Stance or foot placement plays a prominent role in most pistol shots. Although there may be some occasions, primarily connected with hunting, when the shooter lies prone or uses some type of support to enhance steadiness, we primarily think of handgun shooting in terms of standing shots. For a long time, an angled stance with the shooting hand extended was considered de rigueur, but the obvious advantages of two hands when it comes to steadiness, and the development of the Weaver Stance, changed that. Here we get a sampling of more traditional approaches on the subject, offered by two great gun writers, along with current thinking as reflected in the U.S. Army’s training procedures.
William Reichenbach had a special way of tendering advice, doing so in a pithy, humor-laced fashion that is virtually irresistible. In this short treatment of stance, taken from Sixguns and Bullseyes (1936), he explains the long-accepted way of doing things when shooting with one hand
Ah me, you will sigh, what do we want with “stance?” We don’t aim to shoot with our feet. Do you know that one of our foremost revolver-experts who read my exposition on stance in the first “Elusive Ten,” wrote me that he thought it important enough to apply it in practice? Well Sir, we deal with this thing called “stance” because it is imperative to our success, not because we want to fill valuable printing space.
Did you ever observe a man slightly under the weather giving a speech to the world at large? We are not concerned here with what he may have been blubbering, but didn’t you see that his body was swaying back and forth?—There we have it! His body swayed! Now, if the man had only had three legs, he would have presented a steadier picture, regardless of how much friend alcohol were urging him to sway in the breeze. We, of course, are more dignified. We don’t hold speeches—not at street corners. We are busy drinking in knowledge, not alcohol, knowledge about “Swaying.”
We can begin by making a little experiment. Alright! Stand in the middle of the room and close your eyes. After a short while you will have the feeling as if you were swaying—you are swaying! You are falling! You feel that, if nature had only provided you with another leg, things would be much steadier. Right? That’s the trouble with having only two legs. A horse can sleep on its feet. We humans can’t even stand steadily when fully awake. This is not a philippica against nature’s shortsightedness; it is an endeavor to impress upon you the fact of “body sway.” The best shooter, be he as steady with his arm as possible, will sway. His gunmuzzle is carried across the bullseye, in unison with the sway of his body. He has acknowledged that and he has taken steps to minimize the evil by assuming a correct stance.
Suppose, you were to acknowledge this fact now, instead of later? It would save a lot of time.
Alright then: The body sways in the direction of your chest. Just stand with your feet about 14” apart, the toes facing the target. Raise your hand and point with a finger at the bull. You will see that the finger moves mostly up and down.
Now point your toes both to the left and have your right shoulder face the target. Your finger will now travel across the bull from left to right and vice versa.
This kind of sway would interfere with your shooting, what?
Your shot-groups would be distorted. Swaying in the direction of the line of fire, your groups would tend to spread unduly in a vertical line, and horizontally, of course, if your torso were swaying across the line of fire.
Obviously since we cannot eliminate swaying altogether, we must try to minimize it. If we were to take a position somewhere between the two extremes just mentioned, it would be evident that our finger could not travel as much in one direction as before. You would find, in fact, that your finger—or, if you were holding a gun, the gun-muzzle—moves within a very restricted area, vertically and horizontally, but not enough to do much damage.
Following up our reasoning logically, we will now consciously apply the principle of correct stance:
1. Stand with feet close together, facing in a direction of about 45 degrees to the left of the line of fire.
2. Move left foot straight to the left, a distance of 10 to 14”, more or less, to find a comfortable position.
3. Now raise the heel of your right foot, turn on the ball of your foot to the left, until you reach a position of comfort.
As agreed before, even now the body will sway, namely in the direction which your chest is facing. But since—for right-handers—your target is over to the right your gunarm has to be swung in the direction of the target, also to the right, in a line between your chest and your shoulder. In other words, we introduce a sort of half twist in your torso and that is why the muzzle travel is so greatly shortened.
We can further reduce the disturbance by placing our body-weight correctly on both feet. We “toe-in,” until we can feel pressure on the outer margin of each foot. We also distribute the weight equally on both feet and on each foot evenly between the ball and the outer edge and the heel. In short: We were born with full soles and we should use as much of the sole surface as possible. This should be a boon to people with flat feet, what?
