[SGT-MILLER]

It is my hopes that this may help some of you in practicing some basic, and solid, fighting stances with your sidearm. A special thanks to my lovely wife for being the camera operator for this.

Keep in mind that safety comes first always! Ensure your firearm is completely unloaded before handling in this manner, and ensure you double-check before you start practice.

The first picture here is a basic standing engagement stance. Pay particular attention to how I am gripping my sidearm. This is known sometimes as the "push-pull" grip, and is very effective in recoil management and quick sight acquisition. The second picture is a close up of this grip.





The next set of two pictures is the close retention position. This is used mainly for keeping the pistol at a ready position while maintaining good retention, muzzle awareness, and positive control of the sidearm.

[SGT-MILLER]

Next up is a variation of the basic standing position. In this instance, I am engaging with one hand, while my weak hand is up in a defensive position.



This picture is demonstrating an extreme close quarters engagement stance. Notice how I am keeping the firearm tucked in close to my body and paying close attention to making sure there is no conflict between the angle of the pistol and my defending arm (weak side).



The next two pictures show an effective way to reload while maintain good line of sight with the threat. First picture is the beginning of the reload process, and the next is the "slamming home" of the fresh magazine. This is effective when no cover is available, and you need to reload and maintain target awareness.





I hope this thread will help some people in getting a good visual idea of what solid stances look like. These are just basic stances, and can be adapted to take advantage of various cover positions.

[Gojubrian]

Thanks for the tutorial!!

[mrm14]

As I am mostly a shotgun and rifle guy and I only own two revolver large bore, long barrel, "hand cannons" I found that the "modified weaver stance" works best for these type of pistols when speed and reacquisition of target are critical. Am I off base here? How would you reccomend that I use these type of pistols for defence? What stance should I use and practice for these very high recoil poistols?

[SGT-MILLER]

Can you describe the "modified" weaver a little more? It seems sometimes that term means different to different people.

You can use the same stance shown in this thread with any caliber weapon, including large-bore revolvers. The main difference with the revolvers is you want to keep your weak hand thumb pointing down instead of pointing forward (see my first two pictures in this thread to see what I mean by pointing forward). This will avoid that thumb being near the cylinder blast area. Revolvers are notorious for taking tips of thumbs off if it gets near the blast area right around cylinder gap / forcing cone.

I'm not quite as experienced with the revolvers (I don't shoot them as much), but I would recommend trying this stance along with your weaver. Your weaver will feel more comfortable right away because that is what you are used to, but over time this stance may start to feel better, and more natural. Plus, you can keep both eyes open alot easier which gives you better depth perception, and field of view.

This clip is from Clint Smith. It may help illustrate better a solid revolver stance for you. Keep in mind that there is no "cookie-cutter" stance that works for all situations.

YouTube - Defensive Revolver

[Cnynrat]

Nice overview.

In your extreme close quarters example it's important to keep the top of the pistol angled away from your body to minimize chances of clothing getting tangled up in the slide. I see you are doing this in the picture, but thought it might be worth pointing out for others.

[Jo da Plumbr]

Always helping the new guy.
Thank you Sarge.
and younger then I expected!

[SGT-MILLER]

Alot of people say that....lol.

I'm turning the ripe old age of 31 this July.

[TexasCHL]

Very good and graphical representation of handgun basics. I was also impressed, although you didn't comment on it, the fact that you kept the gun elevated inside your sight window while reloading. This not only increases reloading speed by keeping the gun within the line of sight of you and your target, but also helps you keep the muzzle of the gun pointed down range during reloads. Good job...