[Beartracker]

For the past few days now I have been shooting like a person who has never held or shot a gun in his life and I have been at this for close to 50 years!
Never had target panic in archery or with gun's in my life.......until now.
The thing about this that bugs me is how well I shoot off target.
If I'm shooting off hand at a 1'x1' target at 15 yards I'm missing the whole thing at times! I have the shakes for some reason and even though I'm squeezing that trigger I can't seem to hold on target.
If I just walk around the yard shooting my favorite pine cone targets I hardly ever miss one from 5' to 20 yards. If I don't hit it I'm so close that it flies in the air or at least moves. Back to the target's and I cant hit a thing and I shake like a dog passing shingle nails.
Any Ideas as to what's going on with me Doc ? :uhoh: It's a strange feeling and I don't drink anything but decaf coffee or Sierra Mist once in a while. Maybe I need to go back to booze:) Mike

[Old Dragoon]

Mike,
Have you started taking any medication lately? how about new foods or drinks, Vitamins, etc...??? How about arm or shoulder pain?does anything other than the pistol shake when you hold it like you are shooting with it? Are you tired? or feel wornout?

Hope you find the problem in a hurry.And fix it!

[Beartracker]

Mike,
Have you started taking any medication lately? how about new foods or drinks, Vitamins, etc...??? How about arm or shoulder pain?does anything other than the pistol shake when you hold it like you are shooting with it? Are you tired? or feel wornout?

Hope you find the problem in a hurry.And fix it!

The answer is yes to all of the above,:) Never thought about the new meds for my stomach but I don't shake at all when I'm shooting at the pine cones or rocks or any other time so I don't think that's it. Not drinking anything new and I'm used to body pain so I'm really stumped. I have heard of this happening in archery and it takes some people a long time before they get rid of it.
Maybe I'll just quit for a few days, I have been shooting a lot this past two weeks or so I have used up #2 of powder and I lost count of the balls I have sent down range but it's well over 800 with this 51 Navy Colt.

[Old Dragoon]

That's it! Shooter's fatigue!...LOL
Wow you put some lead downrange. I didn't get to shoot at all this weekend cause our hwy to the range was closed due to snow closing the road...12 miles away, but they weren't letting anyone thru locally either...idiots!
Hope you figure it out, try holding a mik jug or something at arms length and see if it happens with no target.
Was hoping to get to use your new lube last weekend, it'll have to wait for a while.
Like that '51 HUH! I knew you would a '51 is still on my list.

[JohnKSa]

WARNING! BEFORE reading farther, please read the disclaimer at the end of the post.

Your head can do weird things to you.

I think that probably taking a little rest wouldn't hurt.

The biggest thing you need to do is stop worrying about it. Clearly you can still shoot because you're hitting the pinecones. So it's not something physical, it's in your head.

Here are some goofy things that might just work.

Try dryfiring at bullseyes.
Try taping pinecones to your targets.
Try shooting at pictures of pinecones on target stands.
Try pretending that your target is a pinecone.
Try capturing the mental difference between shooting pinecones and shooting targets and think about how that affects you.
Try aiming at the target and then closing your eyes for a couple of seconds while you take a deep breath and think about pinecones then opening them and shooting the instant the sight picture is right.

[Beartracker]

Thanks for the suggestions guy's. I'll sure give them a try but I think laying off for a while is in order for sure, Mike

[Low Key]

Mike,
I agree with John, it's most likely a mental thing. I do the same thing sometimes...there are days when the first target I shoot wont' have a hit on it and by the third cylinder full I have all six in the black ring at 20 yards. Take a break for a couple of days and don't worry about it at all. The more you worry about your bad targets, the worse you'll be the next time you shoot. Your muscle memory hasn't gone down the drain and your arm and hand muscles know just what to do to hit what you're aiming at. Most likely you could hit your targets at 25 yards without using the sights if you were in a situation where you knew you HAD to hit that target, such as a bear running you down and you have nowhere to go to get out of the way. Just take a break, relax, and go shoot again in a couple of days and you'll be fine.
:)

[Duncaninfrance]

Mike,
Most likely you could hit your targets at 25 yards without using the sights if you were in a situation where you knew you HAD to hit that target, such as a bear running you down and you have nowhere to go to get out of the way. Just take a break, relax, and go shoot again in a couple of days and you'll be fine.
:)

That's right, you can't run fast with trousers full of !!!!
I think that a rest is in order and just remember, I can't hit my target, even when my hand is steady.
I just joined Alcoholics Annon - I now drink under an assumed name!
Be well
Duncan

[Beartracker]

Lol, Thanks Duncan!:)

[eagle24]

Mike,

Sometimes I get what I refer to as "BIGBORE SYNDROME". It affects me a little differently though. I don't notice the gun shaking but I get a bad case of the flinches. When I'm shooting I would swear that I am squeezing off the round, but having someone else load my .44 with an unknown number of live rounds and spent cases tells the tale. Thats when I break out the single six or MK II Ruger and shoot some rimfires for a while. I don't know about you, but I can guarantee you that too much of a heavy load diet for me and I develop some bad habits. For me, firing heavy magnum loads requires much more concentration and is more physically and mentally draining. I'm no expert, and by no means a top notch pistol shot, but I've burned a lot of powder over the last 25 yrs. Anyway my 2 cents worth, hope it helps.:)

Greg

[Duncaninfrance]

Mike,

Thats when I break out the single six or MK II Ruger and shoot some rimfires for a while. I don't know about you, but I can guarantee you that too much of a heavy load diet for me and I develop some bad habits.

Greg

You know I never thought of it like that Greg but I am sure you are right. Just proves the old saying that 'Variety is the spice of life'. I must say that if I get clogged up thinking about a problem I go and do something entirely different and then come back to the problem later and it is amazing how clear the answer becomes.
Good one.
Duncan

[Beartracker]

Thanks Greg, My Dad used that empty gun, loaded gun trick on me when I first started shooting at about the age of eight, It will sure show you just how bad you are flinching:) But the only time I have this problem is when I'm shooting at a face target, not when roving around the yard or woods and picking out little things at random to shoot.
Guess I just need to lay off the targets for a while. Shot my bow today just like every other day and never missed a 5" circle at 20 yards in 10 shots. glad that part of my brain is still working!:D Mike

[eagle24]

Mike,

Did'nt mean to imply you were flinching. I have just found that when I'm having trouble, if I shoot my .22's I get back to good form pretty quick. I'm the worlds worst at shooting too much when I'm tired and that's probably a sure fire way to develop bad habits. Anyway, I bet what you're experiencing disappears soon.

Hopefully, I'll have my new bow from O.L. soon. I'm looking forward to shooting it. In the meantime, I will be shooting my 58 New Army if it will get here.:)

Greg

[Beartracker]

eagle24, Flinching is one of the first things I thought of and no one is immuned from that I don't care who they are. Hell, I'll bet that Mec even flinches now and then:) Also thought that I was not squeezing that trigger off as well as I should be but after I slowed down it never changed a thing.
Gonna just do some catching up on cleaning my shop and get ready to start poking Ground hogs with these revolvers and my bow. Had a big fat one in the yard this afternoon. First one I seen this year.
I have to call O.L next week and I'll get on him about getting your bow done. I'm always harassing him about something:D Mike