Training shooting cadence

[SlvrDragon50]

Yesterday was my first time shooting rapidly at close arrays, and the thing I noticed that really separated the top shooters from all the other shooters was a very fast rapid cadence instead of 2 shot bursts.

 

Is there a specific way to train this? More specifically, a way to train without burning a bunch of ammo? The only exercise I have seen is Travis Haley's counting drill.

[tyler2you]

Download a metronome app on your phone and use it in dry fire.  Set it at 180 BPM (.33 splits) and try to maintain that pace shot to shot (during transitions as well).  As you get better at maintaining tempo, drop it down to .25 splits or as fast as you're comfortable with.  That's only one component of it however.  You also have to be able to see fast enough to maintain an acceptable sight picture and control the gun well enough that the sights return quickly and consistently.

[motosapiens]

aim every shot. practice transitions.

[SlvrDragon50]

2 hours ago, tyler2you said:

Download a metronome app on your phone and use it in dry fire.  Set it at 180 BPM (.33 splits) and try to maintain that pace shot to shot (during transitions as well).  As you get better at maintaining tempo, drop it down to .25 splits or as fast as you're comfortable with.  That's only one component of it however.  You also have to be able to see fast enough to maintain an acceptable sight picture and control the gun well enough that the sights return quickly and consistently.

Ah good idea, I will definitely try that out.

 

I think my eyes are the biggest issue though. I just don't pick up the sights fast enough. I need to blur out my left lens a bit more I think.

[mlmiller1]

Move your eyes first & the gun will follow.  In practice do single shots per target & practice moving eyes then gun.  Snap eyes to next target & gun follows.  It will not only help transitions but will build the skill to be sure you have a sight picture for every shot.  No "double taps".  

[johnbu]

 

On 04/12/2017 at 1:01 PM, SlvrDragon50 said:

Ah good idea, I will definitely try that out.

 

I think my eyes are the biggest issue though. I just don't pick up the sights fast enough. I need to blur out my left lens a bit more I think.

This is my problem too!  plus a total lack of patience, so I find myself shooting without a good sight picture.

[Hi-Power Jack]

The problem is that quite often we actually hit the damned target

without a good sight picture ...

 

That lulls us into thinking "I don't need no damn sights".   

 

And, of course, we're NOT correct.

 

I've been doing same thing for 64 years ...   

 

I try to remember the sights every chance I get ....

[SlvrDragon50]

Shot slower today and made sure I saw the sights, did much much better! 3rd out of production shooters. .42 HF pts behind the leader.
 

 

Edited April 19, 2017 by SlvrDragon50

[KrymSIX]

Slvr, do you have any tips on some exercises to ensure getting a clearer sight picture or is it just taking an extra half a beat to get it? 

 

Thanks

[Shmella]

try looking at the target or in better terms, focus on the target not your sight.You might surprise yourself that you can shoot accurately and fast without starring at your front sight. It sounds to me like youre describing close range hoser stuff and I would bet money the guys that are shooting it at a cadence that sounds like there are no breaks they are not even looking at a clean sight picture but more or less looking over their sights if the target is close enough. 

[SlvrDragon50]

On 4/20/2017 at 0:03 PM, KrymSIX said:

Slvr, do you have any tips on some exercises to ensure getting a clearer sight picture or is it just taking an extra half a beat to get it? 

 

Thanks

I just made sure to take a bit longer to focus on the front sight and really put effort into focusing on the front sight rather than just thinkling, I need to get shots off fast.

 

The issue with target focus was that I was shooting two shots in quick succession, but my transitions were not that fast. Without ever having focus on the sight, I don't think I was ever getting a good shot. I slowed down my 2 shot groups, but my transitions between targets were faster. I followed the advice tyler2you gave and practiced focusing on front sight on multiple targets and trying to match a cadence which I think helped a lot. I can't do 180 BPM, but I can do 0.50 sec splits decently at this point. I checked over my splits using the DAA app, and my splits were around 0.50-0.60sec.

[MemphisMechanic]

That's not a bad mindset. Most newcomers rush the second shot (throwing double taps at everything and hoping round #2 connects) then take a full second to swing over to their next target.

 

Shooting followups no faster than you can reaquire your sights and saving time with excellent transitions is a better way to begin in the sport. You get good hits consistently.

 

Your split times will come down on their own, when your eyes learn to see the gun cycle at a higher rate of speed. Focus on learning to grip the gun hard - I mean HARD - and they'll speed up noticeably shortly thereafter.

 

Edited April 24, 2017 by MemphisMechanic

[SlvrDragon50]

5 hours ago, MemphisMechanic said:

That's not a bad mindset. Most newcomers rush the second shot (throwing double taps at everything and hoping round #2 connects) then take a full second to swing over to their next target.

 

Shooting followups no faster than you can reaquire your sights and saving time with excellent transitions is a better way to begin in the sport. You get good hits consistently.

 

Your split times will come down on their own, when your eyes learn to see the gun cycle at a higher rate of speed. Focus on learning to grip the gun hard - I mean HARD - and they'll speed up noticeably shortly thereafter.

 

I think that last part is true with the grip. I think by worrying less about 0.20 second splits and accepting that I cannot do them yet, I was able to focus more attention to my grip. By the end of each stage, I could feel my forearm muscles were tense unlike previous runs where I had to consistently find my grip again.

[MemphisMechanic]

Splits are the very last thing that gets fast.

 

They're also the thing which matters least in your match placement. (vs transitions reloads movement etc...)

 

And they're the thing that novice shooters want to do superfast right off the bat.

 

You're hardly the first. I was 'that guy' too at one point.

 

Edited April 24, 2017 by MemphisMechanic

[R1_Demon]

Good info here.  I'm glad I got to read the post and watch the video that SlvrDragon posted.   It helped me understand what you guys were talking about regarding the transitioning and focusing.  I'll have to try the metronome trick and see how that helps with my dryfiring technique.  I never thought of trying that.

 

Memphis - So, in short, you are saying not to double tap, but actually slow your shooting down when having to hit two into the target?  Sorry if I sound like an idiot, but I haven't shot a match yet.  I'm supposed to shoot my first one on May 7th, so I'm trying to gather as much info as I can before I go for the first time.   However, I'm used to my previous training where I do the "two in the chest and one in the head" type scenario, so I'm used to double tapping.  So, I'm guessing you are meaning to slow the second shot down, try and acquire a second sight picture, send your second shot downrange and then look to the next target first and your firearm will follow your eyes, correct?  Again, sorry if I sound like an idiot.  Just trying to surmise the total post/thread.  I'd rather start off doing the right thing than have to try and correct bad mistakes.