What Makes a Good Gun Design

insane gun upgrades throughout the history of warfare it's been normal practice for the designers of weapons to find themselves tested and refined under the stress of combat in many cases soldiers often need more protection or Firepower than their weapons originally provided in other circumstances real life combat reveals flaws in their design which were not originally picked up in factories or even with the field testing whatever the reason upgrades are required for the weapon to maintain its Optimal Performance some are merely improvisations made in the field others are more elaborate ideas drawn up in the engineering workshops these are some of the most unusual upgrades added to some standard weapon designs number one the Pritchard Greener revolver bayonet at first glance this upgrade might appear awkward and unwieldy when bayonets first appeared they were intended to be accessories for muskets and then rifles but unlike a rifle attachment pistol bayonets were not so common on the battlefield they weren't A New Concept and had been a popular attachment particularly used by British seamen in the late 18th century on their firearms which were referred to as boarding pistols and were used while attacking and boarding an enemy ship the bayonet was used as an alternative weapon once the pistol was discharged as a ship's officer or sailor firing the pistol had no time to reload it in the heat of battle he would use his bayonet to attack in Close Quarter hand-to-hand combat with this idea in mind Arthur Pritchard began designing a bayonet for the webble mark 6 service revolver Pritchard was a retired British officer who reenlisted in the Army when World War I started after a year in France he returned to England to serve as a training officer during his service on the Western Front he had become familiar with the trench raid tactics used by both sides when clearing an enemy trench soldiers were required to fix bayonets to their rifle and prepared to fight the enemy head on face to face officers however were only armed with a revolver in these attacks which had no means of attaching a bayonet the webble revolver was designed to reload quickly but Pritchard maintained that a bayonet was a far more suitable solution for reacting quickly to a situation he presented his concept to the Wilkinson Sword company who produced Sabers and bayonets for the British army but the manufacturer was already inundated with war production and had to turn down pritchard's proposal Wilkinson's Rivals ww Greener however saw potential and believed it could be a great Commercial Success the company also had access to a surplus supply of old French model 1874 gr rifle bayonets which would be converted into pistol bayonets relatively easily and cost effectively the top 10 1 12 in of the gro bayonet was was cut off and was then fixed to a gunmetal Hilt shaped to fit the webley's frame the bayonets clever design meant it connected perfectly to the revolver however its one lb weight would have meant that the balance of the revolver was compromised ultimately ww Greener only produced 200 copies and pritchard's Bayonet never officially entered service even though officers were allowed to purchase it privately for their own personal use despite its negligible use in combat the design was nonetheless both radical and impressive number two the M1911 pistol with an extended magazine and Brass catching cage even though most weapon upgrades were designed to improve its performance this was not always the case some upgrades were installed to weapons as safety measures the World War I era Airborne M1911 pistol had both its performance and safety upgrades addressed when aircraft entered into military service they were primarily used in reconnaissance roles in the early days when Pilots encountered an enemy aircraft they would salute one another in a gentlemanly manner however this soon changed when Pilots began to engage in deadly aerial combat initially airplanes were not fitted with machine guns and so Pilots had to use their standard issue pistols for some British royal flying Corps Pilots the M1911 was the weapon of choice as there is very little time to reload a sidearm during aerial combat an extended magazine was designed similar contraption were used in land Warfare and there were examples of these magazines adapted for the pistol that carried more than 20 rounds unfortunately the exact capacity of the Airborne M1911 extended magazine remains unknown the major risk with using any pistol in the relatively fragile aircraft of the time was that the ejected cases from the firearm would fly off at great speed and could lead to damage to the fuselage or mechanical Parts especially vulnerable were planes with rearm mounted engines because the ejected cartridges could easily end up in a critical part of its mechanism in response to these hazards a brass catching cage was mounted on the M1911 pistol alongside the extended magazine the cage was mounted on the right side of the pistol receiver and allowed for the containment of over 20 empty cases the cage was also carefully designed so as not to interfere with how the pilot held the weapon upon firing the receiver would retract and the empty case would drop directly into the cage even though extended magazines were commonly used with World War I pistols there are few records of cartridge catching cages being made in any significant