Short answer: For safety and control, keep the handgun at arm’s length or just slightly farther from your body when firing. This minimizes blast and recoil transfer to the body, helps prevent accidental contact with the slide or all- metal parts, and reduces the chance of your clothing or skin being burned or snagged by moving parts. Most reputable training guidance recommends firing at arm’s length to ensure a stable, repeatable sight picture and to preserve your balance and reaction time. Details and safety considerations

• General target: Aim to hold the firearm with a full, firm grip and keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times. Keeping the gun away from the body helps prevent clothing or skin from contacting hot components or the slide during cycling. This is especially important with semi-automatic pistols where the slide can move quickly after firing.
• Minimum distance: A practical baseline is roughly an arm’s length from the body, which gives space to manage recoil, control muzzle rise, and maintain a safe position during follow-up shots. Some instructors emphasize a stance where the gun is kept just outside the torso to reduce blast effects and improve visibility of the sights.

• Close-quarters caveat: In extreme close-quarters training or retention shooting, you may hold the gun closer to the body only as part of specific drills under supervision. Those drills are specialized and not general-purpose firing positions. Do not apply retention techniques outside a controlled setting.

• Long or controlled-distance shooting: When engaging at longer ranges, the gun is still held at a steady distance with a consistent grip, but the emphasis shifts to sight alignment, trigger control, and body mechanics rather than closeness to the body. Proper stance and breathing remain crucial.

Notes and caveats

• Always follow your local laws and the safety rules of your range or training program. Be sure of your target, what’s beyond it, and that the muzzle is never pointed at anything you are not willing to destroy.

• For formal training, consult certified instructors who can tailor your grip, stance, and distance to your build, firearm model, and the specific drill. They can provide hands-on feedback to ensure safe handling and effective marksmanship.

If you’d like, specify your firearm type (e.g., Glock 19, SIG P320) and your training context (self-defense, range competition) and a more precise guidance can be offered.