MrDig
Member
I use what I think is referred to as "Empty Lung" technique. Slowly exhale and when out of air squeeze the trigger.
Are there other techniques and what do you use?
Are there other techniques and what do you use?
Shooting Techniques What do you use?
- Thread starter MrDig
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kcshooter
Member
Natural respiratory pause.
I let my body tell me when to shoot. Gives me 5-10 seconds to verify the shot and take it.
Same thing you do, but less deliberate.
I let my body tell me when to shoot. Gives me 5-10 seconds to verify the shot and take it.
Same thing you do, but less deliberate.
txgunsuscg
Member
Natural Respiratory Pause
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
For precision rifle shooting, breath in, let it out slowly 1/3 to 1/2 or wherever feels just right, hold, and squeeze.
I find better control when not trying to hold in a deep breath, nor when my lungs are empty -- which gives me less time of rest and clear vision before having to inhale again.
That's from several years of NRA 3-position smallbore competition where we were repeating the process one shot after another for a whole match. (And some high-power/CMP as well, same thing.)
Leaving too little air in your lungs pushes you to rush shots.
I find better control when not trying to hold in a deep breath, nor when my lungs are empty -- which gives me less time of rest and clear vision before having to inhale again.
That's from several years of NRA 3-position smallbore competition where we were repeating the process one shot after another for a whole match. (And some high-power/CMP as well, same thing.)
Leaving too little air in your lungs pushes you to rush shots.
kcshooter
Member
Can push you to rush shots.
If I don't have the shot and I need to breath, I breath and wait for the next pause.
Gotta know you body's limits.
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Oh, sure. That's going to happen regardless. What we're looking for here is having some time to work with to let the shot develop, without trying to hold pressure like a baloon, nor gasping 'cause we went too "shallow."
#1
Sight alignment
#2
Trigger control
#3
Natural point of aim
Everything else will hurt you In the long run. (unless your long run is leashed to a bench).
In matches hunting and military shooting there's a real good chance you will be out of breath huffing and puffing. You won't be in a comfy position.
If you think you have mastered #1 and #2 and your problem is breath control then give yourself 2 minutes for 20 burpees and a shot from the bench. Repeat until you are convinced to focus on #1 & #2. (my guess is 1-2 rounds)
Sight alignment
#2
Trigger control
#3
Natural point of aim
Everything else will hurt you In the long run. (unless your long run is leashed to a bench).
In matches hunting and military shooting there's a real good chance you will be out of breath huffing and puffing. You won't be in a comfy position.
If you think you have mastered #1 and #2 and your problem is breath control then give yourself 2 minutes for 20 burpees and a shot from the bench. Repeat until you are convinced to focus on #1 & #2. (my guess is 1-2 rounds)
kcshooter
Member
To be honest, it is.
When I talk about breath control and respiratory pause, I'm talking about scoped rifle shooting.
I shoot at a bench, or on a mat. I'm usually at 250yds or under. I don't know anywhere around me that I can go to get past 400yds, and even that's over an hour away.
I don't hunt. I do take predators and varmints for farm and land owners in the area from time to time, but generally I know where they are at and I do it in ambush.
I don't shoot out of breath. Trigger control has become natural for me over the past few years that I've worked on precision rifle shooting. So for me, breath control is something that I can take the time to focus on.
I can watch the crosshair as I breath, know when I have the ability to allow myself some time before another breath is needed, and it gives me the most control over stillness of my body.
Not sure if I'm describing it well, never really tried before, but it works for me. I know this simply because I've gotten much, much better over the past 2 years.
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TexasPatriot.308
Member
same thing my grandad taught me, same as my old drill instructor 40 years ago taught me. controlled breathing, relax, squeeze trigger. what more do you need to know, dont think any of that has changed since the days of flintlocks.
This exactly.
OP
OP
MrDig
Member
Most of my shooting is Scoped and from a bench or a supported position as well. Even in the Military I was R.E.M.F. so I qualified in Basic and then shot once or twice a year at best, and always prone or supported.
I do Hunt but carry shooting sticks or shoot from a stand, again supported. None of the kids I hunt with (Most in their late 20's early 30's) let me push because of my heart surgery a couple years ago. So Hunting I am always posted now days.
I do Hunt but carry shooting sticks or shoot from a stand, again supported. None of the kids I hunt with (Most in their late 20's early 30's) let me push because of my heart surgery a couple years ago. So Hunting I am always posted now days.
me too.
Example: Precision Rifle Series match in LA first of this month... One stage involved shooting from a plywood platform suspended on 4 corners by chains. You had to engage a target (400 yrds? iirc) on your left, then on your right, and back and forth for 8 rounds in 60 seconds. Every time you moved or took a shot, the recoil would shake the hanging platform around. Essentially, it was like a moving target, except you were moving instead of the targets.
I realize most people just shoot from a bench at static targets. My point is simply, if your trigger control and sight alignment is right, wacked out stuff like this doesn't matter. No way I could get any sort of "natural pause" to coincide with the target passing through my crosshairs here.
another wacky position (not me in this pic)
longrange308
Member
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I shoot while exhaling, for some reason I stop shaking when I shoot that way.
Being a southpaw, I do a shallow breathing cycle for several breaths until I feel my heart rate slow to where I want it and then focus on site alingment and start my squeeze and I never pay attention to whether I am inhaling or exhaling. I just want to get in that relaxed zone.
kcshooter
Member
That looks like it would be a blast.
Challenging, I'm sure, but looks like a ton of fun.
GunnerShotz
Member
#2
Sight picture
Then #5
Breath in, breath out
#6
LET your finger finish the squeeze it's already started
(This is where folks talk about the gun surprising them when it fires)
#7
Reacquire natural point of aim
#8
Call the shot
The point of breath control is to maintain natural point of aim.
Shooting and moving doesn't really change this. You should just be faster in the progression
Kachok
Member
I don't hold and squeeze, I squeeze on a very slow exhale, I feel I have better muscle control that way, but to each his own.
Driftertank
Member
I was always taught to pause on exhale, feels pretty natural to me.
The trigger is the most critical part for me. My (semi-auto) .308 has a nice trigger job, breaks at around 4lbs or so, which is heavy enough for pull to be deliberate, but light enough not to upset my point of aim. When plinking, the trigger feels like it has no creep or take-up. But when i'm posted on a rest shooting long-range, i can feel the (maybe 1/64") of take-up before it breaks.
Getting the squeeze just right, in my experience, pays bigger dividends than proper breath control. That, and learning not to use any muscle you don't need to use. Tense muscles quickly develop tiny tremors.
The trigger is the most critical part for me. My (semi-auto) .308 has a nice trigger job, breaks at around 4lbs or so, which is heavy enough for pull to be deliberate, but light enough not to upset my point of aim. When plinking, the trigger feels like it has no creep or take-up. But when i'm posted on a rest shooting long-range, i can feel the (maybe 1/64") of take-up before it breaks.
Getting the squeeze just right, in my experience, pays bigger dividends than proper breath control. That, and learning not to use any muscle you don't need to use. Tense muscles quickly develop tiny tremors.
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