I formed a really bad problem
08-19-2009, 09:02 AM
#11
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Central Connecticut
Posts: 766
One needs to practice proper shot preparation and follow through.
From The NRA Basic Rifle Course Instructor's Guide:
It takes some concentration to aquire and maintain the sight picture throughout the entire shooting process. One recognized way to help obtain the sight picture and to hold it steady is that once you're in postion to shoot, briefly hold your breath just like you were going under water. At that time, you will try to acquire your sight picture without putting pressure on the trigger until the sight picture steadies. Then the trigger is pulled as gently as possible. If you can't aquire the sight picture during the 5, 10 or 15 seconds that you're holding your breath, either stay in postion and breath a little to feed your muscles some oxygen, or totally relax the gun while breathing and then get back into shooting position and start over.
Holding one's breath will help to steady the sight picture to take the shot and then follow through afterward by remaining steady for an extra second or two.
The recommended practice is dry firing the entire shooting sequence over and over.
Holding one's breath is not mandatory but it works better that way even if it's only for 5 seconds, and after a while it becomes automatic. The breathing at least needs to be slowed down since too much breathing will cause the sight picture to move back and forth.
A person also needs to keep their finger off the trigger until they're in postion, on target and properly prepared to fire.
Practicing follow through is really important.
When shooters use proper follow through, they can often tell where the shot has hit before they even see the actual hole in the target.
From The NRA Basic Rifle Course Instructor's Guide:
It takes some concentration to aquire and maintain the sight picture throughout the entire shooting process. One recognized way to help obtain the sight picture and to hold it steady is that once you're in postion to shoot, briefly hold your breath just like you were going under water. At that time, you will try to acquire your sight picture without putting pressure on the trigger until the sight picture steadies. Then the trigger is pulled as gently as possible. If you can't aquire the sight picture during the 5, 10 or 15 seconds that you're holding your breath, either stay in postion and breath a little to feed your muscles some oxygen, or totally relax the gun while breathing and then get back into shooting position and start over.
Holding one's breath will help to steady the sight picture to take the shot and then follow through afterward by remaining steady for an extra second or two.
The recommended practice is dry firing the entire shooting sequence over and over.
Holding one's breath is not mandatory but it works better that way even if it's only for 5 seconds, and after a while it becomes automatic. The breathing at least needs to be slowed down since too much breathing will cause the sight picture to move back and forth.
A person also needs to keep their finger off the trigger until they're in postion, on target and properly prepared to fire.
Practicing follow through is really important.
When shooters use proper follow through, they can often tell where the shot has hit before they even see the actual hole in the target.
Last edited by arcticap; 08-19-2009 at 09:32 AM.
08-19-2009, 09:54 AM
#12
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Upstate New York-Broome County
Posts: 597
The Marine Corps method of marksmanship training includes hours and hours of dry firing(snapping in) Building up concentration on sight picture, trigger control,and proper breathing is essential to the process and creates "muscle memory" It all boils down to proper technique and practice-practice-practice
Charlie
Charlie
08-19-2009, 12:02 PM
#13
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Lake Tahoe
Posts: 308
I am sorry if I ruffle a few feathers with this but I have NEVER been told to hold my breath when I am shooting. I have been told and taught to do the exact opposite. Squeez during the natural exhale pause between breaths and let the report suprise you. I have read quite a few shooting manuals and have a lot of trigger time in. Please let me know where this information came from so I can relearn to shoot cuz if I am sposed to hold my breath, I have been shooting wrong for a long time.
Last edited by Powerfisher; 08-19-2009 at 12:04 PM.
08-19-2009, 06:59 PM
#14
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Upstate New York-Broome County
Posts: 597
I was taught to take a shallow breath,let 1/2 out and hold. Erratic breathing can cause vertical stringing of your shots. I suppose there ars many formulas and all will work if you are consistant. The Marines have been teaching the same method for a long time and have turned out more than a few good marksmen
Charlie
Charlie
08-19-2009, 08:57 PM
#16
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Central Connecticut
Posts: 766
I am sorry if I ruffle a few feathers with this but I have NEVER been told to hold my breath when I am shooting. I have been told and taught to do the exact opposite. Squeez during the natural exhale pause between breaths and let the report suprise you. I have read quite a few shooting manuals and have a lot of trigger time in. Please let me know where this information came from so I can relearn to shoot cuz if I am sposed to hold my breath, I have been shooting wrong for a long time.
People only do what works for them and it's dependent on the circumstances.
But many shooters have been taught to hold their breath.
