pistol Stance

[bandmancwc]

Hi, a newbie here. When target shooting a BP pistol, is the stance shoulder facing the target or face forward to the target? Or does it not matter? Thanks.....bandman

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Hi, a newbie here. When target shooting a BP pistol, is the stance shoulder facing the target or face forward to the target? Or does it not matter? Thanks.....bandman

This is a great question :thumbsup: ! Nobody ever asks it, and a good score starts with the proper stance!

First, welcome to the Forum!

Now for the answers: A comfortable position with your feet spread apart is the correct stance, whether or not you're shooting duelist-style (strong-hand only) or a modified "Weaver" with both hands. Some Leagues or competitions allow only strong-hand shooting cause they're PC/HC, while others allow you to face your target and shoot "Freestyle" or "Modified Weaver" with both hands. Either way is a correct stance, and as long as everybody does the same thing, the competition is fair.

To shoot duelist, if right-handed, your right shoulder faces the target and your left foot is 2-3 feet behind the leading right foot. Two-handed shooting is easier with heavy Dragoons that are loaded-up with powder (45-50 grains), and most folks are used to shooting their centerfire hand guns this way.

Bottom line is that no matter which position you choose, you have to be comfortable to get consistent with sight acquisition & sight alignment, which translates to where the balls strike the paper. Practice with an unloaded sidearm builds muscle memory and therefore aids in tightening your groups.

A good target shooter learns quickly just where the feet go to be comfortable, so he/she can concentrate on good, safe, gun handling and trigger control. In essence, a good stance starts with superior feet position!

Hope that about covers it. Again a hearty welcome!

Dave
NRA Expert in ML Pistol

 

[bandmancwc]

Dave,

Thanks for the explanation. That is exactly what I was looking for. My son and I are just starting out and I wanted for him to learn the correct way if there was only one in case he would ever want to enter a competition.....Thanks again.......bandman

 

[zimmerstutzen]

This is what Col "Hum" taught us. Whether right or wrong, I don't know. He was the pistol coach for my competition team. He maintained that we should stand with our feet just slightly wider than our shoulders, our shoulders and extended arm should be in line with the target. our feet should be approximately perpendicular to the line made by our shoulders and arm. (toes slightly wider than the heels is ok.) And if we were to draw a line across the toe tips, it should also point straight to the target.

Some folks shoot with the fingers of the non-dominant hand tucked in the rear pocket. This tends to pull that shoulder back slightly.

Another key is to be relaxed in that position.

Many beginners hold the gun very tight and that can affect the trigger finger squeeze. While the gun needs to be held firmly, it is the fine control of the trigger finger that gives the squeeze needed to maintain accuracy.

I can't say that this is the best stance, but it works. "Hum" was an old Brit officer and could take anybody with no firearms experience and turn them into good pistol competitors.

 

[brpc]

bandmancwc:

Good advice from all above. If you have settled on a traditional type stance, here is a good source of information:
http://www.bullseyepistol.com/amucover.htm

 

[TNHillbilly]

Seems to me 'target shooting' determines which stance one chooses. Recently, I watched some folks compete in a club 'Cowboy action' competition. It consisted of shooting 2 pistols, a rifle, and a shotgun, against close in steel targets. Watching a chest forward, 2 handed stance with SA pistols seemed odd. I thought about some of the more recently made westerns wherein most revolvers were carried in cross draw fashion. It would seem to me the natural position would be a sideways stance presenting the least target to an opponent. The 'Old Army' taught me to fire the .45 more or less sideways with left hand tucked back....don't know what they're teaching now. Interesting discussion..

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Good follow-up :thumbsup: posting. That Col Hum sounds like quite a good coach :bow: !

I've shot Bulls-eye before, but until your post I never put the two together as you've done. Thanks for watching my "6"! Also, sometimes the weak hand is tucked into the front pocket. How much to push the weak shoulder (by where you place the weak hand) depends upon how old/limber you are.

Some Bulls-eye shooters even chalk the floor of the indoor range around their shoes, so they get into the same position after changing targets in a multi-target match.

Dave

 

I have taken much berating over the years for my preference for the so called "duelist" stance. I, also, have a preference for long barrel handguns.

But, what I have found most important is being in synch.

