How To Shoot More Accurately

   05.23.11

An avid IPSC shooter and Firearms Instructor notes that many folks do not adequately prepare for their practice time. The following tips should help you to get the most benefit from these sessions;

  • Dress appropriately – clothing, shoes, hat and even sun block, if necessary. You won’t get the full benefit of practice if you’re uncomfortable.
  • Have all your equipment that you will need. Being unprepared is very distracting and will not  do anything for your session. Also, being prepared is a good confidence booster.
  • Begin your practice session in a focused and positive frame of mind. Know exactly what you want to do, what you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve it. A big part of this is to shed the mental baggage that we have when we arrive at the range. I usually allow about ten minutes of quiet time for “focusing” after I’ve arrived at the range and before I start my session.
  • Develop warm-up routines; routines when you go to the line and any other routines that you can. It takes the guess-work out of the many things you have to do and also helps to train you to become focused more quickly.
  • Take your practice seriously. Not competitively or in a frivolous manner. There’ll be time for racing or fun and games later.
  • Know your equipment – its good points and the advantages it allows you and (maybe more importantly) its limitations. That way you will set reasonable and achievable goals.
  • Practice with a video camera or shooting buddy (or better yet – both) looking on. Each will be able to give important (and “reviewable”) feedback. When it’s your turn to help your buddy, your input will also reinforce your own understanding and skills.
  • Review often. This will help to break bad habits quickly before they set-in. If you’re doing it right then regular review will reinforce it further and you will begin to more quickly “feel what right feels like”.
  • Keep records of times and scores. This will help you track your progress.
  • Take regular rest periods and have drinks and energy-boosting snacks available. Practicing to exhaustion is counter-productive.
  • As you get more proficient, practice sometimes even when you don’t feel like it. It trains your mind to focus.
  • Finally, share your tips freely (but not unsolicited or in an overbearing manner) with others. You will soon begin to receive many useful tips from others.
  • Have some fun at the end. That way you’ll look forward to the next practice session
Avatar Author ID 113 - 649108962

Hello. My name is Eric Powell. I am a US Army Light Infantry veteran and I have been a shooting enthusiast for most of my life.

I created the website Glock Talk, http://glocktalk.com about 14 years ago ad have run it ever since.

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