Wanted: large barn door required as pistol target

[Nikkormat]

I've just had a short shooting session, one handed, 50 shots at six metres using my TAU 7 on a 10M rifle target, and I am wondering whether anybody else is as dreadful a shot as I am. Target here. Anyone?

How did you come to terms with this? Sell up and buy a fishing rod? Turn to drink? Get married?

I've read Warren Potter's excellent Hitchhikers Guide to Shooting Glory, P.C. Freeman's Modern Pistol Shooting and the US Army Marksmanship Unit Guide and still I can't hold a pistol on target to save my life.

I don't practice as much as I should, so there's the obvious way to improve. I know the pistol and pellets are capable, so does anyone have any other tips?

[Powderfinger]

Concentrate on sight picture. I just repeat to myself "Sight Picture, sight picture, sight picture" as I am on aim. Don't hold it to long. No more than a few seconds.

[Adam77K]

Having read all that, you will know about "area aim". Accept you're going to wobble and accept that the area you're happy with is on the large side at this stage. Once the sight picture is right (i.e. sights properly aligned and inside your area but not necessarily bang centre) gradually increase the trigger pressure until the gun fires as a "surprise break". It doesn't matter where in your area the trigger breaks as long as it is in your area. Statistically, the largest number of shots should go into the middle part of your area.

Try some dry fire practice against a totally blank wall so you're not bothered about wobbling off the black.

I'm reasonably good but I've gone off a bit recently. I've been taking far too long in the aim, searching for a ten each time with the effect that I've been getting some bad fliers. I need to go back to first principles.

[essjay]

I found the thing that made the biggest improvement to my shooting was to follow through after each shot.
Deliberately try to hold the sight picture on the target for at least a second after firing - it's all too easy to move the pistol too soon.
Hope this helps.

[BobSki]

It seems to me that there are reasons for you to take ENCOURAGEMENT from your results. Top Left, centre and bottom Right targets have the majority of hits IN THE BLACK. Also top Left, top Right and centre targets all seem to have good 10's so IT'S NOT ALL BAD and give it the proper amount of practice and concentration it looks to me like you have a GOOD BASE TO BUILD FROM.

The most important question you should ask is DID I ENJOY SHOOTING? If the answer is YES you've got it cracked.

Keep smiling, keep practicing and keep enjoying it, you'll soon see those groups tighten up.

All the best
Bob

[derekm]

Sight picture - concentrate hard on the FRONT SIGHT ONLY.

Set the front sight from just below the black to the bottom edge of target. Area aim- your preference.

Squeeze the trigger slowly whilst concentrating on the front sight.

Shoot at blank cards or reversed targets, so you don't have to contend with the "distraction bull". You'll be surprised how small and centred your groups become.

Don't just keep shooting, hoping for it to get better; analyse each shot to find where you went wrong (or right!).

Your problems are likely to be 50/50 trigger control (snatching not squeezing) and your eye leaving the front sight.

The INSTANT your eye goes from sight to target, the shot is lost; believe it!!

Edit: Oh and follow through after each shot, holding aim for at least a second or two.

[Retracted_Yeti]

I found the thing that made the biggest improvement to my shooting was to follow through after each shot.
Deliberately try to hold the sight picture on the target for at least a second after firing - it's all too easy to move the pistol too soon.
Hope this helps.

Bit smelly though, anything easier on the nose and underwear?

Cheers.

Roy.

[delta1]

Bit smelly though, anything easier on the nose and underwear?

Cheers.

Roy.

That's set me up for the day!

Can we have a side shoot picture of a barn door next month please Gents?

[Nikkormat]

Concentrate on sight picture.

I think this is the key. I'll work on it.

Having read all that, you will know about "area aim".

Ah yes. I remember this. I'll bear it in mind.

Thanks for the advice, all. I know sometimes I release the shot when I know the sight picture is incorrect. I can sometimes feel myself snatching at the trigger, anticipating the shot, too. More practice, bearing in mind your collective advice, is the thing I think.

My FWB65 should be arriving back from a service tomorrow, so I'll see if I'm any better or worse with that. Any excuse for a shoot.

[ikarma70]

Bench rest the pistol to check the accuracy,chrono the pistol to check the consistency,if these are all ok then its down to you.

Not wishing to depress you or to rub salt in but my .177 crosman co2 groups better.....pee's me off as i have the same when i use my FWB 80 against the crosman so I know how you feel mate

[Nikkormat]

Bench rest the pistol to check the accuracy,chrono the pistol to check the consistency,if these are all ok then its down to you.

I wish I could say it was the pistol, but rested I can hit 1" spinners at 20 yards no problem. It's fiendishly accurate.

Practice practice practice, then maybe I'll enter a UBC comp.

Matt

[airgunnut]

Concentrate on sight picture. I just repeat to myself "Sight Picture, sight picture, sight picture" as I am on aim. Don't hold it to long. No more than a few seconds.

Powderfinger you forgot practice, practice, practice
dry firing helps, a small circle about the size of a 1p coin on a bit of card pined to a wall, stand or sit with the barrel about 18 inch away from the spot and practice you shooting technique in dry fire mode.

[DazzH]

Single handed pistol shooting is tricky to master, try the below a few times a day.

Read a book while holding a small bag of suger to the sideout stretched at 90 degress to your body, only put the bag down while you change page, this will strengthen the areas required to shoot target pistol.

Hold the pistol as if you were going to fire it, turn your wrist as far as you can clockwise (right handed shooter) take note how your elbow pit turns clockwise as well, now just turn your wrist back (not elbow) anti-clockwise until the pistol is upright again, keeping your elbow turned clockwise (hard to explain). You should notice how steady your aim is now, this is because your elbow has been locked out.

Good luck and keep practising.

[ikarma70]

Single handed pistol shooting is tricky to master, try the below a few times a day.

Read a book while holding a small bag of suger to the sideout stretched at 90 degress to your body, only put the bag down while you change page, this will strengthen the areas required to shoot target pistol.

Hold the pistol as if you were going to fire it, turn your wrist as far as you can clockwise (right handed shooter) take note how your elbow pit turns clockwise as well, now just turn your wrist back (not elbow) anti-clockwise until the pistol is upright again, keeping your elbow turned clockwise (hard to explain). You should notice how steady your aim is now, this is because your elbow has been locked out.

Good luck and keep practising.

Was it just me or did that confuse anyone else?

[Nikkormat]

Was it just me or did that confuse anyone else?

I understand. Doing it is another matter Thanks DazzH, I'll work at it.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I'll put in some quality practice for a couple of weeks and then (fingers crossed!) post a better card up.