One handed bent elbow shooting (from the hip) & accuracy

[narwhal]

Hi,

This isn't really a competition related question since I've yet to encounter this type of shooting at a match, but I'm looking for tips on how to improve accuracy with what's known as "one handed bent elbow shooting".

I carry a pistol for work (sometimes) and have to requal every 6 months. It's a fairly easy requal course, but the only part that ever messes me up a little is this. It's basically "shooting from the hip"; the position consists of the elbow touching your side with the arm bent roughly 90 degrees and the pistol pointed straight ahead. The sights are not used and only one hand is on the pistol. It's tested with both the weak and strong hand. Luckily the range you are tested at for this position is only 1.5 yards.

The only guidance we are really ever given is to square our shoulders to the target and lock our eyes on the same point on the target where we want our bullets to go.

I find that my groups are pretty big, even at 1.5 yards (sometimes 10" or more including fliers).

Does anyone have any good tips, techniques, or drills which can help a shooter get better at this?

Oh yeah, the pistol used is an H-K USP 40 compact with the 10 lb+ "law enforcement" double action only trigger.

Thanks!

[Red_SC]

Sorry, I'm no help, but here's a video to help you feel better.

[dsmw5142]

Keep your elbow anchored to the same spot on your body, that way all you have to control for is up-down, left-right movement of the point of impact. In other words, by anchoring your elbow to the same spot everytime, you take most of your shoulder movement out of the equation.

Watch the video. Taran's elbow/arm, while not touching his body, doesn't move. It's like shooting a rifle. We teach that tip of the nose to the charging handle is a good, consistent and repeatable anchor point to control eye relief. It's the same idea. His anchor point is imaginary/practiced which is much harder to teach or learn. An easier one to teach or learn that won't move is the side of your body.

It doesn't really matter what your anchor point is (rifle cheek weld or pistol hip shooting) as long as it is consistent.

Another thing you can use to practice is a cheap-o lazer attached to your gun. Switch the lazer on and practice (with an empty weapon) drawing and dry firing to a target or wall switch or whatever.

Even if it won't fit your holster with the lazer, hold it where your holster would be and bring it up to your hip shooting position like you're drawing.

[narwhal]

Thanks for all the tips. I re-qualified yesterday with a perfect score; then again so does 75% of the class usually. I appreciate it.