quantity number three the mule adaptive storage stock extended and adaptive stocks were common place amongst many weapon upgrades in many cases weapons had inbuilt storage areas within their stock these were usually for weapon cleaning kits or oil containers that a soldier may require in the field for a quick maintenance of his gun in 5 however the American company mule tactical raised the Adaptive stock design to a new level they designed a butt stock which had an internal compartment for a backup pistol the modular utility linked equipment or mule for short adaptive storage stock was initially built for the AR-15 and M4 family of assault rifles but also created versions for shotguns as well made of a high impact polymer the stock is slightly curved at the butt and is capped with a firm rubber pad with the Press of a button the lower part pivots on a hinge and reveals a holster for a pistol The holster is interchangeable so that various different types of pistols can be stored including compact pistols while the design is well engineered and unique it's usefulness has been questioned the purpose is of course to provide a secondary firearm for the shooter but in reality swapping to a dedicated weapon from a normal holster is much quicker in a tactical Situation Number Four the Peterson device Periscope fittings for the m1903 Springfield rifle were not the only thing the Americans experimented with during World War I a more important issue with the rifle was its slow reloading cycle which was as a result of its very powerful 306 round the American engineer John D Peterson sought to address this by offering an unusual solution he designed a special bolt that fitted the standard m1903 receiver and allowed the rifle to be fired as a semi-automatic Peterson's automatic bolt also had a special magazine which could hold 40 rounds of the 30 caliber pistol cartridges these were the same caliber as the standard Springfield rounds but because they were shorter they had significantly less power of compromise that allowed the rifle to fire as a semi-automatic this reduced the rifle's effective range from 500 down to 300 yd the Peterson device had a built-in grooved Barrel that fitted the longer chamber of the m1903 rifle the the magazine was also unusually mounted at a 45° angle to allow unhindered use of the rifle sights the device was cleverly designed so that it could also be used alongside the classic rifle bolt this meant however that modifications had to be made which included a small ejection port for spent cartridges and the adjacent stock cut when the user wished to alternate to semi-automatic fire he would have to empty his magazine take out the standard bolt and replace it with the Peterson device this clever piece of technology was viewed by the American Military as a groundbreaking wonder weapon they were sure its high rate of fire was sure to suppress even the heaviest fortified German line they imagined a line of soldiers advancing across No Man's Land firing this device at the enemy trenches as they ran it would be extremely difficult for anyone in the trenches to show his head or any part of his body in reality production of the rifle simply started too late in the War beginning in late 1918 when the government canceled the contract 65,000 devices with 1.6 million magazines 65 million cartridges and over 101,000 modified Springfield Rifles had been manufactured they were quickly declared Surplus however and were soon obsolete once the M1 gar semi-automatic rifle was introduced into service although these upgrades and modifications all operated in unique ways whether it be in purpose appearance or an operating principle they all had one common purpose that was to improve weapon system and to enhance the shooters chances of survival the best magazine locations of World War II during the second world war millions of men clashed in a Titanic struggle upon which the fate of the world rested even before war broke out Nations poured considerable resources into weapons development in an attempt to give their soldiers an advantage in the coming conflict firearm designs were given significant attention of particular interest was the ammunition feeding me mechanism of the firearms that would be issued to their troops in the conflict the majority of soldiers were equipped with bolt-action rifles which generally fed from internal magazines likewise the semi-automatic M1 Gand issued to American GIS had a similar system using clips that were held internally a myriad of machine guns were fed using belts of ammunition such as the legendary German mg42 the American m1919 30 caliber Browning or on strips like the Japanese type 92 heavy machine gun while these types of firearms were highly successful there was a need for more portable Firepower and an increasing number of troops were equipped with automatic and semi-automatic guns many of which were fed from detachable box magazines continually experimenting for Optimal Performance the location of these magazines could vary greatly from underneath the weapon from the top of the gun or jutting out from the side each had its own advantages and disadvantages which were tested out in the field of combat easily the most common location for a detachable magazine was the the underside of the weapon firearms that used this design were numerous and included the German MP 40 the American Browning automatic rifle and Thompson submachine gun