TargetTalk

This question arises out of what I saw on the video of the Baku finals (won by Junghaenel), link given in the adjacent topic on Martynov. I posed the question there but it received only one reply. In the hope that it is a worthwhile subject, may I ask again whether there is some advantage to be gained from having the sling low on the arm? Several of the finalists seemed to use that position. I always thought that it was recommended to have the sling high on the arm. Does a low position give more stability and support or is it useful only for those with long arms or is it just a matter of personal preference?

I'm a pistol shooter who has shot a little rifle, so rifle experts feel free to correct me...

I always thought that low position suited "tall skinny" build shooters and high position was better for "short fatties".

One thing I do know is that in the middle is no good as that's where the pulse is.

Like you I noticed the sling position of many and thought I'd give it a go. What I will say is that it was more comfortable but I couldn't get it right, you will definitely need an experienced coach to help you get it right!!

Roger,

Sling placement on the arm is heavily concerned with avoiding picking up a pulse, and not pinching. It can either go high, above the triceps, or low below the triceps just above the elbow. A high sling offers the big advantage of leverage from the arm. A low sling misses this, but does place less pressure on the jacket sleeve. I suspect that the mostly European athletes who favour a low sling do so because their left upper arm is almost flat, and a high sling would not have enough purchase to stay put. Shooters with a higher left shoulder, say McPhail or Eric Uptagrafft seem to go for a high sling, though not always.

If you look at the video of the last two shooters, you will see a dramatic difference in position, one low the other high. I always thought there was a minimum angle between the ground and arm and it looks like one shooter is very low while the other is much higher.

davidgoerndt wrote:I always thought there was a minimum angle between the ground and arm

ISSF Rule 7.6.1.2(j)
NRA Rule 5.6

As usual, I am very grateful to all those kind people that have replied. I think I now have a better understanding of this aspect of prone shooting. Looks like I should stick with my high sling position. One less thing to worry about.

I can't down my target with sling position. i think i need more practice to aim my target.