I need to shoot faster splits

[No.343]

I need to shoot faster splits. Last Saturday I shot a stage where we had a clamshell target and one of those twisting targets that gives the shooter two full presentations before turning sideways and being invisible. The targets were in different arrays. The clamshell left the upper A/B exposed. We activated them both using separate pull ropes. I did not feel like I had enough time to pull the rope, establish my grip and shoot good shots. I went to the clamshell side first pulled the rope, shot a different target and just shot the upper A/B area of the clamshell. I went to the other array shot the other targets, then pulled the rope and put one shot in the twisting target with each exposure. There has to be a better way to do it, but I watched good revolver shooters shoot NP Mikes on the twister and crappy shots/no shoots on the clamshell. How does a guy improve his splits and improve his performance on what I call the Circus stages when he doesn't have that equipment readily available for practice?

[Bubber]

I need to shoot faster splits. Last Saturday I shot a stage where we had a clamshell target and one of those twisting targets that gives the shooter two full presentations before turning sideways and being invisible. The targets were in different arrays. The clamshell left the upper A/B exposed. We activated them both using separate pull ropes. I did not feel like I had enough time to pull the rope, establish my grip and shoot good shots. I went to the clamshell side first pulled the rope, shot a different target and just shot the upper A/B area of the clamshell. I went to the other array shot the other targets, then pulled the rope and put one shot in the twisting target with each exposure. There has to be a better way to do it, but I watched good revolver shooters shoot NP Mikes on the twister and crappy shots/no shoots on the clamshell. How does a guy improve his splits and improve his performance on what I call the Circus stages when he doesn't have that equipment readily available for practice?

On that particular stage you had to activate the stuff then acquire a target, not so much needing faster splits but faster tranistions. Working on faster splits with out faster hits has no value IMHO. Simple method is two targets one hit each then check for score against your time. When I shot the last array with the clamshell I just went left to right and took the upper AB when the target appeared stationary. This was the mine shaft Right?

[John Z Sr]

Work on transitions over splits, in my opinion

[pskys2]

The answer to your question would require one of the following:

1) You and some buddies get together and buy/borrow/build a few circus props and practice with them.

2) Become a Club Officer in a club with circus props that you can then access and practice with.

The problems with Circus Props is the mind game they play on you. Most, not all, give you plenty of time to make your hits with a .25-.30 split but they introduce motion and awareness into the mix and it becomes easy to lose focus. Some don't allow much time and when you get to them, you just have to ignore the temptation to blast away and focus on the harder, but safer shots.

I've made swingers pretty cheaply, twisters wouldn't be hard to cobble up something for practice using pvc pipes, they wouldn't be something to shoot in a match cause they wouldn't be consistent or durable. But in practice you don't necessarily need those things.

Practicing with them doesn't always help me, it still comes down to focus on match day.

The other thing to do is know what your splits and transitions are on different target arrays/presentations, then when you go to a match take a stopwatch/timer and time the circus props timing. Then with what you know you can do, you can know what to attempt. If you don't let your conscious mind meddle with your sub-conscious shooting.

Hope this helps.

[Matt Griffin]

Just practice establishing your grip. Once you've done the monkey motion everything that follows is exactly the same; you need to get a hand to the gun as quickly as possible. Practice establishing the grip with a bad grip, from the table, from the holster, juggle the gun around, etc. It's usually a combo of an index on the strong hand (middle finger pressure to base of thumb for me) establish strong hand, index on the weak hand (thumb base hits skate tape), establish weak hand, present. Crashes come from doing step X without finishing step X-1 first.

H.

[Toolguy]

One of the biggest problems for iron sight shooters is the movement draws your eyes downrange to the target and off the sights.

When something moves we instinctively look to see what it is. Maybe a survival instinct. In order to put a shot on target we have to look at the sights long enough to make the shot. It takes mental discipline to NOT focus on the source of movement, but instead stay on the sights. That is the same for shooting more than one of any reactive target - Plates, Pins, Poppers, etc.

[No.343]

I know that my splits on a 15 yard target hitting two Alphas are high 30s to low 40s. I say I know because I've checked them during practice. The cat is out of the bag. Yes Bubber, I've been practicing. I can do that with boring consistency. I can yank on the trigger a whole lot faster, but I don't get the hits I want. I don't see any point in yanking the trigger fast and not getting hits.

I feel good about the fact that I recognized my capabilities and only used the tools that I have in my tool box right now, but I know that local matches are for pushing the edge. It's hard for me to push the edge when I haven't pushed it before in practice. Maybe that's why I'm not a better shooter.

[mike cyrwus]

Ive never posted in here, but I did touch a revolver once. You dont need props to practice quicker splits. Have you ever gone up to a target at 3yds and see how fast you can run splits regardless of sight picture?

You might be suprised at how acceptable your hits are at close range. Back up a little bit every so often and see where your hits have to slow down and your splits slow down.

You could have always put one on the target at each appearance.

That drop turner on the right was fubared, I pulled the string and the rope came back and lassoed both my arms past the elbows.lol.

[Carmoney]

I can yank on the trigger a whole lot faster, but I don't get the hits I want. I don't see any point in yanking the trigger fast and not getting hits.

Sounds to me like you might need to hang onto the gun harder.

[No.343]

I can yank on the trigger a whole lot faster, but I don't get the hits I want. I don't see any point in yanking the trigger fast and not getting hits.

Sounds to me like you might need to hang onto the gun harder.

You've said that before. I'm going to listen and try it tomorrow.

[CRDB]

When shooting turners and swingers etc look through the gun at the target, again through the gun don't just point shoot, as you see the target moving into the gun let the shots go, if you try and get a good sight picture you will be behind the curve.

Splits are not that big a deal, transitions and reloads win a match along with hits, if a mover is fast then shoot one shot each time it shows and get the hit, if it is that fast the split is taken care of.

Regards,

Dean

Edited September 8, 2010 by CRDB