the Soviet PPSh-41 and many many others ergonomically this was the most efficient when the user was standing kneeling or moving a magazine could be changed while still maintaining a sight picture on an enemy furthermore the magazine is out of the way of the site which is most ideally located along the top of the firearm leaving a Clear Sight picture Rel loading is also aided by gravity once the magazine releas is pressed the empty magazine could simply fall out ready for a replacement though the soldier would have to remember to pick it up for reuse later this also means that the weapon is well balanced with an inline center of gravity further aiding accurate shooting While most Firearms are made with right-handed Shooters in mind as empty shell casings are ejected from the right side of the weapon it can be used by a left-handed shooter more efficiently than a side mounted magazine this placement does have drawbacks however in order in order to feed properly the new rounds are fighting against gravity and as such the springs and feed mechanisms must be strong enough to overcome this Force though with proper manufacturing this is a relatively minor issue the larger problem is found while firing prone from this position a long magazine May rest on the ground in a worst case scenario this could create pressure on the magazine bending it out of shape and causing jams the magazine may also drag on the ground balancing awkwardly throwing off the user's aim this can be remedied by by holding the weapon higher off the surface but this exposes the user to return fire some weapons like the Browning automatic rifle overcame this issue by sacrificing ammunition capacity carrying a mere 20 rounds not the most efficient for protracted firefights finally Underside magazine placement May encourage users to grip the magazine while firing a particular issue with shorter weapons like submachine guns a problem exacerbated by the very far forward placement of the magazine such as on the German MP 40 this creates unstable handling of the weapon compared to using the front grip which is usually further down the length of the weapon hampering stability depending on the quality of the manufacturing grabbing the magazine may also lead to jams and other feeding issues if the magazines are poorly made in some cases this may even cause the user to inadvertently pull the magazine from the gun while it is firing though this is exceedingly rare and can be mitigated by proper manufacturing methods this issue can also be overcome with proper training to prevent soldiers from handling their weapon in such a way in spite of these limitations Underside mounted ammunition magazines are Far and Away the most common location something which persist to this day in the overwhelming majority of magazine fed Firearms another idea that was implemented was the complete opposite placing the magazine on top of the weapon machine guns such as the British Bren gun the Australian Owen gun and the Japanese type 96 all use this type of feed location the first advantage of a top-mounted magazine is when used in the prone position this allows allows the user to lie completely on the ground and fire effectively while the magazine is conveniently out of the way with the magazine clear of the ground the amount of ammunition is less restrictive which means that more Firepower can be brought to bear changing the magazine from a prone position is much easier than from underneath the weapon can remain in the same position instead of being Twisted sideways while being reloaded with the ammunition following gravity rather than fighting against it feeding the weapon as it fires is much easier one issue faced by users of the Bren gun was a reported lack of concealment as the large magazine added to the silhouette of the weapon in spite of the success of many of the weapons that use this setup there are numerous issues with the magazine jelling from the top of the gun the sight picture is hampered forcing the use of Sid mounted sights which are awkward to use furthermore the advantages in reloading only translate when firing from a prone position when kneeling standing or moving reloading is much more difficult and inefficient compared to those guns with undermounted magazines this was a a serious liability on the modern Battlefield where Mobility is of Paramount importance after the war the top-mounted magazine design was largely abandoned it does still exist today however in the form of the belgian-made fnp90 series one of the more unusual locations for magazine placement is at the side this is a very rare configuration being found in some early examples of German submachine guns such as the MP18 and mp28 during the second world war the most famous example of a sid mounted magazine was the British sten gun but could also be found on the American Johnson m1914 light machine gun and the German fg42 both of which saw a limited service the main advantage of a sid mounted magazine is its convenience when firing from a prone position the magazine is clear of the ground while the top of the weapon is unobstructed leaving a Clear Sight picture when used as a light machine gun in tandem with an assistant Gunner the weapon can be reloaded quickly and easily while not having to shift the weapon or expose the elves to the enemy since it is clear from the ground ammunition capacity is not limited and magazines can be of a larger size than their