A guide to reverse engineer your shot

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Gwhite
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Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:04 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Post by Gwhite »

Interesting. I took one look at his target and immediately thought he should work on his grip. I would guess he is anticipating the shot and grabbing at the pistol. But then, I'm one of the silly people who believes that the diagnostic target has some value for shooters at his level.

As he pointed out, "concentrating on shooting 10's" is useless for beginners who've never shot one. I have taught many hundreds of beginning shooters, and at that stage, I find the diagnostic target a useful tool. It helps identify which fundamental they need to work on the most. Once they start shooting the occasional 10, THEN the diagnostic target can be put away and "coaching" can begin.
Guest

Post by Guest »

The wheel of misfortune is truly only a coach's tool. If i have an errant shot (by my definition: a shot that did not go where it was called) I change into coach mode and fix the problem. If the shot was on call, no matter where it landed it is a good shot. If it went somewhere I did not want, I ignore it and get ready for the next ten.
Bob Fleming
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:25 pm
Location: Hunt County, Texas

Post by Bob Fleming »

Sorry, that was me, thoght I was loged in!
Anonymous wrote:The wheel of misfortune is truly only a coach's tool. If i have an errant shot (by my definition: a shot that did not go where it was called) I change into coach mode and fix the problem. If the shot was on call, no matter where it landed it is a good shot. If it went somewhere I did not want, I ignore it and get ready for the next ten.
lastman
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:05 pm

Post by lastman »

A good coach should not need the wheel of misfortune.

The coach should be able to pick up the error through observations. Otherwise the coach using the wheel is just as likely to fall into the same trap as the shooter using the wheel.

Now for people who are shooter/coaches it is more difficult. This is the only time I can think of an example of why this wheel has any use. It will give you a starting point. I.e. a number of shots down at 7 O'Clock (RHS) means that you MAY be jerking.

I still feel it is a very dangerous tool for a shooter of any level for reasons mentioned above.
paulo
Posts: 338
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:11 pm

Post by paulo »

It was through the Shot and Group analysis charts that I became aware of:
trigger squeeze
shoulder muscles
relaxing arm lock
body sway
breathing
stance
thumbing
griping and all the many details involved
sight alignment
anticipation/heeling
follow through
breaking the wrist/slackening
increasing grip pressure while squeezing
the consequences of each individual finger pressure on the grip

I knew the concept of jerking and thought "you don't shoot a ten because you are jerking" but couldn't differentiate between all of those elements in such a specific manner. Jerking was all of the above.
The charts helped me to be alert to all the important variables involved in shooting a good score.
I now have a much better perception of my mistakes, but it only happened after reading those charts, to others it might be through coaching or reading.
When I mentioned the charts I thought they could help a beginner like they helped me, I am still learning from my effort to understand and assimilate the meaning of all the details of shooting those charts brought me.
And I am now chasing the tens!
paw080
Posts: 258
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:30 pm
Location: Corona, California

Post by paw080 »

paulo wrote:It was through the Shot and Group analysis charts that I became aware of:
trigger squeeze
shoulder muscles
relaxing arm lock
body sway
breathing
stance
thumbing
griping and all the many details involved
sight alignment
anticipation/heeling
follow through
breaking the wrist/slackening
increasing grip pressure while squeezing
the consequences of each individual finger pressure on the grip

I knew the concept of jerking and thought "you don't shoot a ten because you are jerking" but couldn't differentiate between all of those elements in such a specific manner. Jerking was all of the above.
The charts helped me to be alert to all the important variables involved in shooting a good score.
I now have a much better perception of my mistakes, but it only happened after reading those charts, to others it might be through coaching or reading.
When I mentioned the charts I thought they could help a beginner like they helped me, I am still learning from my effort to understand and assimilate the meaning of all the details of shooting those charts brought me.
And I am now chasing the tens!
Hi Paulo, I think that everything you've listed could have easily been addressed
by dry fire training. I still see no need for "The Chart of Delusionment"
But then, who am I anyway?

Tony G
lastman
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:05 pm

Post by lastman »

If the chart helped you discover those things... That's great. I do find it hard to believe though because most of the aspects you mentioned are not covered by the wheel. Which is the major problem I have with it.

Also most of the items you mentioned are some of the most basic elements of shooting a shot. I would have thought they would be the first things you would learn when you first started shooting.

I have to ask... Do you actually think about every one of those aspects when you are shooting a shot? Because that is a lot of things to focus on.

It is good to know what the result of a technical error is, however it leads you to have thought's such as "I won't jerk the trigger" and such. I have said it before and will say it again. Focusing on the positives is the best way to reverse engineer your shot (IMHO.) Before every shot think about the things you want to to such as "I want to press the trigger smoothly." and that will cause many more shots in the middle that any coaching wheel.
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Richard H
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Location: Guelph, Ontario
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Post by Richard H »

You all are aware that every negative can be expressed as a positive? Just because you identify a problem does not mean one has to focus or even think about the problem, one thinks and focus on the desired action.

Hard to believe that a little chart that was produce what 30years ago has spark such passionate debate. It's like Gulliver's Travels and which end you eat a soft boiled egg from.
paulo
Posts: 338
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:11 pm

Post by paulo »

Even if each element can be approached individually, and perfected to exhaustion according to theory, my goal is to incorporate them all in a shooting routine, and make them my own by understanding what and how they work best for me, and then just forget about them.
I had that feeling last time I shot free pistol, it all clicked, can't describe it in words, it was so simple I was not even checking my scores on the scope, I knew exactly what was going on and it was a very good moment at my present level.
That is my goal for all the different matches I like to shoot, to make it happen naturally for a full match.
David Levene
Posts: 5617
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:49 pm
Location: Ruislip, UK

Post by David Levene »

Richard H wrote:You all are aware that every negative can be expressed as a positive? Just because you identify a problem does not mean one has to focus or even think about the problem, one thinks and focus on the desired action.
Complete agreement.
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jackh
Posts: 802
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:51 pm
Location: Oregon USA

Post by jackh »

You have to be able to identify the bad bricks in order to take them out of the foundation.

Ideally, they would not be there in the first place in a perfect world with a perfect brick laying coach. Ideally.
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