Your favorite shooting advice

[Seancass]

What are some of your favorite bits of shooting advice that you've heard or just love to give? General advice, or maybe an AH-HA moment where something clicked for you.

One of my favorites is "Stop taking bad shots!" I think most of us have taken a shot where we know it was off before the trigger is even pulled. Instantly, you know that the shot is off the mark. Stop doing that! Learn to stop yourself and reset when you feel like you're off or something isn't quite right.

I also like to watch what i eat before i go shooting. I try not to drink caffine(and i'm cutting back on coke anyways). I also prefer to not be hungry, but not having just ate. I think the caffine can make a bigger difference than you'd think, even if you "drink it all the time/every day." I think caffine may be responsible for a lot of people having bad days at the range.

What are some of your bits of shooting advice?

 

[IndyMonkey]

Aim small, miss small

 

[HighStrung]

The best advice (or at least that which made the most difference) was seriously learning how to control my breathing and timing my shot accordingly. Relax and let the trigger break surprise you as you pull slowly, directly to the back.

Wow, I just realized that had I not put the word trigger in there, this would have sounded a little more R rated.

 

[downzero]

Indian, not arrow.

 

[infidel]

I've only been shooting pistols for about a year now, and what I'm working on now most is I pull my hand to the side when I pull the trigger. I don't have anyone to give me advice though....I'm sure there is probably an AH HA bit of advice out there though...

 

[45calibre]

my best advice for handguns is:

1. with your strong hand make sure the pistol is in line with your forearm, which will leave a good amount of grip exposed

2. with your support hand place your palm to cover the exposed grip, wrap the 4 fingers of your support hand around the 3 fingers of your strong hand.

3. squeeze just a little bit tighter with your support hand than your strong hand, you also dont want your strong hand gripping the gun tightly, just grip snuggly with your strong hand.

4. you want your support hand to squeeze your strong hand just a bit this will take tension off your trigger finger. the role of your strong hand should only be to pull the trigger hold the gun lightly. your support hand should be the one with the most pressure.

5. control your breathing. breathe in, then out, then in, hold it, and squeeze the trigger slowly.

6. the recoil should surprise you, dont expect it because you'll throw your shot.

7. practice the above steps.

i am not an expert but this info was given to me by another ingo member and they helped my tremendously. just want to pass it on and i want you to pass it along also.

 

[downzero]

Firing should be at the natural pause between breaths. Holding your breath will cause the gun to move.

 

[jbombelli]

When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.

 

[Gabriel]

Aim small, miss small

You beat me to it.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

Keep the bullets on YOUR target!

 

[Bushido Devil Dog]

Avoid getting shot ...because sucking chest wounds..suck.





The only secrets I have to offer is that there really are no 'secrets'. Conscious application of the fundamentals of shooting:

bone support
firing stance (offhand/handguns)
grip on the firearm
sight alignment
sight picture
breath control
trigger control
follow through

...will result in hits. Lather, rinse, repeat.

The no-coffee/caffeine thing is good advice. I love my Joe but can always tell when it kicks from the slight "twitchiness" it gives to my hands, even after all these years of drinking the stuff.

 

[Joe Williams]

Shoot first.

 

[HICKMAN]

Slow is fast

Front sight

If you're not shooting, you're moving

5 hour energy, not caffeine.

 

[IndySSD]

my best advice for handguns is:

1. with your strong hand make sure the pistol is in line with your forearm, which will leave a good amount of grip exposed

2. with your support hand place your palm to cover the exposed grip, wrap the 4 fingers of your support hand around the 3 fingers of your strong hand.

3. squeeze just a little bit tighter with your support hand than your strong hand, you also dont want your strong hand gripping the gun tightly, just grip snuggly with your strong hand.

4. you want your support hand to squeeze your strong hand just a bit this will take tension off your trigger finger. the role of your strong hand should only be to pull the trigger hold the gun lightly. your support hand should be the one with the most pressure.

5. control your breathing. breathe in, then out, then in, hold it, and squeeze the trigger slowly.

6. the recoil should surprise you, dont expect it because you'll throw your shot.

7. practice the above steps.

i am not an expert but this info was given to me by another ingo member and they helped my tremendously. just want to pass it on and i want you to pass it along also.

Todd Jarret would like to have a word with tips 3 and 4.


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48]YouTube - Todd Jarrett on pistol shooting.[/ame]

Let me preface this by stating I'm no professional nor am I even what I would consider to be a "Great" shot. However I have proven to be pretty reliable no matter what firearm I pickup.


My personal tips are

1. You can't defend yourself with something that's at home/in the car. Keep your firearm with you at all times.

2. You perform how you practice. Even if you can't get to the range, find ways to keep your proficiency levels up via no fire/dry fire drills that include tactical scenario movement, presentation from holster, sight acquisition, breathing control and if you have snap caps or a firearm that can be safely dry fired then you can add trigger pull.

Practice well, practice often.

Not my tip but widely accepted shooting methodology for slow fire marksmanship that will also apply itself subconsciously if you practice it enough, even when shooting quickly :

B.R.A.S.S

B – Breath or breath control. Breathe normally and come to a normal pause in the breathing pattern. Your shot should occur within the first 10 seconds of that easily-controlled pause. If not, do not shoot and resume your breathing until you can control a pause.
R – Relax. Relax the muscles and allow the bones to support the firearm. Bone support means the bones are aligned to support he rifle more than any other part of your body. And, when muscles are tight, they will twitch and flex without warning and, in turn, may cause your shot to go off aim.
A – AIM. Place the sights or crosshairs exactly where you want the bullet to go and hold steady. Your goal is to see no change in the sight picture when the trigger is pulled and the firing pin is released.
S – SQUEEZE. Press the trigger straight back toward the rear of the firearm by using slow, steadily increasing pressure.
S – SHOT. The shot should not be a surprise. When it goes off, you should maintain your position on the firearm to ensure good follow-through. Lawhern says this means you don’t move anything, including the trigger finger, which should remain in the squeeze position. “Your cheek should still be on the stock and your eyes looking through the sights,” he said, adding the goal is no movement of the firearm as the bullet goes through the bore. “Even though the bullet has left the barrel, any movement during that millisecond on your part can and will throw off the sights.”

Safe Shooting

 

[Duce]

Only hits count, Practice, Don't bring a knife to a gun fight, Practice, No one gun fits everyone, Practice, If you don't shoot them you don' need them, Practice, you can't bring a bullet back, Practice, Most guns shoot better than you, and did I mention Practice?.....Duce<><

 

[shooter521]

Let the mission drive the gear train.

 

[thelefthand]

Slow down, follow through, and it's all about trigger control.

The advise that makes me want to reach out and slap some one is "you have to practice with what you shoot". I'm not sure what advertising agent came up with that one, but it's sold a ton of premium ammo.

 

[JetGirl]

"Practice breeds proficiency."

 

[Indianajeff]

I always tell people the gun is going to recoil the same whether you flinch or not, so just don't flinch.

 

[MarkM]

From Front sight. " If your target is clear and the front sight is blurry you're doing it wrong. Your target should be blurry and you fronsight be crystal clear.