undermounted counterparts this however is where the advantages end one of the most glaring issues with a sid mounted magazine is the width of the weapon instead of a streamlined gun the weapon now has a large piece of Hardware sticking out at an odd angle something that can easily be caught on narrow openings limiting utility in tight spaces a liability in urban environments which became more and more commonplace locations for combat the weapon is also awkward as the weight of the magazine shifts the center of gravity away from the center line of the weapon this requires the shooter to constantly compensate in unnecessary distraction in combat with a sid mounted magazine there's also no chance that the weapon can be used ambidextrously While most other Firearms are configured for right-handed Shooters lefties can operate them effectively if a bit awkwardly these challenges are magnified when using an asymmetrical firearm making it all but unusable due to to the challenges of Sid mounted magazines the concept has largely been abandoned in modern times being used only in the M249 saw though normally belt fed it does have a magazine weld which accepts NATO standard magazines should the situation require it after being tested in the fires of the most destructive conflict in world history it is clear that in spite of its limitations undermounted magazines are much more effective than its top or side mounted counterparts while each has its own benefits these are outweighed by their drop backs and for the most part have largely been left behind Special Forces loadouts for soldiers to operate at their full potential they need the right equipment for Special Forces the unique nature of their missions makes the careful selection of weapons and other equipment an even more pertinent concern these units have access to a wide variety of gear that's not always available to other soldiers Ukrainian Special Forces the sigu MCX after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 Ukraine received massive amounts of support from the global Community among these Aid packages were large amounts of Weaponry including some of the latest in military Tech pictorial evidence has shown Ukrainian Special Forces operators wielding the new Sig sour MCX first introduced to the public in 2015 this rifle is a ver platform for a multitude of rolls the operating system is a short stroke gas operated piston with a rotating bolt though similar to the M4 it does not require a buffer tube allowing for the addition of side-folding stocks the MCX features A system that allows for conversion between 5.56x 45 mm NATO 300 AA blackout and 762 by 39 mm ammunition using standard 55 56 mm stanag magazines for 5.56x 45 mm NATO and 300 AAC Blackout and specifically designed stanag compatible magazines for 762 by 39 mm it also has varying barrel lengths from a short 9-in variant seen in use by many Ukrainian operators which is useful in close quarters a standard 11 and 1/2 in barrel and a 16-in barrel the weapon can also use a suppressor drama rically reducing muszle Flash and noise of firing no matter how it's set up the weapon is lightweight weighing in at under 9 lb though this can vary based on the exact configuration using standard 5.56x 45 mm ammunition it has a range of 503 M and a cylic rate of fire of around 800 to 900 rounds per minute fed from NATO standard 30 round detachable stag box magazines it needs a specially designed stag compatible magazine however to house the 762 mm ammo in addition to the built-in features the MCX can also come equipped with a pck atini rail system allowing the easy addition of various Optics light systems and other attachments which can be easily swapped out as situations dictate though new the Sig sour MCX has already proven itself a versatile and invaluable part of Ukraine's Arsenal as a defends itself from Russian forces h& k 416 Delta Force the term Delta Force is synonymous worldwide with excellence in Special Operations and as a result has a need for special equipment for a variety of missions partnering with German firearm manufacturer Heckler and Koke creators of the legendary MP5 series of submachine guns Delta oversaw the creation of the HK416 the weapon barar as many similarities to the standard issue M4 being a gas operated rotating bolt system there are differences however as the HK416 utilizes a short-stroke gas piston system similar to the G36 also manufactured by H and K this makes the HK416 more reliable than the M4 particularly when immersed in water or in other less than ideal conditions the rifle is chambered for a NATO standard 5 56x 45 mm and is fed from a 10 20 or 30 round steg magazine it's also compatible with the 100 round twin drum beta cmag it comes in various barrel lengths 10.4 in 14.5 in 16.4 in or 20 in which can be swapped out quickly as required it has a Clic rate of fire between 700 and 900 rounds per minute at an effective range of 400 m in addition to acting as a rifle the HK416 can also come with an underslung 40 mm grenade launcher the exact weight can vary based on the configuration but it weighs in at approximately 7 lb it also comes equipped with a peni rail system which allows it to quickly change various Optics Scopes and other attachments as needed a suppressor can also be attached which reduces the sound and muzzle flash of the weapon in use since its introduction the HK416 has become very popular not only among Delta