ipscman Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 Hi Gang, I'm pretty new to IPSC, have read thousands of posts on this wonderful site and have a simple question: What are the exact benefits of knowing how to call your shots? 1.I can see that it saves time when shooting at a popper from a box, e.g., so you can take-off before hearing or seeing the target react. 2. I can also see that you can pick-up your misses on the spot as well. Are there other specific benefits that I'm missing? Thanks! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiserb Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 I have a dificult time calling the shots. I think it has more to do with being keyed up about shooting a good stage score more than anything. I have had some stages I have shot, particularly long ones 20-30 rounds, where after the first reload I am seeing the sights when the gun fires. My first 3 targets suck, but the rest have good hits. I guess I need to shoot more Bill Drills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 Imagine knowing where your bullet is going to hit before it leaves the barrel. That's the benefit of calling the shot. Steve (still trying to call every shot) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenelson Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 Steve has it. By knowing that it was a hit "without really thinking about it" allows you to immediately move on to the next target. "Without really thinking about it," means that no words are used in your mind, only pictures. That is the theory I am going for anyways, I am not successful very often. Yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 For me, it's easier with a dot. This monday while shooting groups with my open gun at 50 ft. I got into a zone where I was calling shots and knowing which ones went askew. The next question is: If I was calling the shots, why did I shoot the shots askew? My answer: I failed to properly control the trigger press. I also had a good zone/zen moment at IPSC this past saturday where I had to engage 5 poppers before leaving the box. 12345, no problem, saw the sights correctly and moved on. That stage was also the most time I've ever taken for a sight picture so far. I knew what I had to see to make the shot. Cool. More stuff to work on. SA (Edited by Steve Anderson at 9:09 am on June 5, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 6, 2002 Share Posted June 6, 2002 ipscman, Calling makes it all happen! You shoot quicker upon entering, and you leave boxes quicker. Nevertheless, that's a fairly small "gain" when you consider the enormous advantage gained transitioning from target to target. When you KNOW, BEFORE THE BULLET LEAVES THE BARREL, exactly where it's going to go, you're gun will move much quicker to the next target. Much quicker. Overall, that adds up big-time! In addition, imagine the benefit of not having "surprise misses" when your targets are scored. Search through the threads, there's some good discussions on this topic. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted June 6, 2002 Share Posted June 6, 2002 It has been said before but if you don't develop the skill of calling your shot you cannot progress to higher levels of shooting. Even with .13 breaks you need to call your shot. If not more than likely the RO is calling "miss" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Bagoly Posted June 7, 2002 Share Posted June 7, 2002 Imagine driving your car, but not knowing where your car is, just where you think it is going. Calling the shot is like seeing that you are in your lane, or that the other car is so many feet away. It makes everything so much simpler, and safer. You will know when you are cutting the corners too close, and when there is a lot more road out there to open 'er up on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bird Posted June 7, 2002 Share Posted June 7, 2002 ipscman there is alot of GREAT advice on this board. It got me thinking... I have never seen my sights lift in recoil and return. I see my front sight, an orange blast, then my front sight back where it started, then another orange blast of light. Target Transition is the key here me thinks.. I look for 2 complete "orange blasts" then move my eyes to the next target, then move my gun and look for the 2 orange blasts again. I know this really sounds silly but the FASTER I can control the 2 "orange blasts" on each target, then move them to the next target the better I do.. Am I thinking too much?? Is what I do "calling my shots?" I don't have young flexible eyes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 7, 2002 Share Posted June 7, 2002 Calling the shot involves knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt...the relationship the front and rear sight have with each other and the target, at the micro-second that the shoot is released. When executed correctly, you know where the bullet hit the target...no matter what. There is no hoping, wondering or guessing...the bullet will be where the sights told you it was going. You still might miss, but you will know that from the story that the sights tell you. And, I should add, thinking you know... and knowing you know... are completely different things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted June 10, 2002 Share Posted June 10, 2002 Last weekend at Area 4, I had the unpleasant discovery (almost at the begining of the match) that I was shooting minor (with an open gun, no less). I was at that point determined to shoot the match for all A's as best I could, without giving up to much time.... but it would take a discipiline "calling my shots" that had yet been unable to attain so far in a larger match (I get caught up with trying to shoot faster than I should!) I have to say that this site and Brian E.'s book has helped me tremendously - I actually found myself making "make up" shots on targets almost instantly on shots I wasn't absolutely certain about - one array I didn't remember even seeing a dot my first 2 shots, so I shot the target twice again and ended up with 3 alphas, saving myself a mike. The R.O. ringing out "2 Alpha" over and over is pretty gratifying, as well! Its weird, but shooting minor this match maybe the best thing thats happened growth wise for me so far in "calling my shots" - shooting minor, I didn't freak out about having to be perfect; I just saw the A zone, saw my dot align, and broke the shots, one at a time, until the match was over. It was the most natural thing in the world. (It also helped that there was a lot of steel as well, no C or D hits there!). For the first time that I can remeber, it was almost like my only target WAS the A-zone, any thing else was "off target". I guess I did something right, I came in 2nd in my class, down only by 1%. (I figure I lost @ 5% due to shooting minor... grrrrrr! - oh well). Now if I can only transition this feeling over to my limited gun, and iron sights...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 11, 2002 Share Posted June 11, 2002 Good work Shooter40! And, nicely put Kyle! be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 11, 2002 Share Posted June 11, 2002 Nothing like learning from the best... I just pulled out the book. Reference p. 92 for calling the shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 11, 2002 Share Posted June 11, 2002 I thought it kinda felt like me talking... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 11, 2002 Share Posted June 11, 2002 Well...I didn't re-read first, or copy anything. I posted what I had learned here (and verified on the firing line). When I looked at my post...I thought that I really sounded like I knew something (sounded like BE). I then checked the book. So...I guess that I have learned the material. (Found here and in the book) I now have no excuse for ever missing and wondering why! (Edited by Flexmoney at 5:26 pm on June 11, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 14, 2002 Share Posted June 14, 2002 lol, that icon is cracking me up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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