TargetTalk

Lately I have been having trouble aborting. I just hang on a "little" longer just in case... etc, etc. Its kind of cathartic admitting it in public like this, by the way.

Anyhow, last night down on the range I was amazed that a subconscious loop evolved in my central nervous system. I was holding and about to initiate release but my finger didn't allow me to pull the shot. I lowered the gun. Relieved and elated that my body was taking over the process. Broke position, had a walk around, back to my station. Prepared, raised, hold, hold, hold, initiate release, and again, my trigger finger wouldn't let me release the shot. WOW!

I will spare you the extended version of events, but after several iterations of this process I eventually realised hadn't cocked the bloody pistol.

Guess I will have to work on the subconscious stuff a bit longer...[/i]

Hmmmm . . . subconscious release is a great thing . . . not so sure that other parts of the shooting process

- filling air cylinder
- finding proper firing point
- not starting unitl you're supposed to
- putting on glasses, shoes, etc.
- arranging shooting bench
- loading
- pointing at proper target

etc.

are really good candidates for that whole "Subconscious Thing" though!

Yeah include "Driving to the range" in that list of *conscious* tasks . . . =8^)

Steve

Just checking Mike, in preparation for when we start to see you at the open meetings are you training as if you are shooting a competition, including complying with the rules.

One that immediately sprang to mind when reading your post was 8.2.5.6:-
"During the competition the pistol may be put down only after the cartridge(s) and/or magazine are removed and the action is open.
Air and gas pistols must be made safe by opening, and keeping open, the cocking handle and/or loading port."

Hope to start seeing you on "the circuit" soon.

Dear Dave,

Mmm - an interesting point for debate.

A bit more detail: I shoot an LP10 - so I need to pull the lever back all the way to the rear of the breach to cock it - that is what I failed to do. What I actually did was pull the lever back (thinking I had cocked it) loaded it, etc. After "aborting" I opened the breach (as per rules).

So I think there are three issues here: (1) the pistol does not show you whether it is cocked or not (presumably a relatively simple engineering excercise - particularly in an LP 10 with that moving mass bolt thingy). I would say that was a desirable thing for both shooters and range officers alike. (2) I opened the breach between sequences, although I did not put the gun down. (3) Since my gun was not actually loaded would I have been breaking the rules assuming I hadn't opened the breach? I know the answer to this already - of course I was.

BTW, I will be at Bisley for the Spring Bank Holiday shoot on Saturday (both my shoots are on the same day). See you there?

Mike S-J wrote:So I think there are three issues here: (1) the pistol does not show you whether it is cocked or not (presumably a relatively simple engineering excercise - particularly in an LP 10 with that moving mass bolt thingy). I would say that was a desirable thing for both shooters and range officers alike. (2) I opened the breach between sequences, although I did not put the gun down. (3) Since my gun was not actually loaded would I have been breaking the rules assuming I hadn't opened the breach? I know the answer to this already - of course I was.

1) I don't know any range officers who would take any notice of a "cocked" indicator. The gun is either open or it isn't.
2) Sorry, I thought you said that you walked around.
3) As you already said, yes.

I am not sure if I will be there on Saturday. If I am I will search you out. Is this your first time on electronic targets. If so, remember to pace yourself. There is a tendancy on electronics to shoot quicker than you normally would. Have fun.