Josh Montgomery: Staying Stable While Shooting.
Staying
Stable While Shooting
The importance of shooting
stability is often overrated – especially the fact that it is linked
with the safety of the shooter and not only. The truth is that the two of them
are connected. You need to have the right posture in order to increase your
shooting accuracy. And the right posture can be achieved through stability.
There is a study that
analyzes the relationship between the two.
On that note, today, we will
introduce you to some handy tips. These tips should help you optimize your
stability when shooting. It’s important to become more responsible shooters,
especially if you want to safeguard the safety of your family and children.
The
Right Shooting Stance
Some people might think that the
way in which you stand doesn’t impact the way you shoot. This is not true,
though. This is basically the very foundation of shooting. And when you don’t
have a steady foundation, the odds are that your shooting performance will be
affected, to some extent or another.
It goes without saying that
recoil and loud explosions are in no way fun or expected. Not to mention that
they could really jeopardize your safety. If we were to get technical, there
are three primary types of stances – namely Weaver, Isosceles and Chapman. These
represent different variations of leg and arm placement.
When you have the right shooting
stance, this will help you stay stable. And most importantly, this will allow
you to get better at shooting. The right technique can really make the world of
a difference. We can say just the same about picking the right gun. Whether we
are talking about lighter
and smaller guns for women or big, massive rifles, your
shooting stance is an essential element. Make sure you have it right. And if you
don’t, it’s never too late to learn a bit more about it.
The
Importance of Handgun Grip
The next thing on the list is
definitely the handgun grip. When you hold a gun, you need to be serious about
it. Just as you would be about holding your future or your safety, so to speak.
That doesn’t mean you should grip the handgun as hard as you can since this
could backfire as well. You need to feel confident whenever you take the gun in
your hand. And this has to do with a firm, secure grip.
When you have a firm handgun
grip, this will diminish the movement of your non-trigger-fingers. This is,
essentially a good thing. Not to mention that the manner in which you hold your
gun will impact your accuracy. Ideally, the distance between your trigger
finger and your thumb should be high. In this way, the grip will contain the
recoil of the slide that moves back and forth.
Usually, it’s advisable to keep
your support hand really high on the back of the gun. You might even attempt to
get some of your hand behind the grip if that’s a possibility. Once you do
that, you can even keep the thumbs forward – depending on the size of your
hands. Or you can keep the thumbs high. This will keep your wrists in place.
Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that your grip also has to do with your
individual hand and the size of your finger – of course.
Now, let’s say your hands are
smaller, which would make your fingers a bit shorter. In this case, your thumbs
will imminently be pointed more upright. This only means that you should keep
experimenting, testing different techniques and pinpointing what works best to
boost your stability.
Keep
Your Elbows Bent
Did you ever think that the way
in which you keep your elbows has to do with your shooting stability? This
should go without saying.
Most people assume that they
enjoy more control over the handgun if they keep their elbows locked, so to
speak. But this is rarely the case. Usually, you get more control and stability
by keeping your elbows a bit bent. Why would you do that? There are several
ways in which we could explain this.
For one thing, this will help
your elbows to act as natural shock
absorbers. Therefore, you will control the recoil better. Another aspect
worth noting would be that this determines you to keep your wrists in place so
that you maintain the sights aligned with your eyes. Meanwhile, a slight bend
in the elbows will allow you to deter driving the first shot low whenever
you’re in a hurry to shoot.
You might even keep your elbows a
bit up. This will create inward crushing pressure.
Take
Your Time
A common mistake most people do
is lifting the finger off immediately after every shot and looking at the
target. The truth is that the target won’t run anywhere. It will still be there
a few seconds later, which only means you should take your time. When you take
off the finger too quickly, the likelihood of firing too fast and jerking the
trigger is higher. Another risk that comes with the territory would be adding
excess movement to the gun.
Not to mention that you’ll make your
life more difficult when you’ll shoot the next fire. This is where proper
trigger reset can make the world of a difference. This can maintain the trigger
all the way at the end. In addition to that, this will release the trigger at
the right time – when you’ll feel the click. It’s a good thing not to rush
yourself, especially if you’re just starting out. Even when it comes to
experienced shooters, this doesn’t make it appropriate to do things in a rushed
way, as this could impair your safety.
The
Bottom Line
Shooting is not as simple as it
may seem. And if you’re concerned about the importance of safety when shooting,
these tips should come in handy. The bottom line is that you won’t become a pro
in a matter of days. These things take time, and you should be patient with
yourself. You’ll get there before you know it with perseverance and
determination.
