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Airgun Field Target - Standing, Sitting &
Sighting
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I shoot field
target and there are two positions -- off-hand and sitting (but
typically cross-ways to the target with the rifle balanced between
the knees or between the forehand arm/elbow and shoulder).
I am interested in reading more about the optimal
selection of scope power for off-hand aiming. In my crude
experimenting on myself, I feel that a power of about 24X (of 8 to
32X) seems better but I suspect there might be some studies on this.
Are there any variations in position/technique for
off-hand when using a scope that one should apply?
What are the biomechanics for sitting position? I
kind of prefer the position with the rifle on my arm but others use
various props and use their knees for primary rifle support.
I'd be interested in finding any articles that may
cover my questions.
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
When it comes to airguns, we are more familiar with
Olympic-style airgun than field target. The best information I have
ever seen is in British magazines devoted to the sport.
However, we will try to answer some of your questions based on what
we do know about position shooting, which we teach in our courses...
and that covers positions for police tactical, police sniper,
military, and Olympic style shooting.
There are two fundamental styles for offhand shooting: the Olympic
style and the hunting style. In the Olympic style, the shooter's arm
is rested on his body (or in the case of the military, the elbow is
actually on a mag pouch) and in the hunting style the arm is up off
the body and the rifle is held further out on the forestock. The
Olympic is good for precision and the hunting is good for movement.
In either case, the most important aspect of the position is keeping
your head & your eyes level, and putting your body weight more on
your forward foot (about 60%).
The sitting position has considerably variations, depending partly
on the rules of the sport, and partly on your own body configuration
(length of legs and arms, and flexibility of joints). The most
successful ones that I have seen have two characteristics: the upper
body is relaxed and the lower body is relaxed. How you achieve this
relaxed body position is where all the variations come from! Service
Rifle competition in Canada uses positions that are a little more
field-expedient (i.e., more applicable to field target shooting)
than your usual Olympic style 3-position stuff... we have an article
that you may find interesting published in Precision Shooting
(August, 2002; Vol 50, No 4).
Also, take a look on our website for some good examples of sitting
and standing positions. I think we include them in our course
descriptions for the Police Tactical Marksmanship Course, and for
the Service Rifle courses. Some may also be on the What's New page.
Regarding the power of your scope... the only
real experience we have with scope powers for the type of shooting
you are doing comes from smallbore metallic silhouette. However,
there are some basics that are important no matter the type of
shooting:
-
Field of view large enough to acquire the target;
and
-
Magnification
big enough to see the aiming area easily, yet small
enough to support your hold
What I mean by having the magnification "small enough
to support your hold" is this: when you are comfortably on the
target, and are getting ready for your final aiming, your crosshairs
should appear to stay comfortably within the aiming area. If the
magnification is so large that your hold looks jerky or shaky or
appears to dart off the edges of the aiming area, then you will not
be able to squeeze a good quality shot. What you want to do is to be
able to acquire the target quickly, establish your aiming area
comfortably, and squeeze the shot off in a smooth, relaxed way.
Hope that helps.
What do you put in a training diary?
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I have
been looking for a source of either a prepared
shooting diary (preferable shotgun/pistol) or a sample I can
plagiarize. Do you know of a source? I saw mention of a sample page
in your inaugural issue [of CoachNet]. Thanks, Steve.
Linda’s Reply:
Are you looking for the page that you would use to
record each shooting practice/match or are you looking for the
overall layout (table of contents) or a shooting diary?
Steve’s Response:
Thanks for the reply. Either or both. I have 2 sons
getting interested in competitive shotgun, and from the reading I've
done it looks like a diary/journal would be helpful when in
training, and to evaluate match performance and areas that could be
worked on. Looks like a pretty good concept for basketball, too! I
have seen them mentioned, but little on actual layout. Thought
maybe someone in your group could help an ignorant but well meaning
Dad. Again, thanks for your time.
Linda’s Reply:
I’m glad you've got some youngsters getting into
shooting... they are the future of our sport.
I have looked through my material and nowhere do we
cover the contents of the shooting diary and how to do performance
analysis. We cover these in our courses (competition, police sniper
and coaching), but we have written anything succinct for CoachNet.
So, we will, eventually! In the meantime, here's what I propose to
send you to help you get started.
1.
A listing of
the sections usually included in a shooting diary
2.
A sample of a
shooting diary page for long-range rifle shooting
3.
