TargetTalk

I've recently taken an interest in the target shooting and was wondering if anyone thinks it's beneficial to keep logs of your target scores. If so, how do you track yours? Is there some sort of software or special ranges where your progress is kept on log?

Scores are an indication of what is going on on the firing point and little more. Once the bullet leaves the barrel, there's nothing you can do about it. Therefore, the important stuff is what's going on before the shot is taken.

Also, you won't necessarily be shooting scores in training - groupings or technical exercises will not yield a nice round 95/100 or 585/600 number.

Do you keep a shooting diary? Making notes about what you felt, what you changed, what you kept the same, what training exercises you went through are all important, as are the distribution of shots - if they're stringing vertically/horizontally/diagonally then that's an indication of some inconsistency in your hold or some other error and the basis from which to start diagnosing the problem - you don't get that data in a score. Focus too much on the scores and you can very easily start over-analysing.

Yes, keeping a note of competition scores and having an idea where your average is is important. And obviously if you change something in your kit and your scores consistently drop then you know it was a bad thing to do, but you'll probably have noticed your groups open up in training before you get to that point.

Some people keep their competition scores and the like in Excel or something, there isn't really a lot of software about - most of this stuff should be going into your shooting diary, which is normally a Mk1 pen and paper.

Hemmers wrote:....<snip> most of this stuff should be going into your shooting diary, which is normally a Mk1 pen and paper.

Actually in most cases it doesn't exist or it's a small and temporary part of the brain.

As you rightly say score itself is of little value, it's much more useful to record the process, variables etc. I deliberately don't record scores for that very reason, although I will of course see what they were when I complete a shoot or the competition results are recorded.

Rob.

RobStubbs wrote:

Hemmers wrote:....<snip> most of this stuff should be going into your shooting diary, which is normally a Mk1 pen and paper.

Actually in most cases it doesn't exist or it's a small and temporary part of the brain.

True enough. I find the physical process of writing through the shoot helps crystallise and organise my thoughts, but each to their own. In training as in shooting - if it works for you then it's right!

I would say particularly for new rifle shooters though, a diary is useful just for settings and equipment details as these may change from shoot to shoot as you initially build your position and build your scores over your first couple of years. I don't write in my diary now nearly as much as I did during my first couple of years when I was learning and fiddling and adjusting and needed to systematically record the bits and pieces that did or didn't work and why.

Hemmers wrote:
I would say particularly for new rifle shooters though, a diary is useful just for settings and equipment details as these may change from shoot to shoot as you initially build your position and build your scores over your first couple of years.

Don't get me wrong a diary of any sort is very worth while it's just that most shooters don't use one. Rifle shooters are better than pistol shooters, in that they normally record settings etc, especially those that shoot 3P.

Rob.

Psychology in Target Shooting Starts With It ;)
http://midwestacademyconsulting.wordpre ... ndwriting/

If you want to keep a log of shots and scores and to analyse them on a PC using modern technology in addition to the Mk 1 pen and paper, have a look at the TargetPlot software which operates on the Palm and PocketPC devices. It was originally developed for archers but has been extended to include ISSF and other firearm disciplines.

http://www.targetplot.com/Default.htm

This won't replace the shooting diary which is very important in your development. Good advice on keeping a diary and what should be in it is available from many sources not least TargetShooting Canada:

http://targetshooting.ca/