Beginner Basics?

[bam86]

Greetings.

I have been reading this forum for a few months now, and am just getting started shooting AP. I was wondering what I should be focusing on when I try to practice and/or train?

Using an IZH-46M, basement range is 29ft, so using 88% reduced targets.

I am just a RECREATIONAL shooter, although each year the local club has informal air matches and I would like to increase my standing.

I only have about 30 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week when I can practice. I have noticed that when I shoot, I cannot seem to hold a good group for very long. Last night the first 5 shots were all in the black, and then the rest scattered out into the 4 ring. I have been trying to focus on the front sight, but it moves around way to much to get a good focus. Any recommended stregth exercises?

With my limited time, where should I start to work to improve?

Thanks,

[Mike M.]

It sounds like you need to work on basic arm and grip strength, followed by focus drills.

Extend both arms out to the sides. Make 25 small (about 6 inch diameter) circles in one direction. Make 25 small circles in the opposite direction. Repeat daily. After one week or so, move up to 50 circles in each direction. After two weeks, move up to 75 circles...then to 100. Then add doing it with a 1-lb weight. This will take care of arm strength.

As for grip, get yourself a grip exerciser. I'm fond of the "blob of rubber" types over the spring types. Again, work with it every day.

Focus drills are simply dry-firing against a blank surface, such as a wall. Focus on the sight alignment. Do this a lot. Then do it more with a target. Focus on sight alignment...and on smoothly and reasonably quickly building up pressure on the trigger...and on following the shot through.

You'll get results.

[Joakim]

I might add that a blank surface is not only good for dry-firing but also for live firing.

People will tell you that you don't need to concern yourself with the position of your sights relative to the bull, but unless you are a complete moron—or possibly a great genius—you will not believe it. If this were true, you would be able to shoot at the reverse side of the target and achieve as good groupings as you do on the front. This is clearly absurd. You wouldn't even know where to aim!

So don't take someone's word for it—try it out instead. Fire away at that bull-less square. Focus on the sight alignment. Look at the groups.

Seeing is believing.

[BenEnglishTX]

I might add that a blank surface is not only good for dry-firing but also for live firing.
...
Seeing is believing.

I couldn't agree more. It's a great confidence-builder, too.

[ModestoPete]

Both Joakim and Mike are correct. You first need to build your strength up then do a LOT of dry firing. When you first start, you should dry fire with a ratio of 3 to 1.

In other words, practice dry fire 3 hours to every 1 hour you shoot live ammunition.

The use of a blank target or wall is the best way to start and also to go back to when you start 'spraying' your shots.

Good luck

[seamaster]

Start out shooting 7's. 7's are your friends, don't worry about 8, 9 and 10s.

Once all are in 7's, then 8's would be your next friends.

Make all in 8's, don't make friends with 9's and 10's. Don't worry about them.

Once all in 8's, then make all your friends with 9's.

For me, I make friends with 9's only.

Mentally if I try to make friends with 10's, my 8 friends will come out to greet me.

If I make friends with ONLY 9's, my 10 friends will come out to greet me.

[GaryN]

You said "last night."
If you are shooting after a long hard day at work, that could be a problem. You are physically and mentally worn out.
Try shooting in the morning BEFORE work.

[Oldpatch]

From my personal experience, the place to start is carriage. Find your natural point of aim, positioning our body in relation to the target so that when you raise your pistol you are no more than a few degrees from dead on. You need those muscles for control, not fighting the rest of your body to stay on center. Shift your feet slightly instead of moving your arm. That means finding a center of balance you can consistently retain where your center of gravity is not fighting you. Stand with your feet, hips and shoulders balanced over one another so your body doesn’t wobble back and forth . Keep your weight comfortable proportioned between your feet so you aren’t shifting your weight in an effort to keep from toppling over. Once you recognize the feel of being “locked in” with the gun raised in firing position you can use the rest of the good advice. It really is a zen thing or an Akido thing. The ideal form already exists for you, you just need to find it and fit in consistently. You won’t be perfect, but you will be consistently almost perfect and that will be good enough.

[ModestoPete]

I know that this link has been shared before but it has some very good information.

http://www.issf-academy.com/courses/fun ... istol.html

[bam86]

Thanks everyone for the tips. Quite a bit to work on it seems. Probably the arm strength will be my first focus, and may couple that with the blank wall.

Looks like my biggest challenge will be making the time to do these consistently. Too bad we have to work for a living...

I really appreciate all the advice and the link to the ISSF site will be really helpful.

[ModestoPete]

Remember, you will get more benefit by doing it for a few minutes 2 or 3 times every day than an hour 3 times a week.

[T191032]

Good information here. As suggested, turn one of the targets you are using around when it comes to live fire, might be surprised.

[Gerard]

I might add that a blank surface is not only good for dry-firing but also for live firing.

People will tell you that you don't need to concern yourself with the position of your sights relative to the bull, but unless you are a complete moron—or possibly a great genius—you will not believe it. If this were true, you would be able to shoot at the reverse side of the target and achieve as good groupings as you do on the front. This is clearly absurd. You wouldn't even know where to aim!

So don't take someone's word for it—try it out instead. Fire away at that bull-less square. Focus on the sight alignment. Look at the groups.

Seeing is believing.

I'm not sure what it is you're saying here; seems to be that shooting at a blank white square both will, and won't, result in nice groups. Which is it?

In my experience, I definitely shoot the nicest groups on a blank square. This might be because it gives me a better target, namely the first pellet hole. I have gone back to centre aim some months ago as area hold just wasn't working for me, no matter whether just sub-6 or deep sub-6. But I've shot a number of 10's (turning the target around after the first shot to check) on the back of a target, and whether or not it's a 10 first, have achieved quite a few sets of 10 shots all inside the 9 ring from the back, that is to say no holes even touching the 9 ring, all inside it. I almost never do that when aiming at the black, and certainly not when aiming at the white below the black as it's just too vague a target for me. Likewise if I make a pellet-sized black dot on blank paper and shoot at that most shots will be within 2 pellet diameters of that dot. I grew up shooting air rifles, and always had my sights adjusted for centre aim, so perhaps this is ingrained with me.

I'm getting better at aiming for the centre of the black by bringing more focus to the precise location of that centre, then the moment before the shot goes relaxing that focus. Seems to work quite well when done consistently, as I've seen a number of strings lately of 5 or 6 10's in a row doing it this way. It's when I start worrying about hitting the 10 that they start wandering out into the 8 ring.

[Joakim]

I'm not sure what it is you're saying here; seems to be that shooting at a blank white square both will, and won't, result in nice groups. Which is it?

Same experience as yours. But I also added, to some confusion clearly, that it will be hard to believe this unless you have seen it with your own eyes.