How To Assume a Good Handgun Shooting Stance & Grip

In this episode of Smith & Wesson's GUNSMARTS series, pro shooter Julie Golob demonstrates the hows and whys of a good stance.

posted on November 22, 2021

Most of the fundamentals of shooting are essentially functions of hand/eye coordination, and most of them apply equally for women and men. However, there are some elements of shooting that go way beyond your contact with the gun's trigger and grip. Specifically, what about your shooting stance? Is the proper shooting stance different for women than it is for men?

In this video from Smith & Wesson's excellent GUNSMARTS series, pro shooter Julie Golob illuminates her stance on ... stance. Although there are several different very specific "poses" that shooters will assume (you'll hear terms like Weaver stance and Isosceles stance bandied about), your primary concern is stability and recoil control. What you're trying to do with your stance is to bring your weight up onto the balls of your feet, lean forward into the gun and use your body's weight and construction to absorb the pistol's recoil. 

For the most part, this looks very similar for women as it does for men. That said, a woman's body is almost always going to have a lower center of gravity than a man's. That's not a bad thing at all; you can think of it as Nature's way of making us stable, and it may actually make assuming a good stance easier for you. Take a look at this terrific video for more surprisingly intuitive and easy-to-assume pointers on your best shooting stance and grip!

Latest

Deering Hot Range
Deering Hot Range

What’s the Difference: Hot Ranges vs. Cold Ranges

Hot ranges and cold ranges are very different in an important way, and you need to be aware of into which one your gun club falls.

 

The Armed Citizen® July 26, 2024

A woman used her 9 mm Ruger pistol—and her training—to hold a man high on drugs at bay until police arrived.

Lena Miculek Breaks Records at USPSA Multi-Gun National Championship

Miculek easily defended her High Lady title through eight field courses and four speed shoots.

How Bad Is It … Not to Get a Permit in a Permitless Carry State?

If your state allows you to carry concealed without a permit, should you get one anyway?

4 Mistakes I Made in My Hunter Prep Class

There’s nothing like an instructional course to reveal your weaknesses, and boy, did I find mine.

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging ATF’s “Engaged in the Business” Rule 

The ATF’s Final Rule unlawfully redefines when a person is “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms and therefore required to be federally licensed.

Women's Interests



Get the best of NRA Women delivered to your inbox.