C-clamp grip, hype or not?

[SeriousStudent]

If you don't mind, I am going to steal your acronym and use it in class.

Serving as a bad example is the least I can do.

I'm not kidding about the Garand, either. I want one so bad I can taste it. Every time I shoot one, it's like a recovering alcoholic staring at his 20-year coin......looking at the liquor store.....staring at the coin.....

[Failure2Stop]

A C-clamp is highly beneficial when rail space is limited to get the support hand further out on the handguard.

It also works well with immediate support techniques.

It also works well with 12:00 lights and laser/light pressure pads.

There are a lot of ways to hold the front of the gun, and there are pretty good reasons for most of them, but if you can't articulate those reasons beyond what other people do, you might want to reevaluate your quality of input.

[T2C]

There is a time and place for everything. If the C-Clamp method or a modified version of the technique fits inside your operational bubble, I think it is beneficial.

Hype? Take your weapon to the range, wring it out and decide for yourself.

[SPQR476]

C-Clamp not work with rifle of the people. Kalashnikov C-Clamp means not seeing sights and burning proletariat thumbs. Nyet.

Put hand on forend with thumb forward, put hand on forend with thumb over, put index finger forward, don't put index finger forward, put hand out farther, put hand closer...leave it where it works for you in a given situation.

Extended grips, forward hand close to bore, and natural pointing aids can all help, but to pretend that this is a scientific equation that you can do the math on and come up with the best grip, stance, etc, is somewhat disingenuous. Get your hand far enough forward and close enough to line of bore to aid pointing and transitions without turtling, locking up stiff, or overextending to the point of being slow to react and move, and you've probably got the 90% solution. Tweak from there. My thumb goes over top when I'm pushing the button on an ATPIAL or DBAL, otherwise it points forward. YMMV, and it probably will.

[T2C]

Does anyone else who teaches this technique teach using push/pull resistance while firing the weapon or do you teach to use the forward hand just as support without resistance?

[Arctic1]

Does anyone else who teaches this technique teach using push/pull resistance while firing the weapon or do you teach to use the forward hand just as support without resistance?

I personally use my support hand actively to counter muzzle flip, by continuously driving the dot back to the center of target.

[26 Inf]

Yes, largely as an outgrowth of pump action shotgun training.

[HKGuns]

I've shot for many years without that exaggerated c-clamp, mongo, grip on a rifle. I question how intelligent it is to train yourself so specifically to a shooting posture that is geared toward one particular rifle, or style of rifle. (I know, it will probably work on other rifles as well, but there are plenty out there where you'll burn your hand off or obscure your sight picture.)

That is probably just me being set in my ways, but I have tried shooting like that and it is just not comfortable. Finding a comfortable shooting position, for me, is very important.

ETA: Middle aged Garand shooting bastage here as well.

[echo5whiskey]

I was taught sort of a mix between the C-clamp and the "S.H.I.T." The support hand thumb may go over the top rail perpendicular (traditional C-clamp) to the support arm, or may naturally rest along the upper portion of the side rail. The index finger extends out, pointing to the threat, indexing the target. It's the same prinicple with the thumb when firing a pistol.

I'm not saying I was taught the "right" way or the "wrong" way, but it's worked for me and enabled me to get quick, accurate shots off during combat scenarios.

That being said, are there major flaws in that, that would necessitate my trashing those methods and getting better training on my own?

[Surf]

Late to this thread but since it has been revived these are my thoughts. I am an old time competitive shotgun shooter as a kid. I am also a middle aged or older guy who likes steel and wood weapons. As a shotgun shooter many many years ago, yep outstretched grip, thumb running along top of forend, index finger as a pointer. Best way to point, track and transition. We knew it then, funny how we are re-learning it now. Old is new, new is old. I think if I could have gone thumb overbore back then on my shotgun, I may have indeed done it. The AR/M16/M4 weapon system allows for it and it does provide me with an advantage, so I exploit it. Why not?

I am not exaggerated as most pictures you will see posted by those who don't approve of the technique, but it has benefits in some situations and isn't that the point of any technique? To be able to utilize certain techniques under certain circumstances with certain tools to fit certain situations? In other words, the most beneficial tool and application of that tool to suit the so called mission? I don't pick up a Garand or my M1's and all of a sudden wrap my finger over the top of the barrel. If I do, I am sure I will get a quick reminder and fix it asap, before I do any real damage. I dunno? I also don't feel like I can only use a thumb overbore just because I pick up an M4. Being smart enough to understand the difference and when where to apply things is the key I guess.

I was taught sort of a mix between the C-clamp and the "S.H.I.T." The support hand thumb may go over the top rail perpendicular (traditional C-clamp) to the support arm, or may naturally rest along the upper portion of the side rail. The index finger extends out, pointing to the threat, indexing the target. It's the same prinicple with the thumb when firing a pistol.

I'm not saying I was taught the "right" way or the "wrong" way, but it's worked for me and enabled me to get quick, accurate shots off during combat scenarios.

That being said, are there major flaws in that, that would necessitate my trashing those methods and getting better training on my own?

What you have learned and are applying are sound techniques and as mentioned above what we knew back in the day as being beneficial for certain applications. The key is that they work for you. Are there other techniques that work well for others? Of course there are. Will they necessarily work well for you? Only due diligence in training and practice will shake that one out, but that does not mean we should necessarily just trash something and adopt something else. We should always be open minded and on the lookout for ways to improve our methodology / technique and a good thing about ongoing training is that it not only allows you to seek out new information for improvement, but also allows you to validate whatever you are currently doing. Not to knock on some of the older fellas, because I have quite a few miles on the odometer, but getting stuck in our ways is more often than not, not a good thing and a hard thing to break out of when the crust starts to settle over time.

Besides, it sounds like you have some good practical application experience that I am sure many can learn from. Keep up the training and thank you.