BREATH CONTROL
Breath control is important with respect to the aiming process. If the sniper breathes while trying to aim, the rise and fall of his chest causes the rifle to move. He must, therefore, accomplish sight alignment during breathing. To do this, he first inhales then exhales normally and stops at the moment of natural respiratory pause.
a. A respiratory cycle lasts 4 to 5 seconds. Inhalation and exhalation require only about 2 seconds. Thus, between each respiratory cycle there is a pause of 2 to 3 seconds. This pause can be extended to 10 seconds without any special effort or unpleasant sensations. The sniper should shoot during this pause when his breathing muscles relax. This avoids strain on his diaphragm.
b. A sniper should assume his firing position and breathe naturally until his hold begins to settle. Many snipers then take a slightly deeper breath, exhale, and pause, expecting to fire the shot during the pause. If the hold does not settle enough to allow the shot to be fired, the sniper resumes normal breathing and repeats the process. c. The respiratory pause should never feel unnatural. If it is too long, the body suffers from oxygen deficiency and sends out signals to resume breathing. These signals produce involuntary movements in the diaphragm and interfere with the sniper's ability to concentrate. About 8 to 10 seconds is the maximum safe period for the respiratory pause. During multiple, rapid engagements, the breathing cycle should be forced through a rapid, shallow cycle between shots instead of trying to hold the breath or breathing.
Firing should be accomplished at the forced respiratory pause.
Breath control is important with respect to the aiming process. If the sniper breathes while trying to aim, the rise and fall of his chest causes the rifle to move. He must, therefore, accomplish sight alignment during breathing. To do this, he first inhales then exhales normally and stops at the moment of natural respiratory pause.
a. A respiratory cycle lasts 4 to 5 seconds. Inhalation and exhalation require only about 2 seconds. Thus, between each respiratory cycle there is a pause of 2 to 3 seconds. This pause can be extended to 10 seconds without any special effort or unpleasant sensations. The sniper should shoot during this pause when his breathing muscles relax. This avoids strain on his diaphragm.
b. A sniper should assume his firing position and breathe naturally until his hold begins to settle. Many snipers then take a slightly deeper breath, exhale, and pause, expecting to fire the shot during the pause. If the hold does not settle enough to allow the shot to be fired, the sniper resumes normal breathing and repeats the process. c. The respiratory pause should never feel unnatural. If it is too long, the body suffers from oxygen deficiency and sends out signals to resume breathing. These signals produce involuntary movements in the diaphragm and interfere with the sniper's ability to concentrate. About 8 to 10 seconds is the maximum safe period for the respiratory pause. During multiple, rapid engagements, the breathing cycle should be forced through a rapid, shallow cycle between shots instead of trying to hold the breath or breathing.
Firing should be accomplished at the forced respiratory pause.
The United States Army Marksmanship Unit Training Manual
SECTION ONE: FUNDAMENTALS OF PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP
D. BREATH CONTROL.
The correct method of breathing is an essential part of the shooter's system of control. Most pistol shooters know less about the proper method of breath control than of any of the other fundamentals.
The object of proper breath control is to enable the pistol shooter to hold his breath with a comfortable feeling long enough to fire one shot slow fire; five shots in twenty seconds timed fire; or five shots in ten seconds rapid fire without loss of the ability to hold still or concentrate on sight alignment.
1. To be Effective, Breath Control Must Be Employed Systematically and Uniformly: The ability to concentrate and maintain rhythm is aided.
a. Promote a steady hold: It is generally known that one must not breathe during aiming. Breathing is accompanied by the rhythmical movement of the chest, abdomen, and the shoulders. This causes the pistol to move about excessively, making it almost impossible to produce an accurate shot. Therefore, one must not simultaneously breathe and try to fire a shot, but must endeavor to hold the breath for a short period of time.
b. The physiological processes involved in breathing: The shooter however, must not view the breathing process solely from the movement of the chest and the gun. He must not forget that the process of breathing, which consists of a combination of processes which occur constantly in the human body, determine in general the condition of the human being. Therefore, proper breathing is of great importance during shooting exercises which last several hours. Incorrect breathing technique has an adverse effect upon shooting, especially if the concentration is disturbed by sensing of the need to breathe.
(1) During the process of breathing, there is an alternating increase and decrease in the volume of the chest, as a result the person inhales and exhales. A person inhales when the dimensions of the chest increase. Once inside the lungs, the air provides oxygen to the blood and in turn it absorbs carbon dioxide and aqueous vapors. Exhalation occurs when all the muscles relax, the diaphragm presses upward, and, under the action of the weight of the chest and the elasticity of the lungs, air is forced out of the body. Exhaling does not require muscular effort; it occurs as the result of the resiliency of the ribs and the muscular tissues and the elasticity of the lungs.
(2) When breathing calmly a person produces an average of 12 - 13 respiratory cycles a minute. Consequently, one respiratory cycle lasts 4 - 5 seconds. If one traces the respiratory cycle, it is not difficult to note that the strained position of inhalation is replaced very quickly by exhalation. The very next inhalation begins after a respiratory pause of 2 to 3 seconds, (figure 1-7) during which time the carbon dioxide accumulates in the lungs. The duration off the respiratory pause is determined by the ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air remaining in the lungs.
