TargetTalk

Hi all,

I have seem to hit a shooting plateau. I have been consistently in the 530s/540s range outta 600 in Smallbore 3 pos and 540s outta 600 in Air Rifle. Especially in matches. I am trying to get out of the score based mindset and I would really like to get better as a shooter but score is the best way to explain where I am.

I only get to practice 2-3 times a week. So I normally do 1 air and 1 smallbore. I am also reading some shooting books such as MEC Ways of the Rifle to help.

I have been in the score range for a while and would like to get some advice on how to break out of it. I know there are many great shooters out there who may have experienced something like this and may have some advice.

Thanks for any help!

Quit worrying about the scores, and work on the process of shooting each shot as perfectly as you can. The scores will take care of themselves.

Also, if you are shooting both guns in the same training session you are doing yourself a dis-sevice. Dedicate each training session to one gun, and even one position (for 3P).

Best of all, find a coach to help you.

Rifleman94 wrote:Hi all,

I have seem to hit a shooting plateau. I have been consistently in the 530s/540s range outta 600 in Smallbore 3 pos and 540s outta 600 in Air Rifle. Especially in matches. I am trying to get out of the score based mindset and I would really like to get better as a shooter but score is the best way to explain where I am.

I only get to practice 2-3 times a week. So I normally do 1 air and 1 smallbore. I am also reading some shooting books such as MEC Ways of the Rifle to help.

I have been in the score range for a while and would like to get some advice on how to break out of it. I know there are many great shooters out there who may have experienced something like this and may have some advice.

Thanks for any help!

Pat McCoy wrote:Quit worrying about the scores, and work on the process of shooting each shot as perfectly as you can. The scores will take care of themselves.

Also, if you are shooting both guns in the same training session you are doing yourself a dis-sevice. Dedicate each training session to one gun, and even one position (for 3P).

Best of all, find a coach to help you.

Yes if you want to get past a shooting plateau, either train for another 10 years or get a shooting coach good enough to get past your plateau.

Olympic Dreamer wrote: Yes if you want to get past a shooting plateau, either train for another 10 years or get a shooting coach good enough to get past your plateau.

Actually, that's not bad advice. Many intermediate-level shooters focus too much on their scores both during shooting, and afterwards when assessing their performance. Recommending a return to basic principles is not uncommon, and a good way to reduce unnecessary pressure and make the shooter focus on technique. As Pat said, good technique leads to good scores, especially consistent good scores.

A coach doesn't have be a professional with years of Olympic experience under their belt, although you'd be a fool to turn one such down if available. A good shooter who understands the technical process and has the self-awareness to mentor will still be very useful. Often shooters lapse into bad habits, particularly if the left to themselves, and a fresh pair of eyes (ones not looking along the barrel) can spot these little idiosyncrasies. If the coach/mentor/instructor can plan sessions to work on specific technical areas rather than just practising by slinging lead down the range, so much the better.

As the original question was itself not precise, the replies won't be either.

What other practice do you do? Do you excersize? If not, start doing so.(both power and endurance)
What do you train? Only life fire? Start with other things: dryfire, scatt (or laser if cheapo), mental training etc