Transitioning from one stance to another...or moving in general...is a technique (a process to accomplish a task)

Well put.

 

[popbang]

I have to agree with Shawn Dodson. When moving, using cover, & shooting from various shooting positions stances must change.

Use a solid grip not a death grip amd shoot from as many diferent positions as possible.

Don't get caught up in the hype of standing still and shooting in one stance. Learn the Weaver, Isosceles, Modern Isosceles, Bullseye or any stance. All have their advantages and drawbacks. Get your body used to shifting between any to do what is needed to get a good shot off.

 

[9mmforMe]

I'm pretty much in the same camp as 9mmepiphany, except that I scooch my supporting thumb OVER my shooting hand's thumb for the grip. Stance would be the same.

 

[David E]

The OP simply asked this:

What grip and stance do you use when shooting a handgun? And also, explain why you use it.

It did not ask about:

Unstable ground (slippery mud, loose gravel, snow, ice), uneven ground (embankment, gully, hillside, steps), using one hand to hold onto something to maintain balance on unstable/uneven ground, reverse footing, knocked onto one's @ss, physical struggle on feet, ground struggle, sitting at a table/booth, sitting in a vehicle

or:

When moving, using cover, & shooting from various shooting positions

It was a SIMPLE question !!

I still favor Modern Isosceles. It works better and is more versatile than any other ONE stance out there.


.

 

[CraigC]

It works better and is more versatile than any other ONE stance out there.

Really, I consider it to be more specialized. Like I said before, you can shoot anything in the Weaver while the isosceles is not compatible with heavy recoiling handguns, single shot specialty handguns or single actions. Doesn't sound very "versatile" to me. Even Jerry Miculek doesn't use it in his revolver shooting.

 

[mdauben]

What grip and stance do you use when shooting a handgun? And also, explain why you use it.

Weaver stance, because that's what I learned when I first started shooting and I find it both solid and natural. As far as grip... not sure if there is a formal name for it, but both thumbs forward on off-side (shot a auto once with off-side thumb crossed over. Got two nice "slide tracks" to remind me not to do that again). Off-side index finger under (not on) trigger guard.

 

[Manco]

I grip both revolvers and autos with my strong thumb pointed downward, my weak thumb on my strong thumb, and my weak index finger right on top of (in front, not above) my strong middle finger rather than on the trigger guard (coincidentally similar to Jerry Miculek's revolver grip). I suspect that my thumbs aren't long enough to take full advantage of the popular both-thumbs-forward grip, but whatever the reason the grip that I use now feels slightly more stable with my hands.

As for stance, I use all of the well known ones depending on the circumstances--preferably Modern Isosceles if possible because it is the strongest and most stable, then transitioning to Chapman, Weaver, and retention in that order. That's if I'm still standing out in the open, anyway--I'll get real low, hide behind cover/concealment, and stick my arm around it to shoot if that happens to be the best tactic for survival. And I'm not above bugging out by crab-walking away from the area if that's what it takes. I have to wonder about those who will only use one stance, ever.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

It was a SIMPLE question !!

With a simple answer (multiple stances) and rationale (ability to quickly & efficiently adapt to spontaneous, uncontrolled situations) as a result of my own personal experiences with violent people.

 

[Smoovbiscuit]

I shoot my gun sideways, left handed on a pogo stick with an eye patch. Don't you?

 

[kilo729]

I shoot my gun sideways, left handed on a pogo stick with an eye patch. Don't you?

As a HIGH SPEED LOW DRAG operator, I approve of this technique.