Florida Shooters Network

Curious on your comments. When I practice at the range I shoot a modified weaver/self defense bladed type of stance (not isosceles). I'm more concerned with how I would react in a self defense type of situation. Do you alter your stance based upon target vs self defense or do you shoot the same stance regardless?

When I practice, I am always practicing an IDPA type scenario--move and shoot, or shoot and move--use cover. How do I stand? Don't have a clue. I stand as needed to make the shot.

There's many ways to deal with the target(s), depending on the situation.
Weaver, Isosceles, one handed extended or from the hip with either hand, gun chest level and pulled in close, prone, kneeling, the list goes on and on.
One never knows which one will be needed.
I try to practice them all, changing from one to another while engaging target(s).
Sometimes as drills or sometimes, like Dr.Dickie says, mostly without making a conscious decision as to which one is best for the situation.

I draw from the holster shoot one round, twirl my pistol a couple time and put it back





and thats with a Glock too

So, you're a proponent of the whirly, twirly method?

IDPA sounds very practical and something I would like to get involved with eventually. Twirly method? I think I saw that on the cartoon network a few times. Maybe I'll practice it on a 22 first so it doesn't hurt so much if I screw up.

Rentprop1 wrote:I draw from the holster shoot one round, twirl my pistol a couple time and put it back





and thats with a Glock too

Watch a lot of westerns as a kid???

no I'm just that damned good

g.willikers wrote:There's many ways to deal with the target(s), depending on the situation.
Weaver, Isosceles, one handed extended or from the hip with either hand, gun chest level and pulled in close, prone, kneeling, the list goes on and on.
One never knows which one will be needed.
I try to practice them all, changing from one to another while engaging target(s).
Sometimes as drills or sometimes, like Dr.Dickie says, mostly without making a conscious decision as to which one is best for the situation.

What he said. Learn to point shoot while moving.........one hand, both hands, weak hand. If you have time to take a "stance" in a fight, you are VERY fortunate indeed!

I definitely agree with learning to shoot from all types of positions/stances. I was just curious as to the newer shooters that may just attend the range couple times a month learning there guns punching holes in paper. From what I have noticed on the range more tend to square off isosceles style vs bladed/fighting stance style. Should o dark thirty happen would they revert to what is familiar and square off flush to their attacker possibly providing more of a target and limiting movement? Hard to say how one would react under stress. Usually back to what is familiar or how you trained. I guess that is where I was going on my original question.

The isosceles allows for faster movement than the weaver type stances.
That's why the competition run-n'-gun folks use it.
It also allows for a better support hand, grip angle and control on the gun.
And it's more natural and easier to learn.
All the above are why you're seeing the isosceles used at the range.
It's also gotten popular with the military and law enforcement due to the increased use of body armor.
The bladed stance can leave the side of the body, under the arm pits, exposed.

g.willikers wrote:There's many ways to deal with the target(s), depending on the situation.
Weaver, Isosceles, one handed extended or from the hip with either hand, gun chest level and pulled in close, prone, kneeling, the list goes on and on.
One never knows which one will be needed.
I try to practice them all, changing from one to another while engaging target(s).
Sometimes as drills or sometimes, like Dr.Dickie says, mostly without making a conscious decision as to which one is best for the situation.

Bingo. In real close, do you really want to be pushing your hand/gun out toward your opponent? With 40 years of martial arts training/experience I can tell you that if you did that with me *IF* the gun went off it would be more likely to be pointed at you than me... so that's probably not the way to go. You could always hope that the person who your dealing with don't know nuthin... but I wouldn't go that way!

So as g.willikers points out, different ranges/situations are going to call for different stances. What I teach (informally- I don't claim to be an instructor, but I've been shooting for 35 years including competitive years ago), and use myself, for very short range is a tight isosceles stance with the elbows locked against your sides and the gun in front of your chest, turn your shoulders to point and squeeze rounds off from there. Try it and you might be surprised how easily your getting good solid hits out to 10-12 ft. That covers the majority of justifiable shoots.

Most of my shooting is Weaver/Hunter, the typical bladed combat stance. I work both strong and weak hand shooting regularly. Particularly around cover/obstacles, weak hand shooting is a necessity and it's doggone near the ONLY thing I can do left handed. (can't even brush my teeth left handed, but I can shoot!) Don't be afraid to experiment and think outside the box for what works best for YOU is my point.

John

I may give the isosceles another try. I think the reason I feel more comfortable with a fighting type stance is my martial arts/boxing background. Thanks for the responses.

Best advice I ever heard was feet like a boxer , arms up like a fighter and bring your hands together like your holding or presenting a hot cup of coffee or sometbinng , gun grip is then entirely up to the individual

Rentprop1 wrote:Best advice I ever heard was feet like a boxer , arms up like a fighter and bring your hands together like your holding or presenting a hot cup of coffee or sometbinng , gun grip is then entirely up to the individual

Don't forget the "twirl" before re holstering. Yep - I do feel more comfortable with the stance you described.

One thing I've learned over the years about gunfights. Practice all the stances ya want when you are practicing. But when the SHTF your stance and form will go straight to h*ll in a handbasket. Learn to move and shoot and control the X. Time and distance is your friend.

Practice makes perfect.
From the horse's mouth:
The late Jim Cirillo, of the NYC stake out squad, said that the main reason that he survived so many shoot outs was due to all the competition matches that he had attended.
When the lead started to fly, he subconsciously reverted to exactly what he had done, literally thousands of times before.
Sight picture, engage target, move to the next one and repeat, as fast as he knew how.
He survived and his opponents didn't.
He said that If things go to hell during the real thing, it's due to just not practicing and being good enough.

Stances are for practice, fights are fluid

zen4 wrote:Stances are for practice, fights are fluid

unless you are so bad ass you can just stand there lets the bullets whiz by as you shoot back

Last spring or summer, there was an interview on the Gunalk podcast, with the MP who stopped a shooter at a base hospital.
The shooter, using a rifle, had shot a bunch of folks before the MP got there.
As the MP was approaching the building, the shooter saw him and started shooting at him, from quite a distance away.
The MP, armed with his service 9mm pistol, just started shooting back.
The rifleman missed, the MP didn't.
He said he just forgot about the bullets flying, took aim and fired quickly, hitting the shooter and ending the attack.
Nothing fancy, just the basics, that were well practiced.
And some strong nerves.