Making anything below an 8 unacceptable

[Bret P]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this website, I've used the advice here and really improved my shooting. Today a personal best of 540! Started on 6th September 24.

So the question today is: I've been told that anything below an 8 is really quite unacceptable, so how do people make a low shot unacceptable? What mental tools or methods do you use?

[Ramon OP]

* No shot is unacceptable, it happened and it is in the past. Live with it and don't let it distract you.
* Every shot is information.
* Judgmental calls on scores don't help to focus on your process (what really matters) which is what delivers results.
* Higher or lower scores on a shot don't matter as much as your own appreciation of each shot, that's were the relevant information is.
* Your average shot is made from highs and lows.
* The only shot that matters is the current one <-- Apply it for every single shot in training and competition. Give it your all at that moment.
* Discard errors from your mind and focus on how to shoot a good shot.

[Bret P]

Thank you.
That is actually extremely helpful. That links in with what I was told a while ago, is that in a match it is 60 individual games, each one separate from the last and treat every shot as an individual event.

I'll review your links.
Regards
Bret

[atomicgale]

that anything below an 8 is really quite unacceptable, so how do people make a low shot unacceptable? What mental tools or methods do you use?

Anything SIX or lower shows up as a gross black dot on the white, that everyone can see & laugh at your worthlessness, hence . . .

. . . defer to the age-old excuse: "There was a bug on my target."

[m1963]

Errant shots occur because one did not follow their shot process.

When an unexpected shot happens focus on what was different about the shot process- for that shot- as opposed to shooting your best.

Re-group by checking natural point of aim (NPA), dry fire several shots while focusing on shot process. Then, shoot the next shot, following the shot process.

[KDZ]

As with a partially wrong exam answer, you can get partial credit if you called the errant shot correctly. Learning to correctly call your shots is one of the fundamentals, and the better you get at it the more precise your sight picture will be.

At least that's how I like to look at it.

[Gwhite]

Don't get all bent out of shape if you shoot an 8. It happens. If you beat yourself up about it, it will mess with your mindset.

You can reduce the frequency by really concentrating on refining and understanding your shot process. When you shoot a 10, stop and really examine all the details that went into it. Your breathing, grip, sights, trigger timing & pressure, etc. That will reinforce how to shoot 10's, and make them increasingly automatic.

The flip side is that once you REALLY know what a 10 feels like and looks like as it unfolds, you should be able to detect when things are not quite right and put the pistol down. Shooting 10's is great, but not shooting not-10's will help your score a lot.

[Bret P]

Thank you all,

Very helpful advice

Best

Bret

[ModestoPete]

Excellent advice by all.

[dugd]

To me anything in the black is good.