Tips on Pistol Shooting

[airgun_novice]

Man!!! hvj1 is surely Guru Dronacharya of Kalyug!!

You bet and tirpassion is "Krupa" - or you can say tirpassion has "krupa" on us.

[airgun_novice]

Hey Dev, that's a fine clustered grouping maa myaan.

Dear tirpassion,

1. I suspect the screws of windage and elevation are a bit worn off and hence tend to "slip" after 8-10 shots. The better I get the more I suspect it to be so. Why ? The shots invariably slide to one ring beneath and a ring or two to the left. This has been consistent. Still need an expert opinion.

2. Now that I "studied" the gun today afternoon, I noticed that it's not "seated" symmetrically - in fact it's canted to the left slightly - could this be a source of my shots going to the left ?

3. I am also convinced that there is droop in my AP wrt NPA and have to consciously correct it upwards.

4. Then there is that "double vision" of horizontal (after SA) appearing one atop other. Hence the need of looking at foresight in case there's a "bend" that manifests thus. BTW this does not appear at wall training (2-6 in) but only at long distance (10m) - with *and* without glasses alike.

SO if #2 & #3 are true then the sights may not have a problem, else rear sight and its screws have to be looked at. I haven't yet experimented with the ultra fine adjustments of the AP - no one to guide and moi - too tensed to try on by meme. There is definitely a "spring" problem since the rear sights needs to be pressed down after the screw adjustment which has been confirmed by Dr. earlier. He had asked me to get it after Feb but somehow it didn't materialize as he was busy in his work then. Planned to check on him today eve.

BTW solid point about trips affecting shooting - excuse v/s reason. But NOTED. Will definitely put in a lot in those 7 days prior to Lakshyavedh - in fact since it's from 20-26th might get a couple of days of extra practice depending on the details.

[tirpassion]

Dear dev,

Good work on that card. Better work also (I assume) if you have written down the feelings generously in your fancy diary (i hope you bought 2 identical ones, in case your 'Chérie' would love to write some flowery couplets for you in one of them or vice versa )

But the best work will be to tear the card off and throw it away with a smile and telling yourself, 'I can and will do even better'

tirpassion

[tirpassion]

Dear agn and friends,
I am honoured, flattered and embarrassed at the same time...
Believe me, I am on the same platform as you are. I am just repeating what Guruji has taught us and redirecting you to his lessons which might have started to fade away from your memories since the inception of this thread (Sept 2009, it is a long long time...).

Serious matter now.

1. I suspect the screws of windage and elevation are a bit worn off and hence tend to "slip" after 8-10 shots. The better I get the more I suspect it to be so. Why ? The shots invariably slide to one ring beneath and a ring or two to the left. This has been consistent. Still need an expert opinion.

Please sit down in the range and shoot the AP keeping it on a support. You will at least have some answers all by yourself. If the screws are really worn off, which seems quite unlikely, unless you have forced them or fiddled with them hundreds of time per day and for months.

2. Now that I "studied" the gun today afternoon, I noticed that it's not "seated" symmetrically - in fact it's canted to the left slightly - could this be a source of my shots going to the left ?

Yes, it is most probably, the problem. Dismantle the grip, check the adjustment screws (follow the instruction booklet) for grip angles. I found out that the grip turn can be adjusted +or - 3° on FWB P34. Adjust them correctly to have the gun perfectly seated straight in the grip at 0°.

3. I am also convinced that there is droop in my AP wrt NPA and have to consciously correct it upwards.

What is NPA??? Natural Perfect Alignment I guess... It droops down when you are on the target because either
- you tend to look at the target unconsciously (the bloody black circle) and create space (by lowering the front sight) to see it well in the sub-six zone instead of looking for your perfect SA image.
or
- you do not lock your wrist properly.

4. Then there is that "double vision" of horizontal (after SA) appearing one atop other. Hence the need of looking at foresight in case there's a "bend" that manifests thus. BTW this does not appear at wall training (2-6 in) but only at long distance (10m) - with *and* without glasses alike.

It is very normal to see horizontal superposing images if you are shooting both eyes open. But one atop the other
Would you kindly explain your wall training? the distance, if you use a comp target or a blank card, of what dimensions etc. etc.?

warm regards
tirpassion

[jitu sati]

hey tirpassion
i am feeling bit light headed after i was able to accept that my main problem is not committing myself fully to this sport. finally have generated the courage to accept the truth. having finally said what my mind always knew is making me feel much better. having heard from u if feel i can now mov on to better performance with 100% commitment. have picked up the diary and the ap with a new josh

[dev]

Dear dev,

Good work on that card. Better work also (I assume) if you have written down the feelings generously in your fancy diary (i hope you bought 2 identical ones, in case your 'Chérie' would love to write some flowery couplets for you in one of them or vice versa )

But the best work will be to tear the card off and throw it away with a smile and telling yourself, 'I can and will do even better'

tirpassion

Dear Tir Saaar,

I have done better, sigghhhh when I had the time to train. Last year I could ring ten pellets into the ten ring. Got there by just doing box sets and no more than 20 pellet live fires. Got one diary and I keep it in my lap top bag. So that it is mine... all mine .
I am also plagued with seeing double rear sights (parallax error), so had to walk some of the shots in.

Agn thank you and love the way you say boooouy.
Train hard all of you.

