Now for the controversial part; the practicality of the MWG.
One thing that people need to understand is there are a few things in shooting that are right or wrong - things like certain safety rules, etc.
In the majority of shooting practices, there is not a right way and a wrong way. There are often several good ways, several OK ways, and some not so good ways to shoot. There are some methods that are good for one type of shooting, but not for another.
For example, which is the right pistol shooting stance, the Weaver or the isosceles? Which is the wrong way?
There are winning competitors using both methods. There are highly skilled LE officers using both methods. I was originally taught a Weaver stance and shot well with it. I now use an isosceles, type stance for certain benefits in the type of shooting I am doing, but I would never say that the Weaver stance is wrong.
A magwell hold is not the right way to shoot.
A hyper-extended straight arm Costa-style hold is not the right way to shoot.
A traditional handguard hold is not the right way to shoot.
They all have advantages and disadvantages, but none are right and none are wrong.
Magwell hold:
Advantages-
- Least fatigue. This can be a big issue when you are spending days at a time in CQB-type combat, or even patrolling all day. Fatigue can become a problem.
- It keeps the shooter tight and compact and is a very maneuverable stance in tight quarters.
- It keeps the hand off of the handguard. Why is this an issue? Because many designated marksmen are using M16 rifles that are not free-floated. Any pressure on the handguard changes the point of impact. In this case, it may be better to use a magwell hold for precision shots.
Non-issues-
-I have never seen or heard of an actual case of a magazine-well hold causing a malfunction.
Disadvantages-
-It may be slightly less stable under recoil than other stances for many shooters.
-Grip must be changed to use weapon for striking.
-In the rare case of a kaboom, the magazine will at least most likely be blown out, and possibly parts of the receiver can become shrapnel. In this case, I would want the polymer of the MWG keeping my hand off of the magazine and buffering against the aluminum receiver.
The Costa hyper-extended arm stance
Advantages-
-Shooters can move very quickly from one target to the next. This is great for range of competition - not so good for combat or law enforcement.
-It keeps the muzzle on target well under recoil.
Disadvantages-
-It allows very rapid transitions between targets with much of the target area blocked from view by the arm and rifle. People who train this way tend to be more likely to engage friendly or bystander targets.
-It leads to fatigue very quickly.
-It has potential for injury to arms and elbows if used in CQB work. Most who are really experienced do not use this method in combat.
Traditional forend hold:
Advantages -
-Most of the advantages of the Costa style, without the disadvantages.
-More flexible stance.
-Not too fatiguing.
-Most widely used.
-can be used for shooting with a sling.
Disadvantages:
-More tiring than magwell hold.
-Can affect pont of impact when barrel is not free-floated.
One thing to think about is how you transition from target to target. If you drop the barrel just slightly, so the target area is clearly visible, then bring it back up on the next target, you will have better situational awareness, and be more likely to put a bullet on the body of the target, since final movement is vertical and not horizontal. This should not be an exaggerated movement, just a slight down, across, and up. This will help with targeting decisions as well. It may not be as cool on the range, but it makes sense in an actual fight. If you use this method, any of the above methods will work in the transition between targets about as well, with the very slight advantage to to second two.
By the way, I personally prefer the last method, but have shot with a magwell hold quite a bit in the past as well.
For me the biggest advantage of the MWG is the magwell funnel function. It really works well. I have considered cutting one down so only the bottom portion is left for this purpose.
So I have no problem if someone uses a magwell hold. It is not what we teach, and it is not what I use, but if it works well for you, then use it. If you do, the MWG is an advantage. Others do not use a magwell hold, but still use the MWG for the magwell funnel.
