Autoloaders and instinctive shooting style...

[mordecai]

I've studied, learned and practiced the steps involved in firing offhand at a little metal silhouette. This includes a few of the tricks to keep the eye in the game and using its ability to compute.

Recently I put together a super-light weight 10/22 for the kids and decided to try it in a match. Needless to say, I scored about 20 more hits than I thought I would and came close to tying my bolt-action score.

Here's what I did differently. I decided to inject some rhythm into my aiming and let the eye do some instinctive aiming. If the dot was in the white, squeeze and head to the next. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. It worked pretty well although I have my doubts about it being better than deliberate aiming techniques.

Anyhow, I bring this up because I'm curious what other's think of this style of shooting in Silhouette? It's certainly common in speed-shooting disciplines like pistol steel, IDPA, IPSC, etc... I've heard stories of a few Champion-level Masters using a similar technique with their bolt guns where they fire quite rapidly... what say the masses?

[Jetmugg]

Maybe it's because I didn't have a very refined technique at the time (I still don't), but I had good luck using the same technique you described with a nearly stock 10/22 as well. Maybe it's because I was able to get into a decent position and hold it better than when I take my bolt gun down to cycle the action, or maybe not.

Whatever the case, I definitely found myself getting into a "rhythm" with the 10/22, and at times, it seemed like the silhouettes were just easier to hit, jumping off the rails. It didn't seem like a very sophisticated strategy, but when the targets were dropping, it just seemed natural to go the next one and keep pulling the trigger.

One thing's for sure - I was never in danger of running out of time when shooting the 10/22.

SteveM.

[kevinpagano]

Very interesting topic. I come from both practical pistol and shotgun disciplines. I have wondered what would happen if I just pulled the gun in tight and squeeze the trigger instinctively like a shotgun instead of waiting for the perfect shot. I might try it see what happens in practice.

Kevin

[mordecai]

Very interesting topic. I come from both practical pistol and shotgun disciplines. I have wondered what would happen if I just pulled the gun in tight and squeeze the trigger instinctively like a shotgun instead of waiting for the perfect shot. I might try it see what happens in practice.

Kevin

EEEKS! To be honest, that's why I've been hesitant to bring this topic up. I'm wondering how much I'm undermining my learned technique (and to a greater extent, how much I'm ruining my kids' learning of a "proper aimed" technique).

Here's another observation I've had. I started silhouette with a plain 10/22 and had terrible luck - I immediately got a bolt gun. But now that I have some basic silhouette skills down, I find the instinctive style of shooting much more productive than it was before in terms of hits.

Anyhow, hopefully I haven't brought up a topic that sends a shooter down that dark path and gets me a scolding from those-in-the-know??? I'm just very curious if this style has any place in the discipline?

[Jason]

I started with a tweaked 10/22 in a thumbhole stock. I didn't know how hard silhouette was supposed to be and got 30/60 my first time out, including 9/15 turkeys. I didn't seem to be able to get any better doing that, so I went to more deliberate techniques and my scores started going up.

[timfinle]

Steve,

When a friend shot my 10/22 he used the exact technique you described and it worked well for him.

I just recently tried using a varient on what you describe as moving to the next target. I used and upward motion, keeping the target in the vertical cross hair above the dot. When the dot reached the target I pulled the trigger. I shot 6 out 10 turkeys this way. I did not have the guts to use this technique in the match.

Maybe I should try it. It's just I do not want to destroy the progress I have made using a more conventional targeting method.

[kevinpagano]

heehehehe, I am too chicken as well to try this in a match. I think that I will continue the same path that I started as I have been improving. It is an interesting thought though.

Kevin

[shootnchef]

The techique you guys are describing is something that comes with alot of practice. The easiest way to describe it for me is that you take your first shot that is in the center of the animal. The best way for me to practice this is to place a 1/4 inch circle in the exact middle of the target and only shoot when the dot is on that. The other thing to do is find out if anybody in your area has a ten meter running target machine. That thing will teach too take your first best shot like nothing else!