Shooting better with distractions?

Most of my practice is done alone.  I usually have a part of the range well removed from anyone else.  Yesterday I shot alongside others shooting similar ranged targets BE style and was surprised how well I did despite the distractions.  It was probably my single best day for accuracy to date.  I usually do better in situations where I'm under pressure but I really didn't like shooting next to another .45 hardball shooter.  The noise and shock waves were more of an annoyance to the point I just wanted it to be done.  Is this the type of thing you folks find in competitions?  Do your scores improve in competition?

My scores suffer indoors due to the increased noise, outdoors isn't an issue.  Wearing 2 forms of hearing protection has improved the edginess for me a little.  Shooting a centerfire match indoors is challenging for me but 22s aren't an issue.

Perhaps the additional noise and distractions are demanding you concentrate on your shot process better.  When it comes down to it, anything that distracts from the shot process is detrimental--in your case, possibly the distractions create an instrument for focus.

Distraction is subjective.
When we go to centerfire and .45 I double up on my ear protection which helps sooooo much.
Then there are those days that I am unaware of anything around me.
Those days are my best days, too bad it does not happen more often
Just focus on your shot plan and tune everything else out.
Takes time but worth while.

Clarence

I always do better when shooting with others.

I shot two lifetime (for THEN) high scores the first day of coming down with strep throat. Or maybe one of them was a cold. But yeah, I have had that happen.

I have also long considered the NRA's abhorrence of muzzle brakes in rifle competitions to be an unwise concession to the too-vocal sissies among us, but hey, they gotta cater to their audience.