Three Simple Tips for Improving Shooting

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It seems that the older I get, the faster time flies and the less time I have at the range.  Everyone knows that there is no substitute for time at the range when it comes to actively improving your shooting.  BUT, here are 3 basic tips to help you shoot better, without having to set foot on the range.

  • Trigger Control- For seasoned vets and new shooters alike, trigger control is usually a common problem.  Essentially you need to consistently pull the trigger from its’ starting point to the point of fire without it disrupting your sight picture.  So for that to happen, your trigger finger needs to be isolated from the rest of your hand.  Just like a guitar player has to be able to control his fingers while keeping time and rhythm, you will need to do the same.  I try and take my trigger finger and make almost a scratching motion on my leg or flat surface to make sure my other fingers are not engaging and keeping a straight pull all the way back.  I know it sounds like the most boring and idiotic thing you can do.  BUT, any firearms instructor would agree, trigger control is the #1 problem on the range.
  • Sight Alignment- It sounds easy right?  We always say to focus on the front sight and yet people will shoot over their sights in an effort to see where they are shooting.  If you can train yourself to keep a front sight focus, your shooting accuracy will improve drastically.  You need to train your dominant eye to pick up the front sight in the foreground, instead of the target in the background.  It is not going to be easy, but with some time and practice, it will become muscle memory.
  • Shooting Stance- How you hold your body directly correlates to how well you shoot.  We have all watched Bob Munden and other trick shooters do things that are almost physically impossible with a gun while shooting off one foot or hanging upside down.  I am talking to the rest of us 99.99% that don’t have these exceptional gifts.  Shooters as a whole are getting more lazy and relaxed and want to overcompensate for their poor posture on the range.  I like to shoot with my strong foot slightly forward, feet shoulder width and my core engaged to stabilize myself upon recoil.  Make yourself stand in front of a mirror and get a good shooting stance and practice your grip, draw and dry fire and see how your stance can heavily improve on all of the above.

I know these are not cutting edge technology techniques and may seem quite boring.  You will be rather surprised on how these simple things can really add up to make you a better marksman without having to pay for professional training.

There is no substitute for time on the range, but these little tricks maybe just what you need to maximize your time at the range when you get there.

Fortuna Paratus Remunerat- Fortune Favors the Prepared

Shane Smith

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