How come, in the movies, when they shoot guns they often hold the gun sideways?

Most experts agreed that the sideways trend started with the 1993 Hughes Brothers film “Menace II Society.” A character called O-Dog holds his gun sideways as he murders a grocer, then replays the security-system videotape of the event for his friends.

Are people that sheltered? People were asking this question 20 years ago.

My guess it is to control the recoil. Also to look cool.

@Blackberry I’m hardly sheltered. I’ve been seeing this for decades but it never occurred to me to ask about the purpose. Forgive me please for showing my ignorance.

It is to “look all gangsta” and it very frequently complained about by people who have actually fired guns trying to hit targets.

@RedDeerGuy1 Your first guess is incorrect. Holding an automatic pistol sideways does the opposite of controlling the recoil. It makes the recoil go sideways, and makes it harder to hold on target, especially if the target is vertical (e.g. a standing person).

@jca2 I’m sorry that was a bit aggressive lol.

It is only because the idiot thinks it looks cool. The only time I can think that holding a gun sideways like that would make sense was with the old tommy guns. They shot .45 rounds and had a hell of a kick. If you pulled the trigger while shooting at a crowd and it started shooting, the kick would drive the barrel up causing subsequent shots (after the first) would go over their heads. Turning the barrel sideways would cause the kick to go to the side allowing you to shoot on a relatively level plane that crossed many people.