I hope, I don’t have to implore you not to dismiss the matter of stance as trivial. “Stance” is one of the seven fundamentals. Get into the spirit and practice “stancing.” See that you spread your legs so that you feel comfortable. The spread is individual—There is no hard and fast rule about the matter of inches. The stance must be comfortable and theoretically correct. You see, the thing you want to avoid is: having any tension in any part of your anatomy and that includes your shoulders, arms, body, legs and feet.
Your left hand which you find to be hanging rather helplessly should not be cause for giving it any thought. It is best if you just put it in your pocket and forget it while your pistol is up.
Jeff Cooper is one of the leading handgun authorities of the twentieth century, and in this selection he provides a clear, succinct overview of the various positions for handgun shooters, along with some helpful hints on how to make them most effective when it comes to marksmanship. The piece originally appeared in Jack O’Connor’s Complete Book of Shooting (1965).
The Weaver Stance—If only one method of shooting is to be learned, it should be the Weaver Stance, invented by Jack Weaver, of Lancaster, California. It is basically a two-handed standing position, but not the fully erect, straight-armed position of the target range. The big difference is that the Weaver Stance is fast, while the other is deliberate. Jack had to defeat his share of quick-draw artists to prove it, but prove it he did. Tests have now shown that a master can keep all his shots on the international target at 25 meters, starting with the weapon holstered and safe, and including reaction time, in one second per shot. At three full seconds, which is the regular time allotted to Olympic competitors starting with the pistol ready in the hand, he can keep all his shots in the nine ring. The Weaver Stance may be used with deliberation, but it is essentially a position for fast shooting.
To assume the Weaver Stance, face square to the target, with the left foot leading just a little. The right arm is nearly straight, the left arm bent a little more as the left shoulder leads, and the head is sometimes bent slightly into the line of sight depending on the shooter’s build. On shifting targets, the body is pivoted from the waist without disturbing the fixed relationship of arms and shoulders. This position is accurate, fast, and extremely versatile. It is the best position to use in about 80 percent of the situations in which a pistol is necessary.
After the Weaver Stance come two positions which call for about equal attention, the braced kneeling and the speed rock. They fulfill opposite needs, for kneeling provides 100-yard stability while the rock is a means of stopping a lethal adversary at arm’s length.
Braced Kneeling Position—To assume the kneeling position, first place your feet so that your heels arc in line with the target. This may be done as the pistol is drawn. Then drop so that your right knee touches the ground and sit upon your right heel. In this position your left shoulder is more advanced than in the Weaver Stance, so your left arm is more sharply bent as it supports your right hand. The bent elbow then rests easily upon the left knee, left elbow, and left hand all in the same vertical plane. The position is rock-solid and permits a rifle-like shot from an unready condition in about three seconds. Successive shots of course may be delivered with equal accuracy and greater speed. This position is of more use to the beginner than to the expert, for given equal time, the expert can shoot like a machine rest from the Weaver Stance. However, I recommend it highly for recruit training as it builds confidence in the beginner.
Speed Rock Position—This is the gunslinger’s position, so called because it is the fastest way to get off a shot and because most practitioners rock the body slightly backward by bending the knees in order to start the barrel up toward level even before the weapon clears leather. In the rock—as used by a man (not a blank-shooter) who must hit a target—the grip is naturally one-handed, but the wrist and forearm are solidly locked. The pistol is pointed at belt level and fired as it lines up. This is a technique that calls for much practice and one that, to my knowledge, is never officially taught. Its speed advantage is perhaps a half second over the Weaver Stance, and its accuracy potential is limited to large targets at 20 feet or less, but it has saved lives. For the policeman who makes a traffic stop and is greeted by unexpected gunfire at 10 feet it is a most comforting skill to acquire.
F.B.I. Crouch—Related to the rock, but less useful, are the F.B.I. crouch and the so-called “lock-on.” In these the pistol is drawn and pointed with some deliberation, but not from higher than diaphragm level. Good shooting may be done this way, but not as accurately as from the Weaver Stance and not much, if at all, faster. It is sometimes used in competition to split a difference against a specific antagonist whose abilities are known. It is also the only way that so-called hip shooting can be done with an improperly designed holster, as the speed rock works only from a speed holster. However, in practically all cases, if you aren’t wearing a speed holster you had best settle for the Weaver Stance.