Some words
from our lecture notes to help you sort out how to use the diary
page.
What I'd like in return is what you'd do to modify
the materials for shotgun & pistol. Deal?
Steve’s Response:
Done deal! A caveat... I am no expert coach OR
shotgunner. The revision ideas you get from me will be from a
pretty inexperienced guy, but I'll chat them around to guys who
shoot more regularly. I don't think the adults around here use
diaries much, but also think they are missing out on a very useful
tool. Thanks so much, Linda.
Linda’s Reply:
Okay, Steve, here's the stuff. I hope you can sort
your way through it... it's pretty rough. If you have questions,
certainly fire them back at me. I'll use your input to formulate the
story for CoachNet. Here's what I've included in the
attachments:
Ø
The Shooter's Diary is a
list of the suggested contents;
Ø
The Shooter's Scrapbook is a
short definition of the purpose & contents;
Ø
Side 2 - Performance Analysis
is the form we use in our shooting diaries;
Ø
Smallbore Rifle Performance
Analysis page is the same thing for smallbore shooting;
Ø
The Performance Analysis Page Explained
describes how to fill out the Performance Analysis page;
Ø
Side 1 - Replica 0300 meters - is the way we keep
track of our shot fall in long range shooting (goes with the Side 2
above);
Ø
The Coaches' Diary is a
list of the suggested contents.
Our experience with clubs that don't use Shooting
Diaries is that they are "doomed to repeat history", even their own!
We teach performance analysis to our Police Snipers as well as our
competitors and we know it works.
Let me know how it goes.
Rifle - How to Start Training for 3 Position?
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I have been spending
some time on the range with my smallbore rifle, trying to get ready
for shooting fullbore 3 position. I have a few questions
- What fill should
I put in my kneeling roll?
- What should I wear
under my new leather jacket and pants?
- My prone is going
okay, but my standing is not working very well yet. Any advice?
I'm looking forward
to having you coach me next month... I think I'll probably listen better
to you than I do to myself.
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
We are
looking forward to working with you on the positions... I just know
you'll listen to us better than you listen to yourself!! To answer your
questions:
On
the kneeling roll
Fill your
kneeling roll with:
- Silicone
beads (very light, fairly fine, don't compress, very hard to find!)
or
- Styrofoam
beads (just as light and fine, and easier to find, but they do compress
and you have to top them up every once in a while) or
- Very
dry sand or
- Rice.
I liked
the loose cork as well but couldn't find it in Canada, so I bought the
12" square decorator stuff and broke it up into little chunks. Not entirely
satisfactory.
The amount you need is determined by the length of your foot and the flexibility
of your ankle. Very flexible people use more of a pad than a roll. In
any case, get the tops (not the ends) of your toes in contact with the
floor.
On
the under clothes
Under
the jacket, wear 2 layers of cotton sweatshirt. The thickness helps absorb
heartbeat. Make them comfortably snug fitting... you don't want them to constrict
anything in any of the positions, and you don't want them to make any wrinkles
by bunching up anywhere. Keep the one you wear closest to your skin intact,
and cut the other one to reduce the bunching at the shoulders and the inside
elbow joint... we'll show you when we visit.
Under the pants, wear 1 layer of cotton long underwear. What you want
is non-slippery, absorbent and again, comfortably snug fitting. There
are synthetic substitutes for cotton, just make sure they aren't slippery
and are absorbent.
On
the position work ups
In preparation
for some coaching, here's what I'd like you to do, should you have the
time.
Prone:
- Draw
me a picture of your sight picture in prone.
- In
the prone position, close your eyes and relax completely, I mean really let
the gun and the sling take your weight. Stay that way for about 5-10 minutes.
Then, without moving, open your eyes and note the following: where is
your eye looking through the rear sight (top, bottom, left, right, center?),
where is the front sight in the rear sight, and where is the front sight
in relation to the target. Do this several times over several occasions
and keep a written record.
Standing:
- In
the standing position, notice your weight distribution... front foot, rear
foot, heels, toes. Record the weight distribution you are using and watch
the holding pattern of the rifle sights on the target... record the holding
pattern so that you can describe it to me... shape, size, speed. Change the
weight distribution and make another record of the holding pattern. Try to
move your weight towards the front toe in each successive practice.
