Panicking...

Slow fire I average around an 85. Timed fire and rapid around an 80. I know what my issue is. Just need some advice on getting over panicking during rapid and timed fire. 

Thanks

If your not using a single shot, you have plenty of time.

I’d suggest working on rapid fire and your timed fire scores will follow suit.

Work it doing one shot and two shot drills using the Bullseye Match App.

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t15973p75-bullseye-match-free-app-for-android-ios-and-windows#150241

Shoot them in multiples of ten shots (10-one shot drills, 5-2 shot drills) no more than 30 shots per target.  It will get better.

Once you learn to release and restart the trigger squeeze while the gun is in recoil recovery your timing will develop. I was coached to start this learning process while doing slow fire and recovering to the target after every SF shot. 

keep calm and press on.

How are you doing with time utilization? Finishing quickly or running out of time?

Rapid fire was just killing me. I would be constantly finishing three sometimes four seconds early. I just couldn't slow down. Mentally I was convinced I was running out of time. I was yanking my last couple of shots low and left. Once the Bullseye Match AP came out I would prop up my phone in my box so that I could see it in my peripheral vision. The circle would be green until the last two seconds when it would turn red. I would actually try to run out the clock but found I couldn't. I worked on my cadence so that I was releasing my fourth shot when the circle turned red. I now have plenty of time. I was shooting low 2400's and my last match I shot a 2511/57X. I haven't been in the 2500's in five years.

Bill

chiz1180 wrote:How are you doing with time utilization? Finishing quickly or running out of time?

Depends. When the target turns I usually plant an x or 10. Then the dot is all over the place. I take a few seconds to calm it down fire another shot and at this point knowing I took a long time getting back on target I fire my next 3 shots in succession hoping to get them in before the target turns. At this point I usually have a second or two before it does turn.

Wobbley wrote:Work it doing one shot and two shot drills using the Bullseye Match App.

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t15973p75-bullseye-match-free-app-for-android-ios-and-windows#150241

Shoot them in multiples of ten shots (10-one shot drills, 5-2 shot drills) no more than 30 shots per target.  It will get better.

I did not even know this was a feature of the app. Can't wait to get to the range tomorrow.

Thanks!

Getting a good first shot off quickly (within about a second) will calm the nerves. That gives you 9 seconds to shoot 4 shots!

Dehumanizer wrote:

chiz1180 wrote:How are you doing with time utilization? Finishing quickly or running out of time?

Depends. When the target turns I usually plant an x or 10. Then the dot is all over the place. I take a few seconds to calm it down fire another shot and at this point knowing I took a long time getting back on target I fire my next 3 shots in succession hoping to get them in before the target turns. At this point I usually have a second or two before it does turn.

Try to develop a shooting cadence. 10 seconds is quite a bit of time. Do not dwell on time. After the shot breaks, immediately work on the next shot. Do not worry about the scoring rings, break the shot as centered as you reasonably can. Center up your sights and squeeze the trigger.

Cadence....

The problem with cadence is that it tends to cause you to send less than acceptable shots to meet the tick Mark.  

Learn to recover and acquire an acceptable sight picture quickly then let the shot go rather than “setting a beat”.

i also find i am nervous during timed and rapid.i try to forget about score and just shoot,if i only get off 4 shots ok.just try to shoot good shots, i dont run out of time anymore, think that you are just practicing.helps me tyro

If you are panicking, you're probably thinking you're going to run out of time before you get all your shots off.  Why not starting off, pretending you only need to fire two shots in the allowed time.  That should be very relaxing.  Do it for a while, and at some point in the future, bump it to up three shots.  As you're doing this, try to finish early (but you won't panic because you still have the extra time if you need it).  When you're doing that  comfortably, try to get in one more shot.  You'll probably still be relaxed as again, you'll have lots of time for that last shot.  Once you get a rhythm going, and you become aware that you have lots of extra time at the end again, if you feel good while shooting four shots,  see if you can get in one more.  If that doesn't work, go back to four shots for a while, then try again when you feel up to it for a fifth shot.

