Fundamentals from your BE-L Archives

Good stuff might be in your files.  I have tips from Poppe, Brundin, Steinbrecker, Lazoya, and others hidden in my files. 

If you have some, take some time and dress them up for re-posting here.  If you can add a date, do so.

 
Here is a Bullseye-List posting I was in several years ago for a starter:


A distinguished shooter told me of pumping the trigger to see the reaction in the sight to pressing and releasing. I tried that in dryfire, hammer up and hammer down. I have even started to pump while prepping the trigger on target. Seems to work well for me. At the last pump, just keep going.... Jack H (I add: look for indicators while pumping, this might also channel concentration)




I also was given the "pumping" advice but with regards to doing it during the range commands of the TF & RF stages of a match. It helps you establish your cadence and helps you keep from having your finger freeze up on the trigger when the target turns. An unexpected benefit that I found when using the technique in dry fire practice is that the first time I pump/press the trigger rearward I might detect a little movement of the front sight to the right, meaning I am pushing it there because of my finger position on the trigger. I am left handed so for me, to the right and low is where my shot will go if I jump on the trigger improperly. The second time I pump/press the trigger I seem to make a small shift in finger position and observe the front sight for movement relative to the rear. If there was none, then on the third press of the trigger I continue rearward to break the shot. If I detect lateral movement of the front sight on the second press, I press a third time with slight correction of finger position and then break the shot on the fourth press. I am sure you get the picture. I have started using the technique in slow fire and found that is helping me have a smoother, quicker release with better results at the target. Scott

Thanks Scott.  Don't know which one you are.

Here's another on dryfire:


Posted by Warren Potter on January 13, 2000 at 17:28:06:
You will go quite a long way by just live firing.
But you won't go all the way unless you also dry fire.
Dry fire is not something you do just because you can't shoot. It is how you learn technique without the distraction of wondering where that shot went. It's how you learn to concentrate on the important things instead of falling into the trap of trying to shoot a ten. Because there is a huge difference between having your mind on the firing line and having it at the target.
I'd say that an average shooter who applies himself over time will reach 560 in air pistol just by shooting (competition, not home scores). From there most of us mere mortals have to find other ways to hone our skills to crack the 570 and beyond. Dry fire is I think the most important - and the most under-rated.


Posted by Erik on January 14, 2000 at 13:03:50:
I find that dry firing helps me get into the 'zone.' If something happens that distracts me, or if I know I shot a poor shot because my concentration lapsed and I blew it on technique, I will dry fire 2 - 10 times to work out the problem, and reinforce proper technique. This will rebuild the confidence, which for me is very important. The interesting thing is that I almost always shoot a 10 after going through this routine, which is unfortunately better than I usually shoot. I often wonder what my scores would be like if I had the time and stamina to dry fire 10 times between each shot for score. I tried it one afternoon, for a string of 10, and matched my personal best of a 97, but I don't know if I could ever get through a match at that pace, I find that level of concentration is very hard to maintain over such a long period of time. Erik


The cure I found for last second wrist droop came from Ron S. Push out with the heel of your shooting hand and try your best to get into that slice of the wheel of misfortune that says "heeling". Hold that grip, align your sights and do your trigger pull. I found that it improved my grip and stopped those last-second droops. Now if I could only do it consistently. Oh yeah, shot plan. Norm G


A bit of your post caught my eye: " I began aiming at and concentrating on X's. There was an immediate improvement in my scores." This is a REALLY interesting point that Ed Hall and I have had several discussions and run some informal "tests" on. I have started shooting 9X and 10X targets with some regularity this year. There seems to be two distinct ways that this occurs. One is the purely automatic, along for the ride form where it is as if I am an outside observer. The other reflects your statement quoted above. Especially in timed fire, I find I can "focus on X's" and do quite well. What I believe is really happening, and here is where Ed Hall's shooting Zen comes in, is that we are NOT really concentrating on shooting X's. Ed has proved to me on several occasions that is counterproductive! What I believe is happening is that we INCREASE our level of concentration, as well as ratchet up our expectations. The mind does the rest and the results reflect it. As an example, Wednesday night at our league I shot two 9X targets, in NMC Timed Fire and in Timed Fire. In each case the last shot of the second string was middle of the 10 ring, one pulled left one pulled right. In both cases I can trace the failure to shoot the last X directly to my focus shifting. On that last shot, my thoughts drifted from concentration on VERY centered dot, Smooth trigger to the thought of 10X's. I immediately knew in each case that I had shot to the left and to the right instead of a centered shot. So from the items you listed, I think the key is item 4: 4. REALLY concentrate on your sight and trigger squeeze. Your item 2 supports item 4 and your item 1 goes back to increasing your mental expectations. Garrison

Good stuff, thanks.
More please..........