Shooting practice
Aug 28, 2010 11:20:53 GMT -5
Post by ozark on Aug 28, 2010 11:20:53 GMT -5
All I need is to get out and do a lot more shooting. That is a comment that we have all said or heard many times. It is called practice but only practicing good techniques and sound fundamentals is helpful. Practicing with bad form and without knowing the basics simply ingrains bad habits which are very difficult to break.
I happened to have steady nerves and some natural ability that got me noticed by the marksmanship team. It got me a chance for a tryout. The tryout was designed to determine if I had potential and was teachable. The old timers on the team knew that I couldn't really shoot well. I thought I was good but very quickly found out that my idea of good was at a much lower level that their idea of good. It didn't take me long to realize that I was not in the same category as really great marksman. They shot groups that should have impressed me but actually depressed me. I had to accept that I was not a good shot. I was told that I needed to learn to shoot before going to the range and practicing. For three weeks, they had us working on positions, trigger control and dry firing. They were right there making corrections and suggestions. It wasn't like having a drill Sergeant yelling at us. They were kind and seemed genuinely interested in helping us develop. There was classroom work on how to use scopes, how to read mirages and how to focus the eye on the front sight only. We were told that making the team meant living the life of Riley and having no duty other than shooting with the team, traveling with travel pay and more learning. I made the cut and become a team member but only because I learned to practice only sound fundamentals and good techniques. All the above leads to one message I hope will help others. Practice is bad if it is ingraining bad habits. It is good only if it is making sound fundamentals feel natural and a part of every shot.
I will not deal with what is sound fundamentals here. There are books and information available on the techniques used by the record setters. As I close in on age 83 I can still shoot better than the average hunter but it is because others taught me the right way. For over eleven years I road the gravy train and hopefully taught soldiers how to take the enemy out with a well aimed shot. In the hints and tips The Rifleman has some sound information posted on off hand shooting. Learning can be fun. Ben
I happened to have steady nerves and some natural ability that got me noticed by the marksmanship team. It got me a chance for a tryout. The tryout was designed to determine if I had potential and was teachable. The old timers on the team knew that I couldn't really shoot well. I thought I was good but very quickly found out that my idea of good was at a much lower level that their idea of good. It didn't take me long to realize that I was not in the same category as really great marksman. They shot groups that should have impressed me but actually depressed me. I had to accept that I was not a good shot. I was told that I needed to learn to shoot before going to the range and practicing. For three weeks, they had us working on positions, trigger control and dry firing. They were right there making corrections and suggestions. It wasn't like having a drill Sergeant yelling at us. They were kind and seemed genuinely interested in helping us develop. There was classroom work on how to use scopes, how to read mirages and how to focus the eye on the front sight only. We were told that making the team meant living the life of Riley and having no duty other than shooting with the team, traveling with travel pay and more learning. I made the cut and become a team member but only because I learned to practice only sound fundamentals and good techniques. All the above leads to one message I hope will help others. Practice is bad if it is ingraining bad habits. It is good only if it is making sound fundamentals feel natural and a part of every shot.
I will not deal with what is sound fundamentals here. There are books and information available on the techniques used by the record setters. As I close in on age 83 I can still shoot better than the average hunter but it is because others taught me the right way. For over eleven years I road the gravy train and hopefully taught soldiers how to take the enemy out with a well aimed shot. In the hints and tips The Rifleman has some sound information posted on off hand shooting. Learning can be fun. Ben