Forget to mention that as Bulls-eye shooters we shoot 3 stages of fire, so do we need to develop 3 Shot Processes? No
The slow fire shot process is the process that will be used in timed and rapid fire as well. You may have to tweak the process that you developed in slow fire to ensure that it works in all three stage.
What is important to remember is that when in sustained fire we are responding to the commands from the tower. So when the tower is giving commande we need to be able to take the shot process that was developed in slow fire and plug it into the commands as to when we raise the gun. You want to avoid raising the gun to early or to late. If the gun is raised to early you will be looking at sight alignment, but telling yourself to not pull the trigger and we want the trigger to be able to start moving as soon as the gun starts to settle. Remember this is why holding drills are a bad thing. In holding drills we are looking at the sights perfectly aligned and telling ourself to not pull the trigger and we want the finger to react to what the eye sees. If the gun is raised to late then the target will appear before we are ready and this will lead to jumpimg on the trigger before we are ready. So figure out in the commands how long it takes for the the gun to begin that initial settle into the aiming are and the trigger should start moving to the rear without the conscious thought of doing it.
Don’t change the process, just figure out where in the commands you need to initiate your process. Ultimately we are trying to get the first shot of timed and rapid fire to break as the target turns, trying to avoid your finger reacting to the movement of the target.
If a Master is holding a long time he/she has not yer developed a good shot process. Sometimes there may be a reason, but if they are holding longer than other shots, they are out of the shot process or they have not yet developed one. Master or non-master, “when in doubt, put it down.”
Repeating the question asked by Hardball above…at matches I also see the Masters/HM holding a loooonnnggg time. Sometimes they abort, more often than not, they pull the trigger. Should a non-master always follow the “if in doubt, put it down quickly” philosophy?
Brian will be back in the country around June 8th. Thanks for your question.
Two questions.
Is it wise to use the first shot of timed fire to help develop the SF shot?
I often see High Masters hold and hold a long time. They abort some, but their shot seems very long. What’s up with that?