Floating Hand Support When Using Rifles

Article from Warrior Talk News on the importance of moving your support (or weak) hand around for different types of shots. Basically, the author suggests using a forward hold--support hand far out on the rifle stock, with the arm almost fully extended--for longer distance shooting; a middle hold, closer to the magazine, for medium and short distance; and that a magazine hold--i.e., gripping around the magazine--should be limited to submachine guns.

I generally don't use a forward hold when using a rifle, because I tend to use my weak hand merely to support, or hold up, the rifle. When I do use the forward grip, I find that I get the best use by actually using my off-hand to pull the rifle back into my shoulder. On a rifle with a short fore-stock, I sometimes will actually put my first couple fingers over the front of the fore-stock to help with pulling it back.

If you look at some target shooters, when shooting from a standing position, they will bring their off-hand in close so that the elbow actually rests against the torso. The rifle then is cupped by the hand, or a tripod using the thumb (the back leg) and the first two fingers (the front legs). You can use this position comfortably with an AR or Mini-14 by resting the magazine in the palm of the hand. However, the 30-round magazines are too long. In that case, you would grip around the magazine well. This is not a mobile position and probably should not be used in anything but target shooting or hunting.