TargetTalk

Do some or most of you close your eyes after reloading to get your npa after each shot.

I usually look away and do a little "shake" and then see where the NPA is.

swift220swift wrote:I usually look away and do a little "shake" and then see where the NPA is.

I do this, or double check the mirage in my spotting scope.

Depends on the position. Prone is so solid I just reload and aim. In standing I always mount the rifle with my eyes closed (muscles stretch and contact as you go through the course of fire, and in standing that can make quire a difference on NPA).

Back when I shot prone/3P always used to look away in the prone position. Actually the shot processes was very similar in prone and Standing/kneeling. When I shoot AR (under domestic rules, but similar to IPSC SH1a) I tend to mount the rifle in the shoulder while looking directly ahead (i.e. pretty much directly across the range. Then I pre aim over the top of the sights. Then once I bring the head fully on the stock I will initially be looking down the RHS of the sights, then once in what should be the correct firing position then just flick the eyes across to check NPA. If it's OK I go into my final breathing and shot release phase.

Alan

Not to reacquire my NPA, it hasn't changed, but to make certain I have good shoulder and cheek pressure and that I'm not muscling the rifle (tension).

Mark

While I do check my NPA, I try to avoid closing my eyes, and the reason has to do with eye strain. In order to adjust your focus and pupil size, small muscles in the eyes must be activated and tensed and shooting is of course extremely dependent on your ability to see. When you close your eyes for a few seconds and then open them back up, your eyes adjust dramatically to the differing conditions. Doing this a few times is no big deal, but if you're shooting a long match on a bright sunny day, for example, I try to do everything I can to ward off fatigue, including that of my eyes. So, rather than closing my eyes, I have found that I can accomplish the same goal of evaluating my npa simply by looking down or to the side rather than through my sights when I put my face on the cheekpiece. How much of a difference this actually makes on scores would be hard to tell and is probably minimal if anything, but I can't find any reason why actually closing the eyes completely would have any benefit over the technique I prefer and I'll take any possibility of score improvement that I can get. Give it a try!

Ryan

I test NPA by holding off and seeing where it springs back, or doing a shake. Adjust hips; repeat.