The shooting skill that took the longest to develop

[Alan]

I will say "calling my shots knowing where the bullet went before seeing the target". It ook me years to develop that level of awareness of sight picture and trigger press. I am still not perfect at it. It's one of those expert-level skills that separates good shooters from great ones. Patience and thousands of rounds eventually get you there.

 

[AveragEd]

After decades of handgun and rifle shooting, my most difficult transition was shotgun when I took up competitive trapshooting in 1989. I would have been low man on a squad with four blind shooters but l-o-n-g story short, I went on to be our Class AA State Champion with my first 200x200 in June of 2000 and was punched to the 27 yardline a month later. I recorded perfect scores in eight different states and enjoyed the sport tremendously before torn rotator cuffs eliminated me in 2008.

Ed

 

[projoe]

Figuring out how to call my shots took me years. As soon as I started trusting what I was seeing, my groupings got way tighter. It’s a skill no one really talks about.

 

[swampfox]

Learning to shoot "both eyes open". Shot Benchrest matches for many years.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I got pretty good at shooting hand guns both eyes open. Calling my shots i never heard of before. Something new to work on.

 

[swampfox]

Figuring out how to call my shots took me years. As soon as I started trusting what I was seeing, my groupings got way tighter. It’s a skill no one really talks about.

IME calling shots encompasses two parameters: 1/ Recall of the sight picture at the precise moment of fire 2/ What the exact conditions, i.e. wind, mirage, light were at the moment of fire and how you adjusted ( Kentucky windage) for these conditions. #2 comes into play if you shoot competition and have means to monitor "conditions" or have extensive experience correlating what the natural environment is showing -i.e. a military marksman using tree / grass movement to determine what affect it has on bullet flight to the target.

 

[Mad Irish Jack]

It's my instant recall of site location at ignition and follow through, noticing where the projectile hits. It matters in all shooting sports ( Small & Large bore rifles and handguns; ML's and Archery types). I learned shooting from grey beards of these skills and weapons.
Remember: D L P E T P. (Discus, Learn, Practice, Evaluate, Talk/Teach, & Practice X- Infinity!)1- Find like interested people to DISCUS the topic of shooting whatever. 2- Learn by retaining info from discussions. Take all the garnered info to practice with for pertinence to you're development. 3- and PRACTICE (needs to be a religious, concentrated effort, not just burning ammo). 4- EVALUATE the target; learn to read what they tell you about skills attempted. Take written notes for review and planning future practice skills (Note book or on targets). 5- Find folks to talk shooting with and exchange of info. This makes it a swap of info (Teach and Learn improves the sport and its' reputation). 6- PRACTICE, PRACTICE X INFINATELY. Not practicing creates a mental, as well as a physical, degradation of skills.