We're talking rimfire, right?
You and I are almost opposite in this. If I shoot less than a 94 slow fire set, I'm not on my game. From previous threads, you know that I've been working hard on my timed/rapid with some success. You have been helpful in the past. Even though we have not agree'd on everything, I do respect your BE experience. I hope I can help this time.
First, I must ask if your timed/rapid scores are 10's or X's? There's a guy at our club that shoots quite well, when he shoots faster. Take your good 98's and overlay a slow fire target. Is that better than your normal slow fire score? Now, I'm not saying to shoot slowfire all in 10 second strings of five, but you might adjust your shooting speed.
Is your first slow fire shot most often, a 'Ten'?
I got into a problem earlier this season where after the first shot, I was holding too long for subsequent shots in slow fire and my scores showed it. I've watched other shooters in SF and see this all too often.
-And I'm going to introduce a new name to old disputed term. Followthrough. I call it 'After Hold'. Many people write/discuss this for Timed/Rapid, but I don't think we emphasize it enough for slow fire. Earlier this season I felt that I was
anticipating trigger disconnect. (Shooting the same pistol for the last four years for thousands of rounds, I know this trigger pretty darn well) While there was not a noticable flinch when people watched me, I think that's what I was doing. So, forcing myself to hold, even after firing, seems to have reduced my movement, pre-fire. All this in a routine where I set the pistol on the bench after the shot, re-grasp and approach the next shot as if I still had a clean target. I know, opposite of what I suggested about you shooting faster SF.
I used to shoot SF in about five minutes. Now, I'm right at nine minutes. Every time, I position my feet, breath, close eyes with head tilted toward the floor, grasp, inhale, turn, exhale, lift -canting wrist for muzzle down, raise and lock wrist as I aquire the dot in the ten ring. I shoot a smaller dot than most. I do not cover the black edge to edge, but rather put a 2moa dot in the middle of the black. I know for a fact, that I shoot better with a smaller dot. In fact, I shoot better at a smaller black. Cover the 7, 8, 9 rings with target color beige. Now, just shoot at the black of that 10 ring. I did a bit of this last season and I think that helped my scores. I have not shot a 100 slow fire yet, but I have shot a few 99's.
If you use a spotting scope, Remember the mental game you need to play with yourself. (There are multiple players in my game, and I have to watch one of them to make sure he's not cheating!
Don't let that last eight bother you. :banghead: If it does, try shooting without looking in your scope. Some of my highest SF scores have been when I've done that.
Sunday, my first SF magazine was all tens. I knew it after each shot. I looked in the scope as I slid another mag home. One more ten. Then a seven and three eights. A bloody seven! Now, shooting tens and eights out of order is one thing, but shooting six in the middle, then going down hill from there has to be my brain-matter getting all worked up about the possibility of shooting a perfect target.
Another thing I've been working on is blocking out all distractions during slowfire. This is sometimes difficult when taking almost the ten minutes. Other shooters finish at different rates and mill around or start talking. Either make them be respective of your shooting, or find a way to block them out. I'm working on staying in 'My Zone' rather than getting into a pi$$ing contest with fellow shooters that might not be taking BE quite as seriously.
One more thing I've incorporated. Visualizing the dot in the middle of the black when I've got my eyes closed 'pre-shot'.
Remember, only change one thing at a time. Work with it, but if you don't see improvement, go back to what you know works, establish your base again, then make a different change. Analyze those results.
-Steve
