TargetTalk

Most of the AP articles talk about a stance that is shoulder width or slightly less than shoulder width.

Lately I have tried wide stance, 2 1/2 feet big toe to big toe wide stance. I felt more stable with this wide stance.

Is there any perceived down fall from this wide stance?

I started shooting 10M AP with wide stance after seeing Steve Reiter shot his service pistol with this wide stance. Granted 10M AP does not have much recoil, so probably does not require a Steve Reiter human Bipod wide stance for stabilization.

But is there a problem that I am not aware of from using a wide stance? None of the World Cup competitor seem to use this type of wide stance.

I always have been of the opinion that your stance should be as stable and comfortable as possible.

Most people tend to be more stable when all of the stabilising muscles in the body are able to work in unison. This tends to happen most effectively when the body is pretty much straight up and down i.e. not having the legs spread apart.

Stance is a very individual thing. What works for some may not work for you etc. Try and develop a stance that works best for you, it may be completely different from anything else anyone uses.

Be weary of watching other shooters and think "it works for them, it will work for me." There is a reason why people do things and you should always investigate for yourself.

Good luck

Many of the young German shooters are using the wide stance and shooting very high level scores. I understand that the German coaches believed that the narrow stance and extreme twist and back bend being taught earlier was causing back problems as the shooters aged. By using the chest brace and positioning the rifle across the chest,the back problems might be eliminated. It may take twenty years to be sure they are correct. I tend to agree with Lastman and use the narrow stance, but this may be the influence of many years shooting the pistols. Good Shooting Bill Horton

And my response to the orriginal question is : "NO" Good Shooting Bill Horton

I frequently see Steve Reiter and John Zurek shooting side by side.

It is a different game shooting a .45 and shooting air pistol. Steve does not shoot air pistol at all. John teaches (at his free clinics) a very narrow stance (10"?) for Free and Air, wider for others.

Who you gonna believe, ME or your own lying eyes?

Just thinking about how far apart your feet should be for light recoiling pistols. Please consider where your feet naturally position them selves when you are relaxed and not thinking about them. Is that the position where it is easiest for you to maintain a balanced upright stance ? If so why not use the same position of your feet when shooting.? Copying some one else's stance without understanding why it is being used may be the worst possible choice for you. It is akin to having finger groves cut in your pistol grip because the top gun in your club has them the same way. Good Shooting Bill Horton

Hey-I've always thought that the finger grooves were useful in ensuring the grip and pistol is held consistently in one's hand, and ensuring the trigger finger is aligned on the trigger every time the pistol is held.

I'll have to trade in all my Morini grips for glock grips....

The last poster totally misunderstood my comment about having finger grips cut exactly like the top shooter in the club. The top gun had the grip made to fit him/her. It is very unlikely the same grip will fit someone else. Or you just being pickey? good Shooting Bill Horton

I dont prefer a wide stance either.
It stresses my legs more on the long run.

I would imagine the main issue at that width is strain on the ankles which are twisting in towards your body. It may seem comfortable at first, but could be tiring if you're shooting a 60-shot match, which I imagine manifesting itself into forward-back sway as the ankle in general fatigues.

That said, I don't know how big you are - 2.5 ft is a really wide span for people with short legs, but not so much for lanky types! If you're comfortable like that and can maintain it, then why not if it improves your scores?!

Anonymous wrote:
I'll have to trade in all my Morini grips for glock grips....

Interestingly enough, Glocks do not have grips you could remove and fit to another gun, but they do have finger grooves...

doral wrote:...None of the World Cup competitor seem to use this type of wide stance.

Almost all competitors at a World Cup will have been through some fairly extensive assessment programmes, including balance/structural steadiness to arrive at their individual 'best' stance - what was taught for pistol 20, 30, 40 years ago about 'approximately shoulder width' still stands (accidental pun) up well.

i choose very narrow for 10 meter AP less stable but i can control my shoot. I feel my position stable with wide but my pistol tend to point down the target. I can't control my shoot. So i choose very narrow