# "Gangsta" hold **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226 "2007-07-26T14:10:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226/21 "2007-07-30T03:56:22Z")
Is there any recorded instance of an actual criminal doing this? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226/22 "2007-07-30T04:02:40Z")
[QUOTE=Princhester] Is there any recorded instance of an actual criminal doing this? [/QUOTE] Probably at the Darwin Awards site. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226/23 "2007-07-30T10:06:52Z")
I should point out that most times when a movie criminal is popping a cap in some suckas ass, they are at such a range that the innacuracy of the gangsta grip is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226/24 "2007-07-30T12:14:09Z")
I recall reading somewhere that there is a distinct disadvatage to using the weapon Gangsta fashion - the slide can recoil straight into the shooters wrist. Seem to recall a story that first-time shooters tended to end up in casualty departments. Anyone know for sure? ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226/25 "2007-07-30T14:55:21Z")
[QUOTE=brossa] Say I’m a panicky gang-banger firing randomly and rapidly into a crowd from a moving car. If I hold the handgun sideways, does the ‘sideways climb’ of the gun help me keep more shots in the group (lets say that I start firing at the guy my extreme right)? [/QUOTE] If you had a machine pistol, _maybe_, though you’re more likely to simply lose your grip and drop your weapon, or get your wrist chewed-up. If you had an MP5, or similar, yeah, you could presumably use muzzle climb to help a spray-n-pray situation. Mind you, it’s still not the best or most efficient way to use the weapon, but if you’re only interested in spreadin’ lead around, sure. But discrete trigger pulls from a semi-auto or revolver? _Naaaaah._ No way this’d be more effective or efficient in spraying a crowd. IMO, you’d be more likely to fire more _slowly_ this way, as you struggle to retain control of the weapon. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226/26 "2007-07-30T15:21:30Z")
One possible rationalization that I don’t really believe is that it makes it easier to scoop up your brass after you’ve shot the victim, so that the police won’t be able to recover it for investigation. It will still be somewhere in your vicinity, rather than ejected across the room. Of course, in the Hollywood version, you never see the shooter stoop and pick up the brass before leaving. Something tells me that IRL criminals mostly don’t concern themselves with this. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226/27 "2007-07-30T15:26:26Z")
I seriously doubt they’d be hanging around to police their brass - It bounces all over the place, even when ejected straight up. Anyway, policing brass takes time - getaway time. Shots fired, the police are on their way - time to boogie before they get return fire, or busted. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226/28 "2007-07-30T15:31:39Z")
[QUOTE=LiveOnAPlane] I’m pretty sure that what **WhyNot** is talking about here is controlling the recoil (“jerking”) **after** the first shot, so subsequent shots are on-target. [/QUOTE] Yes, I was just sloppy in expressing myself. Thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gangsta-hold/413226.md?page=1)