Please help me with my standing position

[kotengu]

I recently saw a picture of myself in standing and noticed that my weak side elbow wasn't even touching my ribs, hip, or anything -
I feel like I'm resting the weight of the rifle through the weak arm, and thought I was using bone support, but I suppose my tricep is hitting my chest/lat area and keeping my elbow from supporting me correctly.

Any suggestions for how to get better support? Take a look at the pic attached and feel free to point out anything else you see I'm doing wrong.....

[PO2Hammer]

When I shot M14 (Navy) and M1a (civilian), I put my support hand under the magazine, this allowed my upper arm to lie firmly across my chest. It also seemed to dampen support arm tremors by giving them less leverage.
I don't know if you can do that with an AR-15.
Also try putting your left hand the other way, fingers to the right, thumb to the left, and get that right elbow up soldier!

[hillbilly]

Do something to get that left elbow against your ribs or atop your hip bone.

Also, what about your hips? Are they twisted out of line with the target? The joint of your left hip should be straight at the target. You can slouch your hips towards the target, but make sure you aren't twisting them one side of the other out of line with the target.

As for your right elbow, I, too, was taught to shoot by Marines, so my right elbow instinctively flies up into a perfect chicken wing every time.

But.....at my NRA Rifle Coaching Clinic two weeks ago, their "textbook" competitive rifle stance is to let that right elbow flop down on your chest.

The reason is, and I never knew this until the Rifle Coach instructor demonstrated it, was that throwing that right elbow up tenses muscles in your shoulder, especially the deltoid, is it? That muscle that's right on top of the shoulder and that goes to the spine at the base of the neck.

All those muscles tense when you throw that right elbow up.

For competition shooters, tense muscles are bad.

For Marine Corps shooters under combat conditions, tense muscles are not that bad.

hillbilly

[Steve Smith]

I see how your left forearm isn't vertical as it should be. You may wind up putting your hand under the mag, or do some experimenting. I think most of us are facing slightly farther away from the target than you are, and that may help as well. Ultimately you'll have to figure out what works best for you, obviously. Also, it looks like your head is down on the stock. Bring the gun higher and toward your face (possbily mounting the stock just above your bicep rather than in the "pocket" of your shoulder. That is what I do. That will bring the rifle closer to your face. You may also want to cant the rifle toward your face even more.

HILLBILLY AND PO2HAMMER, the M1A/M14 can't be shot like the AR-15/M16 or vice versa. The angle of the grip is different. On an M14, a high right elbow is correct, but it is nearly impossible and is certainly detrimental with the pistol grip of the AR-15/M16.

[Steve Smith]

Kotengu, here is a thread you should read. Before you read it you should know that since the pics were taken I have employed the advice that I gave you and my scores in standing went up...IOW, don't trust the standing pics too much!

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13711&highlight=position

Steve

[TrapperReady]

Kotengu - One thing you might want to try...

It appears from your photo that you are using a reversed-grip with your support hand. I've been using that same technique for a while, and my offhand scores were horrible.

The last couple of matches, I switched to a more conventional grip, wrapping my hand around the front of the magazine well. This approach seemed to bring my support-arm elbow more tightly into my ribs. Between that and using a little bit of cant, my offhand scores really improved.

[wanderinwalker]

What a digital camera wouldn't help here! Here goes my best...

I personally tuck my left arm in against my ribcage, on the pad on my jacket. I push the web of my left hand up and forward from the rear of the magazine well, placing my index finger against the takedown pin and wrapping my other fingers in front of the magazine well. There is only maybe 1/2 to 1/3 of the buttstock trapped in my shoulder. The rifle is canted left (counter-clockwise) into my face. I grip the pistol grip up as high as is comfortable and allow my right arm to drop naturally. My hips are open to the target slightly to get my left hip inline below my left elbow. Leading foot points to right of target and rear (right) foot almost parallel to the firing line. Lots of breathing and relaxing.

As I said, a camera and a few pics would clear it up better than I can describe. Seeing as I just received my Master-card recently, I must be doing something right.

Lastly, I suggest trying different things until you find something that is comfortable, repeatable and steady. Experiment and dry-fire all you can stand until you have a position nailed. It worked for me and hopefully it will work for you as well. Good luck and go to it!

~Nate

[30Cal]

Try putting the barrel nut between your 1st and 2nd or 2nd and 3rd fingers. That should allow you to lower the elbow a little more.