TargetTalk

Would any of you elite 10 meter shooters share your shot process. I coach a youth club and would like to share a couple examples of the extent a top shooters shot process looks like.
thanks

Mate have a listen to Ryans shooting podcast.

I think he is a member of this forum. I really enjoyed the podcast but seems he hasn't put any new episodes out recently

Hello JPK,

I am not an elite 10M shooter, but I am quite happy to give you my insight and illustrate this with my own "shot process". I divide this into three phases a) preparatory b) execution and c) recovery.

Preparatory

1. Addressing the target - The importance of foot position? This may sound very basic and rudimentary, but it is the foundation of finding and recalling NPA (Natural Position of Aim). Once determined, and it will be different for each shooter, it should provide a stable position with only the minimum number of muscles being used. Done initially, it can be maintained for the entire match, or re-evaluated as the match progresses if need be. My process includes gripping the pistol, closing my eyes, raising the pistol to the shooting position and the opening my eyes and checking sight alignment. I then adjust my leading foot and do this again until I achieve the NPA I want.
2. Preparing the mind - My mental preparation comprises a number of elements. These include preparing a mental image of the desired shot result; providing myself with a positive, verbal statement; and a "start" phrase, or word, that commences the execution stage of the shot process.

Execution

Note: There will be a great number of small steps to my shot process, and while I will individually list them it is important to understand that as the shot process becomes engrained in the shooter the individual elements will combine into larger homogeneous events in the overall shot process. Eventually as the shot process is perfected the whole shot process with the exception of several, principally important steps will become one subconscious process initiated by the start phrase or word. I mention this because the human brain, at least in my case, cannot manage more than two things at once. Any more than two and it all falls apart. Again, mileage may vary with different shooters.

3. Grip pistol
4. Load pistol and move hand (and the rest of your body) to the ready position.
5. Take two breaths.
6. Apply positive mental reinforcement and Issue start phrase or word**
7. Take in a breath while raising the pistol
8. Achieve the proper sight alignment while raising the pistol to just above the target.
9. While releasing about 50% of the breath, lower the pistol maintaining the correct sight alignment, to the achieve the desired sight picture and simultaneously engage the first stage of the trigger
10. Stabilize my hold to the a minimum arc of motion, while maintaining the sight picture
11. Apply constant, smooth pressure to the trigger to engage the second stage and release the shot^^
12. Maintain follow-through position for 2-4 seconds.

Recovery

12. Lower the pistol to ready position
13. Take two breaths minimum before starting next shot sequence.

**I have come to conclusion personally, that both positive reinforcement and start word or phrase work better if they are literally "spoken", rather than just thought. The brain registers these messages more comprehensively if it "hears" those messages. I don't worry about what the other shooters will hear or think, as if they are engaged in their shot process as deeply as I am, it won't register.

^^I must confess that when I started shooting I had no idea about proper trigger action. It took me the better part of a year to get to the technique that I use now. I started out chasing the perfect hold, and the squeezing the trigger quickly. Of course this was totally wrong. I finally had it explained to me by my coach. She explained that as you hold becomes more and more stable you will be able to get better and better results. If your shooter can hold the 8 ring, as far as pistol motion, then by simply smoothly releasing the the shot (not pulling the trigger) he will have an equal chance of making an 8 or higher. As stability increases to hold the 9 ring, so will his scores improve as well. No matter how good my hold was, a poor trigger technique will ruin an otherwise quite adequate shot.

Anyway, that is my shot process as developed over the last two years. As I mentioned earlier, your mileage may vary. I hope this is of some help.

Thank you very much for sharing!

JPK,

I did not mention the one constant that n all target shooting, that of concentrating on the front sight under all circumstances. It goes without saying that this is part of steps 8-12.

Good pistol process, but this is the rifle section. Having just moved from air pistol to standing air rifle I would love a similar insight into that.

TenMeterPeter,

Thanks for your comment. Yes, I "illustrated" the question with a pistol shot process, but the salient points are equally pertinent to a process for rifle competition. I shoot rifle as well, and ai can say that my rifle technique is very close to the pistol shot process the ai illustrated. Of course the wights are different, but aside from that my process is much the same.

Good. Certainly I have suggested to younger shooters that the trigger break should almost be a surprise rather than a conscious pull. I try to follow the same process with a 2 stage air rifle trigger but I was wondering if elite 10m rifle shooters preferred single or 2 stage trigger setups? My previous Walther LG200 came with a single stage trigger. The let off process is very different.

TenMeterPeter

I shoot an Anschütz 9003 S2 and it definitely uses a 2-stage trigger. Certainly it could be adjusted to act as a single stage trigger if someone wanted that. At that point it becomes a shooter's personal preference.

Personally, I have found that focusing on the front sight and trigger technique are the two things that can affect my score. Recently I have been working on sensing the lowest point of sight movement velocity within the arc of motion. I have come to the conclusion that there is an oscillating rhythm to the motion and therefore there must be a predictive element that can be developed. If you wait until the perfect alignment to release the shot, then it will land somewhere else (less perfect) due to the brain/finger delay. So the idea is to recognize the rhythm is there to stay and use it to your advantage.