How do you check your head position.

[spacepilot]

I suspect that my head position might not be consistent. I try to get my chin close to my shoulder when I raise my pistol, so my head will be at more or less the same place for each shot. But I don't know if that is consistent enough, nor do I do that for every shot. I have read some people use the iris on the shooting glasses to find their aiming eye position. As I do not use shooting glasses, I'd like to know what others do to keep their head at the same position for every shot. Thanks.

[Spencer]

...I try to get my chin close to my shoulder when I raise my pistol, so my head will be at more or less the same place for each shot...

Argh!
And when you wonder why you are getting a sore neck, then what?

...As I do not use shooting glasses...

Why not? Aren't your eyes worth protecting?

If you are near-sighted enough to not need any 'correction' to have your relaxed focus length already at the front sight you should still be wearing some eye protection.

a small piece of translucent tape on the non-shooting eye lens will enable you to get the consistency you seek.

Spencer

[spacepilot]

a small piece of translucent tape on the non-shooting eye lens will enable you to get the consistency you seek.

Spencer

Spencer, thanks for your response. How do you use the translucent tape? Do you place it such that it obscure a particular part of the field of vision from your non-shooting eye (the front sight? the target?) when you take your stance and acquire the sight alignment? Is it a horizontal strip, a vertical strip, or a patch?

I should have been more precise and elaborated the process I am using a bit more. When I remember to do this (checking my head position during a shot), I raise the gun (pretty high), and make sure that my chin is somewhat close to the front of the deltoid muscle ("shoulder" probably was too vague a word that I used) when the gun is at the highest point. I cannot say how close exactly, just a feeling. After doing this, I keep my head at the same position, and lower the pistol and do the rest of the stuff. Getting the chin close to the deltoid muscle at the beginning is basically to provide a reference point to establish a consistent head position for each individual shot. But I am not sure this method is used by other shooters and if I should incorporate it into my shot plan. I haven't developed a sore neck, but I don't know if it will give me any problem down the road.

As for shooting glasses, I meant the special kind that allow for all sorts of attachments and adjustment.

I do not use that kind of shooting glasses. I do wear safety glasses when I shoot. I tape a lens from an old pair of glasses to the right side of the safety glasses to get the correction I need.


I do wonder, though, if shooters who chose to wear the elaborate kind of shooting glasses have enough eye protection as I haven't seen any AP shooters on ISSF TV wearing both safety glasses and shooting glasses during the matches.

Again, I posted this thread to seek advice on how to check and maintain a consistent head position across individual shots. Any input is appreciated. Thank you.

Edit: changed the shooting glasses picture to be ISSF legal.

[Spencer]

...Do you place it such that it obscure a particular part of the field of vision from your non-shooting eye (the front sight? the target?) when you take your stance and acquire the sight alignment? Is it a horizontal strip, a vertical strip, or a patch?

You should be able to 'cover the target and the front sight with a piece of tape about 13mm (square or circular). Anything larger and you will lose the positioning effect.

I raise the gun (pretty high), and make sure that my chin is somewhat close to the front of the deltoid muscle

Be careful of falling foul of 8.2.5.1 ...The action, breech or loading device must not be closed until the pistol is pointing down range in a safe direction toward the target/butt stop area.

As for shooting glasses, I meant the special kind that allow for all sorts of attachments and adjustment.

The glasses in your first pic would not be allowed in an ISSF competition - exceeed the allowed dimensions and positions for blinders/occluders.
While not providing as much protection as wrap-around safety glasses shooters glasses are still far better than no protection at all.

Spencer

[j-team]

Argh!
And when you wonder why you are getting a sore neck, then what?

Spencer

HA HA

That reminds me of a comment once made to me by the German gripmaker Willi Hoffman. He told me that shooters he had made grips for years ago would come back and say that they now 'pointed' to the left. He would politley point out to them that as you get older you loose the ability to turn your head. Your head/shoulder/arm position adjusts to compensate, but this leaves you with a grip that no longer points straight!

So, Spacepilot, put your chin on your shoulder while you still can!

[Spencer]

HA HA
That reminds me of a comment once made to me by the German gripmaker Willi Hoffman. He told me that shooters he had made grips for years ago would come back and say that they now 'pointed' to the left. He would politley point out to them that as you get older you loose the ability to turn your head. Your head/shoulder/arm position adjusts to compensate, but this leaves you with a grip that no longer points straight!

So, Spacepilot, put your chin on your shoulder while you still can!

Love the story (and yes, from personal experience the flexibity goes with aging).

However, particularly for the 'precision' events (Air, 50m) an unnatural position can restrict the blood supply to the brain.

S

[spacepilot]

j-team, great story. Spencer, thank you for the advice. My head position feels natural to me. But I'll pay more attention to the possible strains around my neck during long sessions.

As for the height of my raised pistol, I would say my highest point is probably lower than Lukashyk in this picture (photo courtesy of Patrick Haynes from this thread). I often wonder whether or not I'll take the light out in the hallway one of those days when my concentration is not the best and my finger jerks the trigger when I lower the pistol. Hmm, maybe I should stop raising my hand too high after all.