That's the old spirit.

What you should do is shoot at 25 yards until you have a group, not a pattern, them move back 5 or 10 yards and shoot some more. If you fall apart move up and start over and repeat until you can consistently shoot a group. When you reach the point where you are not getting any better, limit yourself to the range that you can shoot well. Of hand shooting takes a lot of practice, it is technique and doing the same thing every time and building muscle memory. You may want to consider a coach for a few sessions because practicing doing it the wrong way will reinforce doing it the wrong way. Your first mistake was starting at a long distance like 89 yards. Every mistake you make is amplified by distance. You need to correct your mistakes at close range before you move back.

That makes no sense at all. Practice makes perfect!!!

If by the same thing you mean practice, I suspect there are a lot of football coaches, baseball coaches, tennis pros, golf pros, etc. who would disagree with that.

Pete, I am somewhat amazed that you would make this statement... why would you not continue to try to improve... It is proven that improvement can be made with repetitive work, you may not reach the pinnacle without guidance but you will get better at what you are if your try to get better.


At the stage Ron might be at right now I doubt very much he is doing everything every time the same - I believe he is seeking a way to get better.


Some how you got better at the things that you do and of all people that almost had to start all over at one time you progressed by trying to get better.


Just my 2 cents...

I don't think Pete meant that the way you all are taking it. I think he is meaning "incorrect practice makes for incorrect results". At least that's how I took it.

Yes, it can improve bad habits too.

You all need to read the thread. I wrote a post describing what he should do. Oldtimer just gave the same advice. If he can't shoot a good group at 90 yds he needs to adjust. Not keep doing it.

With out counting them I see post after post after post just saying practice, practice, practice. I don't know about the rest of ya'll but I'm 62 years old. If I could have figured out most things by now, I would have. If I'm having trouble with something I look for a guy who is successful at it, AT THE LEAST. Then figure out what he's doing that I'm not doing and copy it. Even better if I think he knows something I don't I ask him to teach it or show it to me. THEN I practice THAT.

Just practicing what I've already been doing for 60 years hasn't generally been all that productive to IMPROVE very much regardless if it's shooting or what ever.

It's a lot easier to just take a lesson or something first and then practice the new thing/way.

So long as I don't have to admit to the wife I really needed any of that. I could have figured it out for myself, if I really wanted to. But that sure ain't the easy way.

As for shooting sticks I got no problem at all with them. I highly recommend them. I USE them all the time ALONG with a few other little tricks to shooting from field positions.

They are not shooting off hand, unsupported, from field positions though and that is what the OP ask for help with. If you want to get better at that, you have to learn what it is. Learn the best ways of doing it and then PRACTICE THOSE BEST WAYS.

LOL...I guess you all need to brush up on yer "Pete" translations I know us old farts tend to not express ourselves as clearly for you buncha pups

And Ron, Pete and OT have given you a perfect practice tip for trying to better your unsupported shooting skills by getting closer and working your way out. But you just may have to break down like I did some years ago and start using support aids. Heck, I can still ring the gong at 1000 from prone, but it's the getting back up from prone that's difficult!!!! Thought the wife was gonna have to bring the cherry picker out from the shop the other day to get my overly large rear off the ground!!! Gettin old really sucks sometimes!!