Prone Position—There are many other shooting positions for the pistol which are interesting to experiment with, even though they may not be of much real use. For sighting-in or for an occasional ridge-top shot while hunting, the prone position is convenient. I have also used it in freestyle competition when the time allowance was ample. Prone is taken simply by lying full length on the ground and extending the basic two-hand grip straight forward. The pistol is supported firmly by the joined fingers of the left hand, with the little finger resting on the ground.
Care should be taken that no part of the weapon touches anything but the hands, and that the muscles of the right hand keep the same tension as when standing, otherwise the point of impact may be changed.
When using a bench rest the technique is the same as in prone except for that part of the body below the shoulders.
Sitting Position—The sitting position is not as useful to the pistolero as it is to the rifleman, since the accuracy differential between sitting and kneeling is pronounced with a rifle and negligible with a pistol, and the kneeling position is quickly and easily assumed while the sitting position is awkward to get into. Nevertheless, the sitting position is taught by the F.B.I, and has some usefulness in the field, especially when shooting from a forward slope across a canyon. To take it, sit down facing the target and assume the basic two-hand grip, with both arms straight. The torso is forced well forward so that, on level ground, the elbows are forward of the knees, which support the upper arms lying between them. This position is easily varied to suit different angles of elevation, from about 30 degrees downward to 45 degrees upward, which gives it its main usefulness. For firing horizontally from level ground it is not very practical; not as accurate as prone and hardly faster, and not as fast as kneeling and hardly more accurate.
If a backrest is available, such as the trunk of a tree, the braced sitting position may be taken, which is fully as accurate as prone or a bench rest. In this one the torso leans well back, somewhat as in a modern racing car, and the pistol hands are pressed between the knees, the feet being placed somewhat outboard for extra stability. From this you can shoot as well as the pistol can, but obviously conditions must be just right. It should be pointed out that a revolver fired from this position may scorch the trousers severely, as its flash gap is not clear of the shooter’s legs.
Offhand Position—Offhand is the official target-shooter’s position. Highly trained specialists can shoot brilliantly from it, but it is likely to discourage the ordinary man, since it is the least accurate sighted method of shooting a pistol. A conventional offhand position is taken by facing 30 to 45 degrees to the left of the direction of fire (depending upon the individual build), with the feet about a half pace apart, and extending the unsupported arm straight at the target. This traditional stance serves no useful purpose that I can see—though I used it unquestioningly for twenty years—and should be confined to traditional target shots and people with one arm.
A variation of offhand—the one-hand point—does have value in rough and tumble situations where one hand is necessary to hold on. Short-range unsighted fire is delivered in this manner when riding a horse, riding postilion on a motorcycle, or hanging onto a bouncing jeep or a speedboat. The left hand holds the controls or a support, the body is placed as necessary, and the right arm is extended not quite fully, since a completely extended arm lacks directional strength. The pistol is held about chin high, and the eyes focus on the target. The weapon appears as a vertical black bar just under the target, and the sights are not used. This is a wild way to use a pistol, but it works. Ray Chapman recently shot an X-possible on combat targets from the rear seat of a speeding motorcycle over rough ground using this method.
Barricade Position—Another position taught by the F.B.I. is the barricade position. To take it, shooter stands erect behind the barricade and places his inside hand flat on the edge a bit above shoulder height, allowing the web and thumb to extend outward. The pistol is held in the outside hand, which is placed in the web of the hand on the barricade. All of the body except the hands and half of the head remain behind cover. F.B.I. technique calls for the use of the right hand when shooting around the right side of things, and the left hand around the left.
However, with a little adjustment, the master hand can be used in either case with only a minute increase in exposure, and I suggest this for shooters who have extreme difficulty with the weak hand, rules or no rules.
From a contemporary perspective, one would assume that the U.S. Army would offer recruits what it considers the optimum in field training. This piece comes from a manual entitled Combat Training with Pistols, M9 and M11 (2003). Although the text is somewhat dry, the information is eminently practical. Of course, it should be noted that the manual was written specifically with combat situations in mind, and proven combat shooting techniques may not always produce the most effective marksmanship in other circumstances.