Kneeling:
- Assume
the kneeling position... have a standard way of doing this (e.g., always
start by lining up your toe with the line of fire). Stay in it until
you are not comfortable. Get up, stretch out. Repeat as often as you can,
whether or not you are in full gear... just keep your kneeling roll handy.
- In
the kneeling position, perform the same practices as you did in standing,
noting the weight distribution on the three points of contact on the floor.
Have fun!
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Index
Rifle - Grouping, Sight Picture, Hand Grip
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I am having fun with
the Ruger. Every trip to the range is a new experience and I discover
something new. I am also reading a few books on the subject, but most
seem to be too basic and sometimes contradict one another.
On Sunday, I figured
out that the gold bead (I have "iron" sights) was what should be in
focus and I was able to double my distance and still keep a 4 inch group.
I still have a long way to go to get to my target of 1 inch at 66 feet
(the length of the range). (I know it should be 1 inch at 300 feet in
theory - I am taking baby steps).
I have not gotten
the scope yet but I tried one on Sunday and it is really very much easier
than the iron sights as every thing is in focus.
I have a few fairly
basic questions you may be able to help me with based upon the contradictions
I have found.
- Should I keep
one or two eyes open when firing a rifle?
- Should my trigger
hand thumb be "around" the pistol grip or should it rest on the (I think
the word was tang) making a "magic V" between thumb and trigger finger?
Like all things,
I am sure conventional wisdom changes through time and improves and in the
end there is a lot of "what works for you" but I would like to start off
right.
I have noticed that
virtually all of my shots are in a tight group in the 3 PM to 5 PM region
of the target, typically within the 4" bullseye. I never put anything
in the opposite region. Any thoughts on what is going on? I think it may
be the sights, but until I am confident I know how to aim (and get smaller
groups) I do > not want to start adjusting them.
I am thinking of
a cheap ($90) 3X -9X 40 mm Bushnell scope for starters. I would prefer to
start with something a lot better (their Elite model for $300) but I have
spent enough on the rifle already this year and do not want to break the
bank. 3X seemed fine for the range and I read that 6X is plenty for most
field situations. Any thoughts?
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
I'm glad you're having
fun. We teach that as a kind of first principle!
You're right about the
books on marksmanship often contradicting each other... sometimes it's
because the authors are coming from different disciplines, different
perspectives and sometimes it's because one is just plain wrong. It's
hard to sort it all out. But that is what will probably drive us to write
our book on marksmanship sooner than later.
Your expectations for
your Ruger are a little high. The indoor 20 yard expectation is probably
reasonable, given good ammo. The 100 yard expectation could happen with
a tricked-up heavy-barrelled Ruger, but not likely with an off the shelf
one. A really good shooting gun of any sort (other than Olympic smallbore)
shoots about 1 minute of angle (MOA), which is 1" at 100 yards, 2" at
200 yards, 3" at 300 yards and so on. Rimfire (.22) usually is built for
50 or 100 yards. Relatively small capacity centerfire (.223, .308) is
good out to about 500 or 600 yards (though .308 is shot competitively out
to 1000 yards, it's not really very good at it!). And large capacity centerfire
(6 mm, 6.5 mm 7 mm, 8 mm, .308 magnums) are really good at long range.
There are two important
things about the sight picture for iron sights... yes, the front sight
element (whether it is a bead or a post or an aperture) should be the
element that is kept in focus. The other important thing is to keep all
of the sight picture elements (eye, rear sight, fore sight, target) properly
aligned throughout the shot, from when you first put tension on the trigger
through the squeeze, through the recoil, and the follow through until the
rifle settles in place again. Clearly, recoil upsets the elements, but watch
what is happening during recoil, and you will eventually see that you are
getting less and less movement during recoil, and more of it appears to be
straight back towards you (rather than a jagged sharp movement off the target).
If you are able to keep
two eyes open and see a clear sight picture, that is ideal. The theory
is that the eyes are designed to work together, and if you close one,
the pupil will open up... the open eye then tries to open up too, and
lets in too much light. Too much light plays havoc with your focus and allows
the sight picture to "burn in" on your retina, much like the flash from
a camera. This burned in image misleads you into thinking that you are seeing
a sight picture that is not there, so what you are seeing and what you
are holding is too different things. If you are not able to keep both eyes
open and still see a clear sight picture, the recommended approach is to
blind the non-aiming eye by putting light-colored tape across your safety
glasses.