Yes, the barrel is going to wobble in your hands, whatever the stance. But when you time your breath, with the travel of the barrel, properly aligning the front and rear sights and squeeze the trigger just as it all lines up, rear sight to front sight, front sight to target, you will be rewarded with a bullseye.

But, I also learned the lesson of instinctive shooting. Had an instructor, once, that did not like me, because of a friendship I had. So, in an attempt to sabotage my rating, he had me shoot the qualification totally instinctual at 25 feet. I did 280 out of a possible 300. I suspect the two so-called flyers were pass throughs.

Me, and the friend, that my insturctor didn't care for, were at an indoor range. Another shooter, passing by, looked at our targets and made comment. "You Boys couldn't hit the broad side of a barn." Ignoring the comment, my friend called out, "Nine Low." I fired, the number 9 on the bottom of the bullseye target, that we were using, disappeared. The passerby mumbled an apology and quickly moved on.

I was shooting about a thousand rounds a week. It was my way of relaxing, and, to me, more rewarding than any video game of today.

 

Seems to me 'target shooting' determines which stance one chooses. Recently, I watched some folks compete in a club 'Cowboy action' competition. It consisted of shooting 2 pistols, a rifle, and a shotgun, against close in steel targets. Watching a chest forward, 2 handed stance with SA pistols seemed odd. I thought about some of the more recently made westerns wherein most revolvers were carried in cross draw fashion. It would seem to me the natural position would be a sideways stance presenting the least target to an opponent. The 'Old Army' taught me to fire the .45 more or less sideways with left hand tucked back....don't know what they're teaching now. Interesting discussion..

Cross draws are for when a body is in a tight spot. Say you're in a crowded saloon, your adversary, or their associate, grabs your wrist to prevent you from drawing your gun. With a quick twist of your body, your gun is free. A discharge at this time may be enough to back off your opponent(s) to either apprehend them or send them to boot hill.

Side ways stance, cross draw, steady nerve, light source to your back, self created distractions, all factors in placing the odds in your favor. Giving yourself an edge in the outcome.

CP

 

[ZUG]

Your stance and style are dictated by the shooting "game" you are involved in. Go buy yourself some books on pistol shooting and use the info as a guide. Adjust this info to fit your body style and strenght. As you get better you will modify your style - no two people shoot the same way!
This IS the book for Bullseye shooting --PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING GUIDE
United States Army Marksmanship Unit. Buy it

 

[David Teague]

Your stance and style are dictated by the shooting "game" you are involved in. Go buy yourself some books on pistol shooting and use the info as a guide. Adjust this info to fit your body style and strenght. As you get better you will modify your style - no two people shoot the same way!
This IS the book for Bullseye shooting --PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING GUIDE
United States Army Marksmanship Unit. Buy it

Here it is... for free US Army Pistol Marksmanship guide pfd

Cheers,

David

 

[SAJones]

Back when I was shooting NRA 2700s, our coach recommended that after we were positioned, to close our eyes and "aim" at the target. When we opened our eyes and the pistol was off target, move our feet until the pistol was on. This will give you your "natural" stance. I took a photo of our 4 top shooters once, and all 4 had a different stance (body angle to target). Of course this was all one-handed.

He would also watch our shooting hand, and if white showed under the fingernails, he would tell us that we were holding the pistol too tightly. Too tight a grip tends to cause more wobble. And as someone said above, the trigger finger is the one you need to be concerned about.

Concentration is 99% of good shooting. I use a mantra I developed to help me concentrate: "front sight, area of aim, squeeze". By area of aim I mean that inevitable wobble at the end of the barrel; no one can be perfectly still, so squeeze the trigger when your sights are your area of aim. Eventually the area gets smaller. Until you get my age & the area becomes a lot larger; I think my area now is about one square yard.

The same procedures work for black powder,I was the top pistol shot in one of my clubs, seldom turning in less than 90 out of 100. Can't say that now, mostly due to cataracts and the reason below, which I don't do much anymore:

The best way to improve your scores is practice.

Good shooting!

 

[ZUG]

Very well said - and how true.
I shot good scores with iron sights when I had young eyes then I went to using glasses and then had to use a AimPoint sight, now -- I'd be lucky to hit a bull in the ass 20 feet away one handed!