need a few nuggets of wisdom for longer shots

[mike cyrwus]

ok, I made the switch back to production from SS. I am loving the M&P again, and the only thing Im fighting (sort of) are the 30-40yd shots. I want to know that I can make an A at will from this distance, given enough time. I know the gun is capable of stacking them in the A. I think I am having a harder time because of doing a hard sight focus coupled with re-learning the trigger break of a non-1911.

What Im looking for (and I know is out there in BE-dom) are some examples of mental imagery or some analogies that will allow my taking longer (ipsc) shots to become a subconscious skill.

Drawing on my older archery skill set, I suspect the issue is with picking a spot. I pick the smallest spot that I can, then go to a hard ft sight focus. As I concentrate on my sight, I think I flash back quickly to a COM type overlay of the target, and my groups go all to heck.

As I write this, Im thinking that I could practice with some close up hard target focused shots. Perhaps Im psyching myself out, is all.

Id appreciate it,

thanks.

Mike

[Micah]

Shoot your ss from a bench to see exactly what it is that your sights need to show you to get an A from that distance. After that, in a freestyle position do the same thing. Ignore speed, just let your sights set the par for you.

As far as the mental game, write down an affirmation stating how awesome you are at shooting beyond 100ft. Put a copy in your range bag, post one on your bathroom mirror, place one in your wallet, and tack one in your dryfiring area. Every time you come across it, read it out loud to yourself and visualize shooting two perfect alphas on targets beyond 100ft. Feel what it is like to gain 5 match points on your competition every time you encounter distance shots. Smile at how easily you put two a's on them

[AlamoShooter]

If you were to barrow a rifle tec. = the gun is allways moving , you try to stop the gun on the target. But if the gun /sight is perfectly in the center ...= it will only be ther for a split second so Break the shot as and just before the sights settle , But still trying to make the gun stop and hold.

This is you are eather on the way to the center or on your way out of the center.

Yes shooting of a rest is good , But set a bag with just your wrist on the it (not the gun) , if you can set two or three targets you can shoot and call the shots off what you see and thin check them with a spotter , make more hits and check them with a spotter.

[benos]

Give this a whirl Mike...

First, line up the sights, and settle into your hold. Then tell yourself - so that you believe it - this (hold and sight alignment) is as good as it's gonna get. Then forget your hold / sight alignment and commit to pulling the trigger. "Stand" on it! (we'd say). Now quickly tell yourself - do not stop the trigger pull once you have started it. Then leave just enough attention in your trigger finger so you know that you are pulling the trigger. Then put all your remaining attention RIGHT ON the front sight - see it razor sharp like you've never seen it before - until the shot breaks.

That took a lot longer to write than it does to do.

be

[lugnut]

I'm convinced that the sight picture isn't the problem for most of us at those distances. It's what we do with the trigger finger that screws it up.

[benos]

I'm convinced that the sight picture isn't the problem for most of us at those distances. It's what we do with the trigger finger that screws it up.

True.

What you said made me think - the best reason to look at the sights is so you can call the shot. Because the lining up/aiming takes care of itself. Never really thought about it like that before. Thanks.

be

[mike cyrwus]

Just what I was lookin fer!

I suspected it was a matter of how Im perceiving the sight picture.

Ill let you guys know how it goes.

[GrumpyOne]

Don't think of it as shooting at a target a long ways off, think of it as shooting at very small target close up.

[benos]

Also, let how big your sights appear on the target tell you how to shoot the target. Then there is no big or small, no easy or hard.

be

[Rob D]

You're probably already doing this, but I make a conscious effort to put the very center of the front sight on my point of aim when shooting past 25 yards or so. Instead of thinking of my front sight at a post, I think of the top of it as the horizontal line in a set of crosshairs, with the verticle line going up and down through the center of the sight.