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Teaching marskmanship

Unfortunately, the worst shots are adults in their 20s. My daughter is shooting pretty well for a 10-year-old. She probably just needs more shooting time. But the adults, WOW are they bad...
 
Have you or someone checked to ensure they are using their dominant/master eye while shooting? Just a thought. Another thing to consider is follow through after the shot. I have seen a few people shoot that think the process is over at the thought of squeezing/pulling the trigger (the millisecond right before they shoot). This premature notion results in pulling the head up too fast to see the result of their shot, thus not following through and oftentimes missing the intended target. I have been known to do this from time to time, especially if it has been a while since I last shot. I really get hacked off at myself because this is something so simple, but something I tend to let my guard down on from time to time. As others have stated, this seems to not be a problem when I practice routinely and not go long periods of time without shooting. Some old heads used to tell me to shoot and then count to two before I pick my head up. They were simply reiterating following through.
 
Give them the gun empty, but let them think the gun is loaded and ready to fire. Watch them when they pull the trigger. Almost guarantee there eyes shut completely and they flinch....some experienced shooters do this but they have learned to compensate for it. New shooters dont know how to deal with it.
 
rukiddin? said:
Give them the gun empty, but let them think the gun is loaded and ready to fire. Watch them when they pull the trigger. Almost guarantee there eyes shut completely and they flinch....some experienced shooters do this but they have learned to compensate for it. New shooters dont know how to deal with it.
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Very true.

To add to that, try loading the gun for them a few times and handing it back to them, all the while trying to build confidence in them each shot to breath normal and SQUEEZE. Then, slip in an empty casing. When the gun doesn't fire, they will sit still for a few seconds wondering what just happened, thus giving you the perfect opportunity to coach. At this minute, have them look at their sights and/or scope and see if they are still on target. Then you can address proper breathing, jerking vs squeezing, and follow through as Andy stated.

Also, even if someone started off with .22's and became proficient with them, they sometimes will still form a complex when they get around "LOUD" guns. I'll give an example here. When my oldest daughter was 9 (the age that she could demonstrate proper gun handling and safety to me), we started off by me drawing pictures of what proper site pictures (iron and scope) should look like (leveled/crosshair alignment) on paper. She then became a very good shot with a .22. Later that Summer, she wanted to try the "Big" gun (.243). So, when that time came, I fired off a couple of rounds to assure the scope was on. I then asked if she was ready......and she said NO. I said, "I thought you wanted to do this, so you can deer hunt this year". She said "Uugh, (and with eyes as big as saucers) I've got to go to the bathroom daddy". "Okay", I said. While she was gone, I was scratching my head trying to figure out what was wrong. Then it hit me, when I fired off the 2 rounds, she had been standing off to my side. Even with ear plugs in, the sound is still very loud compared to a .22. When she came back, I didn't mention this. I just told her that I wanted to shoot another round for accuracy's sake......and if she would, please stand directly BEHIND me. She did. After firing the round, I turned around and said "See, it's not nearly as loud standing behind it is it baby?" She smiled and said "No it ain't daddy". I asked her if she was ready....she said YES! Once the first round was fired, there was no turning back. We started going through the same motions as if it was a .22, along with positive re-enforcement after every shot, and all was well very quickly.

I truly think that the louder sound of larger caliber rifles has a negative effect on new shooters (old and young alike). Somehow, they associate the BOOM with dramatically increased recoil.

Sorry about the long post. Thought maybe it might help.
 
This is a different analogy, but I approach shooting the same way I do golf since I love to do both. You start off by making sure your grip and stance is right(how you hold and rest the gun). Then you start off by practicing short range shots until you really hone in on a grouping of shots. Then you move on in increments of yardage and hone in on each increment with each club until you are comfortable with your grouping with that club and distance. Before you know it, you are shooting at longer ranges with tighter groupings. Also just like in golf, you need to practice mind clearing or relaxation techniques before your shot in order to decrease the tension in your muscles. The key is to be consistent with every approach to the shot, and then relax before the shot is taken.
 
Dry fire. Have them squeeze the trigger with an empty chamber and fire the gun without the sights moving. Many a shot has been missed by someone anticipating what will happen after the shot instead of concentrating on what happens during the shot.
 
Aiming( sight alignment, sight picture) , trigger control (pressing the trigger to the rear with out disturbing sight alignment sight picture.) breath control ( try to take your shot during your natural respiratory pause).
 
BSK said:
The problem is not repetition or hard-kicking guns. They are shooting 22s. However, repetition is not helping. They have some error(s) in their shooting form, but from watching them shoot, I can't decipher what their problems are.

