Technique: Trigger pull between heartbeats?

redman

redman

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When I shoot off the bench, which I do with both elbows/arms supported on said bench, one is the trigger hand, one is under the rear of the stock for aiming (no bag), I can "see" the crosshair move with my heartbeat, but not all that much. That being the case, my shots don't get deflected too much if it goes off at the same time as my heart, and I can usually hold about ½ MOA this way, give or take.

So yesterday, I decide to make it a little more challenging, using the bench to support my rifle only. I set my self up so that the forend of my rifle was supported, but that I was in a kneeling position with my shooting arm's elbow supported on my knee. My other arm was under the rear of the stock as usual, but held up against the same knee.

Probably hard to visualize with my description above :p, but it was actually pretty stable however I did notice that my heartbeat was being a much bigger factor than before... So tried to time the trigger pull between beats, but what I ended up doing was pulling the trigger instead of squeezing, so my shots would often be deflected left. I had about a second between beats, and since I never know when the trigger will go off while squeezing, I had to kind of persuade it :D with a bit of a pull, yielding crappy results.

Anyone have a better way of releasing the trigger without pulling while avoiding deflections due to heartbeat ?

Thanks :)
 
With concentration and practice you can slow your heart rate momentarily to break a shot. I learned to do it prone with a sling and irons but no reason you couldn't do it off a bench. Info on this would most likely be in books on Palma, Match Rifle etc type shooting.
 
Most younger people have very active parasympathetic tone. If you have this, you will notice that your heart rate slows on exhalation and increases with inhalation. Rather than taking a breath and holding it, let most of your breath out... pause briefly and squeeze the trigger.
 
As mentioned above learning to slow your heart rate has alot to do with a steady hold. I shoot prone 22 match and have learned to pay alot of attention to not holding my breath even the slightest amount. Having a light trigger[ 4 oz] helps also.

Mr/Mrs 1000 yards
 
Breaking a shot, like tieing your shoe laces, is a subcientious activity. If you think about it, and shoot the shot deliberatly, the heart beat will get in the way. If you break the shot using subcientious control, it will break betwen heart beats.

You need to practice a lot, breaking perfect shots. If you practice breaking bad shots you become very good at breaking bad shots. A shooting coach could help.
 
Grab a book on how to shoot silhouette. You shoot standing up at objects a long ways a way so all body motions, heart beat and breathing come into play.

The process is still the same - get into a rhythm. When I was shooting rimfire silhouette I learnt from the better shooters that you can't ever stop your motion BUT you can get into a rhythm so that you break the trigger when the crosshairs pass where you want the bullet to go.

Don't try and force the crosshairs to stay still while you increase pressure on the trigger. Instead, "watch the bouncing dot". With lots of practise, you can get it into a repeating pattern. I liked horizontal 8.

So as my wobbling crossed the center which was where the target was, the trigger would break. You increase pressure in time with your motion - a timed squeeze. If my form and wind doping was on, the target would get hit.

You might find practising with a rimfire a whole lot less expensive cause you will need many many shots to get it down.

My guess is that the very best silh shooters would be in the 1 to 2 MOA range on their hindlegs.

Jerry
 
mysticplayer said:
Grab a book on how to shoot silhouette. You shoot standing up at objects a long ways a way so all body motions, heart beat and breathing come into play.
The process is still the same - get into a rhythm. When I was shooting rimfire silhouette I learnt from the better shooters that you can't ever stop your motion BUT you can get into a rhythm so that you break the trigger when the crosshairs pass where you want the bullet to go.
Don't try and force the crosshairs to stay still while you increase pressure on the trigger. Instead, "watch the bouncing dot". With lots of practise, you can get it into a repeating pattern. I liked horizontal 8.
So as my wobbling crossed the center which was where the target was, the trigger would break. You increase pressure in time with your motion - a timed squeeze. If my form and wind doping was on, the target would get hit.
You might find practising with a rimfire a whole lot less expensive cause you will need many many shots to get it down.
My guess is that the very best silh shooters would be in the 1 to 2 MOA range on their hindlegs.
Jerry
Click to expand...

What Jerry has said here is basically what is needed to successfully shoot the silhouette game. I shot for several years with a guy who averaged 38/40 on the rimfire targets, so you know he shot a number of perfect scores. He said the same thing. One cannot expect to be absolutely still, but you can lessen the movement, and you can learn when to let the trigger "break" in relation to the sight picture. Regards, Eagleye.
 
