When firing a handgun, extend your arms fully at a high ready position , keeping the firearm at least 18-24 inches from your body to ensure safety and control. This distance minimizes recoil effects, gas blowback risks (especially with certain calibers), and allows proper sight alignment while protecting your face and torso.

Safety Fundamentals

Standard handgun shooting stances like the Weaver or Isosceles emphasize a firm two-handed grip with arms outstretched. Your support hand should wrap around the strong hand without thumbs crossing the ejection port—hold no closer than shoulder width to avoid burns from hot casings or muzzle blast. Always prioritize muzzle discipline : point downrange, finger indexed off-trigger until ready.

Stance Breakdown

  • Low Ready : Gun at chest level, ~12 inches out—transition to full extension before firing.
  • High Ready : Arms locked, gun at eye level, ~24 inches from chest for stability.
  • Close Quarters : In self-defense drills, a compressed stance (arms bent, gun ~6-12 inches out) works but increases felt recoil—avoid for beginners.

Trending Forum Insights

Recent Reddit threads (e.g., r/guns, r/CCW) stress 6-12 inches minimum for new shooters to dodge cylinder gap flash on revolvers or slide bite, with pros pushing full extension for accuracy. One 2025 AITA post went viral debating "gangster-style" sideways holds (terrible idea—ruins control).

Pro Tips from Ranges

NSSF rules warn bullets travel miles on ricochet, so distance aids in managing flinch. Practice dry-firing first: mirror check shows if your hold gaps body exposure. In 2026 ranges, VR sims now enforce proper extension via sensors.

"Keep it out front—your body isn't a backstop." – Common range officer mantra.

TL;DR : Full arm extension (18-24 inches) is gold standard; closer risks injury, hurts groups. Train safe!

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.