[tirpassion]

1 shoulders start weakening after first 40 SA holds and the last two sets tend to reduce my %
2 wrist lock probably was faltering allowing the angular error to creep in especially in later sets
3 after good first few sets a single mistake indicates that i wont be achieving 100% so the concentration on SOA reduces affecting the accuracy

Dear Jitu,
I am sure that you will find solutions to the mental barriers yourself. You are on the right track...
For the technical and physical parts here are some suggestions.
1. Lift 1.5 / 2 kg dumbbells vertically from the shoulder level upwards as if punching towards the ceiling. This will fortify your shoulder muscles aptly without hampering your stability.
2. The wrist lock = tightening the forearm muscles without disturbing the grip pressure. So strengthening the forearm muscles is very very important. An instrument of great help is the 'Power ball'. I have seen it in India. You can google Power ball and find out. Otherwise squeezing a soft foam ball also helps a lot.
3. You should take regular breaks and should not wait for a bad shot to stop. I know it is very difficult. But for the moment make a golden rule 'Stop and rest whenever you feel and whenever you have shot a bad shot.' Analyse why you did so and act accordingly.

I am absent till next wednesday. No work, just family outing to western France on the Atlantic coast.

Enjoy!
tirpassion

[tirpassion]

I have done better, sigghhhh when I had the time to train. Last year I could ring ten pellets into the ten ring. Got there by just doing box sets and no more than 20 pellet live fires.

Nice to see the LION roaring again dev! GREAT!

Carry on and on!!!!!!!
tirpassion

[airgun_novice]

Dates announced : http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=17348

[jitu sati]

thx tirpassion
will include this in my ex routine. my mental ghosts have to be exorcised by me. lets see how i work it out. biggest problem is the commitment. how do i make myself commit to the fact that i have to go the complete way. it can not be the present state of "is it a hobby or a passion"

[dev]

Gents how about a heretical question? Since most of us have shot ap for more than a few years, let's assume that somewhere down there we know how to shoot tens...correct. Now, since we are falling apart physically, how about another system. No more crazy levels of physical training. We shoot one shot at a time and concentrate on that one shot and forget the series of 40/60 whatever. I think this is what my friend Olly has been able to do. Who even after long breaks shots a consistent 550 every time. I have seen him do just that in the last North Zone, when he was out of town for days, came back...settled back into his rhythm and tore the ten up.

Any takers?

[airgun_novice]

[SNIP]
Would you kindly explain your wall training? the distance, if you use a comp target or a blank card, of what dimensions etc. etc.?

warm regards
tirpassion

Dear tirpassion,

Sorry to have missed out this one. Just back in Thane for a day to drop friends and family off - getting back out tomorrow. Anyway, early on I had affixed my Mom's red bindi/ tikli (the size of about .75cm dia) and held the SA in stance with the muzzle about 2-3" for a count of 10. When she reclaimed her bindi as she didn't find the one she had stuck in bathroom that left behind a spot mark on the wall. So I continued using that one. The wall is "cream-colored" as women-folk say or buff/ light yellow ochre in color as we say. That 10-sec hold constitutes my one SA. Am I heading correctly ?

BTW, I did 2-3 things before I left on Sat morn. Thanks to the womenfolk "very early morn departure time" turned into 1100 HR.

1. "Seated" the AP's action rather mid-way (centered it) from both the walls
2. Yanked the Morini grip back a little - probably 3 deg or so.
3. Rotated the trigger shoe a bit to the left from it being straight ahead earlier.

Found better grip and better resting of index finger pad on the trigger. Of course could not do it more methodically or scientifically as I was pressed for time ("yeah right !" ). I did the SA holding and dry fire, however, about 10-15 times each and found SA more consistent bda. Of course, the final conclusion can only be derived after running a series of SA and dry fire over next few days and actually testing out in the range with live shots. I plan to carry my AP with me & do it at the country side home. But getting a straight 33' (10m) indoors is a prob there and outdoors the wind will play truant.

An interesting thought on an interesting observation => Will share it later after confirming a few times in range environment. So simple and so stupid - why didn't it strike me ? Oh Indra - why didn't you strike me with your Vajra instead. Now, please don't - if what I think is proven right and gets rectified, then it would do me (and Jitu) a good leap of 5-10 points. Our very own dev's "net-wani" of *one shot each time - every time* got me thinking. Added to Upacharya's upadesh - "Wait not for rest thine until thy hast shot a bad shot".

AN idea strikes me as I write - why don't I try shooting at Savarkar range tomorrow morning and then scoot off ? If possible will post my findings on the way back and then motor on.

regs
A.

[jitu sati]

one shot at a time seems absolutely correct. but i wish i had a mind which disconnects between shots. invariably after a bad shot one tends to start thinking on why? why the hell it has to happen in a comp? etc. so need to get that attitude and concentration . more hard work i guess. and it is not luck. as a famous statement in a book i recently read goes. one gets more luck with more hard work

[dev]

So what I have figured out is that the whole problem lies in the mind. Only when you train for hours will it allow you to shoot well. Is this a correct hypothesis? If so then can one jump start the mind into believing that one has practiced hard enough, is this what a winner or so called elite shooter does?

regards,

Dev

[jitu sati]

good question. ask the gurujan. as aamir says in 3 idiots. is dil ko batate raho 'alll is well'