TargetTalk

What are some things that you do to shake off a bad day of shooting? I shot on some targets at home today and after a strong start (93/100) I suddenly couldn't hit the side of a barn.

I don't know if its smart of me, but I keep shooting until I shoot a 95.
Sometimes it takes me 60-100 shots before I can do it. When I am in the zone I keep shooting well, when I get frustrated with a bad shot, more bad shots are coming. I just tell myself to relax my grip, watch the front sight, press the trigger and follow through.
Sometimes if things are going bad I dry fire until it looks good again, then resume.

Tonight I shot between an 88 and a 97. I have what I think is a bad habit of extrapolating every string into a whole match, such as 528, and 582 as above. I know I am never going to shoot a 582, and I hope it is a long time before I shoot a 528. Thinking about it won't help your next shot, and your next shot is the only one that counts.

PirateJohn wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:16 pm What are some things that you do to shake off a bad day of shooting?
. . . I suddenly couldn't hit the side of a barn.

Build a bigger barn.

atomicgale wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:34 am

PirateJohn wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:16 pm What are some things that you do to shake off a bad day of shooting?
. . . I suddenly couldn't hit the side of a barn.

Build a bigger barn.

+1

PirateJohn wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:16 pm What are some things that you do to shake off a bad day of shooting? I shot on some targets at home today and after a strong start (93/100) I suddenly couldn't hit the side of a barn.

Pour a glass of Scot's whiskey and look for a smaller barn.......

Seriously, I try to relax and not let it eat at me. It's what it is and will no doubt happen again. I look at the targets to see if there's an obvious problem that needs attention. For me it's often either a lapse in front sight concentration or shoulder/back problems holding steady. The important thing, IMO, is to just be grateful to be above ground and able to shoot. :-)

Identify the cause. While you are training the numbers are a symptom but not what really matters.

Usually there is some noticeable issue. I can't hold still, my eye won't focus as well etc. and those typically have an identifiable cause themselves. If I can't hold still or my body "feels wrong" that is usually correlated with maybe having done manual work earlier or not having slept well. When my eyes won't cooperate that is usually also related to sleep, being dehydrated or some other nutrition issue. And if I can't observe an obvious issue but the shots are mysteriously bad in ways I didn't expect then it's almost always bad trigger technique.

Either way just pick an element to focus on and drill that. And judge yourself by how well you executed that element and not the number on the target.

Once there is a cause associated It's much easier to "shake off" the results. It also means you already know what to work on.

PirateJohn wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:16 pm What are some things that you do to shake off a bad day of shooting? I shot on some targets at home today and after a strong start (93/100) I suddenly couldn't hit the side of a barn.

Analyse the cards with the lower scores to determine what’s caused the lower shots. If you don’t know how, educate yourself by reading a good shooting book (Target Pistol Shooting by K B Hinchliffe - it’s superb).

When shooting goes from good, to less good, start to analyze each shot. A simple method is a chart for Hold, Trigger, Mental, Follow thru.

Shoot 10-20 shots and put a + or - under each heading for each shot. A pattern will appear so you will know what to work on.