Topic: Trigger control, mental prep.

[monkeywrench]

I was thinking about everything I do when that last moment comes while squeezing the trigger. This is a rifle I am talking about. My breathing control, cheek weld, sight picture thru the scope, finger pressure. While I wait for the shot I notice my heart beat is affecting the sight picture thru the scope. How do you compensate  for that?  How long between when you slowly release your breath and round fires? What if a gust of wind comes up and you hesitate to take the shot? Doesn't that mess up the timing of everything? How do you get mentally prepared before shooting? Do you visualize before hand every step that occurs? What about getting into the zone where everything else not important is blocked out? I am sure there is somethnig else I am leaving out, but I have been thinking alot about this. Are there any good books about this? Any advice from members?

[Spiff]

I think how to deal with most of this is just through experience. I have a book by G. David Tubb (look on www.zediker.com), a many time high power shooting champ. In it he talks about the fact that *everyones* site picture moves. Experience teaches you went to shoot just as the sight picture comes into alignment with your target. I found that amazing, for some reason I always figure that if you could see through the sights while a person Tubbs was holding the rifle there would be zero movement. Rock solid. Not the case however.

Wind will knock any one around, except for maybe in the prone position.

The only thing I really try to do is work on my breathing. Don't take deep breaths, exhale about half way, hold it and try to get a shot off in 8 seconds or so. Focus on the front sight (or red dot).

[Idaho_Gun_Nut]

I've personally found that if I snap shoot right after exhaling my half breath when the sights come into alignment on the target that I shoot my best groups.  When I try to hold my breath after exhaling and steady the shot for absolute target center is when I mess up.