The main use of the pistol is to engage an enemy at close range with quick, accurate fire. Accurate shooting results from knowing and correctly applying the elements of marksmanship. The elements of combat pistol marksmanship are:
• Grip.
• Aiming.
• Breath control.
• Target engagement.
• Positions.
A proper grip is one of the most important fundamentals of quick fire. The weapon must become an extension of the hand and arm; it should replace the finger in pointing at an object. The firer must apply a firm, uniform grip to the weapon.
One-Hand Grip—Hold the weapon in the nonfiring hand; form a V with the thumb and forefinger of the strong hand (firing hand). Place the weapon in the V with the front and rear sights in line with the firing arm. Wrap the lower three fingers around the pistol grip, putting equal pressure with all three fingers to the rear. Allow the thumb of the firing hand to rest alongside the weapon without pressure. Grip the weapon tightly until the hand begins to tremble; relax until the trembling stops. At this point, the necessary pressure for a proper grip has been applied. Place the trigger finger on the trigger between the tip and second joint so that it can be squeezed to the rear. The trigger finger must work independently of the remaining fingers. (Note: If any of the three fingers on the grip are relaxed, the grip must be reapplied.)
Two-Hand Grip—The two-hand grip allows the firer to steady the firing hand and provide maximum support during firing. The nonfiring hand becomes a support mechanism for the firing hand by wrapping the fingers of the nonfiring hand around the firing hand. Two-hand grips are recommended for all pistol firing.
Fist Grip—Grip the weapon as with the one-hand grip. Firmly close the fingers of the nonfiring hand over the fingers of the firing hand, ensuring that the index finger from the nonfiring hand is between the middle finger of the firing hand and the trigger guard. Place the nonfiring thumb alongside the firing thumb.
Palm-Supported Grip—This grip is commonly called the cup and saucer grip. Grip the firing hand as with the one-hand grip. Place the nonfiring hand under the firing hand, wrapping the nonfiring fingers around the back of the firing hand. Place the nonfiring thumb over the middle finger of the firing hand.
Weaver Grip—Apply this grip the same as the fist grip. The only exception is that the nonfiring thumb is wrapped over the firing thumb.
Isometric Tension—The firer raises his arms to a firing position and applies isometric tension. This is commonly known as the push-pull method for maintaining weapon stability. Isometric tension is when the firer applies forward pressure with the firing hand and pulls rearward with the nonfiring hand with equal pressure. This creates an isometric force but never so much to cause the firer to tremble. This steadies the weapon and reduces barrel rise from recoil. The supporting arm is bent with the elbow pulled downward. The firing arm is fully extended with the elbow and wrist locked. The firer must experiment to find the right amount of isometric tension to apply. (Note: The firing hand should exert the same pressure as the nonfiring hand. If it does not, a missed target could result.)
Natural Point of Aim—The firer should check his grip for use of his natural point of aim. He grips the weapon and sights properly on a distant target. While maintaining his grip and stance, he closes his eyes for three to five seconds. He then opens his eyes and checks for proper sight picture. If the point of aim is disturbed, the firer adjusts his stance to compensate. If the sight alignment is disturbed, the firer adjusts his grip to compensate by removing the weapon from his hand and reapplying the grip. The firer repeats this process until the sight alignment and sight placement remain almost the same when he opens his eyes. With sufficient practice, this enables the firer to determine and use his natural point of aim, which is the most relaxed position for holding and firing the weapon.
Aiming is sight alignment and sight placement.
Sight alignment is the centering of the front blade in the rear sight notch. The top of the front sight is level with the top of the rear sight and is in correct alignment with the eye. For correct sight alignment, the firer must center the front sight in the rear sight. He raises or lowers the top of the front sight so it is level with the top of the rear sight. Sight alignment is essential for accuracy because of the short sight radius of the pistol. For example, if a 
-inch error is made in aligning the front sight in the rear sight, the firer’s bullet will miss the point of aim by about 15 inches at a range of 25 meters. The -inch error in sight alignment magnifies as the range increases—at 25 meters, it is magnified 150 times.
