How do I get rid of tension?

[Deputy819]

For instance, people find different ways to put their minds at ease; strangely enough the Jeopardy theme works for me.

Too Cool!

 

[Muddyboots]

I usually hum the theme of Jaws.

 

[Calvin45]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with focusing on the reticle. Guess it depends on what you want to accomplish. First off, I will say I have never been to sniper school. Never had any interest in shooting humans. I have shot competition all my life and killed more than my share of game, some of it at distances best measured on a map. I still shoot between 30-40k rounds a year in different guns. Focusing on the reticle works perfectly fine as long as both you and the target are stationary. Same with focusing on the front site of a handgun, or the bead of a shotgun. Problems start when the target is moving. Whenever you take your focus off the target and apply it to whatever sight you have the gun will instantly stop. You can easily prove it to yourself. Next time you are at the range get up off your belly and stand up and shoot at steel at 500yds. Leave your scope turned up. Focus on the reticle and you will chase it all over the place. Focus on the target and watch it settle. Then go to the clays range. Try it with a shotgun with rifle sights, or a contender pistol. Focus on the front sight and try and measure the lead. Impossible to hit consistantly, and if you do manage to hit it, it will require excess lead because you are trying to shoot it with a dead gun. Focus on the target and you can consistently hit it. If you learn to focus on the target you will be become not only a better shooter in all situations. You will be faster getting the shot off. Matters with live targets.

I agree with this ^

nothing to do with how tense you are but one thing that I found helpful is to not be aiming at the deer but imagine a tiny red dot on the deer exactly where you'd want to hit it and mentally "lock on" to that exact spot.

 

[Calvin45]

I usually hum the theme of Jaws.

Do do do do do do do do dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun da da DAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

 

[Calvin45]

Go to the truck, have a cold one and wait five minutes.

Ironically enough my hands shake LESS after a stiff cup of coffee. I do have ADHD, might have something to do with it…

 

[Mike Matteson]

Trigger pull can cause a lot of problems. How hard do you have to hold the rifle to complete your trigger pull. I use to shoot a 338 WM for a friend at the range. Dam thing had about an 8# trigger pull. It hard to loosen up to be able to get the trigger to go with that poundage without causing problems with your hold. I don't grip the rifle very hard at all. I only apply pressure back to my shoulder. I don't grip the stock with my trigger hand, other than pressure to the rifle against my shoulder. That seem to help me. I could get excellence groups from the rifle. I did for him and me placed a trigger put into that rifle. Later I was able to purchase the rifle, and a little later on I had a muzzle brake place onto the rifle. That turned the rifle into a little puppy dog. It has become my go to rifle now. I have now a triggerteck trigger in one of my rifles I love the release on that trigger. The only problem is their trigger are built for only a few models.

 

[Robert N]

(First time Poster!)

Hey guys & gals - great site here and I'm really enjoying the professional commentary.

Flinching - I'll give you two of my discoveries.

First: a 22LR. GREATEST rifle in my collection for sure. My dad's old Remington bolt gun. It has 10's of thousands of rounds through it and has a truly wonderful trigger. Nothing better than a .22LR to restore confidence. 50 rounds every time at the range - it's nothing short of a miracle gun of practice.

Second. My left hand. Yep. My left hand. (*Hey, don't get too kinky there!)

I have focused on my right hand, my trigger control, my eye position, breathing...and one day on Safari in South Africa I had to use shooting sticks. I held my left hand under the forestock, right hand on the grip and trigger...I pulled my shot so badly that round might still be traveling over mountains. That was 11 years ago...it was an amazing and humbling learning experience and it was my Outfitter who saw it. (Lesson learned: Don't ever overlook having an experienced shooter look at your form. Be humble! They can see things you can't from their vantage point.)

My off-hand has the flinch. When I start to pull the trigger I discovered my left arm starts to contract at a very subconscious level. More recently I've picked up bow-hunting - you guessed it. Left hand starts to contract a little bit holding the bow the moment I start gently pulling on the trigger.

Off the bench, I wrap my left hand and arm over to my right shoulder (kind of like the old-school military style) to isolate and immobilize it from the rifle. My groups tightened immensely. On the shooting sticks in Africa, I just drop my left arm/hand loose and let it hang down...or put it in my left hand in my pocket. Anything to isolate that limb improves my shooting. Go figure...

I guess the other thing I can talk to is doubling a double rifle. In my case it was my Merkel 9.3x74r with 286 gr. bullets. 572 grains at 2250 fps on a very light 8# double rifle came back so hard I shattered my shooting glasses frames and truly rang my bell. I still flinch that rifle...A bad experience really leaves a mark.

Great thread All, and thank you being out there.

(*Oh, and Always double up hearing protection! Foam plugs AND muffs!)

 

[Mike Matteson]

I used a 3 legged tripod in Africa. I tried a system that studied the from and rear of the rifle. Found it hard to adjust is the animal was moving or walking. Other than that it worked. I will stay with the3 legged pod. I can adjust to left or right and it allow you to move without dumping the tripod over.

 

[Greyfox]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with focusing on the reticle. Guess it depends on what you want to accomplish. First off, I will say I have never been to sniper school. Never had any interest in shooting humans. I have shot competition all my life and killed more than my share of game, some of it at distances best measured on a map. I still shoot between 30-40k rounds a year in different guns. Focusing on the reticle works perfectly fine as long as both you and the target are stationary. Same with focusing on the front site of a handgun, or the bead of a shotgun. Problems start when the target is moving. Whenever you take your focus off the target and apply it to whatever sight you have the gun will instantly stop. You can easily prove it to yourself. Next time you are at the range get up off your belly and stand up and shoot at steel at 500yds. Leave your scope turned up. Focus on the reticle and you will chase it all over the place. Focus on the target and watch it settle. Then go to the clays range. Try it with a shotgun with rifle sights, or a contender pistol. Focus on the front sight and try and measure the lead. Impossible to hit consistantly, and if you do manage to hit it, it will require excess lead because you are trying to shoot it with a dead gun. Focus on the target and you can consistently hit it. If you learn to focus on the target you will be become not only a better shooter in all situations. You will be faster getting the shot off. Matters with live targets.

I think your post, which does touch on the differences, may be "blending" two very different forms of shooting, each of which can prove be more effective for a particular application. Shooting errors can often occur when they are confused, particularly with long range precision shooting and hunting.

 

[jbenevides89]

Practice, a light trigger, get into a shot routine-(4 breath method mentioned before) I like to get everything lined up and then let go of everything and see where my reticle moves. If it moves I know that's not the rifles natural point of aim its just me trying to force the shot. I readjust and try again.

Personally one of the best things I ever did for recoil anticipation is shoot a very recoil heavy gun. A couple of years ago my brake blew apart on my .338 Lapua and I had to rezero without it and finish the season with just a thread protector. Let me tell you that thing was punishing BUT it gave me the mental confidence I was lacking about absorbing the shot and not getting scoped even though the thing was hitting me like a sledge hammer. Now shot anticipation is no longer and issue and I know I don't have to hold the rifle super tight.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I think your post, which does touch on the differences, may be "blending" two very different forms of shooting, each of which can prove be more effective for a particular application. Shooting errors can often occur when they are confused, particularly with long range precision shooting and hunting.

I hadn't thought about it that way. In the field I look for a place rest my rifle or sit and shoot from a sitting position. Standing I don't like at all. Generally won't take the shot, and especially if it's at longer distance.