I was lucky in that basic marksmanship ability is somewhat "genetic" in my family. My mother's parents were both trick-shot performers, my mother is an exceptional shot, and about half of the children in the family got the "shooting gene" (whatever that is). I was never taught marksmanship skills because I didn't need them. Being able to hit whatever I pointed a gun at came naturally (to a point, I'm no long-range marksman by any means, but anything within 150 yards is no problem). Because I never had to learn marksmanship, I don't know how to teach it to someone else. In essence, I don't know how to identify shooting mistakes. What's a good resource for learning the symptoms and causes of shooting mistakes?
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The "genes" didnt translate to the bow huh :)
 
I was taken squirrel hunting with a .22 . Though, I was not able to shoot for a while, as my dad wanted me to learn patients. He pointed things out to me, what to listen for, what to look for. I think this is a critical part of the process. Once I learned patients, all I wanted to do was impress him. When he finally gave me the opportunity to shoot one, all I wanted to do was impress him. He corrected my form, which I didnt like, but it made me better for the next shot opportunity. Him and my grandfather taught me. I moved from a .22 to a 20 guage. Once they start actually killing things, I think is when they get the full appreciation and wanting to get better. That was my situation
 
BSK said:
The problem is not repetition or hard-kicking guns. They are shooting 22s. However, repetition is not helping. They have some error(s) in their shooting form, but from watching them shoot, I can't decipher what their problems are.

I was lucky in that basic marksmanship ability is somewhat "genetic" in my family. My mother's parents were both trick-shot performers, my mother is an exceptional shot, and about half of the children in the family got the "shooting gene" (whatever that is). I was never taught marksmanship skills
because I didn't need them. Being able to hit whatever I pointed a gun at came naturally (to a point, I'm no long-range marksman by any means, but anything within 150 yards is no problem). Because I never had to learn marksmanship, I don't know how to teach it to someone else. In essence, I don't know how to identify shooting mistakes. What's a good resource for learning the symptoms and causes of shooting mistakes?
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Hey BSK.....maybe this will help.

http://www.gun-club.net/handbook/doku.php?id=page51
 
Football Hunter said:
BSK said:
The problem is not repetition or hard-kicking guns. They are shooting 22s. However, repetition is not helping. They have some error(s) in their shooting form, but from watching them shoot, I can't decipher what their problems are.

I was lucky in that basic marksmanship ability is somewhat "genetic" in my family. My mother's parents were both trick-shot performers, my mother is an exceptional shot, and about half of the children in the family got the "shooting gene" (whatever that is). I was never taught marksmanship skills because I didn't need them. Being able to hit whatever I pointed a gun at came naturally (to a point, I'm no long-range marksman by any means, but anything within 150 yards is no problem). Because I never had to learn marksmanship, I don't know how to teach it to someone else. In essence, I don't know how to identify shooting mistakes. What's a good resource for learning the symptoms and causes of shooting mistakes?
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The "genes" didnt translate to the bow huh :)
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Oh, I can hit a target with an arrow all day long. Just not a living deer! :(
 
As a couple have said something just in different words. Start off with a pellet rifle, then a .22 cal. Then let them practice just sitting in a chair, with a unloaded firearm, finding different objects in the scope and pulling the trigger and staying on target.
After they can hit a target with the pellet rifle and .22 cal. move them up to a small caliber centerfire rifle. I wouldn't even try to get them hitting with open sights. Unless thats what they will be hunting with. Alot of rounds out of a pellet rifle and .22 cal. will go a long way. The most important thing is to keep it fun but safe.
I taught my daughters by having friendly shooting competitions with a .22 cal rifle and ballons. As they got older we moved on to smaller targets like bottle caps.
 
Rackseeker said:
As a couple have said something just in different words. Start off with a pellet rifle, then a .22 cal. Then let them practice just sitting in a chair, with a unloaded firearm, finding different objects in the scope and pulling the trigger and staying on target.
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What if they never learn to hit the target?
 
BSK said:
Rackseeker said:
As a couple have said something just in different words. Start off with a pellet rifle, then a .22 cal. Then let them practice just sitting in a chair, with a unloaded firearm, finding different objects in the scope and pulling the trigger and staying on target.
Click to expand...

What if they never learn to hit the target?
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they need to take up golf.
 
Some people are natural shots, some are never able to hit anything. Step one should be determining which eye is dominant. From there I would move to a BB gun and start by drawing a picture of the front and rear sights alingned and on a target. It is amazing how many people do not grasp that concept. I firmly believe mastering that should precede using a scope. One of the real keys is a rifle that fits in terms of stock length.

Whatever you start with, it should be done from a solid rest to instill confidence. If the gun is sighted in and the correct eye is being used, the only reason for missing is fliching when shooting from a rest. Shooting at dragon flys with a Daisy pump is the next step. Shoot them sitting, then shoot them flying. Next step is squirrel hunting with a .22. If you can master that, you are good to go. Shooting targets is not the way to learn to shoot. Reason being, most people flich when shooting targets but do not when shooting live animals. I am a perfect example. I am a far better than average shot at live game. I flich like a madman when shooting a target.

The process of shooting should not be a thought process. If it is, it is not going to be extremely successfull. It should be automatic. The BB gun will help accomplish this if you have enough flys and other little critters to shoot.
 
Switchbacker,
You're not bragging... keep raising your son to love the outdoors. We live in the "woods" without a neighbor in sight or shouting distance. Shortly after her 4th birthday, my daughter began marksmanship training with a pellet rifle. The stock didn't fit her well, but she is doing well at 10 yards. Too bad I can't show one of her targets. At her age, we focus mainly on safety and shooting form. I give her lots of praise when she follows my advice. Very little criticism if she pulls a shot. I don't know if she will pick up hunting, but she will understand firearm safety and, if needed, how to shot well.

Jim
 

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