Choosing a Handgun Shooting Stance

posted on May 18, 2011
201156105039-untitled-1220_f.jpg

There are multiple factors involved in shooting a handgun well—grip, aiming, breath control, hold control, trigger control and follow through—as well as keeping both feet firmly on the ground. A good shooting stance provides a strong, stable platform, which is crucial for accuracy.

In today’s handgun world, there are two main upright shooting stances—the Isosceles and the Weaver—from which other stances have evolved. While the Weaver is probably better known, the Isosceles is more commonly taught to beginners.

Both the Isosceles and Weaver stances have proponents, and both have certain benefits depending on the shooting situation. The Isosceles stance is a naturally defensive stance that provides excellent coverage in most directions by simply rotating the upper body like the turret on a tank.

The Weaver is often used by police, military and self-defense advocates because it allows accuracy while presenting a smaller profile. This stance is also very popular with actors and directors on both the small and silver screens because it appears professional. Countless movies and TV shows have popularized versions of both stances to the point that many shooters don’t know how the Weaver differentiates from the Modified Weaver, or even that there is a stance called the Modified Isosceles.

The Isosceles

  • • Stand facing the target with your feet shoulder width apart.
  • • Bend your knees slightly.
  • • Extend the handgun fully toward the target keeping your arms straight and locked.
  • • With your shoulders squared, your arms form the perfect isosceles triangle from which the stance receives its name.

The Isosceles is the first two-handed stance taught in most firearms training classes, including NRA First Steps and Basic Pistol classes. It’s taught because the Isosceles is a strong, simple stance that is easy to remember under stress.

The Weaver

  • • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with your strong-side leg slightly back in what is often called a boxer’s stance.
  • • Angle your support arm’s shoulder toward the target.
  • • Bend your knees while keeping your body weight slightly forward.
  • • Grasp the gun using opposite pressure with both hands.
  • • Keep both elbows bent with the support elbow pointing downward.

The Weaver stance was developed by Jack Weaver while he competed in “Leatherslap” tournaments in Big Bear, Calif., during the late ‘50s. Simply put, Weaver was the first to use a two-handed grip with opposite tension from both hands. Weaver’s push/pull grip stance provided speed, stabilty and accuracy, and he started dominating the popular shooting events. Col. Jeff Cooper quickly realized the benefits of this stance and adapted it for self-defense shooting.

Modifications
The Modified Weaver is the Weaver stance with the shooting arm fully extended to take advantage of the body’s skeletal system for accuracy. With the shooting arm locked forward, sight movement is minimized because the weight of the gun is held by both bone and muscle. Everything else stays the same including the reverse isometric pressure of the hands on the gun.

In the Modified Isosceles, the shooter simply leans forward on the balls of his or her feet for better balance and to help absorb recoil. This makes the stance more instinctive and easier to remember. For example, imagine your response if someone suddenly charged toward you. More than likely you would lower your center of gravity by bending your knees and lean toward your aggressor. This stance is based on the natural response to being attacked.

However, the latest stance to enter the handgun world could be called the Tactical or possibly the Fighting stance. This stance combines parts of both the Weaver and Isosceles stances and is taught at many self-defense academies such as Gunsite. It could be called the Tactical because many tactical and special forces units have gone to this modified stance, or a similar version, for its speed and accuracy and because it keeps the body-armored chest facing forward rather than exposing the uncovered armpit to a potential threat.

  • • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Your strong-side leg can be slightly behind the weak-side leg
  • • Keep your shoulders squared with the target.
  • • Grasp the handgun using opposite pressure with both hands.
  • • Lock the shooting arm forward while keeping the support arm bent with the elbow close to the body and pointing down.

Choosing a Stance
The choice of a shooting stance usually comes from trial and error, and comfort. Some shooters choose one universally, while other shooters believe that each stance has a use depending on the situation.

Personally, I am of the second set when it comes to shooting stances. I believe that every stance has its place in the shooting world, so I train in each and every stance in preparation of having to fire in whichever position would best suit the situation.

The simple fact is that there is no best stance, only the best stance for a particular situation.

Latest

U.S. Civil War-era, "Kentucky"-marked Triplett & Scott breechloading carbine.
U.S. Civil War-era, "Kentucky"-marked Triplett & Scott breechloading carbine.

Triplett & Scott Arms Of Kentucky

Triplett & Scott Arms created a unique breechloading carbine near the end of the Civil War, and before the war's end, 5,000 guns were produced to protect Union Army supply lines in Kentucky.

10 Companies Join SAAMI—Why It’s Good News For Enthusiasts

There’s good reason why more firearm and ammunition manufacturers joining SAAMI, an organization founded in 1926 at the request of the federal government, is good news for gun owners.

Designing & Loading Winchester's .21 Sharp Cartridge

Winchester's new .21 Sharp cartridge is designed to solve some of the longstanding problems with .22 Long Rifle and give consumers more options. Here's how the company designed it.

Benelli Adds "Advanced Impact" Technology To Popular Shotgun Models

Benelli's new "Advanced Impact" technology results in a new shotgun bore configuration, and the company promises that this offers greater pellet penetration on target.

Dick Metcalf Gun Collection Up For Auction

Longtime firearm industry author Dick Metcalf passed away in October 2023, and now, select examples from his extensive collection of firearms, curated by Sportsman's Legacy, are up for auction through GunBroker.com.

Review: Springfield Model 2020 Redline

In situations where hunters have to hike up and down ridges, every ounce counts, and for these mobile hunters, Springfield Armory has introduced the Model 2020 Redline.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.