Sight placement is the positioning of the weapon’s sights in relation to the target as seen by the firer when he aims the weapon. A correct sight picture consists of correct sight alignment with the front sight placed center mass of the target. The eye can focus on only one object at a time at different distances. Therefore, the last focus of the eye is always on the front sight. When the front sight is seen clearly, the rear sight and target will appear hazy. The firer can maintain correct sight alignment only through focusing on the front sight. His bullet will hit the target even if the sight picture is partly off center but still remains on the target. Therefore, sight alignment is more important than sight placement. Since it is impossible to hold the weapon completely still, the firer must apply trigger squeeze and maintain correct sight alignment while the weapon is moving in and around the center of the target. This natural movement of the weapon is referred to as wobble area. The firer must strive to control the limits of the wobble area through proper grip, breath control, trigger squeeze, and positioning.
Focusing on the front sight while applying proper trigger squeeze will help the firer resist the urge to jerk the trigger and anticipate the moment the weapon will fire. Mastery of trigger squeeze and sight alignment requires practice. Trainers should use concurrent training stations or have fire ranges to enhance proficiency of marksmanship skills.
To attain accuracy, the firer must learn to hold his breath properly at any time during the breathing cycle. This must be done while aiming and squeezing the trigger. While the procedure is simple, it requires explanation, demonstration, and supervised practice. To hold his breath properly, the firer takes a breath, lets it out, then inhales normally, lets a little out until comfortable, holds, and then fires. It is difficult to maintain a steady position keeping the front sight at a precise aiming point while breathing. Therefore, the firer should be taught to inhale, then exhale normally, and hold his breath at the moment of the natural respiratory pause. (Breath control, firing at a single target.) The shot must then be fired before he feels any discomfort from not breathing. When multiple targets are presented, the firer must learn to hold his breath at any part of the breathing cycle. Breath control must be practiced during dry-fire exercises until it becomes a natural part of the firing process.
Improper trigger squeeze causes more misses than any other step of preparatory marksmanship. Poor shooting is caused by the aim being disturbed before the bullet leaves the barrel of the weapon. This is usually the result of the firer jerking the trigger or flinching. A slight off-center pressure of the trigger finger on the trigger can cause the weapon to move and disturb the firer’s sight alignment. Flinching is an automatic human reflex caused by anticipating the recoil of the weapon. Jerking is an effort to fire the weapon at the precise time the sights align with the target.
Trigger squeeze is the independent movement of the trigger finger in applying increasing pressure on the trigger straight to the rear, without disturbing the sight alignment until the weapon fires. The trigger slack, or free play, is taken up first, and the squeeze is continued steadily until the hammer falls. If the trigger is squeezed properly, the firer will not know exactly when the hammer will fall; thus, he will not tend to flinch or heel, resulting in a bad shot. Novice firers must be trained to overcome the urge to anticipate recoil. Proper application of the fundamentals will lower this tendency.
To apply correct trigger squeeze, the trigger finger should contact the trigger between the tip of the finger and the second joint (without touching the weapon anywhere else). Where contact is made depends on the length of the firer’s trigger finger. If pressure from the trigger finger is applied to the right side of the trigger or weapon, the strike of the bullet will be to the left. This is due to the normal hinge action of the fingers. When the fingers on the right hand are closed, as in gripping, they hinge or pivot to the left, thereby applying pressure to the left (with left-handed firers, this action is to the right). The firer must not apply pressure left or right but should increase finger pressure straight to the rear. Only the trigger finger should perform this action. Dry-fire training improves a firer’s ability to move the trigger finger training straight to the rear without cramping or increasing pressure on the hand grip.
Follow-through is the continued effort of the firer to maintain sight alignment before, during, and after the round has fired. The firer must continue the rearward movement of the finger even after the round has been fired. Releasing the trigger too soon after the round has been fired results in an uncontrolled shot, causing a missed target.
The firer who is a good shot holds the sights of the weapon as nearly on the target center as possible and continues to squeeze the trigger with increasing pressure until the weapon fires.
The soldier who is a bad shot tries to “catch his target” as his sight alignment moves past the target and fires the weapon at that instant. This is called ambushing, which causes trigger jerk.
