Dave James’ Elbow Up – Elbow Down or EU/ED
Dave James is a retired Peace Office and, if memory serves me, U.S. Army combat veteran. He also grew up with, and was tutored by, some pretty big men in the field, fathers of the trade, so to speak, such as Col. Charles Askins, Mr. Delph C. "Jelly" Brice, and Mr. William Henry “Bill” Jordan to name but a few. Additionally, Dave’s great-grandfather, a Civil War vet, and his grandfather, were both Marshalls, his father, a Navy flyer and intelligence officer, knew and learned from them all, and so did Dave.
As Mr. James explains it: “Elbow Up/Elbow Down, plain and simple, has been around for ages, but I believe it was the gentleman from Singapore (William Ewart Fairbairn) that brought it in to the light as printed word.
(Picture if you would a circle flat alongside your body, like holding a spoke less wheel.)
Drawing: The hand goes to weapon, the web of hand seats high on the back strap (revolvers) or tight under the grip tang (automatics), fingers lock down and as you draw the thumb locks down, LOCK your wrist. Accomplished correctly you will feel the muscle along the forearm quiver a tad, this is the “prime” grip.*
(Picture in your mind an old pitcher pump or well pump.)
Keeping the elbow IN, do not let it flop around, draw the elbow straight up so the handgun clears the holster (priming/drawing water), as the handgun clears you push the elbow straight down and foreword, (flushing the pump). For some this works better when dropping the shoulder a tad ala Bill Jordan.
Now as the draw is completed you may choose where to lock in and shoot. You may go to the top of the holster, slightly forward at the hipbone, again forward to the side of the belly (for us fat guys), or even all the way out to the navel. Kind of like the old FBI crouch, Bryce inspired in my opinion.
The support hand can be just about anywhere but I was taught to have it up and into the chest/gut area in case needed. This all done with the hand and wrist locked, arm/elbow locked into the body.
If needed you continue to push the gun forward and up to the sights for distance shooting (re-priming the pump).”
*Note: Currently, with large frame double-column pistols, the tight grip and locked wrist are all the more important. This is because for some people the “prime” grip is not possible. Therefore, it follows that as long as the wrist is locked, the grip solid and tight, the recoil still flows along the arm. The only thing left to do is find the body point that fits you and the weapon used.
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Kilogulf59’s Note: To explain EU/ED’s usage in my own words and as I understand it, it is a simple technique of drawing which gives one the ability to fire instantly upon completion, if necessary. For example, based upon the time/distance factor, firing at the holster top (at ED) is the fastest shot possible for a particularly close distance. EU/ED is the starting point in the shooting continuum that finalizes itself with two-handed sighted fire. The “correct” point in this continuum at which one decides to shoot is not chiseled in stone. It is however, based upon the individuals skill, ability, and comfort level. It is just that simple folks…as can be seen from the photos below.
This technique will clear the dust for some and re inforce good training for others. I wanted to share this with those most competent on this forum.............2HOW
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