Your hand grip... the
best approach is to put your hand around the grip with the thumb on
the opposite side of the grip from your fingers. There are two reasons.
The first is that is usually easier to provide the right amount of force
to the grip
from that position... about a handshake grip, or lighter. The other
reason is that this is the more "natural" hand position... just stick your
hand out and see where your thumb naturally goes... and so it is far more
likely that you'll do it consistently, and as you've already noticed,
doing things the same way every time is one of the big secrets to accurate
shooting.
Okay, let's talk about
groups. Continue to distinguish between group size and group placement.
Even very experienced shooters fail to do this.
- To assess group size,
turn the target over and measure the group from the back side so that you
are not looking at the bullseye at all. Notice the shape of the group, and
record it's size both vertically and horizontally.
- Now turn the target
right side up and look at the group placement relative to the aiming
mark. Mark on the target where you aimed (held the bead) and mark where
the center of your group is.
- If you want to work
on improving group size, work on marksmanship: position and hold, natural
alignment, sight picture, trigger release and follow through.
- If you want to work
on group placement, adjust the sights. While you certainly need to focus
on group size as a measure of your capability, you will feel better about
your performance if you center your group... so go ahead and adjust your
- sights. Move the
center of your group p (no matter its size) to the center of the aiming
mark.
About the scope, well,
you get what you pay for. You may get away with the less expensive scope
(certainly the power is okay for your use). And since you don't have
a lot of recoil with a .22, it may be able to perform well. What you will
need to watch (with ANY scope) is how well it responds: does it return
to zero after you've adjusted it (e.g. for wind or for another distance)
and does it hold it's zero from one outing to the next.
Keep shooting!
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Service Rifle - How to Select and Adjust
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Here's are my first
questions for service rifle:
What's the difference
between the C7 rifle that the top contenders for the Queen's Medal would
shoot and the one which I draw off the rack in our weapons vault? In
other words, what if anything can be done to assess and/or improve the
accuracy of the issue weapon?
I've heard that there
are two ways of adjusting the Elcan Scope during competition. One apparently
involves using it as normal and recording your aiming points for the
various ranges, the other involves leaving the gate open and click adjusting
between ranges with little nail polish dots or something to record stops
for the various ranges. Am I right in this? If so which method are those
top contenders I mentioned earlier using and/or which method do you recommend?
This reply is from Keith
Cunningham, Chief Instructor:
The rifles of the top
end service rifle shooters has at the very least been selected out of
many other rifles. I have heard some say that their team's rifles are
selected from the entire Battalion. They are tested by firing from a
bench rest with good ammo and in some cases with a civilian pattern scope
with a proven history for reliability. Only those which shoot the best
groups are kept for the rifle team.
After the grouping test
is finished and rifles are selected then the trigger sears are polished
to remove the machine marks which cause uneven trigger pull. One must
be careful here - to change the angle of the sears will cause the trigger weight to decrease
so that it becomes illegally light or will not work properly. The trigger
should have a smooth steady feel through out the considerable movement
of the trigger pull. Do not try and remove this movement as you will
eventually end up with a rifle that fires when the trigger is pulled and
again when it is released.
The scope base is also
worked on to tighten it so that it returns to the original position
each time after recoil.
Reference scope adjustment:
The best method is the gate open technique. (I started that, by the
way) The gate is kept open as is done for normal zeroing. A 100 yd/meter
zero is established. Nail polish or white out is now applied to the sight base just above
and or below the elevation wheel to act as a reference mark. This reference
mark is in a place which is easy to see in a hurry or under stress.
This is done on the right side of the base for left handers and on the left side for right
handers. An arrow is also made indication the direction of down. (This
is so you will not have to think about it as you are turning the sight elevation
down during the run down. Just keep going in the direction of the arrow.)
Do not put this reference mark at the rear, under the scope - it is too
difficult to see easily and quickly.
One of the ridges on
the elevation wheel is now marked directly in line with the reference
mark you made on the base. This is your 100 yd/meter zero. (This also
represents the lowest your sight will ever be set at even if you used
your sight adjustments for
closer ranges.)
You now zero your rifle
at 200 and mark the wheel again in line with the reference mark on the
base. Normally one click up from 100. Again zero at 300 and mark the
wheel, normally 2 clicks up from 200. At 400 zero and mark, normally
up 4 from 300 and finally zero and mark at 500 which is usually up 4 or
5 clicks from 400. You now have 5 marks on your wheel that are close together
at the close ranges but spread out at the long ranges. They are easy
to see and are easy to figure out what elevation you are at. The entire
movement from 100 to 500 only requires about 1/3 of a turn on the elevation
wheel.
