Question for Bullseye shooters

[adrianS]

I am not a competitive pistol shooter, though if I did get into competition, it would more likely be either a free pistol type or Bullseye. (I mostly exist in the olympic smallbore rifle section of TT.org) My question is kind of rudimentary.. I tried shooting a friend's SIG P226 X-Five.. That gun is very heavy... He shoots IPSC with it, but says it would do well in the Centerfire round of Bullseye. So I took interest and tried doing a few one handed shots with it while at the range.. Inhale, above target, slowly exhale develop sight alignment while lowering onto target. It was incredibly difficult. I did not even hit the target. My whole right arm was a quivering piece of jello. Perhaps with my small frame, I shouldnt even attempt one handing a 47oz gun like the X-Five. I realize it takes awhile to develop the muscles to shoot this discipline, especially with a heavy centerfire gun.. But how long does it really take be be even remotely competitive and what kind of exercises do competitors do to develop that rock solid steadiness?

[GOVTMODEL]

Just start training! 47 ounces isn't particularly heavy. (Air pistols are permitted to weigh 1500 grams, ~52 ounces.)

How Long does it take to be competitive? Depends on you; I received my NRA Expert card in my second year of competition.

[Rover]

Man up and start doing those sixteen ounce curls.

It will get you into shape or you won't care; a win-win situation.

[Isabel1130]

It can take some time to get used to holding up a heavy gun. Your wrist is the point that needs the most strength. I suspect that most small bore shooters would initially attempt to hold the gun up way too long which will increase your wobble. Get used to the sights always moving when you are shooting a handgun. Learn to pull the trigger quickly and smootly right after your sights enter the black.

[jackh]

Exercise to lift your forearm and shoulder together. Don't limit your exercise to hinging your arm at your shoulder.

[siordian1]

Start with a good 22 lr pistol. S&W41, Ruger competition model with trigger job. That will get you started on the basics, grip, trigger control ,sight alignment. The just have fun and don't get discouraged. This game takes time.

[adrianS]

Thanks for the insight. Im not sure if giving bullseye a shot is in my immediate future, (since my bank account has a gaping hole that dumps my funds into rifle stuff) but I have the opportunity to score an affordable used Sig Trailside from that same buddy. Its a 4" version. I have a ton of Wolf Match Target.. So perhaps I can "minor"in pistol shooting?

as for the weight of that x5, obviously its not heavy in the sense that I cant pick it up.. but moreso that the muscles used arent used to fine motor movement.. Im sure with a light gun, the wobble could possibly get worse.

[Isabel1130]

"as for the weight of that x5, obviously its not heavy in the sense that I cant pick it up.. but moreso that the muscles used arent used to fine motor movement."

This is your first mistaken assumption. Shooting a pistol does not require any fine motor control other than your trigger finger. You should already have that as a small bore shooter but it may take time to learn how to pull a heavier trigger straight back quickly and smoothly. The only movement that should be occuring other than your trigger finger is what body and shoulder sway that you have. Nothing should be moving between your shoulder joint and your trigger finger. .




" Im sure with a light gun, the wobble could possibly get worse."

A lighter gun will not put as much tension on your wrist until you build up your muscles and will probably enable you to shoot better. The only place a heavier gun actually works better for many shooters is in timed and rapid fire where it reduces muzzle flip and makes it somewhat easier to get back on target.

[trulyapostolic]

As others have also said, an X5 isn't too heavy. On a side note, I've had a couple of them and they're really not accurate enough for this game.

Your first instincts were correct in bringing the gun above the target while inhaling a breath as well as exhaling to lower the pistol into the center. However, as you see the sights coming into the black you need to start moving that trigger. Just as your sights are settling and achieving proper alignment the gun should go off. An X5 has a roll type trigger and works well with what I'm describing.


As for muscle conditioning, there is a small amount of that which develops over time. But, really, I don't think 95% of the shooters do any training whatsoever. Probably, an extremely small percentage are able to hold the 10 ring at 50 yards. That's where trigger control comes in.

[NCST8]

I will echo the advice that a good .22 is a great way to break into the sport. At our local matches, you can use a .22 until you get comfortable shooting the centerfire and the .45.

Dryfire is a great training tool. It's free, and you don't have the hit the range or the reloading press to do it.

[tuj]

As others have said, get a 22. The recoil of the 45 is another factor that makes learning difficult. Not to mention the cost of ammo over the 22.

Now that aside, I found I had the same problems as you when I started, my arm would just quake. I helped this problem not by doing curls, but by taking a 5lb dumb bell and strapping a laser pointer to the top of it. I hold it out like a gun, leaving my trigger finger straight and not part of my grip. I hold it out as long as I can, watching the laser pointer and trying to keep it in the same spot as long as I can. Rest and repeat.