Force for whom it was made but also many other units such as the Navy Seals NASA's Emergency Response Team the FBI hostage rescue team and many international units including the Polish Grom the German Special Forces command French Special Forces command and many others this weapon also gained notoriety as it was used during op Operation Neptune Spear the action which hunted down Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden l19 A1 sla2 British SAS when the SAS was in need of a replacement for the C7 and M16 rifles in use they were not too keen on using the British military standard l85 variant of the sa80 rifle for a new weapon they turned to Canadian manufacturer Dao though based on the existing C7 platform the resulting rifle made many changes being designated the l119 A1 there are two versions of the l119 A1 the SFI W or Special Forces individual weapon which has a barrel length of 15.7 in and the l119 A1 CQB carbine which has a shortened 10-in Barrel the SFI W is the standard weapon for the SAS and other British Special Forces while the CQB carbine is utilized primarily for room clearing and VIP protection duties replacing the MP5 for this role both variants fir the standard NATO 556 by 45mm cartridges from 30 round stanag box magazines the action is a gas operated rotating bolt and has a cylic rate of fire of 700 to 900 rounds they have a flat top upper receiver which allows it to Mount various types of Scopes or just simple iron sights a separate rail system is located on the handguard allowing the mounting of flashlights and other accessories the weapon can also be fitted with a suppressor around 2013 British Special Forces began looking for a replacement for the l19 A1 which led to the development of the l19 A2 manufactured by Colt Canada formerly Dao while maintaining the same basic design as its predecessor there were significant changes the main difference is the addition of an LMT monolithic receiver this allowed for the more straightforward fitting of Scopes sights light sources and other attachments than the previous version it also had an upgraded trigger system which made firing the weapon a lot easier there were some drawbacks though as the new weapon was more difficult to clean and can overheat more quickly the L 1119a has been in service for less than a decade meaning there is limited information on its combat performance it did gain some attention in 2019 as the weapon wielded by ob1 Nairobi or SAS operator Chris CAD during the Nairobi Westlands Mall attack kbp 991 Russian spetznaz after the collapse of the Soviet Union the Russian government had a need for a new weapon system that would be specifically used for Close Quarter fighting turning away from the venerable AK class of weapons that were and still are the Mainstay of post Soviet militaries developed in 1993 by the kbp instrument design Bureau the 9 a91 utilized a long-stroke gas piston with a rotating Bolt the pistol grip and handguard are made from lightweight polymers though the bulk of the weapon is manufactured from stamped steel components Optics or other accessories can be mounted on the top of the receiver and all but the earliest models can utilize a suppressor the primary concern during the creation of the 9A 91 was its size for close quarter combat and as such it comes with a foldable stock the full length of the weapon with extended stock is just over 23 in and about 14 in with the stock folded the 9 a91 is classified as a submachine gun and it fires specialized 9mm by 39 subsonic cartridges which are claimed to be able to penetrate even the latest body armor and fed from a straight 20 round box magazine a break from the curved magazines used by conventional Soviet assault weapon designs because of the low muzzle velocity of the subsonic am I the range is limited around 200 M though the effective range is around half that at 100 m the 9 a91 can fire both semi or fully automatic with a cyclic rate of fire between 700 and 900 rounds per minute a subvariant of the 9 a91 is a sniper rifle known as the vsk 94 it is very similar in design except for the folding stock which was replaced by a fixed skeleton buttstock and an integrated suppressor to limit the sound the weapon makes when firing though it does have the same limited range of its predecessor the vsk 94 is still ideal for precision shooting at close ranges ideal for police work and VIP protection both weapons have found service with the Russian spaz as well as Russian law enforcement and have been exported to Friendly states that maintain close ties Russia including bellarus kyrgistan Syria and others Corner shot Israeli mad and Special Forces sometimes it's not the actual tool but the way in which it's used that's most important for securing success on the battlefield designed in the early 2000s by Lieutenant Colonel Amos Golan of the Israeli Defense Forces Corner shot is not a weapon but an accessory that can keep a soldier safe while engaging targets the unit is a chassis that weighs in at 8.5 lb and 33 in in length about the same as a typical carbine to this a semi-automatic pistol can be mounted at the front this is then borided and the weapon is aimed using a small 2.5 in color LCD camera display on the side of the weapon the main feature is the hinging lever which can Traverse the muzzle of the system up to 62° this allows the user to remain safely behind cover while monitoring the battlefield a trigger extension