TargetTalk

I have entered only a few competitions in free pistol, and my scores have improved each time, but there is PLENTY of room to advance.
My question since I am starting to see a pattern in my scores is the following:
When in competition do you change sear on your free pistol?
Like start with a sensitive trigger, move to a heavier trigger, and come back to a light sear towards the end, or should sear stay constant, or be changed in a different pattern.
How much shooting do you do during sighting?
I certainly enjoy free pistol the most of all the shooting I do, but it is the one I have the worst scores at so far, but I am working on it.
Thank you for all the help, and feel free to include any suggestion you think useful for a beginner.

My sear is set and does not change once set it up long ago. After you find a trigger weight (this is different than your sear) setting you like then stick with it. If you are using 10 grams or 70grams do not make a change during a match. Some do not like it very light. It does take some time to be able to shoot with a low weight setting.

Like with all shooting being consistent is very important to high performance.

Sighting depends on the person. First you want to make sure you are sighted it and then also you are ready. For me 10-15 shots gets me ready most of the time. Lighting conditions may have changed your point of impact so it could take you longer to make adjustments and then settle in to a groove.

Shoot a 10 and then do exactly the same thing 59 more times. Every detail has to be the same every time.

When shooting Free Pistol, I find a newer shooter will do better with more weight on the trigger, rather than less. Going ultra light right out of the blocks makes it hard to develop good trigger control IMHO.

During summer I shoot with about 55g on the trigger, this is increased during winter to about 85g. With cold fingers I need more weight to get the same feel.
I might also increase the weight for a final if I am up tight.
Sighters, enough to confirm the impact point and check the mental game. ( usually 5-8shots, up to 30 shots). Any trigger weight change is done by feel in sighters.

I don't normally change my trigger weight, the only exception is in competition if I find that I am anticipating the trigger release. Then I usually make it either a little lighter or heavier depending upon what I am doing at the time.

As for shots fired during the sighting series... I fire enough to make sure I am shooting in the centre of the card. Sometimes it's 2 shots sometimes it 10 or so.

If you're trying to warm up during the sighting series you are in trouble

I would suggest that if you changed your sear mid competition you need to go back through equipment control. I would never advocate touching the trigger mid match unless it breaks. If you feel like you would do better with it lighter/heavier etc then do so outside comps and train to get used to it and so as to get good, consistent trigger release.

I would suggest from your post that some more training (and not just 'practice') would be of benefit.

Rob.

Definitely more training will help, unfortunately Target Talk is my main trainer, but I am getting very comfortable with my shooting, it is coming very easy and natural, and when it does the results are good, it just doesn't kick in from the start of the match or lasts till the end, I guess training will make it last for a full match.
That was the reason I was thinking I could adjust my results either by shooting with different trigger weights, or sighting as much as possible until I feel all is flowing naturally.
Any suggestions for training are welcome.
I have a long way to go, but here is my best target in competition so far, yes I am trying to only repeat the tens!

I never change it during a match and also not recently. I agree with Chris that being consistent is very important, always changing things won't help to progress.

About the weight, what I discover is that finger sensitivity differ a lot from people to people and as result the optimal trigger weight will also be different.

paulo wrote:Definitely more training will help, unfortunately Target Talk is my main trainer, but I am getting very comfortable with my shooting, it is coming very easy and natural, and when it does the results are good, it just doesn't kick in from the start of the match or lasts till the end, I guess training will make it last for a full match.
That was the reason I was thinking I could adjust my results either by shooting with different trigger weights, or sighting as much as possible until I feel all is flowing naturally.
Any suggestions for training are welcome.
I have a long way to go, but here is my best target in competition so far, yes I am trying to only repeat the tens!

Nice one ;o)

Good work.

I definitely advocate to not touch anything while you're in competition. However I do find in extreme circumstances (and I mean extreme circumstances) you may need to change something.

I find a proper warm up will help you more with any triggering issues that may come up. Some times it can take up to an hour and a half before I feel that I am triggering correctly. It's normally no where near this long but it happens.

I find a lot of dry firing with your eyes closed and really focusing on how it feels to press the trigger is a good drill to help you out.