Freehand shooters question

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MikeVV

MikeVV

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Jan 10, 2019
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SoCal, United States
Just curious what "stance" others use while shooting pistols...freehand...as in no sticks, bipods, tripods, sand bags, air bags, tree trunks, etc..!

I was doing a little shooting last night with my #1, AP16. I hadn't shot this one in a while so...

I stood at my, "line" with both feet and shoulders on the same plane, or perpendicular to the bullet path (or "line" on the ground) as I've shot for years, including firearm shooting, years back. Then I thought of older methods / stance used in years past (no names please), with one foot in front of the other, with the shoulders angled to following suit.
I tried "both" ways of this stance. One with the gun shoulder in the front, and second, with the gun shoulder following or behind the leading shoulder.

I found, not that strange, that after putting a full magazine (7 shots) at each stance, I shot the best with my shoulders and feet parallel and inline.
Oddly enough, I shot the second best with my gun holding shoulder..."behind"...my free shoulder, which is completely wrong !
Then the worst with the old Weaver (ups, sorry) stance was the worst 7 shots.

Oh yeah, this is using "both" hands to steady the gun, not following the Olympics, one handed shooting. I haven't been able to hold a gun steady for this in some time, (72 yrs old!) .

I'm going to try the same test again later, but I was just wondering how others stood while freehand shooting.

Mike
 
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Hi Mike,

There's no such thing as a "freehand" stance, despite the term occasionally appearing in gun magazines (usually from inexperienced or lazy writers). There is an "offhand" stance, which is basically the traditional NRA target one-handed position.

It sounds like you tried several variants of two-handed stances, including the Weaver and the Isosceles. The Isosceles seems to be all the rage in pro shooting circles these days but it's never worked that well for me. I've been shooting Weaver for about 50 years and this has always worked well for me. In Weaver, your strong arm basically becomes the buttstock of a rifle. The support hand/arm establishes isometric tension with the shooting hand. The Weaver works best if your dominant eye is on the same side as your dominant hand. Do you happen to know which eye is dominant for you? If you're cross-dominant, that could affect what works best for you.
 
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I like both the Weaver and Isosceles.;most of the time Isosceles because I have duck feet and that stance helps with recoil..
The Weaver stance brings the pistol up on a better shooting plane and can prove to be more accurate.
Shooters use the Isosceles stance because it gives a faster "sight picture " when moving or shooting multi-targets.
Anyhow that is what I use....One-handed, sometimes when I just want to play around, like with a six-gun.
Oh ye,s the dominant eye is left,I shoot a pistol right-handed, another reason for the Isosceles for me,it centers the pistol for my dominant eye.
 
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Snake45 said:
Hi Mike,

There's no such thing as a "freehand" stance, despite the term occasionally appearing in gun magazines (usually from inexperienced or lazy writers). There is an "offhand" stance, which is basically the traditional NRA target one-handed position.

It sounds like you tried several variants of two-handed stances, including the Weaver and the Isosceles. The Isosceles seems to be all the rage in pro shooting circles these days but it's never worked that well for me. I've been shooting Weaver for about 50 years and this has always worked well for me. In Weaver, your strong arm basically becomes the buttstock of a rifle. The support hand/arm establishes isometric tension with the shooting hand. The Weaver works best if your dominant eye is on the same side as your dominant hand. Do you happen to know which eye is dominant for you? If you're cross-dominant, that could affect what works best for you.
Click to expand...
"Freehand", for me if that's ok ? For today anyway.
I've also called it offhand ! I see them as being pretty much the same. Kinda like there being SO...many terms for the muffler that hangs off the end of the barrel ! In using a dictionary, "muffler" fits quite well as a word to be used on a weapon barrel...but no one here likes it ! Better than LDC or moderator !

Yeah, right handed, but left eye dominant. Makes rifle shooting a pain sometimes. No..."quick" target acquisition with a scope . A "dot" type sight is easier for quick pickup, though, in airguns, there's no real need for..."quick" target acquisition.

In my...many (similar to you) years back...firearms, pistol shooting, I always shot squared up to the target. From .22 to .50 cal. I never felt comfortable at much of any sort of angle to the target. One group of friends that I shot with, we were always experimenting with different things. Experimenting...that's one of my hobbies ! Although, my body is always square to the target, I always seem to have my right foot slightly behind my left. One half to a full foots distance.