linkage allows the weapon to be fired also while the operator is hidden from View and safe Corner shot is compatible with most semi-automatic pistols in military service including the Glock 17 18 and 19 the Sig sour P226 the Baretta 92F and many others other variants of the weapon can mount a 5.56 mm rifle such as an AR-15 series minus the buttstock another version has an integrated 40 mm singleshot grenade launcher for breaching doors no matter where they're deployed soldiers need the best tools possible to perform their jobs effectively because of their missions Special Forces have some of the most advanced and unique weapons and tools available enabling them to excel at performing their Duty shooting positions one of the easiest ways to tell the difference between amateur and professional Sharpshooters is how they choose to handle their weapons different gun stances will reveal the comfort and experience someone has when handling a gun a professional Soldier will hold a weapon with confidence that they know how to operate and maintain it for the best results at the same time someone with little little experience or informal training will have an underlying stress level when holding a gun as with any foreign subject gun operation is a learned skill and one that comes after years of experience this is because it's not just the way someone handles a gun that's indicative of their experience level but the way they react when something goes wrong with their weapon knowing how to quickly clear a jam or fix the sights on a weapon while under attack can only come with training and exposure to hostile environments while it is easy to sit in the comfort of home and take a gun apart piece by piece to examine it thoroughly for defects being able to perform this same task while being shot at is a skill few possess likewise it's easy to work on weapon grip and correct breathing techniques at the gun range but remembering how to properly handle a weapon safely while in combat can mean life or death five of the most common gun positions for soldiers hunters and anyone looking to improve their shot are prone position the Weaver stance the PowerPoint stance the Harry's technique and a stance from the Soviet Manual of arms some positions such as the prone position can be used for both handguns and rifles but other stances such as the Weaver stance and Harry's technique are used exclusively for handguns there are both positive and negative elements to each stance however all five stances are renowned for their ability to allow marksmen fast accurate target acquisition here's a closer look at each of them the prone position this means that the shooter should be lying flat and their head facing downward this position is mostly associated with snipers and other gunmen who must remain hidden while shooting prone positions are utilized for their long range capability and offer the shooter the most stable shot however they're not often used in the field due to natural obstacles that can inhibit the eyesight of the marksmen such as dense vegetation and tree branches the key element to a successful Pro position is good bone contact with the gun shooters don't want to use their muscles to stabilize the barrel they want the leverage of a large bone such as the non-dominant forearm or a cheekbone to rest the sight on for right-handed Shooters this position should be centered around the left elbow some simple steps to get into a prone position are first getting down on the stomach planting both elbows in the dirt for support putting the gun stock in the cheek well and then shifting their body weight for stability the body should be positioned at an angle to the Target or straight back depending on the shooter's Comfort alternatively the shooter can use a backpack folded clothing or hand to prop up the weapon and certain specialist guns have the facility to use a bipod for support the left elbow should be used as a fixed brace in this position while offering stability for long range shots prone positions need to be more reliable in many situations because of the unpredictable environment and visual obstacles the Weaver stance developed in the 1950s by Los Angeles deputy sheriff Jack Weaver this shooting method is one of the most popular two-hand stances used in combat style matches it was first developed to compete in leather slap matches which were competitions in which individuals competed to draw and fire a shot at combat distance while being timed with a stopwatch it's an aggressive boxer type stance that requires the support side foot to be placed forward 8 to 10 in and the strong side to to be caned 45° outward the gun is presented to the target with both hands with the strong side arm slightly bent and the support arm at a 45° angle this technique creates a firm grip on the gun and allows a fast sight picture the Weaver stance offers advantages over other twohand stances such as a wider swing Arc to support the side making it easy to Pivot quickly to the left or right and fast sight acquisition at even longer ranges as with any stance however it has its drawbacks one being that Shooters with cross-dominance vision will struggle to fire accurately in addition The Stance requires an increased upper body strength to absorb recoil the Weaver stance was nonetheless revolutionary and heavily studied by Small Arms enthusiasts including Ray Chapman a world-renowned sports shooter and Firearms