What I did different this time

[308LIBERTY]

After finally shooting Rifleman, I've been trying to contemplate all the things I might have done differently this time, not only to instill these things in my own technique but maybe to help others achieve the same goal. These are the most obvious observations I came up with:

1. For the first time in 5 Appleseeds (2 of them just day-trips) I got a good night's sleep. Every other AS I barely slept more than a couple hours due to anticipation and because my mind would not stop considering everything I had to do. To be completely honest, I broke one of my own rules (shame on me) and had a couple "adult beverages" before bed, slept like a log and woke up feeling confident and refreshed. (I do not suggest or endorse this very bad behavior of me and still recommend at least a 24-hour "bottle to throttle" rule for a sound mind and body.) I think the point is, sometimes you just need to unwind a little and make sure you are well rested.

2. The prone position finally did become (less uncomfortable). During the ball and dummy drill, even as my blood circulation was beginning to seize up a bit, I honestly contemplated catching a quick nap while my partner loaded (or pretended) to load the mag. At some point, your body will figure out how to make this work if you practice the steady-hold factors and just let your body sink into that position rather than straining to hold it. Dry fire practice is good, but sometimes I think practicing NPOA shifts, even without pulling the trigger is priceless. Your body will figure out weird little things like simply moving one particular muscle in your leg to move from one target to another. If your front sight seems off, even by a fraction when the trigger breaks, move your body, not the rifle. Practice it the proper way as much as possible, but if your body finds a slightly unconventional way to do something, and it works, go with it. Everyone's body is built different and only you can figure out how it fits in every position.

3. I practiced stage 1 with the stage 2 targets instead, and stage 3 targets out to 50 yards. (Aim small, miss small) I even tried shooting the AQT at 75 yards (without much success). I also started practicing stage 1 with my lever action, forcing me to break position on every shot. If you challenge yourself beyond the requirements of the AQT, it will seem easier when it's time. It's like picking up a heavier bat to warm up before taking the plate in baseball. I actually didn't get the memo AS was cancelled two weeks ago and spent the morning shooting the smallest targets I could find from all 3 positions at 75 yards. (breaking clay pigeons is a lot more exciting than putting holes in paper btw.

4. I still didn't do much dry fire (again, shame on me). But I attempted to get to the range at least once a week leading up to AS and occasionally I would sit still without even a rifle and simply practice breathing and moving my trigger finger to improve the timing in Rifleman's cadence. In-Out-Pause-Squeeze-Hold and then holding my finger back until about halfway through the next In breath. (It would've been even better to visualize and repeat the 6 steps to firing the shot while using a clicky pen.) See? Always room for improvement.

5. Although I somehow managed to score Rifleman several times that day (without even knowing it thanks to PHenry's constant poker-face grin), the first test was still my best score. Oddly enough I told myself that one was "just or practice." I know I didn't do all the things I was supposed to, I rushed stage 1, didn't even take my time in stage 4, just shot mostly in cadence and kept saying to myself I was just goona "choot it" and let the bullets land where they may. Once you get the basics, the next thing you have to do is control, or simply relax your mind. Your own natural reflexes are often far superior than the hurdles you try and put your mind through. The only thing I did concentrate on was "In-Out-Pause-Squeeze-Hold and repeat, Re-checked NPOA between targets (occasionally) and just shot away at it.

I honestly didn't even expect to make score that first test and kept trying to improve and focus more as the day went on. As it turned out, the 1 time I didn't care about my score, I more than achieved it, even surpassing the goal I had set for myself that day. My stage 1 groups actually got a little better as the day progressed, but the other stages sometimes took a beating the more I tried to focus and take my time. I did just as well with only 1 minute on stage 4 in R.F. as I did with the eternity of 4 minutes. This does NOT mean you shouldn't do exactly as they say and re-verify every shot on stage 4 twice. But it does indicate that once you feel confident, you have to learn to simply trust yourself and shoot the way you've been taught. While I'm really excited to have achieved a solid score on my first AQT of the day, I'm actually most proud of having shot Rifleman in rapid fire when you have no time but to simply trust yourself and shoot. There is a huge amount of difference between staying focused and thinking too much. Admittedly, I rushed the heck out of stage 1 hoping to give myself more time for stage 4 but I didn't need it and should've simply shot stage 1 in the same cadence and focused mind as the rest. See? Always room for improvement.

[ItsanSKS]

Excellent review, Dwight!  And, congratulations on shooting the Rifleman score!

Your observation on the utility of Riflemans Cadence mirrors my own- when I simply get into a rhythm and squeeze the trigger on each pause, my scores improve dramatically.   I often encourage my students to 'fuss your NPOA, then TRUST it, firing in cadence'.  Take two, three, even four breath cycles to confirm that your NPOA is exactly where you want it, then, beginning with a fresh breath, start shooting in cadence. 

I think practicing NPOA shifts, even without pulling the trigger is priceless.

ABSOLUTELY!  Another thing to practice is your transitions.  A proper transition should be one fluid motion- no wasted movements, no lurching about, and no major adjustments once you get to the ground; a proper transition places your NPOA *on target*.  A failed transition places your sights *near* the target...   


Finally, with regards to always room for improvement-  I don't worry about my scores much anymore, instead, I choose to focus on the time in which I achieve them.  By practicing my transitions and magazine changes, I am able to shave many, many seconds off the standard COF for the AQT.