In doing some reading, seems that the Olympics, pellet and .22 pistol shooting, it's some variation of the Weaver, and single hand control. I went to the 84 Olympics Shooting in the Prado (SoCal) Dam area, two days. I had a hard time with the body angle. I tried some smaller caliber shooting using all forms of the Weaver (if you want to call it that). Never felt comfortable. I felt like I needed different length arms !

Thanks for the comments all.

Mike
 
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MikeVV said:
Just curious what "stance" others use while shooting pistols...freehand...as in no sticks, bipods, tripods, sand bags, air bags, tree trunks, etc..!

I was doing a little shooting last night with my #1, AP16. I hadn't shot this one in a while so...

I stood at my, "line" with both feet and shoulders on the same plane, or perpendicular to the bullet path (or "line" on the ground) as I've shot for years, including firearm shooting, years back. Then I thought of older methods / stance used in years past (no names please), with one foot in front of the other, with the shoulders angled to following suit.
I tried "both" ways of this stance. One with the gun shoulder in the front, and second, with the gun shoulder following or behind the leading shoulder.

I found, not that strange, that after putting a full magazine (7 shots) at each stance, I shot the best with my shoulders and feet parallel and inline.
Oddly enough, I shot the second best with my gun holding shoulder..."behind"...my free shoulder, which is completely wrong !
Then the worst with the old Weaver (ups, sorry) stance was the worst 7 shots.

Oh yeah, this is using "both" hands to steady the gun, not following the Olympics, one handed shooting. I haven't been able to hold a gun steady for this in some time, (72 yrs old!) .

I'm going to try the same test again later, but I was just wondering how others stood while freehand shooting.

Mike
Click to expand...
I try to practice various stances. Mainly because I'm not always able to get the same stance[ i.e. hunting vs sitting in the yard]
 
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I use different stances as well. A fused neck makes any position uncomfortable for long so I mix it up a lot.
One thing that I like to do off hand is use this hold with my little finger curled around the butt, it makes it a bit more stable for me.

7181183F-9AA3-49D0-AC62-7229EF173B66.jpeg
 
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delooper said:
Stance varies quite a bit depending on terrain. Whenever I can I try to find some additional point of contact to limit the amount parts of my body can wobble, be it my hips, knees or shoulders. But if I'm on essentially flat ground I usually have the leg on the side of my trigger finger a little behind the rest of my body.
Click to expand...
Yes sir, a true statement. The ground will sometimes certainly affect your foot location.
And yeah, As I mentioned, I agree with the last sentence, and try to hold my shoulders, mostly perpendicular to the gun barrel.

I've tried the finger under the grip...mostly from the gun having a...short grip length ! Not as stable as it could be for me. Like I mentioned, I experiment a lot. I even do stuff some of the "experts" don't like, if it fits me. But then again, I do like some of the "latest and greatest" things in the gun world. Like the way that some say to do the two hand hold for the most stability. But like I say...sometimes, not so much.
When the trigger guard allows, I like to use the front of the trigger guard for my weak hands index finger placement. Some say not to do this but...I like the support it provides, just don't "tug" on the guard with that finger.

Mike
 
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Thanks boscoebrea, I’ll send him a message today! I’m really liking the Crosman Silhouette pistol a lot, very nice trigger and one hole accuracy from the recliner!
Here’s five shots from about 18 feet from my recliner, leaned back with barrel over crossed knee.
When I tried to make ten go through the same hole I was very disappointed lol!
This is definitely going to be my fly and yellow jacket gun next summer.

D40A6A08-0CD1-4845-BE8A-31FC34620B6A.jpeg


B4933E32-A226-4D14-8969-273F33CF508F.jpeg
 
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Back to Mike's post , When shooting "offhand" I feel the grips can help, but there is something that may help me more, and that is very supportive boots.
The goal for me when target shooting "offhand" is to feel "planted" and that is regardless of whether pistol or rifle shooting;the boots help me.
 
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Sorry for talking so much about the grips and hijacking the thread, I hate that!
I never thought about the boots or shoes at all!
And of course it would make a difference, like shooting off of a card table or off of a solid bench.
I definitely plan on trying that, I’m most always in sneakers when shooting. Good idea.
 
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