To engage a single target, the firer applies the method discussed in paragraph 2-4. When engaging multiple targets in combat, he engages the closest and most dangerous multiple target first and fires at it with two rounds. This is called controlled pairs. The firer then traverses and acquires the next target, aligns the sights in the center of mass, focuses on the front sight, applies trigger squeeze, and fires. He ensures his firing arm elbow and wrist are locked during all engagements. If he has missed the first target and has fired upon the second target, he shifts back to the first and engages it. Some problems in target engagement are as follows:
Recoil Anticipation—When a soldier first learns to shoot, he may begin to anticipate recoil. This reaction may cause him to tighten his muscles during or just before the hammer falls. He may fight the recoil by pushing the weapon downward in anticipating or reacting to its firing. In either case, the rounds will not hit the point of aim.
Trigger Jerk—Trigger jerk occurs when the soldier sees that he has acquired a good sight picture at center mass and “snaps” off a round before the good sight picture is lost. This may become a problem, especially when the soldier is learning to use a flash sight picture.
Heeling—Heeling is caused by a firer tightening the large muscle in the heel of the hand to keep from jerking the trigger. A firer who has had problems with jerking the trigger tries to correct the fault by tightening the bottom of the hand, which results in a heeled shot. Heeling causes the strike of the bullet to hit high on the firing hand side of the target. The firer can correct shooting errors by knowing and applying correct trigger squeeze.
The qualification course is fired from a standing, kneeling, or crouch position. During qualification and combat firing, soldiers must practice all of the firing positions described below so they become natural movements. Though these positions seem natural, practice sessions must be conducted to ensure the habitual attainment of correct firing positions. Practice in assuming correct firing positions ensures that soldiers can quickly assume these positions without a conscious effort. Pistol marksmanship requires a soldier to rapidly apply all the fundamentals at dangerously close targets while under stress. Assuming a proper position to allow for a steady aim is critical to survival.
Pistol-Ready Position—In the pistol-ready position, hold the weapon in the one-hand grip. Hold the upper arm close to the body and the forearm at about a 45-degree angle. Point the weapon toward target center as you move forward.
Standing Position without Support—Face the target. Place feet a comfortable distance apart, about shoulder width. Extend the firing arm and attain a two-hand grip. The wrist and elbow of the firing arm are locked and pointed toward target center. Keep the body straight with the shoulders slightly forward of the buttocks.
Kneeling Position—In the kneeling position, ground only your firing-side knee as the main support. Vertically place your firing-side foot, used as the main support, under your buttocks. Rest your body weight on the heel and toes. Rest your nonfiring arm just above the elbow on the knee not used as the main body support. Use the two-handed grip for firing. Extend the firing arm, and lock the firing-arm elbow and wrist to ensure solid arm control.
Crouch Position—Use the crouch position when surprise targets are engaged at close range. Place the body in a forward crouch (boxer’s stance) with the knees bent slightly and trunk bent forward from the hips to give faster recovery from recoil. Place the feet naturally in a position that allows another step toward the target. Extend the weapon straight toward the target, and lock the wrist and elbow of the firing arm. It is important to consistently train with this position, since the body will automatically crouch under conditions of stress such as combat. It is also a faster position from which to change direction of fire.
Prone Position—Lie flat on the ground, facing the target. Extend your arms in front with the firing arm locked. (Your arms may have to be slightly unlocked for firing at high targets.) Rest the butt of the weapon on the ground for single, well-aimed shots. Wrap the fingers of the nonfiring hand around the fingers of the firing hand. Face forward. Keep your head down between your arms and behind the weapon as much as possible.
Standing Position with Support—Use available cover for support—for example, a tree or wall to stand behind. Stand behind a barricade with the firing side on line with the edge of the barricade. Place the knuckles of the nonfiring fist at eye level against the edge of the barricade. Lock the elbow and wrist of the firing arm. Move the foot on the nonfiring side forward until the toe of the boot touches the bottom of the barricade.
Kneeling Supported Position—Use available cover for support—for example, use a low wall, rocks, or vehicle. Place your firing-side knee on the ground. Bend the other knee and place the foot (nonfiring side) flat on the ground, pointing toward the target. Extend arms alongside and brace them against available cover. Lock the wrist and elbow of your firing arm. Place the nonfiring hand around the fist to support the firing arm. Rest the nonfiring arm just above the elbow on the nonfiring-side knee.