You now count the number
of turns it take to bottom out the elevation wheel and record this in
you shooting book. If you are ever suspicious that you may be one turn
out in your elevation zero, then turn it to the bottom and count it up
to your range marks on your wheel. You can also look at the space between
the upper and lower halves of the sight base and easily recognize a one
turn error. I have never had to turn to the bottom and count up as this
was never a problem.
From this point on you
never close the little gate. The beauty of this system is that you
can now hole the same point of aim through out and if the zero shifts
slightly because of temperature you can raise or lower the elevation
by a click for that range without interfering with the other range settings.
Hope this helps and
if you have any more question, please ask.
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.22 Hunter Rifle - What To Buy?
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I have been proceeding
rapidly now I have my FAC and intend to buy a 22 (it is the only rifle
I can use at my local (indoor) range). Someone there recommended the Ruger
10/22 as being the best quality for price (about $400 new). I have not
seen any second hand. I have also been offered some poor quality 22's for
about $80 but they are deemed unreliable and I would not like to take
them into the field if I am hunting (my current 22 which my mother in
law stores for me also fits into this category).
Another thought I
had is, does a rifle shoot "out of the box". I know I have to adjust
the sights, but is there a lot of other work to be done? I read about
sanding the stock to ensure it floats, removal of the retaining ring,
changes to the mechanism etc. etc.
I know this is well
below the caliber you shoot but any thoughts on what I should go for?
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
I have taken your question
to my local gunsmith (Keith) and he says that the Ruger 10/22 is what
he would recommend. He says you should get a scope mounted on it and it
will shoot a rabbit in the head at 50 yards out of the box. Yes, you need
to adjust the sights, but he says that the only time you'd bother with
any of the tune-up details would be if you planned to compete with it. Keith's
personal hunting 22 is exactly what he recommends for you.
He also bought a Ruger
10/22 for his son's first hunting rifle. I have shot it and it is a
real pleasure to shoot, and although I haven't taken it hunting (I learned
to hunt with an old single shot Cooey), it sure felt like it would be handy
in the bush.
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Small Game Hunting - Where To Start?
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of pageI have been thinking
of you as I recently came into possession of a .22 and a single barrel
(single shot) shotgun. Unfortunately, my farther in law passed away and
my mother in law passed them to me but I do not know how to use them
properly. I was hoping he would show me how to hunt but there was no
time. I am looking for help in learning how to hunt. It would seem that
the first step is to find a range and get some practice on a 22 and then
maybe to try skeet once I get the hang of that but I thought I should also
do some reading. This is a multi year project, as with two kids I do not
expect to have much time to practice my aim, let alone my hunting.
I read a few magazines
and they are pretty explicit on how to hunt deer and moose from just
about any angle. This is not a lot of use if you are after rabbits and
partridge and you are using a small caliber gun or shotgun.
Can you recommend
some books on shooting and basic small game hunting. I mean really basic!
e.g. If aiming at a rabbit do you aim for the head or heart or center
mass - that basic.
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
There are a couple of
things I'd suggest... first is, exactly as you suggested, join a club
and get out a learn to shoot well in a controlled environment and known
distances, etc. If you were in Ontario, I know you'd learn a great deal
about hunting by taking the Hunter Safety course that you must take to
get an Outdoor Card/small game license. If [your province] has anything
equivalent, you would learn from it as well, I'm sure. Also, in Ontario,
the annual Hunting Regulations leaflet gives some good info. I haven't looked,
but the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources website might have some info
of use.
As far as books go,
I really don't know of any particular entry level small game books. I asked
Keith and his response was, "No, but we could write one." I don't think
you want to wait for that!
You can always ask us
questions. We'd be happy to tell you everything we know... and then
we'll use it as the rough draft for the book! To answer your bunny question...
Keith's answer is to go for the head or shoulder/heart... there's no
meat there worth protecting in that region, so just take your best shot
for the distance you are shooting.
One other possible source
of guidance... join a shooting gang... while they are almost always
either waterfowl or big game, the folks who belong to them usually know
lots about small game too.