Obtunded said:
Most younger people have very active parasympathetic tone. If you have this, you will notice that your heart rate slows on exhalation and increases with inhalation. Rather than taking a breath and holding it, let most of your breath out... pause briefly and squeeze the trigger.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I experience... My problem is that between beats I have, at best, a little over a second, so not enough time to gently squeeze the trigger.

.330Dakota said:
depending how large of a caliber your shooting try a free recoil position, a rear rest will help a lot too.
Click to expand...

It's a .308 Win., and my point was to find some positions that were a bit more versatile, e.g. you don't see benches growing out of the ground at the local game park lol ;)

mysticplayer said:
Grab a book on how to shoot silhouette. You shoot standing up at objects a long ways a way so all body motions, heart beat and breathing come into play.

The process is still the same - get into a rhythm. When I was shooting rimfire silhouette I learnt from the better shooters that you can't ever stop your motion BUT you can get into a rhythm so that you break the trigger when the crosshairs pass where you want the bullet to go.

Don't try and force the crosshairs to stay still while you increase pressure on the trigger. Instead, "watch the bouncing dot". With lots of practise, you can get it into a repeating pattern. I liked horizontal 8.

So as my wobbling crossed the center which was where the target was, the trigger would break. You increase pressure in time with your motion - a timed squeeze. If my form and wind doping was on, the target would get hit.

You might find practising with a rimfire a whole lot less expensive cause you will need many many shots to get it down.

My guess is that the very best silh shooters would be in the 1 to 2 MOA range on their hindlegs.

Jerry
Click to expand...

I used to have an air rifle, so I kind of regret not practicing this more when I had the chance based on what you describe. What I find most challenging in general is timing the trigger break... It begs the question: given that, even in a pattern, the crosshair will be over the mark only briefly for a given cycle, especially in the standing position, how to break the trigger so quickly with tugging?
 
^ OK, I guess I had that coming... Does this make sense: instead of applying all the pressure needed to break between a single pair of beats, apply gradual pressure between several pairs of beats until the trigger breaks?

If I'm gonna PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE, best that I practice right! :)

Thanks
 
Each shooter develops their own method to balance their body form and trigger pull. There isn't one right answer. It just has to be consistent, repeatable, and provide the result you want. If you read David Tubbs style of shooting, he freely admits it is more for a shotgun then a precision rifle but it works for him.

When you practise alot, you will soon see trends that work for you. Your body WILL develop a rhythm that is mimiced in all your shooting. You just need to learn what it is saying to you then listen to your body cues when it isn't working right.

If you feel tense and very fatigued, odds are you are focing your position and long term success is poor. Get comfy in whatever position you need to engage the target in. Get into your rhythm and take the shot. With time, it can take only a few seconds to transition to your shooting form.

That time may be years of practise.....

Jerry
 
I have personally found a big gut and a fat ass tends to isolate my heart beats from the gun. Furthermore, if you consume fatty foods, your blood can't move and cause all that vibration. I call it Sumo shooting.
 
Well as you can see from my sig, it's gonna be 1 year of shooting a fullbore, centrefire rifle, so I guess I have much to do! I'll read up on silhouette shooting & Tubb's technique.

Live and learn; your input was appreciated, Mystic!

Obtunded said:
I have personally found a big gut and a fat ass tends to isolate my heart beats from the gun. Furthermore, if you consume fatty foods, your blood can't move and cause all that vibration. I call it Sumo shooting.
Click to expand...

lol, not sure if the subsequent cardiac issues would be worth it; to each their own I guess!
 
Get into better shape. Cardio wise. Heart won't have to work as hard..

Relax. Try and clear the mind.

As for the bench, get into a comfortable position. Feet flat on ground. Your not straining to hold yourself in any position.

As for shooting standing free hand, upper body strength or conditioning is good. I shot free standing yesterday for the first time in years. I was lucky it was a light 22 cal lever gun. Both my wife and I realized how awkward it was.
 
for the trigger break, practice dry firing the rifle at home. whether in front of the tv keeping a bead on a target on the screen or in with your eyes closed see if you keep your aim point after the break teaches a good follow through.
 
Shooting a rifle match in prone position Saturday after recovering from shoulder surgery was a real eye-opener. Each relay and there were 3 consisted of 10 rounds in 17 min. The first 2 went well but everything went down hill after that so at the end of the third relay it was Tylenol 3 time.
As those in the know say...practice, practice,and more practice cause it doesn't take long away from the gun to get out of touch....
 
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