Precision and Discipline - The Appeal of Target Shooting

 The midday July heat and humidity wrapped itself around me like a warmed over wet bear rug. Almost no breeze didn't help to cool off my clammy skin. At least the shade offered some measure relief and as I squeezed in alongside the scrap wood shooting bench I was grateful for the shady area cast by the large maple tree. Fifty yards away on my backyard shooting range a small black circle with a red center dot target sat taped to its supporting three foot by three foot by five inch carboard backing. I opened the breach of my sixty year old bolt action Western Field 22 caliber single shot rifle and inserted a fifth bullet to finish out the final five shot series. The front stock of the rifle settled onto the DIY shooting pad and I felt the butt plate slide gently into the socket of my right shoulder. The drop of the stock slid onto the rear pad and I placed my cheek against the stock. When I opened my eyes, the scope cross hairs were off just a bit from the dead center alignment of the target. A gentle nudge of the rear pad and they settled across dead center. The previous four shots from what I could tell looks as though they were almost touching in a tight group. My thought was, 'don't blow this...' I placed slight pressure on the trigger and felt it give a fraction of an inch. I checked my eye alignment with the scope to insure the parallax alignment would not bite me...too much anyway. (Parallax is that phenomena inherent in many rifle scopes where the scope reticle and the actual target are focused on separate plains so if your eye placement is off even a fraction, what might appear as a dead center alignment will actually be off as much as an inch). I squeezed the trigger...and felt a bit surprised when the report of the rifle ripped the quiet of the moment. The shot felt good. From what I could see through my scope the grouping looked good and the last shot appeared to hit dead center. After securing the rifle I made the fifty yard walk to the target and discovered the old rifle and at least for this one grouping, the old man could still shoot. A dime could cover the group and I felt good about the effort.

Target shooting is one of the recreational adventures I have attempted off and on over the years...mostly off. Back in the mid-90's I actually competed a few times in some club shoots...held my own, but...using that same, then 40-year old, rifle it was difficult to compete on an even scale going up against shooters using designated target rifles costing a great deal more than my old Western Field. But, as in a great many other endeavors, it is less about what kind of rifle you are using and more the person pulling the trigger when it comes to target shooting. Back then I actually managed to outshoot some of those guys who were competing with high dollar rifles, but the limitations of that old sport rifle limited the success level I could attain.

Back in my Coast Guard days, we had to qualify at the range using the M16 and the 1911 Colt 45cal pistol. I managed to qualify Sharpshooter on the M16 (just a few points shy of expert) and Marksman with the 45 (just a few points shy of Sharpshooter). Needless to say, all the 22 plinking and even BB-gun shooting at tin cans certainly played a roll in the success I had at the range back then.

Arkansas Muzzleloader State Championships

 When I lived in Arkansas I managed to compete in   two muzzleloader shoots. One was the Arkansas   Muzzleloader State Championships and the other   was the Arkansas Muzzleloader Invitational Shoot.   These shoots were a lot of fun and I managed to win   a couple of second place medals along the way.   These were tough shoots with some very fine   marksmen competing many of them shooting custom   made high dollar muzzleloaders. I shot with a simple   kit gun ( paid like $89.00 for it) I assembled and   figured out how to effectively shoot the thing. Again,   it's the person pulling the trigger that makes the   difference and with that simple muzzleloader, I   practiced until I became proficient and confident in   how that gun shot at twenty-five and fifty yards and   managed to out perform higher dollar firearms as a   result.

The appeal to target shooting is different than the appeal of simply plinking at old pop cans. Target shooting requires an element of discipline where every shot must be executed in exactly the same way in order to obtain the precision you are looking for. Internal elements like hold, eye relief, trigger squeeze, recoil, follow through, breathing, heart beat/rate, focus, all come into play. External elements also play a factor like wind, sun angle, heat wave mirage, cold and hot conditions, type and brand of ammunition, and humidity all can toss a monkey wrench into any target shooters attempts at firing a tight group. The trick is to keep exactly the same forces working on the rifle for each shot.

Somatic conditions, or the feel of the shot, work their way into the shooters mindset. Visualization of how the shot will play out plays a significant role in the success of the shooter. Awareness of how your body and mind are working together to form the perfect sight picture, then translating that image into a smooth consistent action is what allows the rifle to fire at precisely the correct moment and the recoil to complete exactly as before, is what builds tight groupings.

Confidence, self assurance, focus, desire, and the understanding that yes, even the best shooters sometimes miss the mark. Failure then becomes a learning and strengthening tool that leads to a more consistent success rate.

The very idea of Precision shooting is what appeals to me. The discipline required to obtain that kind of precision certainly helps one to be able to focus on other aspects of life as well. I enjoy plinking at tin cans as much as anyone, but, to sit down and focus your energy onto that rifle and attempt to place five shots into a target fifty yards away forming a group a dime could cover, well, I just wish I could do it every time, but I fail to do so most of the time. Even so, when everything falls into place and the feel of the shot becomes focused deep inside your mind and body to generate that elusive tight group...well, the satisfaction is well worth the effort and the results are their own reward.