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Index
Physical - Prone Rifle - My Arm Hurts
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of pageI am experiencing
a lot of discomfort (numbness, "pins & needles" bordering on pain)
in my left hand when I shoot Match Rifle Prone, and the folks at [my
club] say this is normal. I also asked [a National team shooter] and
he concurred (he said he had to take breaks during the match so the feeling
would return to his hand).
I picked up the book
"Prone To Win" and the author says basically if it hurts you are doing
something wrong. I have enough pain in my hand due to arthritis (and
one might say then why should I complain about a little more) but I don't
think shooting should be painful, unless I am doing something wrong.
I would appreciate
your input/opinions.
PS: My Chiropractor
says that the prone position illustrated in Prone To Win is her worst
nightmare.
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
There are two types
of problem with pins & needles in the sling arm in the prone position
and it is very important that you understand which problem you've got.
The first is a circulation
problem: the tightness of the sling and the weight of the rifle constricts
the blood flow and causes pins & needles uniformly throughout the
arm above the sling contact across the wrist. This is not serious, and
should not be painful (except when the pins & needles come out and
blood flow is returning to the affected area). It can be reduced by more
practice.
The second is a nerve
problem: the usual cause is the nerve being impinged by contact with
the floor at the elbow. This usually produces pins & needles in part
of the hand... either the outside edge with the baby and ring fingers...
or the inside edge with the thumb, forefinger and index fingers. This is
a very serious problem and is usually caused by a position fault. It can
be very painful, but is usually just a pain. It is aggravated by more practice,
and if it is aggravated frequently and over a long time period, it can
cause permanent nerve damage. To correct the position fault, purposely over
rotate your shoulder and place the back of the elbow on the mat... the nerve
passes through the elbow on the point, and this positioning tends to avoid
hitting it... it also has the added benefit of improving your hold by reducing
the amount of muscle used to support the rifle.
Very occasionally, the
problem is caused by a physiologically more remote problem. For example,
the nerve could be impinged through the shoulder area, or even further
afield. The causes in these cases are usually not position, but the shooter's
own individual physiology. I, for example, have trauma damaged discs
in my back which produce all kinds of interesting phenomena in the prone
position. Generally, I find that there's a way around most of them if
your will is strong!
Hope that helps.
PS: A chiropractor who
thought competitive sport was good for the body would be most unusual
indeed!
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Pistol - How to Get Better
Go to top of
pageI do not know if
my shooting technique is good - I seem to have problems with a loose wrist,
but I think that I am getting the hang of it with proper follow through and
wrist arm exercises. I think it is rather Mental to remember and follow the
right sequence. This is the reason I would not mind, if a proper experienced
coach looks my technique over. I almost would like to shoot in an atmosphere
where there is a systematic practice and coaching for accuracy rather than
spreading lots of lead into the back drop.
By the way, I shoot
at [two clubs in Ontario Canada]. Every one at these clubs seems
to be doing their own thing and there is no lack of advise - only problem
is that no once can hit the center of the target with any consistency -
including myself. Please send me a few lines with your comments and by
all means start my CoachNet subscription.
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
There's a pretty strong
ISSF (Olympic style) pistol community on Ontario. You can get linked
in through the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (formerly Ontario
Handgun Association, et al)... ask them for Provincial Team contacts.
Let me make a suggestion
about the way you analyze your shooting technique, technical and mental.
Start by identifying all the things you know you are doing right. Make
a list in the following format: "I always [do this specific thing, this
way]". For example, "I always breathe and relax.", "I always have my feet
50 degrees to the line of fire.", "I always have 60% of my weight on my
forward foot.", "I always focus on a clear view of the front sight, looking
through the rear sight.", etc. This is called Success Analysis.
Then make a list of
all the things that you need a solution for. Be very careful here. State
each one as if you have already solved it, in the same format as above. For
example, "I always keep my wrist straight and relaxed.", "I always grip the
hand grip firmly, yet comfortably.", "I always run my mental program.", "I
always follow through in a firm and relaxed manner.", etc. This is called
Solution Analysis. If there's something you don't know the right solution
for, don't think of it as "I have a problem with...", think of it as "I need
a solution for..." and go ask the better shooters if they know the solution
for it. Then write down the details of what they tell you as a Solution Analysis
statement... i.e., "I always..."
Go through this exercise
every time you shoot. Sometimes you'll include a given statement in
the Success Analysis section, and sometimes it will belong in the Solution
Analysis. One of Keith's long term efforts was "I am always calm, patient
and in control." He says he wrote that statement in the Solution Analysis
section hundreds of times, and then one day he was able to write it is
the Success Analysis section... and he still does!
