# What is your method for Shooting Accuracy



## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

What is your method for shooting accuracy with any given handgun, long rifle etc? Here is my checklist.

1. Check all safety functions. If I know there is nothing beyond my target, to the sides of me (children or pets running around), knowing that I have my muffs and glasses on, then I'm at ease and more relaxed. 

2. Squeezing the trigger and staying in the back end position of the trigger pull (trigger control), which I just learned this year and have never seen anyone doing this as I grew older until this year. For those that don't know, check on youtube trigger control where you can hear the clicks of the gun resetting itself causing less squeeze of the trigger each time, more control and better accuracy.

3. Shooting tons (and I mean tons) of .22 with both handguns and rifles. I have enough brass in buckets to fill a small pond right now. The more I shoot, the better I feel when I shoot a higher caliber of gun and the more accurate I hit. The first few rounds will still be off, but I can pin point it now to where I'm 1/2" MOA to the target. 

4. Breathing: The old fashioned teaching of taking a few deep breaths, then one large one and letting out and stopping halfway through and squeezing the trigger. With my muffs on, I can feel my heart beating, which I'm now at a point where I'm trying to fire the round in between my heart beats. Yeah, I read too many shooting/army/sniper books! but it works!

5. Safely dry firing my gun(s). Just like kids do with their cowboy hats on at halloween in front of the mirror, this is what I do as well. I found this technique out when I wanted to fire 4 15 round mags as fast as I could and I was shaking like I was in sub zero weather. For what ever reason, all the breathing, squeezing and other methods above go out the window when your in a time of stress on shooting a gun. Practice these methods safely (non loaded) inducing stressful events (running, drop to ground, pulling mags out of your pockets, with your web gear (ALICE), ducking behind barriers etc).

The biggest thing is to know your gun inside and out. Don't wait "until the day" to take that split second to know where the safety, slide release, mag release is located. Pick the gun up once and awhile (at least once a week) and practice. When you have it in your hand, learn the Full Metal Jacket quote: "This is my rifle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my rifle is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy, who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will. Before God I swear this creed: my rifle and myself are defenders of my country, we are the masters of our enemy, we are the saviors of my life. So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace. Amen." 

Ok, you don't have to say the Full Metal Jacket quote each time, but at least say the first few lines. lol! ::redsnipe::


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Yup, I agree. Pull the trigger of the handgun, squeeze the trigger of the rifle. 
With the rifle, shoot between heartbeats as best as possible. It is easy to do that at the range, might not be so easy when the heartbeat is through the roof due to an "OH CRAP!" situation. In spot calisthenics could simulate, that, huh? I'm sure the other shooters at the range will think you've lost your mind, but those who know you will know the truth. 

There really isn't anything better than cleaning your weapons as a way to get to know them. Man alive, anyone who can't still remember how to strip, clean and reassemble the .45 1911 and the M16, even after 20 years removed from the army, must have been a cook!


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I ride my stationary bike and lift some weights to get my heart rate up, then I practice some SD drills with the pistol mostly. The long guns don't see as much use.

I shoot much better with a resting heart rate though.


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