instructor Chapman modified the Weaver stance to address the issues he saw and made it even more effective for Shooters of all abilities so if you're looking for a fast and Powerful two-hand stance the Weaver stance is the way to go the PowerPoint stance this is a valuable technique for those who need to quickly and accurately fire a handgun with either their strong or weak hand this stance is one of the few gun holding positions that utilize a one-handed grip and it requires the guns side foot to drive forward 15 to 20 in with the shoulder pushing into the gun and the knees flexed mimicking the motion of a boxer throwing a hard punch the non-shooting hand is tucked tightly into the center of the chest with the Palm facing upward and the fist clenched to solidify the upper shoulder muscles and promote better trigger control proper technique is crucial with the PowerPoint stance and it takes a significant amount of practice to hit a target with only one hand accurately however this stance is applicable in many scenarios such as if the non-shooting hand is occupied or injured the aggressive punch to the Target motion will still provide the accuracy and speed necessary for close-range shooting it's worth noting that most two-handed stances are preferable to only using one hand to aim a handgun however the PowerPoint stance is the most accurate and reliable position that gives Shooters an alternative in the event of an emergency the Harry's technique this technique is employed while working in dark spaces and utilizes a flashlight and handgun to provide light and protection most often associated with police and FBI Personnel this stance allows the shooter to move through buildings at night without sacrificing Vision or accuracy to use the Harry's technique the shooter must hold the flashlight in their weak hand and then cross this hand under their gun hand next pressing the back of the weak hand against the back of the strong hand will create isometric tension and stability to both the flashlight and the handgun however it is hard to push the strong hand against the weak hand and for many will cause fatigue after a short duration this iconic technique is more stable than the FBI or neck index techniques making it easier to index the light and the sight in the same place countless movies have shown this technique in action and many Brave officers have utilized it as they made their way into a dark building it's a valuable technique to learn that takes advantage of the off-hands hold on a flashlight to provide accurate shots in the dark Soviet Manual of arms during times of War instructional magazines and manuals were issued to soldiers detailing how to best operate maintain weapons and equipment when the AK-47 rifle was introduced during the Cold War a manual was also printed and detailed the best gun holding position to use while firing the weapon what later became known as a Soviet style grip is best characterized by the bo out of the dominant hand and high placement of the gun stock next to the cheek the non-dominant hand was placed comfortably under the rifle's for end or lower handguard and offered aim support while this technique was easily learned and offered some control and accuracy over the weapon one of the many problems with the dance was it inability to counter the tendency of the rifle to rise while shooting The Recoil of the AK-47 caused the gun to start lifting over its original placement and fire Bullets Over the target later the Soviet style technique would be transformed and improved to give the Red Army Mastery over their weapons these five gun stances the prone position Weaver stance PowerPoint stance Harry's technique and Soviet Manual of arms are all iconic and influential shooting methods that marksmen have used for years professional soldiers and experienced Hunters alike have mastered these stances and used them to accurately and quickly fire off shots even in the most hostile environments although there's no way to guarantee that stress will not intervene and aggravate someone's ability to perform these dances knowing how to get into them can save their life the positions vary in their effectiveness and suitability for different weapons however all four have proven to be reliable and effective in their own right it's clear that mastering the basics of any of these stances can turn an amateur Marksman into a professional with enough practice and dedication ultimately the key to becoming an effective Marksman is to understand the basics of gun safety and operation and develop the confidence and skill to operate a gun in any situation so if you want to prepare for a self-defense situation or better understand how contemporary gun stances evolved starting with these five is the best way to learn about different gun holding positions

Channel: Simple History

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Keywords: simple history, animated history, educational, education, animation, What Makes a Good Gun Design, Gun Design, Firearms Engineering, Firearm Ergonomics, Weapon Aesthetics, Gun Materials, Firearm Innovation, Gunsmithing, Firearm Functionality, Firearm Safety, Weapon Performance, Firearm Features, Firearm Manufacturing, Firearm Technology, Gun User Experience, Weapon Accuracy, Gun Customization, Gun Durability, Firearm Reliability

Id: 0PBgtlsO9c4

Length: 39min 57sec (2397 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 24 2023