Hope that helps.
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Index
Smallbore & Air Rifle -
Program for 7 Year
Old Daughter
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of page
This message is directed more towards Linda for 2 reasons. 1st because
it involves smallbore, but secondly because it involves a young lady...
my 7 year old daughter!! For some strange reason she has decided that she
would like to take up shooting, far be it from me to obstruct her! I am
thinking that smallbore or air rifle may be a good place to start with
her since I am going to get back into smallbore myself as a winter month
training and competition program. I shot smallbore myself many years
ago (actually took a silver and bronze at the World Police Games in 1990)
so I am thinking this is dad's perfect opportunity. What I am looking
for Linda is some general information and contacts for the following since
I have been out of it for so long:
- Equipment suppliers
/ websites
- Governing bodies
(I'm assuming ISSF, SFC)
- General information
and just about anything relating to smallbore / air rifle
- Publications,
books, articles, etc.
Any advice or suggestions
you may have will be highly valued and greatly appreciated.
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
You're so lucky to have
a daughter that wants to shoot. From what some of our friends are experiencing,
she won't be alone! Several of our Dads are finding their daughters
(more often than their sons) are interested in shooting sports. And
this past week at the Target Rifle Nationals, the top cadets were almost
all female, and the most of the cadet teams were at least 50% female.
This is consistent with what's been going on in the US for the past decade,
where "female young adults" is the fastest growing market segment in shooting
sports.
Anyway, here's my opinion
on how to start her out. Get her a CO2 airgun, a good one. (The accurate
pneumatics are too hard to pump and the easy to pump pneumatics aren't
accurate.) I would suggest that you look to see what Anschutz and Feinwerkbau
are offering these days... and then see if you can find a used one. You
will be far more likely to find a good quality used CO2 match air rifle
in Europe than in North America. he world-class shooters all still used
pneumatics for competition, but the European shooters switched to CO2 for
training about ten years ago, and so may well have started to upgrade.
There are a couple of reasons to start her with airgun... no recoil, can
shoot at home, teaches all the marksmanship she'll need for the future.
Regardless of the firearm,
I would recommend that you start her with low power scope rather than
aperture sights. It takes sight alignment out of the equation, and assures
more success earlier on.
Finally, no matter the
firearm or the sighting system, start her sitting at a bench with the
rifle rested. Then move her to prone with the rifle rested. When she
has developed enough hand-eye coordination that you think she is firing
somewhat subconscious shots, let her shoot without the rest. Then move
her to the standing position, rested... in Europe, they have slings hung
from the ceiling that can be adjusted to the right height for the shooters.
For targets, do not
use anything with scoring rings. Use training targets. These are usually
vertical or horizontal bars (or a cross). A bulls eye is okay, as long as
it is big enough for her to hit (and not too big for the scope). The idea
is to give her a feeling of success quickly, and then let her set her own
definition for progress... e.g., she can hit the black easily, but if she
wants to feel really hot, she puts a happy face on it with bullet holes.
The associations that
are involved...
International is no
longer called ISU... it's ISSF, International Shooting Sports Federation.
I haven't been out to see if they have a website, but they probably do. You
might also look for the NRA of USA and Great Britain for links, suppliers,
etc.
At the national level...
the SFC for air and smallbore and the DCRA for fullbore. The SFC has
just recently moved into the DCRA building at Connaught. Their email
is SFC@SFC@ncf.ca. Ask them for the Spring/Summer 2001 issue
of AIM Magazine and you'll see some of the suppliers' advertising plus
an interesting article on 3 position air rifle shooting by Red Bowes. The
DCRA has a website at www.dcra.ca, and you can email them from there.
At the provincial level,
the old Ontario Smallbore Federation, the Ontario Handgun Association
and most others have joined together to become the Canadian Shooting
Sports Association, email info@cdnshootingsports.org. The ORA (fullbore)
has a nice website at www.OntarioRifleAssociation.org and can be emailed
at info@OntarioRifleAssociation.org.
Local to your area,
there are CSSA sponsored matches held monthly in the winter at the RA club
in Ottawa. There's also a thriving smallbore community around the Beachburg
area for outdoor. You should be able to get the current contact for these
through the CSSA.
