Need help with a shaky hold. (Long post sorry)

[Tom Suswal]

Hi to you all. I have a problem and for the ones that know me please no jokes. I have been shooting for many years on the rifle side of this great sport and about 1997 started to shoot A/P. I just can not make any head way. The best that I ever shot was 528 but most of the time around 510 and less. I know all about working with in your hold, triger control, and to focus on the frount sight. But I am haveing a hard time with a shaky hold. One day about 3 weeks ago I started to perform great, a lot of 9's & five 10's in a row on call. Then this week back to the low 80's. It just seems that my hand will flick the gun up for no reason or my hold is fine for windage but evelation movement will range from a deep deep 6 hold up to and into the black, (I try to hold around the 4 or 5 ring area). This has been the course of action for a long time every now and again I am as steady as can be great triger control on call then it all just goes away. I am starting to think that this is a health issue so I had a physical. It seems that my thyroid is a little on the over active side (Hyperthyroidism) docter said a little out of range of normal. It seems that when this is the case one can be prone to axity and also small muscular movements along with other things. This maybe the route of my problem but my docter does not think I should start treamant because it is only a little out of range of normal. My question to the group and particularly to the MD's. Have you any information or comments to make? Has anyone had this same problem? Should I pursue this issue even if it is only to help me shoot better scores? What say you all on this topic.

[Mike McDaniel]

Sounds like a strength problem to me. That, or you're heeling the gun.

Get a 6-8 ounce block of lead. Tape it under the barrel. Dry fire 50 rounds a night for three months. Focus on breaking the shot without sight movement - and hold the sight picture for a second after. Savor it.

[Rob]

I developed a tremor in the late 90's that ended my shooting career. After taking 2 years off, I started shooting left handed and am not far off my old scores with the right hand. Just keep in mind that changing from one hand to another is an option and for me sparked new life in my shooting hobby.. Rob

[Tony C.]

Have you try adding weight to your AP? Seems we share similar experiences , I also shot rifle for many years and switch to pistols a couple years ago. For quite some time I can barely hit the paper, never mind the 10 ring. thats until I experiment with adding weight or use a pistol thats slightly front heavy, I can shoot my S&W Mod. 41 much better than my K-22, and by adding weight to my CM 162 so the CG is in front and below the trigger, my holds improves a lot, other wise I tend to flip some shots high to the right. Just a suggestion you my want to try before going with medical treatments.

[Bob LeDoux]

1. After mounting a video camera toward the shooting position I discovered that I was shifting my focus from front sight to target as the gun was going off. Until then I would have sworn on a stack of Bibles it wasn't happening. Then I realized that when my shot calls didn't match the target to look first for this problem.

2. My period of minimal muzzle movement is only about a second. After that the wiggles pick up. Maybe you are aiming your shots too long before firing. If you haven't already tried it, consider studying Blankenship's technique of a smooth rapid trigger pull as soon as the sight settles on the target.

3. Reading the Pilkgun interviews I noticed one shooter who spends considerable time just holding the sight picture on a small dot on the wall. For minutes on end he works on muscle eye coordination using this technique.

4. Weight lifting, for good muscle balance, not mass, might be worthwhile.

5. My best shots occur during the first strings in a shooting session. Then brain begins to engage and I think too much. Shooting is a mechanical process in which best performance comes when successful techniques learned in training are applied without a lot of mental effort.

[Tom Suswal]

First thank you to all that have taken the time to reply. I also hope more of you do as all this is importent to me and to others who are haveing the same problem. I have not discounted any of the ideas I am taking them all in so please do not let my silence on any suggestion stop any of you from puting any information down.

I did just get off the phone with a friend of mine who tells me that I maybe puting to much into this. He told me that I am focusing on makeing something go away and I am not working on good foundations. He thinks I have created my own anxiety over trying to fix this. And that I am contrubting to the problem by worring about it. I think he is correct. Is it possible that we become so concered with a problem that we creat or add to it?

Maybe someone would like to add to this.

[mikeschroeder]

Hi

Try reading Gil Hebard's Treasury of Pistol Shooting. It's helped me a little. There are several separate articles on hold, on sight alignment, etc.

Mike
Wichita KS

[Bob LeDoux]

This book is old but offers a good variety of techniques.

Bill Blankenship's articles are worth reading carefully.

[Albert]

Where can I find copy of Bill Blankenship's articles.???

Albert
(The Netherlands)

[mikeschroeder]

Hi I copied this from Champion's Choice ($8.00):

THE PISTOL SHOOTER'S TREASURY

THE PISTOL SHOOTER'S TREASURY, edited by Gil Hebard. A collection of classic articles by world champion shooters, eminent authorities and the editor on how to shoot a pistol and how to prepare yourself for the exacting requirements of competitive handgunning. 128 pages - 32 articles.

I ordered my copy from Champion Shooter's supply when ordering a bunch of stuff for the club. It's not on Champion Shooter's Supply website though. I haven't seen it on Pilkington's site.

Mike
Wichita KS

[John_Svensk]

I did just get off the phone with a friend of mine who tells me that I maybe puting to much into this. He told me that I am focusing on makeing something go away and I am not working on good foundations. He thinks I have created my own anxiety over trying to fix this. And that I am contrubting to the problem by worring about it. I think he is correct. Is it possible that we become so concered with a problem that we creat or add to it?

It's quite possible that you are making things worse at the moment by worrying but hey, you also have to think about it to find the problem! Talk about a nice Catch 22...

I am 35 years old and have been shooting air pistol for little over a year now. I've had Parkinson's disease for more than eight years, and my hands are shaking a bit from time to time even though I work hard to take the correct amount of medicines at the right intervals. The things that work best for me is actually the same as for everyone else, with a couple of exceptions..

Since my muscle tension is higher I must pay very close attention to my body: do I relax all muscles that aren't needed to shoot well? I also have a shorter "window of opportunity", since the tremors disappear when I move and reappear after a few seconds of static load. Breath control and relaxation techniques are also vital to gain a few extra split seconds of stability.

When the amount of medications in my blood is too high, there are involuntary movements in my "weak" arm, but I have noticed that putting the left hand in my right back trouser pocket while keeping the left sholder low actually stops the movements, don't ask me how that works! ;-) Try changing the rake of the grip and/or add some weight to the barrel; the changed muscle tension and position might make the twitches go away?

Good luck!
/John

[Bob LeDoux]

Try this site. It is an overview by Bill. Some of his techniques, intended for a heavy recoiling .45 colt automatic, are not required for air or light recoil ISSF shooting.

For example, not everyone agrees that shooting with a locked elbow is the way to go.

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/billblnk.htm

[F. Paul in Denver]

I agree that some of the reccomendations made by Bill Blankenship and other esteemed multiple national champions may be inapplicable to other shooting disciplines. I think one has to take into account the context (shooting discipline) in which the suggestions were made. As an example, managing a .45 ACP through sustained fire may require different grip techniques than shooting free and air pistol.

One thing that comes to mind is Bill Blankenship's suggestion that a proper grip is one in which you squeeze the gun as tight as you possibly can before your hand trembles.

This advice is, as Bob's pointed out, much more applicable to recoil management required by the larger calibers.