(3) The respiratory pause and the problems of the ventilation of the lungs are of great importance to the shooter. It is obvious that during aiming and applying pressure on the trigger, the breath must be held only after the shooter has exhaled, timing it so that the breath is held at the moment of the natural respiratory pause. During that time the muscles are not strained and are in a relaxed state.
c. A person can prolong by several seconds this respiratory pause, that is, hold his breath comfortably for 15 - 20 seconds, without any special labor and without experiencing unpleasant sensations. This time is more than adequate to produce a shot or shots. Experienced shooters usually take a deep breath before firing and then, exhaling slowly, hold their breath gradually, relax and concentrate their entire attention upon sight alignment and the smooth application of pressure on the trigger (Figure 1-8).
2. Recommended method
a. Prior to fire commands:
(1) When expelling the air from the lungs before aiming, no effort whatever must be exerted. The exhaling must be natural and free, as in ordinary breathing. The air must not be held in the lungs; incomplete exhaling before aiming leads to straining and to stimulation of the nerve centers regulating the breathing, and the shooters concentration on aiming is distracted.
(2) In order to make sure that during prolonged firing the interruption of the rhythm of breathing does not have an influence upon the shooter, the breath must not be held for an excessive period when trying to fire a slow fire shot. If the shooter does not produce a shot in 8 - 10 seconds, he must stop aiming and take another breath.
(3) Before holding his breath for the next shot he must empty his lungs well, taking several deep breaths. The same should be done between shots and strings of shots throughout the firing. This facilitates the lengthening of the respiratory pause before aiming and provides for regular rest between shots and strings. The oxygen level in the blood is slightly increased. As a result the shooter is relaxed and comfortable during all shooting without excessive and premature fatigue.
b. During the fire commands: Take a deeper than normal breath at the command, "READY ON THE RIGHT", take another at "READY ON THE LEFT", extend your pistol and take the final breath and exhale to the point of comfort at "READY ON THE FIRING LINE".
As the shooter gains experience in proper breath control, he will find that he will hold his breath, or extend his normal respiratory pause, without being too conscious of the action and allow intense concentration on sight alignment and trigger pressure. c. During actual firing: The shooter should not be conscious of the need to breathe. If during practice a shooter finds that he cannot hold his breath the twenty seconds necessary to fIre a timed fire string, he should make a practice of firing his timed fire strings in less than twenty seconds. However, if during a timed or rapid fire string, the shooter feels compelled to breathe, he should take a short breath quickly and continue to fire. This causes a lapse of concentration on sight alignment and should not be the normal technique used.
Last edited by arcticap; 08-19-2009 at 09:32 PM.
08-20-2009, 10:59 AM
#17
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Lake Tahoe
Posts: 308
Thanks for the literature. It seems I misunderstood your post. I thought you were recomending actually holding your breath. Inhale, and hold. We are on the same page. During the exhale, the natural pause can be prolonged but if prolonged too long, another breath may be necessary. Thanks for clearing that up.
08-20-2009, 01:25 PM
#18
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location:
Posts: 86
Sorry I have not been on here, been on a business trip. If I am shooting at something moving I am fine. Clay pigeons with a 12 ga. no problem, rabbit hunting with a 12 ga. no problem. It's all in my head, because if it is moving I'm not really thinking about it since it's a point and shoot thing. When it comes down to aiming at a still target I'm screwed.
Some freinds and I were shooting clay pigeons last weekend. We kept enough pigeons so each of us had 1 shot. We changed our barrels to shoot slugs and we each got 1 shot to hit the pigeon at 45 yards. All our barrels are open sights. My turn came up: got my gun set on the bench, looked through the sights, turned off my safety and as fast as I turned my safety off I went for the trigger. I hit nowhere near that pigeon!! Drives me nuts.
So today I grabbed my sons air rifle and went for a walk to the woods. Set up 6 pop cans. Got the gun set, turned off the safety and immediately went for the trigger. Missed the can. 2nd shot same thing, 3rd,4th,5th same thing. 6th shot I hit the can but shouldn't have because I am pulling the trigger as soon as I turn off the safety. I did 2 rounds and it didn't get any better so I quit. Not sure what to do at this point. I know it's in my head I just can't kick the problem. I guess the only solution is to make the target move! Thanks for the replies
Some freinds and I were shooting clay pigeons last weekend. We kept enough pigeons so each of us had 1 shot. We changed our barrels to shoot slugs and we each got 1 shot to hit the pigeon at 45 yards. All our barrels are open sights. My turn came up: got my gun set on the bench, looked through the sights, turned off my safety and as fast as I turned my safety off I went for the trigger. I hit nowhere near that pigeon!! Drives me nuts.
So today I grabbed my sons air rifle and went for a walk to the woods. Set up 6 pop cans. Got the gun set, turned off the safety and immediately went for the trigger. Missed the can. 2nd shot same thing, 3rd,4th,5th same thing. 6th shot I hit the can but shouldn't have because I am pulling the trigger as soon as I turn off the safety. I did 2 rounds and it didn't get any better so I quit. Not sure what to do at this point. I know it's in my head I just can't kick the problem. I guess the only solution is to make the target move! Thanks for the replies