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Index
Training Plan - Maximize my Available Time
Go to top
of pageI'm a smallbore
rifle shooter currently practicing in Scarborough. I am trying to create
a training plan that will allow myself to maximize my training and competition
schedule. What can you suggest?
This reply is from Linda
Miller, Coaching Specialist:
Any CAC trained
coach should be able to help you write out a training plan, if that's
what you really need. And, there are probably books you could read...
or you could take the Coaching courses we all end up taking because of
the shortage of coaches!!! The coaching newsletter that I edit is going
to have an article on "How to build a training plan that works" in the
July/August issue. But I think you probably want content, not process, so
that's a little more of a challenge.
Before we
can tell whether or not we can help you, we need a little more information.
You mentioned the possibility of coming here for a day... we are fairly tightly
booked for the summer, so weekends are not available... are you available
during the week?
In the meantime,
to get you started thinking about the right things... a training plan
has several dimensions. Below is a list of the kinds of things that a
good training plan addresses:
- Background:
How much shooting experience do you have? Total? Match rifle? Outdoors?
(Number of shots, number of years, number/level of competitions)
- Equipment:
What rifle are you shooting? Has it been fitted to you? What ammo are
you shooting? Has it been tested in your rifle and what were the results?
Are you using a 1 or 2-stage trigger? What weight(s) is it set at? What
sights are you using? Have they been checked for backlash? How fine are
the clicks? Do you have a spirit level?
- Technical:
Who has given you position coaching? How much dry firing have you done
(and do you know what dry firing is supposed to do for you)? Do you know
how much muzzle movement you have and can you describe the movement pattern?
Can you describe your recoil pattern? What is your average group size
(10 shot groups) at 50 meters? How much outdoor training is available
to you?
- Physical:
When was your last vision test and what was the outcome? What is your
resting heart rate? What is your physical fitness program? What is your
lifestyle like in terms of stress and demands on your time and attention?
- Mental:
What relaxation techniques are you using? Do you know what "Ideal Performance
State" is? Do you know what a mental program means?... do you have one?
Has anyone talked to you about performance oriented goals? Have you heard
of performance analysis? Do you know what self talk is?
- Tactical:
What experience do you have in wind reading? What is your pre-competition
preparation? What match tactics have you practiced (do you know what
match tactics are)? How long does it take you to fire a perfect shot?
Have you worked out contingency plans for equipment failure, etc.?
You mention
that you used to be able to visualize when you were skydiving, but that
you haven't caught on to it yet for shooting. Let me get you started.
Write a story about your favorite memory of a shooting practice (or match)
that you really enjoyed. Start in the external view... as if you were watching
yourself in a movie... and start with the moment you wake up... describe
yourself getting ready, traveling, arriving at the range, getting your
equipment set up and getting into position... make it so vivid that someone
reading your story would easily be able to picture it. Once you are in
position, switch to the internal view... like you are the camera... describe
how your position feels, how the rifle feels, exactly how you assemble
yourself for a shot, the shot itself, the recoil, the follow through, calling
the shot, recording the shot fall, calculating the wind, setting your sights,
getting ready for the next shot... make it very sensory... include texture,
temperature, smell, sound. Make it so vivid that a non-shooter would
have some sense of what it would feel like to shoot a perfect shot. (And
do make it a perfect shot... we want perfect practice, especially perfect
mental practice.)
Anyway, that's
more than enough to get you started.
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Index
Hydration
Go to top
of pageThis Hot Tip is from
Keith Cunningham, Chief Instructor:
Be sure to brings lots
of fluids with you when you compete or go on operations.
The environment can be
very hot in the summer season and dehydration can creep up on you without
you even noticing the warning signs. Warning signs include a cessation
of urination or dark colored urine, lethargy, early exhaustion, feelings
of discomfort and more.
Not everybody gets the
same symptoms, but the results can cause poor performance during competition
or poor decision making on an operation.
This is easily avoided
by frequently drinking fluids BEFORE you feel thirsty. Good products
include water or the specially designed 'sports drinks' which re-hydrate
and replace lost salts.
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Index
Linda coaching smallbore
3-position for the Rifle Team training camp, Royal Military
College, Kingston, Ontario |
Keith coaching the
400-meter moving targets for the Precision Rifle Clinic, CF Base
Borden near Barrie, Ontario |
To contact us email
MilCun Training Center at MilCun Marksmanship Complex
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