# Pistol Recoil Question: Holding A Gun Sideways **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 20, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572 "2006-05-20T22:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/1 "2006-05-20T22:14:26Z")
If I hold a pistol sideways and fire it, in the approved Hollywood fashion, in which direction will it recoil - horizontally or vertically? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/2 "2006-05-20T22:21:03Z")
Horizontally. The barrel wants to move backwards, your hand acts as a fulcrum. It’s independant from gravity. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/3 "2006-05-20T22:28:28Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > It’s independant from gravity. The same reason bullets never fall to the ground. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/4 "2006-05-21T01:04:11Z")
The horizontal “gangsta” presentation is much maligned by firearms professionals. The pistol, if held in a conventional grip, will tend to kick upwards and backwards - which leads to the current preference for the two-handed bracing grip. This bracing against the kick is much more difficult to achieve if the gun is held horizontally, meaning that the shot will be less accurate. But it looks way kewl 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/5 "2006-05-21T02:07:18Z")
It can also lead to nasty marks when the weapon hurts you. I’ll only speculate what my Taurus .44 or Smith 10mm would do if held in that fashion. This homie won’t go there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/6 "2006-05-21T02:46:35Z")
I’ve shot my Glock 22 (.40) many times in this fashion at the range, and on the streets (j/k 🙂 ), without any ill effects. Surprisingly, I can get pretty close to my target. I think to do it accurately, you gotta shoot it fast, and pretend to be a real OG and shout obscenities at the target. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/7 "2006-05-21T05:54:37Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > I’ve shot my Glock 22 (.40) many times in this fashion at the range, and on the streets (j/k 🙂 ), without any ill effects. Surprisingly, I can get pretty close to my target. I think to do it accurately, you gotta shoot it fast, and pretend to be a real OG and shout obscenities at the target. 😛 I’ve also shot “gangsta style” a few times. It seems to recoil mainly horizontally, but also a bit vertically. I’d guess somewhere between 10 and 11 o’clock, for a right-handed shooter. You can shoot reasonably accurately, but you have to just point and shoot, if you try to use the sights you are gonna be nowhere the target ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/8 "2006-05-21T11:12:52Z")
> [@Ender\_Will](#): > > I’ve also shot “gangsta style” a few times. It seems to recoil mainly horizontally, but also a bit vertically. Now that’s an answer I like: if I am shooting something vertical, like an ostrich, I shall adopt a conventional grip; if horizontal, like a crocodile, I shall go gangsta. And if I am to pot something at a 45 degree angle, like the proverbial drunk using a lamp post for support rather than illumination, gangsta it is. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/9 "2006-05-21T21:20:35Z")
You’re gonna need [some new sights…](http://media.livingwithstyle.com/files/2/2/9/2/9/homeboy_night_sights.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/10 "2006-05-21T21:41:36Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > Now that’s an answer I like: if I am shooting something vertical, like an ostrich, I shall adopt a conventional grip; if horizontal, like a crocodile, I shall go gangsta. And if I am to pot something at a 45 degree angle, like the proverbial drunk using a lamp post for support rather than illumination, gangsta it is. Glad to be of assistance for ostrich hunting advice ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/11 "2006-05-21T22:16:18Z")
“I always thought it was just some cold-blooded shit to say to an alligator before I busted a cap in his ass.” ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/12 "2006-05-21T22:44:38Z")
In addition to the rearward thrust, pistol recoil also has a rotational component due to the rotational acceleration of the bullet by the rifling. In the normal shooting position this produces a slight rightward recoil, in the “gangstah hold”, upward. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/13 "2006-05-21T22:44:05Z")
In addition to the rearward thrust, pistol recoil also has a rotational component due to the rotational acceleration of the bullet by the rifling. In the normal shooting position this produces a slight rightward recoil, in the gangstah hold, upward. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/14 "2006-05-22T03:22:40Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > In addition to the rearward thrust, pistol recoil also has a rotational component due to the rotational acceleration of the bullet by the rifling. In the normal shooting position this produces a slight rightward recoil, in the “gangstah hold”, upward. That is true only for the glock in your right hand. True ganstah style is with a glock in each hand. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/15 "2006-05-22T04:00:25Z")
Of course in the southern hemisphere, the right hand gangsta hold results in a recoil that’s rotates slightly downward. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/16 "2006-05-22T14:30:00Z")
> [@Purd Werfect](#): > > Of course in the southern hemisphere, the right hand gangsta hold results in a recoil that’s rotates slightly downward. What if the gangsta is on a treadmill? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/17 "2006-05-22T15:32:44Z")
In the two-handed gangsta mode, the Glocks (Glockstas?) will throw empty cartridges in opposite directions. The right one will throw them up and to the left, and the left one will throw its brass down and to the right. There is no predicting exactly where the brass will go. In a standing position, though, the left-hand gun will eventually throw a hot shell in your shoe. This will be distracting and mighty darned embarrassing, especially when the thug you’re shooting at begins to laugh at your sudden gangsta dancing. ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/18 "2006-05-22T17:27:56Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > You’re gonna need [some new sights…](http://media.livingwithstyle.com/files/2/2/9/2/9/homeboy_night_sights.jpg) EXCELLENT!! Thanks for that one, **CG** … ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/19 "2006-05-22T18:40:54Z")
I solve that problem by C-walking whilst I’m ruining muthafuckas like it ain’t no thang. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572/20 "2006-05-22T22:11:23Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > What if the gangsta is on a treadmill? If he’s in an airplane on a treadmill, his quack won’t echo, and no one knows why. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pistol-recoil-question-holding-a-gun-sideways/357572.md?page=2)