As the adage goes, practice makes perfect, and that can't be any truer for people who want to improve their marksmanship. However, apart from hitting your target, there's more to aim practice you'll learn. Let's talk about that here!
How Aim Practice Helps Your Shooting Skills
Trips to the range can become expensive very quickly, as you purchase and fill a range bag and replace used ammunition.
You may be wondering if the time spent practicing is worth the financial investment into your sport or hobby.
Once you’ve familiarized yourself with your firearms and can comfortably shoot them with some accuracy, should you still visit the range regularly?
The answer is a resounding YES.
If your interest is in close quarters self-defense, your time spent at the range will pay off in the long run.
As you prepare to defend your home or yourself, you will realize that an attack in your home will likely come when you are least prepared and possibly unable to do more than grab your gun and shoot.
Time is of the essence and your life is on the line. This is where you will rely on instinctive shooting.
What Is Instinctive Shooting?
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Instinctive shooting is practicing consistently with a particular weapon until you can shoot accurately without focusing on aim.
Your brain becomes so tuned into the weight of the gun and the height you must hold it, that you can subconsciously determine the proper use of the gun.
Instinctive shooting has been used for centuries and with many types of weapons, including bows and arrows and crossbows. Even if you have studied your weapon diligently, nothing takes the place of practice and experience.
In building muscle memory, it’s important to stay focused and pay attention to what you are doing during your training sessions.
Practice Point Shooting
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Instinctive shooting is also called Point Shooting and is often a part of military training.
There are several specific methods you can study and learn, but all remove the reliance on sights while increasing a shooter’s ability to hit targets at a short distance under less-than-ideal conditions.
The key to Point Shooting is in using a consistent and strong stance with your firearm at the ready. By keeping your arm and wrist locked and steady, you maintain reliable control over where the bullets go.
Even when faced with distractions and while in motion, maintaining the same strong stance greatly increases a shooter’s ability to hit targets. In some controlled studies, shooters who practiced Point Shooting increased target accuracy from 4 out of 12 to 10 out of 12.
Consistency Is Key
In shooting, your success is not measured by how well you hold your weapon or how quickly you can reload (although in timed competitions this does come into play). Your consistent ability to hit your target, whether it is at the range, out hunting, or in protecting your home, ultimately determines your level of success.
If you are competing, hunting your next meal, or protecting a life, your aim practice can make all the difference.
Range time is a valuable resource that you should keep in your schedule. As with all skills, your aim can fade over time if not worked on regularly. But unlike many skills, your aim practice can save your life.
How has aim practice at the range helped your shooting skills? We'd love to hear from you in the comments section!
Up Next:
- 5 Tips To Improve Your Marksmanship
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- Accuracy vs Precision: How Do They Differ?
Point Shooting is a major part of my personal and home defense plan. As the article says, self defense shooting situations usually come on suddenly, without warning and in low light conditions. Low light means you probably won’t be able to see the sights well enough or have time, to line them up properly. I also practice hip shooting, when I’m out where it’s safe to do so. Most gun ranges won’t allow this. One handed shooting is important to practice, in case you attacker is within arms reach of you and has a knife or other weapon.