The combat rifle stance/Universal Fighting position, is the preferred combat stance and is Superior to the Target stance in most every way. This stance takes some time to get used to if you have been using the target stance as most have, but I urge you to persevere and adopt this stance. Often you will need to adapt this stance to suit your needs based on your cover and concealment, but the key elements remain basically unchanged.
Why is this a Superior stance? Simple..... Mobility! To remain stationary is to be out maneuvered and DIE! The UFP offers great mobility because the body is square to the target, you have the ability to move forward, in revers, or side to side while putting rounds on target. The target stance places the body at an angle, this greatly hiders mobility when compared to the UFP forcing the shooter to do the crab walk or shooter shuffle. When movement is added to targeting the body tends to do a few things based on body position. Every step has a peak and a valley, as you step forward moving your weight from one foot to the other your upper body rises and falls, the idea is to remove as much of this movement as possible to aid in delivering accurate fire on the target while moving. The natural stride of the human body is to be square and walk one foot in front of the other, so we want to capitalize on this. The target stance adds a bunch of unnatural movement to the body that reduces the ability to put rounds on target while moving. The recoil of the weapon is more controllable from the UFP, because the body is square the recoil pushes strait back and allows you to reacquire the target quicker. The target stance on the other hand pushes the muzzle up and toward the direction of the shooting side. To demonstrate this simply have someone push on your shoulder while square to them and then have them push on your shoulder when you body is angled as it would be from the target stance. The body being square despite some other opinions dose not present a more vulnerable target, it dose present a slightly larger target but when you add movement you are much MUCH harder to hit. As well the target stance present a body position that allows one shot to hit near every vital organ (When shooting a deer you shoot through the side trying to hit both lungs and the heart) The UFP presents each organ as an individual unit. When using body armor there are some benefits to being square as well, but it is only a benefit of using this stance and not the reason we use this stance. The Arms stay tucked in front of the body, this aids in making you a smaller target as well as offers some shield for incoming fire. The arms have the potential to stop or deflect a bullet before it reaches a organ, A gun shot of any sort sucks! but one to the chest kills and quick. The legs remain bent at the knees further reducing the peaks and valleys that come with the human stride, as well walking one foot in front of the other reduces side to side movement of the upper body aiding in targeting while on the move. The head remains in the upright position as situational awareness is as key to surviving a gun fight as is movement, have it or die. When the head is upright the peripheral vision of the shooter is greatly enhanced, with the Target stance one eyes peripheral vision is limited and the others dose not have the side movement it would have if the head was erect. Where the head goes the body will fallow.
I have included some pictures so people can see exactly what the stance looks like, I have also included a link to Todd Jarret explaining movement while shooting. In the video please notice that he is using the UFP while shooting a pistol, this is where the universal part comes from. Every top shooter in both competition and the military uses this stance, be it with a pistol or rifle. I URGE you to use this stance unless physical limitation prevents it, after learning it I will pretty much not use anything else.
