TargetTalk

Is it better to have your right elbow raised or no in standing?

no, that just adds tension to your position. The more relaxed your position is, the better.

Padawan wrote:no, that just adds tension to your position. The more relaxed your position is, the better.

No that is not true for everyone.
You have to try different ways some people like it high and some don't it is more of a matter a preference. If you look in the book "Ways of the Rifle" you will see alot a different stuff.

--Brian--

do whatever way is the most comfortable

The whole aim of any strong shooting position is that you use as little muscle as is humanly possible. It seems to me that keeping the right elbow up while shooting would cause you to use shoulder muscles and arm muscles.

It also seems to me that after awhile your muscles would get tired and you would either start to shake or you would not be able to put the arm in the same position every time, which would change your point of aim (albeit minutely but the whole aim of the game is to do the same thing each shot).

Hi

I have to aggree with Brian on this one. If you have read 'Ways of the Rifle' it suggests that trends (at least in Europe) are for a slightly higher elbow. In the past most coaches recommended that you left your support arm elbow where gravity pulled it, that then became the position.

In Ways of the rifle some of this advice was aimed at the small bore .22 target shooter but has spilled over into the air rifle discipline.

The theory being that the slightly higher elbow position was if combined with a 'firm' grip of the pistol grip, the air rifle could be better 'locked' in to the position thus less muzzle movement in the aiming and firing cycles.
This was also because of the slight kick that pre stabilized weapons gave.

With the advent of air rifles fitted with stabilizers (which were not that prevelant when ways of the rifle was written), this whole procedure may need modifying to take into account the now kick free shot release.

Actually, there is no right way for the individual only guide lines, follow these guide lines and you will find a position that suits you. A good coach will point you in this direction and ammend any obvious errors he/she sees.

Peepsight

Just to add an other "wrinkle" to the thread...it is just/more important that you mount the rifle butt in the exact place and height for each shot. Some shooters find that by placing the rifle butt, then lowering the arm, you can "lock" the rifle butt in the same position for each shot.

As suggested by everyone so far, there are differences between shooters, and you just have to work at it in practice to find which position works for you and your body style. But as mentioned, consistent muscle tension thru a match is most important for scoring.

Joe