The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Tactics and Training

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 17, 2014, 11:08 AM   #1
Kimio
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 2, 2011
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,171
Odd stances and new shooters

We were all newbies at one point, and I see plenty at the range. One thing always has perplexed me though. This is common among new shooters, especially females ones (at least for what I've seen) but why do some new shoots lean back away from the firearm. It's almost like they're scared of it or something, the exaggerated stance makes it appear that if they shot anything larger than a .223 it would land them flat on their rear end. Even when I started shooting I never did this odd exaggerated lean back stance (to be fair, I was really into guns so I had a vague idea of what to do)

Is it a mental thing where hey think they must lean back to counter the recoil? A few times I've seen it corrected, but on several occassions, I've noticed that the NRA instructors at my range just let's it pass, despite seeing the shooters groupings all over the darn paper.
Kimio is offline  
Old July 17, 2014, 11:58 AM   #2
Marty8613
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2014
Location: Grapevine TX
Posts: 378
Oh I gave up trying to correct that with my daughter and her boyfriend. Drove me nuts seeing it.

The point taking them was to see the big ragged hole from my .45 at 15yards.

That will make him think.


Honestly I think it is fear if recoil.
Marty8613 is offline  
Old July 17, 2014, 01:12 PM   #3
armoredman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,295
I have always aggressively corrected this with shooters I am coaching, because with the center of balance so far back, they have no stability whatsoever. It IS from being apprehensive about the firearm, especially brand new shooters, doubly so if they are adults. I've managed to get a few to stop doing that and they now keep their balance and the groups small.
armoredman is offline  
Old July 17, 2014, 01:21 PM   #4
Frank Ettin
Staff
 
Join Date: November 23, 2005
Location: California - San Francisco
Posts: 9,471
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kimio
...One thing always has perplexed me though. This is common among new shooters, especially females ones (at least for what I've seen) but why do some new shoots lean back away from the firearm. It's almost like they're scared of it or something,...
That's pretty much exactly it -- they're trying to get away from the gun.

I'm with a group teaching monthly NRA Basic Handgun classes, and the vast majority of our students have never even touched a gun before. So this is something that comes up all the time, and that we correct. So by the end of the class, our students don't do that anymore. Just another reason to get training.

Among other things, we work on grip and stance with our students, hands-on, one-to-one, using inert training guns. So with a student holding the gun and in a stance, we can push gently on the front of the gun. That way they can experience the difference in the felt effects of recoil comparing leaning back with a more forward stance.

ETA: That exercise should never be done with a real gun. If one doesn't have an inert training ("blue") gun available, have the student hold something else, or just grasp his hands, mimicking holding a gun.
__________________
"It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper
Frank Ettin is offline  
Old July 17, 2014, 01:55 PM   #5
zincwarrior
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 1, 2011
Location: Texas, land of Tex-Mex
Posts: 2,259
They just don't realize it and the person introducing them the first time is being negligent in not correcting that.
zincwarrior is offline  
Old July 17, 2014, 02:46 PM   #6
Erno86
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 22, 2012
Location: Marriottsville, Maryland
Posts: 1,738
When I'm in the standing position...I'll lean back some, while trying to gain triangular bone support. But while shooting in the offhand position, I'll square my stance up some, in relation to the target --- something like a modern isosceles position --- especially for rapid fire.

For rapid fire shotgun...a shooter must fire at least --- six rapid fire shots --- in order to see if his stance fails; which means the shotgun recoil is pushing you back.
__________________
That rifle hanging on the wall of the working class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there."

--- George Orwell
Erno86 is offline  
Old July 17, 2014, 03:09 PM   #7
saleen322
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2010
Posts: 778
I trained a lot of new staff for years and that is common for them to lean back. It really has little to do with shooting, it is just a balance thing. Forget about the shooting aspect for a moment. Stand sideways in front of a large mirror and hold a weight at arms length in front of you. What you will normally see as you extend the weight out full length your back will start moving in the other direction to counter-balance. The smaller you are and/or the heavier the weight, the more you move. You just need to show the new shooter that they need to bias their weight forward to handle the recoil better and shorten recovery time. It is just part of learning.
saleen322 is offline  
Old July 18, 2014, 09:52 AM   #8
TailGator
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 8, 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,786
I am another who thinks balance plays a part. If the new shooter will point their toes out just a bit and place one foot a little ahead of the other, it is easier for them to feel solidly grounded. They can then feel better about leaning forward slightly in the accepted pose for managing recoil.
TailGator is offline  
Old July 18, 2014, 12:46 PM   #9
Venom1956
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 4, 2008
Location: WI
Posts: 3,656
It's definitely a balance issue. they aren't used to the weight of the firearm and its just their subconscious trying to balance everything out. No different then us lugging our heavy range bag. we lean opposite to help balance ourselves against the weight, not into it. Moving the head looking away or pushing arms out @ the last second are more warning signs of being 'scared' of the blast.
__________________
E-Shock rounds are engineered to expend maximum energy into soft targets, turning the density mass into an expanding rotational cone of NyTrilium matrix particles, causing neurological collapse to the central nervous system.- Yeah I can do that.
I guarantee you will know it if a bicyclist hits your house going 1000 mph. -Smaug
Venom1956 is offline  
Old July 19, 2014, 07:04 PM   #10
boondocker385
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 6, 2013
Posts: 640
Its mostly a balance issue. I suggest all new shooters get a 5 lbs weight and practice holding it out to build up strength. If it is fear of noise a d recoil, I take out a 38 spec. Revolver and shoot it with the butt end just past the end of the cap. It shows them it can be done and not to worry. Also always use over the ear protection with new shooters!!!
__________________
No second place finishes in a gun fight.
boondocker385 is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.10468 seconds with 10 queries