Get Your Elbow Down!

[Doc Shapiro]

Don't read if you don't want a CAS shooting tip

I see a lot of shooters (and pictures of shooters) shooting their rifle with their strong side elbow held high.  I am assuming that this is a shotgun or rifle technique that is learned to improve hitting clays or distance targets.

Shooting in a match with your elbow like this means that your levering motion is down and then up.  Moving the lever down and then up will cause your sights to move around, making followup shots slower.

Move that elbow down!  Down past the 45 degree, but not in tight to your body.  Now you can move the lever forward and back, along the direction of the barrel.  This will keep your sights more stable so that you can make quicker followup shots.

Hope this helps.

Doc

[Micheal Fortune]

Nope, sitting right here polishing out the honed chambers on my new Stoeger sbs and was thinking, the last thing I need I another CAS tip, then I looked over here and your catchy title sucked me in!

Thanks Doc!  I appreciate the help as always

[Big John Denny]

Doc,

I think that habit of the elbow out comes from shooting other than lever guns. Most folks do that to "form" a pocket at their shoulder to stablize a bolt or auto rifle for long range shots. With our pistol caliber rifles its really unneeded, but I guess for them its just habit now. I always do as you say and keep my "lever" arm down to more effectively work the action.

[Shoshone Slim]

NOT ANOTHER TIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN YOU DOOOOOOOOOOC!

[Badlands Walker]

That looks like sound advice.  I will try that Doc.  Much obliged!

[Capt. Augustus]

Many years ago I let the high elbow work it's way into my muzzleloading rifle shooting technique.  At the time I was shooting a rifle with a somewhat flat butt plate.  To make a two year story short, I would always hit the bottom corner of the target no matter what I did.  I just kept putting that elbow up.  That's one reason I like the crescent stock, it hurts if you raise your elbow too high.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Aha, more good information. I had to go grab a rifle and check it. I think I hit just about a 45° angle so that's good. Thanks. I'll double check it tomorrow at the match just to make sure I haven't picked up any bad habits.

[Adirondack Jack]

Doc, yer gonna have me goin' through a complete set of "preflight checklist" cards before I shoot next.

Lets see, elbow down for rifle, drive the gun, push the eye speed, mixture full rich, flaps down, uh, oops, that's the Cessna checklist.........