A buttstroke or butt-stroking is the act of striking someone with the

stock Stocks (also capital stock, or sometimes interchangeably, shares) consist of all the Share (finance), shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided. A single share of the stock means fractional ownership of the corporatio ...

of a

long gun A long gun is a category of firearms with long Gun barrel, barrels. In small arms, a ''long gun'' or longarm is generally designed to be held by both hands and braced against the shoulder, in contrast to a handgun, which can be fired being held w ...

, and is one of the most common types of the use of firearms as blunt weapons. Some buttstocks were intentionally wedged shape to make swings impact like a blunt axe. Buttstrokes are the most prominent offensive technique available while using long guns in

hand-to-hand combat Hand-to-hand combat is a physical confrontation between two or more persons at short range (grappling distance or within the physical reach of a handheld weapon) that does not involve the use of ranged weapons.Hunsicker, A., ''Advanced Skills in ...

and is the recommended method of close combat by the

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if no

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or sidearm is available.

Effectiveness

Despite technological changes, modern

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continue to report that

is a continued occurrence in the field, with soldiers stressing the importance of training in

grappling Grappling is a fighting technique based on throws, trips, sweeps, clinch fighting, ground fighting and submission holds. Grappling contests often involve takedowns and ground control, and may end when a contestant concedes defeat. Shou ...

and the use of

weapons A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law ...

Techniques

Buttstrokes are implemented by a variety of combatants, often trained in a series of transitioned movements to prevent wasted motion and ensure that the aggressor is able to make repeated attacks or quickly parry or guard following a failed attempt. Buttstrokes can be combined with kicking and kneeing an opponent's lower body to further increase effectiveness and provide more variety to routes of attack. Buttstrokes carry the risk of damaging one's weapon, and, by some schools of thought, are considered best a method of last resort, recommending the use of bayonets, if possible, when engaged in close quarters combat. Even if relying primarily on bayonets, a buttstroke may still prove effective as a transitional move following a failed bayonet charge, bringing the butt of the gun in a vertical, upward swing into the combatant's groin. Part of the butt stroke training regimen involves hitting padded dummies, alongside working through drills with partners in order to avoid damaging one's weapon.

United States Techniques

The 1918

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

Landing-force Manual describes the following techniques of buttstroking which would be adopted by the

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and other branches of the military:Landing-force Manual, United States Navy, 1918 By United States Navy Dept, United States,
pp. 508-510
(

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)

Trench or Vertical Butt Strokes

*Buttstroke I – Upward swing: Swing the butt up at the opponent's crotch, ribs, forearm, etc.,-using a half-arm blow or advancing the rear foot. Buttstroke I is essentially a half-arm blow from the shoulder, keeping the elbow rigid, and it can therefore be successfully employed only when the right hand is grasping the rifle at the small of the stock. *Buttstroke II – Forward strike: If the opponent jumps back so that the first butt stroke misses, the rifle will come into a horizontal position over the left shoulder, butt leading; the attacker will then step in with the rear foot and dash the butt into his opponent's face. *Buttstroke III – Downward cut: If the opponent retires still farther out of distance, the attacker again closes up and slashes his bayonet down on his opponent's head or neck. *Buttstroke IV – Side blow: If a thrust has been made at an opponent and parried, the butt can be effectively used by stepping in with the rear foot swinging the rifle to the left and rear, so that the butt leads and is in front of the right forearm. Then dash the butt into the opponent's face, or against the side of his head or jaw. When the opponent is out of distance, butt stroke III can again be used. In individual fighting, the butt can also be used horizontally against the opponent's ribs, forearm, etc. This method is impossible in trench fighting or in an attack, owing to the horizontal sweep of the

to the attacker's left.

Open Ground or Horizontal Butt Strokes

* Buttstroke I – Advancing the rear foot, with a half-arm blow swing the butt up at the opponent's jaw with your right hand holding onto the small of the stock. * Buttstroke II – If the opponent jumps back, causing the first stroke to miss, the rifle will come into a horizontal position over the left shoulder, butt leading. The attacker will then step in with the rear foot and slash the bayonet into the opponent's face.

References