Couple o' thoughts on the DA trigger itself:
I'm one of those "straight pull" advocates, for a number of reasons: First, staging the trigger amounts to timing the shot, which target shooters will tell you is a futile effort. Worse, when you time the shot, you're very likely to really yank that trigger when you see you need to shoot...now.
And even if you don't excitedly yank the staged trigger, you're still likely to jerk it when you make that final pull, since movements are jerkiest at their beginning and end. Your pull at the break is more likely to be smooth if that break happens in the middle of the movement.
Finally, we tend to stage the trigger because we haven't really mentally committed to good shot execution when we started the pull. Your shot is more likely to be true if you mentally commit to executing an excellent shot when you started the pull.
Couple o' thoughts on general shot execution (because these can trip you up even if your DA trigger technique is good):
Peeking at the target between shots is a bad habit and a real accuracy killer. Unfortunately, it's a tough habit to break. It comes from wanting to shoot a good group, rather than wanting to execute the fundamentals for each and every shot well. IOW, it's because one's mind is on the goal, rather than the process, but without the process, the goal is for naught.
I've written it before, but it bears repeating: The target isn't important. It's really just a recording device that uses bullets to record how well you executed the fundamentals. The front sight does the same thing without making a hard copy, so put & keep your awareness there.
If the target's too distracting, get rid of it entirely, and shoot into the backstop or berm while executing one perfect shot after another.
Speaking of targets, use an official bullseye-type target appropriate for the distance. Don't use a piece of cardboard with a spraycan bullseye sprayed on it, some dumb zombie target, or even an ShootNC target. You need a target with a precise aimpoint and/or doesn't tempt you to peek.
Distance: don't stretch the distance much beyond what you're able to shoot good groups with. Your subconscious will know it's pointless to try for a good group, so you'll just practice taking what amounts to pot shots.
Tempo: When practicing your marksmanship skills (i.e., the fundamentals), take all the time you need. Shoot 5-shot groups, but make up your mind that each and every one of those those will represent your best effort. If you have to lower the gun, so be it (lower your gaze, too, so you don't peek).
Dry fire: Can't emphasize it enough, but it has to be quality dry fire. Not blindly yanking the trigger while you're watching TV. It's a trigger control exercise, but it's a vision exercise as well, in that you're training yourself to really focus on the front sight.
I'm one of those "straight pull" advocates, for a number of reasons: First, staging the trigger amounts to timing the shot, which target shooters will tell you is a futile effort. Worse, when you time the shot, you're very likely to really yank that trigger when you see you need to shoot...now.
And even if you don't excitedly yank the staged trigger, you're still likely to jerk it when you make that final pull, since movements are jerkiest at their beginning and end. Your pull at the break is more likely to be smooth if that break happens in the middle of the movement.
Finally, we tend to stage the trigger because we haven't really mentally committed to good shot execution when we started the pull. Your shot is more likely to be true if you mentally commit to executing an excellent shot when you started the pull.
Couple o' thoughts on general shot execution (because these can trip you up even if your DA trigger technique is good):
Peeking at the target between shots is a bad habit and a real accuracy killer. Unfortunately, it's a tough habit to break. It comes from wanting to shoot a good group, rather than wanting to execute the fundamentals for each and every shot well. IOW, it's because one's mind is on the goal, rather than the process, but without the process, the goal is for naught.
I've written it before, but it bears repeating: The target isn't important. It's really just a recording device that uses bullets to record how well you executed the fundamentals. The front sight does the same thing without making a hard copy, so put & keep your awareness there.
If the target's too distracting, get rid of it entirely, and shoot into the backstop or berm while executing one perfect shot after another.
Speaking of targets, use an official bullseye-type target appropriate for the distance. Don't use a piece of cardboard with a spraycan bullseye sprayed on it, some dumb zombie target, or even an ShootNC target. You need a target with a precise aimpoint and/or doesn't tempt you to peek.
Distance: don't stretch the distance much beyond what you're able to shoot good groups with. Your subconscious will know it's pointless to try for a good group, so you'll just practice taking what amounts to pot shots.
Tempo: When practicing your marksmanship skills (i.e., the fundamentals), take all the time you need. Shoot 5-shot groups, but make up your mind that each and every one of those those will represent your best effort. If you have to lower the gun, so be it (lower your gaze, too, so you don't peek).
Dry fire: Can't emphasize it enough, but it has to be quality dry fire. Not blindly yanking the trigger while you're watching TV. It's a trigger control exercise, but it's a vision exercise as well, in that you're training yourself to really focus on the front sight.
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