benos Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I am trying to come up with the best sentence to communicate, what I feel, is the competive shooter's most important thing to always do. By "best," I mean come up with a sentence that communicates the message, clearly, completely, and simply. Most of you know I am talking about the importance of calling each shot. It doesn't matter what your grip or arm position is, whether you are shooting iron sights or a dot, or whether you are looking at the sights or the target when the shot fires. If you know whether or not the bullet will hit the target without waiting to see the bullet hole or hear the ding from a steel target, you will do whatever you need to do next, more quickly. Whether it's shoot a recovery shot, transition, do a mag change, or leave a position. If I said - The most important thing is call each shot. That would be a good sentence if you understood what calling the shot meant. If you didn't know what calling the shot meant, it wouldn't mean anything to you, because it wouldn't give you anything to work with. If I said: The most important thing is to know is if the shot will hit the target before it gets to the target. or... The most important thing is to know if the bullet will hit the target before it gets there. or... The most important thing is to know if the bullet will hit the target before it arrives. They give you something to work with. What do I need to do or see to know if the bullet will hit the target, without relying on hearing the steel ding, or seeing the hit on paper? Depending on target size and distance, do I need to see the front sight lift? Do I need to confirm that the slide was pointed at or "on" the target (before the shot fired)? Do I need to see the dot on the target? Do I need to see the dot lift off the target. Or do I just need to see "brown through the scope"? Or in the case of an extremely close target, do I need to see anything at all? Calling each shot and hitting each target, in a sense are related, and in a sense have nothing to do with each other. At this point, this is my favorite: The most important thing is to know if the bullet will hit the target before it gets there. Please add your favorite single sentence that communicates the message. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 The most important thing is to know where the bullet will hit the target before it gets there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie j Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 (edited) The most important thing is to understand why you know where the bullet will hit the target before it gets there. Edited July 30, 2011 by Ronnie j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torogi Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 The most important thing to see is where were the sights when the shot broke. To me this asks a lot of trust from what I saw, from my sights. It never lies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 The most important thing to see is where were the sights when the shot broke. To me this asks a lot of trust from what I saw, from my sights. It never lies. I think part of what BE was saying is that calling your shots is not limited to the sights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmw5142 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 If you have to wait to hear the ding or see the holes, it's game over big guy!! (insert girl friend when appropriate) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 The most important thing is to remember it's a game, have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juan Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 the instantaneous knowledge of where your shot went by visual input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Unfortunately, it is hard to put into words. Recently, I've experienced true "shot calling" during or in the middle of some stages. When it happens, It's a mind blowing, eye opening experience. I'm in the process of learning to do it on each and every shot and it's taken me three years to learn how to do it. I've been shooting with some really good bullseye guys lately and this is how I try to explain it to them: Shooting one shot accurately is fairly easy for most experienced shooters. The only difference is having the visual patience to wait for that same input while shooting the rapid spits required in practical shooting. It should be simple, but.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjb45 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Brian, Golembieski told me if you only need to know where your front sight is when you break the shot. That will tell you all you need to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 (edited) ...be aware of where the bullet will hit or ...be aware of where the bullet is going Edited July 30, 2011 by BritinUSA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyZip Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Trust your sights, they never lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latech15 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 The most important thing is to realize that there is no target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffWard Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 The most important element of shooting fast with accuracy, is knowing precisely where you last round is headed, before sending another! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sac Law Man Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 The most important thing is knowing the instant you pulled the trigger, that your sights were aligned and you pulled the trigger without disturbing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrawandDuck Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 This sure is alot of important things to know.....too many for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I find "The most important thing is to know if the bullet will hit the target before it gets there." to be wordy. I like "Call your shot." I read your reasons, I understand what you mean by leaving the recipient with something to work with. However, I think both answers will puzzle the recipient, so better to keep it short n' sweet. Some personal experience with this, I thought "call your shot" was complete baloney and BS when I first heard it. Then I practiced a bit. Then I practiced a bit more. Sure enough, you can call shots. Who knew? Well, you knew of course. My point, was that if "calling your shot" confuses someone, so will "the most important thing is to know if the bullet will hit the target before it gets there". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Brian, I think you can take it one step earlier and say you know where the bullet will impact before the shot is fired. Then it's up to the shooter to figure out how they are going to do that. JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Brian, I think you can take it one step earlier and say you know where the bullet will impact before the shot is fired. Then it's up to the shooter to figure out how they are going to do that. JT No, not really, before the shot is fired there are a number of things that can effect where it goes when it is fired and not have it end up where you thought it would. When the bullet actually leaves you need to know where it is headed, good or bad. Technically you can't know where the bullet will impact before it is fired, only where you would like it to impact and these two things are not always the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 (edited) Brian, I think you can take it one step earlier and say you know where the bullet will impact before the shot is fired. Then it's up to the shooter to figure out how they are going to do that. JT No, not really, before the shot is fired there are a number of things that can effect where it goes when it is fired and not have it end up where you thought it would. When the bullet actually leaves you need to know where it is headed, good or bad. Technically you can't know where the bullet will impact before it is fired, only where you would like it to impact and these two things are not always the same. Sure you can Pat because you don't fire it until you know where it's going to go... of course you might upset that and call a bad shot, but I think you have to commit to making the shot go where you want it and not just in the general direction thereof. JT EDIT: Let me expound on this a bit... I think that most shots are either hit or missed before the trigger is ever pulled. You have to have the mental patients to do what it takes to make the shot and resist the urge to accept anything less than your A. 9/10 times I don't shoot an A it happened long before I plled the trigger. It happened when I either moved to far over a target or not far enough, high, low whatever and decided that was good enough and pulled the trigger. That Miss or C was earned before I ever went to the trigger. So again, I say the most important part of the deal is the mental commitment to shoot the A and not be seduced by an acceptable C or worse. J Edited August 1, 2011 by JThompson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kali Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 The most important thing to know, is that you shouldn't really know anything while you are shooting. or Knowledge of the thinking mind must be transferred into intuitive thought, so you don't have to think about knowing anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PistoleroJesse Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 The most important thing is knowing where the bullet will go when the bullet leaves the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southtexaswoman Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 BE, I think the way you worded it is great. If I were to alter it I might way "Keep your focus on the sights" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 You have to have the mental patients to do what.... Sorry, I lol'd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Standby! Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 (edited) Through repitition I have learned to trust what I see. Edited August 1, 2011 by Standby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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