Another trick, which I think I learned from LenV.  Officially, you have ten seconds to get off five shots.  But try to be set up such that you get your first shot off immediately after the buzzer.  You then have a full 9 seconds (maybe more) and only four shots to get in.  LenV (if I remember correctly who told me) made it sound very simple, and it was.  He's full of good, practical advice, that I instantly understand.

There are probably better ways to learn this than what I just wrote, but it fits the way I learn stuff - doing things right (but slowly) and gradually trying to get faster.  And that little trick means that instead of 5 shots in 10 seconds, you now have 4 shots in perhaps 9 or 9 1/2 seconds seconds.

(I need to do this myself.  I've been practicing slow fire and timed fire, but it's been almost two years since I last shot rapid fire.  I do have the Bullseye App, but I will once again do just what I suggested for you.)

I have found that shooting a couple of blank targets during each training session has helped me with sustained fire.  I find it easier to focus on moving the trigger and recovering from the shot without a bull to aim at.  I do this with the 45.  It has also helped me keep my eyes open, and recover the dot quickly for the next shot.

If your 1st shot is pretty good as it sounds then your certainly on the right track.  It helps some people to turn the target around and aim for general center of the repair center.  The black bull can intimidate at times and cause panic because one tries to be to precise.  This drill will help you work on maintaining focus and aggressive uninterrupted trigger pull when your sites are in the "aiming area"  Stay away from cadence training and focus of repeating your shot process that is giving you that good 1st shot.

I'm glad you're all finding the drills in my app useful! Couple of other things to note:

- The "Shot drill" menu item is available from the "timer" icon at the top.

- The drill can be adjusted for both drill time and repeat cycle time, so it can be a super-quick one shot drill (first shot practice), or a two-shot with long pause, whatever. Use the four arrow keys to adjust these, and the preference will be saved for next time.

- The drill works with target turners, or just the beep, and it animates the on-screen target as it starts and stops each cycle. So, putting your phone in your field of vision can be a nice cue. I am not responsible for anyone putting a round through their phone however! Please be safe.

One thing I have found useful in improving my sustained fire was a free app called "splits" - it's just a simple shot timer that listens for gunshots and gives you the times.

Most range sessions I'll use it for a couple strings. It beeps, and my time starts. I then shoot 5 rounds using as much time as I need to break good shots, and afterwards I look at the app. At this point I'm usually finishing in 12-14 seconds, which has proven to me that at least for timed fire, I have an abundance of time to rely on fundamentals and shoot 9s and 10s, or at least not slap a shot out into the bottom left of the target.

Still working on the rapids  but overall I feel less rushed and I'm shooting better scores.

I have been where your at. Rapids always felt rushed and like I had no time. 

One thing is to keep squeezing the trigger/keep the trigger moving this actually helps you settle out. Once I learned that my timed fires are alot better and rapids feel like I am taking too much time but really not. When your focused on the dot/front sight and your squeezing the trigger its a lot easier for the shots to break and they will break faster. Also trusting your process and not getting frustrated with it is key. Also shooting should be calm and not amped up which takes time.

I usually train on a timed/rapid target and take as much time as I need to shoot 5 good shoots no timers or nothing. As you keep doing strings they will get faster and faster during the session. You will get down to only using 6-8 seconds to get 5 good shoots off on the target. You really just build confidence in your shooting once your remove the time factor. I did this for training from a recommendation of a High Master friend I go to matches with. He does it and it really helped me. 

Also don't harp on the score of each shoot. Focus on shooting a good group in the center of that black circle down range. A key is to not worry about down range only what you can control and that is you.

You maybe diverting your attention down range to see where the shot hit instead of staying on the sights and keep squeezing the trigger. I am guilty of this with the 45 wadgun. But getting better on keeping my focus on the dot and go by my call rather than need seeing where the shot hit in sustained fire. 

I could also be on crack on this subject just some insights on stuff I have struggled with in the past especially with the 45. 22 I don't have this issue as I can't see the bullet holes as obviously. 
GW

For most Marksmen, 4 good shots usually score better than 5 rushed shots. Shoot 5 good shots. If the last shot is late, take the zero and move on. Speed will come.

Smooth is fast?

I used to count to twenty for Timed fire and to 10 in rapid fire.  This worked for me.  I knew how much time I had left instead of panicking.  
David