4 Points of Contact: How to Hold an AR-15

Whether you call it a Modern Sporting Rifle, a "black gun" or an AR-15, there's one best way to wield it.

posted on August 9, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Full-sized modern sporting rifles—also known as MSRs, black guns and AR-15s—may appear to be more complex to handle than pistols are, but that's not exactly true. What is true is that in order to properly hold your MSR, you must establish four "points of contact" with the gun instead of two. The good news is that doing so is much easier than you may think. The even-better news is that those extra two points of contact give you more control, better accuracy and (probably) better comfort, too. 

In this episode of Smith & Wesson's GUNSMARTS series, you'll learn what we mean by "points of contact," which is simply the places where your body touches the gun. When you're shooting a handgun, you should only have two points of contact—each of your hands on the pistol's grip. When you're shooting any kind of rifle (not just an MSR), you'll need to have four. That's where your dominant or trigger hand touches, where your support hand touches, where the gun's buttstock rests on your shoulder and where your cheek touches the stock. 

As instructor Ken Scott emphasizes, there are three key things to remember when practicing your grip: safety, safety and safety. (OK, what we mean by that is that you must keep your finger outside the trigger guard at all times, remove all ammunition from the room and keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction.) Once you have it mastered, you're well on your way to discovering just how accurate and easy to shoot AR-15s are!

Latest

Daniel Defense Sponsors Nra World Shooting Championship
Daniel Defense Sponsors Nra World Shooting Championship

Daniel Defense Named Official Stage Sponsor for 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

Daniel Defense will sponsor the Precision Rifle Series stage, supplying its Delta 5 Pro Rifles.

New Guns 2025: Charter Arms Pathfinder II .22 LR Revolver Series

Offered in three models, the .22 LR revolver is designed for both experienced shooters and beginners, making it an ideal choice for sport shooting, small game hunting and personal protection.

Gun Gear: Splurge or Cheap Out?

For hunting and shooting, what items should you prioritize spending money on to buy the best you can afford and what can you save money on by going cheap?

Risk Mitigation: Are You Worried About the Wrong Things?

Are you spending too much time worrying about things that don’t matter and ignoring the dangers you’re statistically more likely to face?

 

Celebrating 26 Years of Legacy and Leadership: Women On Target at the Oklahoma City Gun Club

The iconic gathering has become a national benchmark for women’s shooting clinics, blending community, education and marksmanship at a scale rarely seen elsewhere.

The Armed Citizen® Reload September 12, 2025

Shots to the legs were enough to stop two separate violent attacks against women.

Women's Interests



Get the best of NRA Women delivered to your inbox.