When I started at the shooting club, doing light sporting rifle (LSR), I was shooting some great scores (for a beginner anyway). I was getting 95/96 pretty easily. For the uninitiated, LSR is aimed at rimfire and air rifles shooting stood, unsupported at PL-14 targets 20 metres away. The smallest ring on the PL-14 scores a 10, so the maximum score for a single card is 100 (10 shots per card).
After my initial success, I signed up to do the league, and then my nerves got hold and the scores dropped, to an average of around 89/90. Sometimes I was getting 75-80, with wild shots going into the 6-ring. This is all due to my nerves, the gun shakes a lot when I know I'm doing a comp. card. It's very frustrating.
Last week I went to the club and it was pretty busy, and my first couple of practices were pretty good, but then my first comp. card was around 88. I told myself to calm down and tried to control my nerves a bit, by focusing on three things: stance, hold and trigger finger.
I try to get the right stance by holding the gun on target and closing my eyes for 5-10 seconds, then opening them and seeing where the gun is pointing. Then I move my body to the left/right accordingly and repeat the process until the sight remains on target after I open my eyes.
The weight of the gun is held almost entirely by my left hand (I am right-handed) and I don't interfere with the hold with either my shoulder or right hand. The gun simply rests on my left hand.
The trigger finger is placed on the trigger with just the pad of the finger and I pull back gently into the axis of the rifle.
When I stop and think about these things, my group gets smaller and even when nervous and shaking it works. I just need to stop the shakes and hopefully my scores will get better.
After my initial success, I signed up to do the league, and then my nerves got hold and the scores dropped, to an average of around 89/90. Sometimes I was getting 75-80, with wild shots going into the 6-ring. This is all due to my nerves, the gun shakes a lot when I know I'm doing a comp. card. It's very frustrating.
Last week I went to the club and it was pretty busy, and my first couple of practices were pretty good, but then my first comp. card was around 88. I told myself to calm down and tried to control my nerves a bit, by focusing on three things: stance, hold and trigger finger.
I try to get the right stance by holding the gun on target and closing my eyes for 5-10 seconds, then opening them and seeing where the gun is pointing. Then I move my body to the left/right accordingly and repeat the process until the sight remains on target after I open my eyes.
The weight of the gun is held almost entirely by my left hand (I am right-handed) and I don't interfere with the hold with either my shoulder or right hand. The gun simply rests on my left hand.
The trigger finger is placed on the trigger with just the pad of the finger and I pull back gently into the axis of the rifle.
When I stop and think about these things, my group gets smaller and even when nervous and shaking it works. I just need to stop the shakes and hopefully my scores will get better.
