Five Tips to Help Improve Gun Target Shooting Skills

Jumping Targets offers helpful tips designed to improve gun targets accuracy. Whether a shooter is new or experienced, there is always room for shooting improvement. To help advance shooting skills, whether it is hunting, competing or simply fun target practicing with steel shooting targets, the following helps to take shooting skills to the next level.

• Slow – It is best to take it slow when shooting. Faster shooting does not mean higher accuracy rates. In fact, focusing on a target actually helps improve pistol and rifle shooting techniques. Start by using paper targets at five yards for handguns and 25 yards for rifles. Hold the center of the mass, firing one round. Shooting the remainder of the magazine, the shooter should try not to enlarge the first bullet hole. This difficult practice focuses on breath control, sight picture and trigger control. It allows the shooter to slow down and focus, gaining more control over muscle memory for the most accurate shooting results.
• Dry Fire – Dry firing helps decrease the expensive cost of ammunition, while allowing shooters to practice aiming at paper or steel targets. Always let everyone in the area know dry firing is a drill. This may include pulling the window shades to avoid neighbors from calling the police, etc. Avoid practicing in front of mirrors and focus on the marksmanship qualities at hand.
• Positions – Instead of only practicing from a single position, consider practicing from a wide variety of positions. This includes different stances and heights, such as sitting, squatting, kneeling and off-hand. Determine the maximum effective personal range from each given position, knowing when good hunting shots can and cannot be made.
• Training Routines – Experts recommend varying training routines, avoiding ruts and bad habits. Focus on basic shooting skills, those that are moderate and more advanced shooting sessions. Basic shooting skills should consume approximately 20-percent of given practice sessions, while 60-percent of sessions are dedicated to maintaining overall, general shooting skills. The remaining 20-percent should be dedicated to more advanced or new shooting skills.
• Time Out – Just like any sport, it is important for shooters know when to take time out. Whether they are suffering from mental exhaustion, their minds are wandering or they would simply be somewhere else, if their minds are not on shooting, they are simply developing poor habits and wasting ammunition. These times can also be discouraging and make shooters want to take breaks. Instead of feeling discouraged, it is best that hunters only shoot when they feel motivated and ambitious, instead of forcing themselves.

 Just as with any sport, shooting skills get better with practice. Shooters should not give up after a few bad shooting sessions, but should simply try to improve their shooting skills by following the helpful tips in this skillful article.

References:

• http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/five-ways-to-improve-your-shooting