MOUNTAINEER

I hired a trainer to give my wife and daughter shooting lessons. In his instruction on posture and stance, he told them that their elbows should be locked. My training was always for "fully extended but not locked." What's the wisdom here?

__________________
Gene
Shooting for over 60 years!

matiki

That depends. When I fire rapidly (double taps, mozambique drill) locked works better for me since it sends the recoil absorption duties to my core, which is of course stronger than my arms. But if I'm running around at low ready... or need to make a very carefully aimed shot... then I prefer extended but no where near locked.

__________________

pgrass101

Never locked and sometimes not fully extended

__________________
Noli nothis permittere te terere

If I got .01 cents for every $1 in $700 billion I would have $70 million!!!!

Ram Rod

My strong or shooting arm has elbow locked one or two handed and especially if I'm firing one handed. My support or weak hand arm elbow is not locked but fully extended for two hand shooting if that makes any sense.

__________________
RamRod-----sans remords

dukalmighty

It depends what i'm doing I think the arms extended both elbows locked will be more able to learn and repeat sight alignment and control but if i'm shooting defensively gun hand extended not locked support hand elbow not locked and may be held against torso for support

__________________
I like Poetry,Long Walks On The Beach,And Poking Dead Things With A Stick

David in FL

First off, I've gotta give you enormous credit for hiring someone to teach them to shoot rather than doing it yourself! It doesn't always work out very well if we try to teach our SO's something no matter how good we are at it! Ask me how it worked out for me trying to teach my wife to golf..........

Disclaimer.....I am not a professional instructor by any means.....just a guy who's been shooting a long time and can make the hole appear close to where he wants it to. It won't hurt my feelings at all for the pros out there to tell me that I'm full of beans!

I shoot without my arms locked.....sort of a modified Weaver stance, but I initially teach new shooters to shoot with their arms locked.......the arms form an isosceles triangle and allows for a very natural point of aim. The locked arms also seem to help prevent limp-wristed failures with autos and helps control recoil. For me, these seem to combine to give the newer shooter a positive experience and allows them to become comfortable with shooting and to get used to actually hitting a target before moving on to other techniques. Additionally, for someone only interested in learning enough to be able to use a gun in a defensive scenario, it teaches a form of instinctive point shooting that won't break down in a stressful situation and provides plenty of inherent accuracy at self-defense distances.

deadeye72

I feel safer when my wife has a gun than when she pulls out her driver.

__________________
HK P2000 .40
BENELLI NOVA

goldshellback

I go both ways.........depends on what sidearm I'm shooting.

I never locked my elbows or fully extended my arms prior to owning a Glock. I could NOT square-away my groups with my 'new' G23 until my LEO/SWAT team neighbor 'strightened' me out......locked and fully extended right arm. I then began punching the 10 ring outta every target.

When I try that posture with my duty sidearm (M9) you'd think I was shooting at houseflies.

__________________
"Just getting a concealed carry permit means you haven't commited a crime yet........CCP holders commit crimes." Daniel Vice, senior attorney for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, as quoted on Fox & Friends, July 7th, 2008

retsupt99

Arms fully out, but elbows not locked...

__________________
"That I cannot do."

"Give this to, uh, Clemenza. I want reliable people, people who aren't going to be carried away. After all we're not murderers in spite of what this undertaker thinks."


***********************************

McCain/Palin 2008

NRA Life Member

sniper58

Arms fully extended, but not locked. Rationale (as explained to me) is that if you have a new threat emerge from a sharper angle, you can respond easier and faster with unlocked elbows. Seems to work for me in IDPA (thankfully, I haven't needed to draw in public since 1992). I've seen fellow competitors with locked elbows take more time and have more gun movement .

__________________
Tim
BE PREPARED - Noah didn't build the Ark when it was raining!
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Thomas Jefferson
________
NRA Life Member