Indoor range acoustics, noise and flinching

[Lior]

Dear persons who shoot guns for pleasure,

My closest range is a 10 meter 8 lane underground job and the guns really seem to boom whenever I go there.

When doing slow fire drills elsewhere, I shoot all of my pistols well enough, but whenever I try to do the same thing at this place, I always seem to make a nice accurate group offset to my support hand side, despite trigger discipline, lovely front sight picture and double hearing protection.

I'm not sure if it's the noise, stress, overthinking the shot or something else, as I dry fire religiously at home and also shoot plenty of matches, but the shift to the support hand side in aim during stages often comes when I'm not shooting calmly enough. I had equally nasty results today with a G19 (5.5# trigger), CZ Phantom and CZ Shadow (the last of which I compete with).

Friendly tips and hints in this regard would be welcome - my goal is to shoot more precisely off hand without a time limit when I'm not training on IPSC stages.

Best, Lior.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Lior

[Sin-ster]

This may or may not apply to you, but...

I've found that shooting indoors, the light (or specifically, lack thereof) can do wonky things to the way you perceive the sights. Yes, even when you're focused and they're perfectly aligned.

Now, that doesn't explain the shift when you're running stages-- that's probably other mechanics. But it may be the cause of your woes indoors.

[Mig01]

The indoor range where I go has a maximum target distance of 20 meters. When I pratice IPSC drills or shoot an IPSC COF there I do not notice any differences in my accuracy or my speed. On bullsyeye targets however, I usually do not group as well at the indoor range as I do when I shoot outside. The gun blast is more annoying to me inside, even with double protection. On the lighting, I get eye fatigue when shooting inside under the fluorescent lights indoor, and on top of that it takes me more time to aim indoors.

[Son Of The Griz]

Could be a physiological response to the additional noise, concussive force, and stress from the proximity to other shooters...

Try double-plugging (plugs under muffs) and consider a high-NRR muff. The difference in noise alone going from indoor to outdoors is significant.

I'm just the opposite in that most of my training was and still is done in an indoor facility. Over the past several years I've tuned most of that out and, when someone sets up next to me with a boomer I try to use it as a "stress inoculation" tool by focusing extra-hard on my fundamentals when that person's hammering away with a 5.56 or .308 rifle.

I've also noticed the opposite in that when I shoot outdoors - nearly all of my USPSA shooting is done outside - I'm not as amped up from the noise, blast, and proximity to other shooters.

[jcarpenter82]

I noticed I had similar issues. When a shooter next lane over is banging out hot 44 mag loads it burst can be felt in my chest.

I tried pressing my tongue of the roof of my mouth. Read it somewhere on these forums.

Don't know why it works but it has. Taking my mind off of anticipating the sound of the rounds

[Dwight Stearns]

I'm glad you tried the tongue trick and am happy it worked for you. I am the "inventor" of the technique. It really does work.

Dwight

[Mapzter]

I've have better results over several year, shooting my .22lr conversion kit indoors than my 9mm top end. Not sure if it's noise or something else. Perhaps you could try a .22lr gun and see if thats's better for you indoors?

[Dwight Stearns]

Don't be afraid to try the tongue trick. It may sound dumb but it does work.

Dwight

[jcarpenter82]

It does for me.

I've also noticed that if I try to shoot groups at a indoor rage I couldn't do it if my life depended on it. Once I'm at a match and hear that buzzer I can put 2 closer together more consistantly than standiing still.

As if I'm thinking about too much stuff rather tjan runnin andgunnin

[Dwight Stearns]

It's like the difference between letting it happen as opposed to trying to make it happen. One is done subconsciously and the other consciously. Subconscious action usually beats conscious action.

Dwight

[rpd]

Double plugging for me, I've used the tongue trick with some success (thank you for that one). I've noticed the same stuff with lighting conditions. Sometimes I have some issues focusing on the front sight at first but I can usually work through it. Sometimes it just takes time to get used to the concussive force. I had the same issue after taking some time off shooting indoors a 9mm sounded like a cannon.

[ktm300]

In Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:

The Kid tries to shoot a coin to impress the mine owner, but can't do it standing still. He has to quick draw and shoot in rapid succession, and only then does he blast the coin all over the place.

If you think while shooting it is very hard to do. If you just let it happen it works.