Take the extra shot?

[cali shot doc]

I'm new to Competitive shooting and was wondering if in some cases if I should take an extra shot at a paper target? For instance if the paper target is somewhat covered by a black paper target. I don't have a real good idea of where my shots are exactly hitting so should I take the extra shot just incase my second shot was a mike? or if i hit a no shoot and don't realize it.

I have a match this sunday and was thinking i should try maybe taking an extra shot at the harder paper targets to make sure i get my points. I'm still new so it's hard to slow down and see whats happening. Once the buzzer goes off my game plan leaves my mind and it's like chaos lol.....safe chaos.

was wondering if this is a good idea or if anyone has a suggestion of what else to do other then just slowing down and gaining knowledge. I know the more i shoot the more the game will slow down for me. I've played a lot of sports and once i get a routine and get comfortable then it just slows down for me......

thanks

[D.Hayden]

It's not slowing down, you should shoot at the speed you can call your shots.

>> I don't have a real good idea of where my shots are exactly hitting <<

Trying to rush now, faster than you can really shoot, will probably just hurt you in the long run.

Don't try to keep up with the Master and GMs at Richmond or the Open guys.. shoot your speed.

Sounds like you might just need more range practice, so you can get the confidence to call the shoot.

If when you're shooting a stage, you can't call a shot, that may be the time to re-engage it.

Just my .02

[juan]

not necesarily will slowing down help you call shots,

you might just shoot slower and still cant call your shots, if this is so,

you are probably blinking when you fire each shot. and I dont have a magic pill.

but I do remember a discussion on this topic, I will do a little searchin.

[juan]

I just did a quick search under shooting questions begginers.

whole lot of stuff poped up.

[Corey]

this is where shot calling will help. it will develop over time. based on where the sights are when the gun goes off, you should know where the bullet went. I struggled with this when i first started and am slowling getting better. i may not be able to precisely tell the sq inch that the bullet hit, but i can usually be in the ballpark. sometimes the "ballpark" is good enough and sometimes when facing black painted hardcover or a no-shoot it will screw you.

[beltjones]

As others have said, the key is to learn to call your shots. That way you'll know, or at least have a very good idea, where your round hit on the target as you fire it. Then you can take a make up shot immediately if you know you've missed, or move on if you know you made a hit.

Now, how to learn to call shots? There are probably hundreds of threads on this very topic. But I think it boils down to a few things: 1. Not flinching or blinking when the gun goes off. If you don't see the sights lift, you can't call your shot. You have to train your body and mind to not flinch when the big explosion happens. There are some great drills for this. 2. Focusing on your front sight in such a way that you see it lift and return for every shot. I think the best way to learn this is through dry fire, at least it's what made the biggest difference for me. Shooting the drills in Steve Anderson's "Refinement and Repetition" (available here on brianenos.com) and forcing myself to call every shot - without the gun going off - immediately translated to improved performance on the range and in matches.

[bkeeler]

You first have to learn how to call your shots. This how to do that........

http://www.myoutdoortv.com/how-to/shooting/tactical/cpl-travis-tomasie-shot-calling-video-included

[Rowdy-Finn]

You first have to learn how to call your shots. This how to do that........

http://www.myoutdoortv.com/how-to/shooting/tactical/cpl-travis-tomasie-shot-calling-video-included

Wow! That was a good video, I like that little between the eyes camera. Thanks for the link.

[G-ManBart]

This is why I tell people to not bother trying to run (literally) through stages at their first couple of matches. You get to running, and you want to shoot fast too. Taking extra shots because you don't know where the previous two went doesn't really get you much. You're better off just forcing yourself to see the front sight in the A zone on every single shot, no matter how long that takes. At this point, an extra shot is going to take you something like .25-.50 of second. Two slightly slower hits will probably be faster overall than three faster shots that may or may not be hits. Simply tell yourself to see each shot, no matter what it takes, and accept that there isn't any way you're going to keep up with even the mid-level shooters that have been doing this a while, much less the fastest guys/gals at your club. R,

Edit to add: I'm pretty confident that until you force yourself to see each shot, things won't "slow down" for you for a long time...it'll all just be a big blur of fast shots, rushing, etc. Let things happen, see the shots, and then things will start to slow down for you.

Edited October 21, 2010 by G-ManBart

[DWFAN]

That is a very good video. Should almost be stickied in the beginner section. (or this one, or the tips section).

+1 to what everyone else said. Im pretty good about calling shots 80-90% of the time, and its usually when I dont or try to rush and dont see every lift, that Mike and his buddies Hard Cover, and No shoot start showing up.

See every sight lift. It might feel slow, but you can do it much faster than you think. Its also faster than shooting extra shots.

[cali shot doc]

You first have to learn how to call your shots. This how to do that........

http://www.myoutdoortv.com/how-to/shooting/tactical/cpl-travis-tomasie-shot-calling-video-included

great video. I bookmarked it.

thanks for all the help guys

[colt22man]

I know mentally when one of the two shoots wasn't right and I'll take the 3rd shot. If I ignore the mental signal, I usually have a d hit or a miss. Listen to what your mind is telling you as you shoot. You may not see it but you know it as your mind processes the sight picture, trigger pull and muscle movement associated with the shot. Don't get into a habit of taking 3rd shots, make sure the first 2 shots are good mentally and move on. You'll soon figure out when the 3rd shot is required. Have fun shoot safe.