to look or not to look

[siordian1]

I have a practice range set up at work for AP practice. I use a spotting scope on a tripod. I have found that not looking at every shot can lead to better groups. Sometimes I will shoot 5 shots and then take a look, sometimes 10 shots. Is that just luck or is this a better way to train?

[dschaller]

The only reason for looking at your shot during practice is to verify that you called the shot correctly. It is strongly recommended to call the shot location after each shot. Looking at the resultant hole in the paper either confirms that you were indeed looking at the sights and paying attention to what they were doing as the shot broke, or you weren't (assuming your shot group is centered). If you call the shot good, but get a hole in a significantly different location, then you probably were not really looking at the sights or not truly focused on paying attention. Either way, it serves as a wake up call to snap out of the haze you are in and pay attention to the sights. Of course, calling your shots and verifying where they actually end up is also useful for identifying that you need to make a sight adjustment. If you are calling you shots as solid 10's for example, and are getting a group in the 9 ring, you can pretty confidently consider the solution to be a sight adjustment.

One other approach when looking at every shot isn't convenient, is to take a clean target and mark of place pellets on the target after each shot where you called them, then compare the result to the target when you do bring it back. The one drawback is the loss of immediate feedback after each shot.

[DFWdude]

IMO, dschaller is right on the money with this. Calling your shot is of premium importance in determining whether you are concentrating or not.

The only wrinkle in this that I adopted, is to TRY to look at the target only long enough to check your call. Do not look long enough to score the shot. The score (whatever it is) is already there... you can't change it... it's past history. So don't bother.

Just call the shot then reset for the next shot. Easier said than done, as always.

[Gwhite]

As long as you are trying to learn to be a better shooter, you should scope every shot. Every one is an experiment, and not evaluating EACH result means it can't help you learn. Shooting a series and then looking throws away valuable information. Shooting REALLY well depends on a lot of subtle details, and you need all the info you can get to fine tune your shot process.

As others have pointed out, calling your shots is an important part of the process. If you shot are all going where you call them, then you know your sights are adjusted well, and you are focusing on the front sight. If they aren't going into the 10 ring, you need to think about WHY. There are plenty of diagnostic "targets" around that show where common errors will group. Here's my favorite:

http://users.rcn.com/gwhite/DIAGNOSE.PDF

If you shoot a good shot, and you called it good, then stop and think about what it looked like, what it felt like, how long you held, how fast you squeezed the trigger, etc. This will help to reinforce the process required to shot a good shot. If you don't use your scope, you won't have that feedback.

If you shoot a bad shot, don't dwell on it (or you will reinforce shooting poorly). However, think about how it differed from a good shot, what you could have done to correct what went wrong, or how you could have determined that it was time to abort the shot beforehand. Again, if you don't use a scope, how will you know which was the bad one, and how can you learn to avoid them?

[Lenny]

Nice chart, Gwhite. Thanks for posting the link.

[john bickar]

As long as you are trying to learn to be a better shooter, you should scope every shot. Every one is an experiment, and not evaluating EACH result means it can't help you learn. Shooting a series and then looking throws away valuable information. Shooting REALLY well depends on a lot of subtle details, and you need all the info you can get to fine tune your shot process.

As others have pointed out, calling your shots is an important part of the process. If you shot are all going where you call them, then you know your sights are adjusted well, and you are focusing on the front sight. If they aren't going into the 10 ring, you need to think about WHY. There are plenty of diagnostic "targets" around that show where common errors will group. Here's my favorite:

http://users.rcn.com/gwhite/DIAGNOSE.PDF

If you shoot a good shot, and you called it good, then stop and think about what it looked like, what it felt like, how long you held, how fast you squeezed the trigger, etc. This will help to reinforce the process required to shot a good shot. If you don't use your scope, you won't have that feedback.

If you shoot a bad shot, don't dwell on it (or you will reinforce shooting poorly). However, think about how it differed from a good shot, what you could have done to correct what went wrong, or how you could have determined that it was time to abort the shot beforehand. Again, if you don't use a scope, how will you know which was the bad one, and how can you learn to avoid them?

APPLAUSE

(A few minor quibbles, of course, but great post.)

[john bickar]

@siordian1: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=48920

That long thread includes links to the other long thread we had on scoping.

TL;DR: scope your shots.

[siordian1]

Excellent advise. I shoot with Rover at Phoenix Rod and Gun so anything I can do to beat him soundly is appreciated.

[jenrick]

Scoping your shots can give you the satisfaction that at least SOMETHING is going right when you shoot.

POP - "left, probably a 4"
POP - "WAY high, about a 6"
POP - "So low if that's a 1 I'll be lucky"
POP - "Elevation was good, but again hard left around a 6"
POP - "Right, about an 8"

That was my first string this morning, and I was calling them pretty much on. It means I was paying attention to my front sight, which was about all I had going for me at that moment.

-Jenrick

[nglitz]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tAB6jt9XN-s/V ... /chart.jpg

[john bickar]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tAB6jt9XN-s/V ... /chart.jpg

That one's my favorite.

[Rover]

It's the only one that is accurate and really works.

[Gwhite]

A friend & fellow coach was describing the shot process for free pistol to some observers who had never seen the event before. They were police trained, but totally unfamiliar with international competition style shooting. The description went something like:

1) Load the pistol

2) Cock the pistol

3) Clear your mind

4) Lift the pistol into the aiming area

5) Acquire and align your sights

6) Acquire your sight picture

7) Hold while gently increasing pressure on the trigger until the shot fires

8) Follow through & mentally call the shot

9) Lower the pistol to the bench

10) Look through your scope to see where the shot went

11) Shake your head

12) Unload

repeat as necessary...