Shot Calling

[Balakay]

Question about shot calling: I just finished reading Steve Anderson's 3rd book and have been working hard on shot calling. I definitely see the sights lift in recoil. I am able to determine if the shot is off to the left or right.

I have absolutely no clue if it is high or low.

In recoil, the front sight is always above the rear sight. I can't tell the difference between the high and low misses. The front sight never seems to dip low in recoil but sometimes the shot is low.

Help me figure this out please

[1time]

The way it worked when I was learning was that seeing your sights during recoil meant that you were not closing your eyes at the last second and can follow the sights down for the next shot. As far as calling shots, I am looking to see where my sights are as the shot breaks, not as the sights are lifting.

[BrocDowns]

I shot a match last month and on one of the last stages I succesfully called my miss int hardcover, did see the hole I just knew it happend, it took a second to register in my head what happend bc I've never had it just stick out in my head like that before. This months match I'm going to try and pay better attention to that, hopefully I'm on the verge of actually being able to do it more consistently

[NewColonial]

Here's an exercise from Anderson's class that helps you learn shot calling. Draw and shoot 5 aimed shots at the target as quick as you can get a sight picture. Immediately holster the gun and turn away from the target. Then pick a target from the ground behind you and mark where those 5 shots hit. Surprisingly hard at first.

You can also watch the sights and try to remember the exact movement after the shot. Not "sight went up, then down." It's more like "front sight lifted, moved to right, dropped down out of view then came back up above the rear notch a bit to the left then dropped to center but a hair below then settled back in place." Do that for a while and you know you aren't closing your eyes.

[grapemeister]

I think it's a common problem, the up and down shots not called correctly. Left and right are easy for me to call, but on occasion I have a problem with high or low shots not called correctly, or not called at all.

For me it's mostly when shooting doubles on paper that I have a problem. Sometimes I'll shoot low, but thinking I called the shot good, until the RO tells me I put one in the no shoot or hardcover. The cause of the shot going low is another topic, but in my case, anyhow, it comes from the subconscious desire to control recoil and results in pushing the gun down.

When I remind myself that it's two separate shots, and two separate sight pictures I need to see, I can usually start seeing the low or high shots. Shooting into the berm without aiming at any particular thing sometimes helps but probably more than anything it's group shooting at a speed that allows me to align the sights and call the shots correctly that helps the most.

I don't like slow, or the notion of it, any more than anyone else, but sometimes we have to allow ourselves more time to diagnose a problem and make sure we are paying attention to what we need to see in order to call the shot correctly.

[Miranda]

there are words to deal with and concepts to consider that are connected.

you can aim. --> align sights and be pretty sure of where a bullet COULD hit target.

break the shot --> the trigger has been pulled and the firing pin is in motion.

(everything else is motionless, we hope.)

you watch the front sight lift.

--> you don't have a problem with flinch/blink ( I sure do...)

and you show signs that you see when you pull or push the sights left or right

---> this confirms your not blinking.

You have all the pieces to do shot calling.

shot calling can only happen between break the shot and front sight lifts.

At that time, you look at where the sights are pointed.

and damned if it ain't short.

you are there, trust what you see.

miranda

[johnbu]

there are words to deal with and concepts to consider that are connected.

you can aim. --> align sights and be pretty sure of where a bullet COULD hit target.

break the shot --> the trigger has been pulled and the firing pin is in motion.

(everything else is motionless, we hope.)

you watch the front sight lift.

--> you don't have a problem with flinch/blink ( I sure do...)

and you show signs that you see when you pull or push the sights left or right

---> this confirms your not blinking.

You have all the pieces to do shot calling.

shot calling can only happen between break the shot and front sight lifts.

At that time, you look at where the sights are pointed.

and damned if it ain't short.

you are there, trust what you see.

miranda

I seem to fall down due to "over enthusiastically" moving the trigger. The sights align and it's like the little devil on my shoulder is screaming in my ear..."now! Now! Pull the trigger now!!" The little angel on the other shoulder is either bound and gagged or off getting a coffee, because I never hear him saying "calm down, smooth trigger, keep the front post focused". Nope, never hear that at all!

[Miranda]

Johnbu,

I so want to tease you....

I rarely hear voices when I am shooting.... I hear a lot of laughter.

I have a voice I call Coach and he is blessedly silent during my shooting.

when he visits he often starts with " that coulda been better..."

If you are able to see what happens as you pull the trigger (in addition to the front sight lift.)

you can get a sense of how to pull the trigger with less aim disruption...

... this is of my favorite things to do with shot calling.

next time your angel goes out for Coffee, have him get a cup for me also.

miranda

[johnbu]

Johnbu,

I so want to tease you....

I rarely hear voices when I am shooting.... I hear a lot of laughter.

I have a voice I call Coach and he is blessedly silent during my shooting.

when he visits he often starts with " that coulda been better..."

If you are able to see what happens as you pull the trigger (in addition to the front sight lift.)

you can get a sense of how to pull the trigger with less aim disruption...

... this is of my favorite things to do with shot calling.

next time your angel goes out for Coffee, have him get a cup for me also.

miranda

The laughter is usually accompanied with pointing after shooting as the deductions are added up! Lol

Aparently my little angel likes spiked coffee....

Edited May 9, 2016 by johnbu

[gunsngeeks]

Front sight lifts, front sight dips right, front sight shifts, front sight does the triple-lindy from the high dive, lol....you guys are making my head hurt

?????

[Mark Meyers]

This is why I recommend new Shooters start in open assuming they are sure to stay with the sport ($) I could never confidently call my shots until I shot open.

[zzw26n]

same here, I couldn't call my shots until I shot Open. The first time you do it, it feels like slow motion, but it's actually fast.

Haven't shot my Limited blaster since. (9 months)

[SCTaylor]

I'm a new guy still learning.

What I have picked up is the essence of calling your shots is knowing where the front sight is located immediately at the point the shot fires.

If you can't tell high or low, I would suspect you don't know where your gun is zerod and POA/POI at various distances.

From Mister Enos:

"The “Call” to Followthrough

You improve followthrough by becoming aware of what you see, or “remember” seeing, as the bullet is leaving the barrel. This acquired skill is called “calling the shot”.

Will yourself to “hold” your attention on the sights until they lift in recoil. Look right at them—ignore the target. You will remember where your sight alignment was on the target without conscious effort. (Think about what that last sentence implies.) If you are actively observing the sights alignment and your eyes remain open DURING the firing of the shot, you should remember the last exact relationship you saw before the sights lifted in recoil. When you compare what you remember with where the shot actually went, you’re on the path to successful shooting."