How do you shoot?

[5ontarget]

Ok, not too many jokes here. Yes, I know with a gun.

What I mean...
Do you have any particular drills you practice at the range or home? Do you just plink away at the 10ring? Try multiple targets? Double taps, drawing skills, trigger control, etc?

I often start off with a couple of drills, and then degrade into shooting for accuracy at various ranges.

[TMan]

Well, what I do vs. what I intend to do? Lately, I realized that I haven't been seeing my brass being ejected. That means at the point I think the gun is going off, I'm closing my eyes. The good news from that is when the .22 brass goes over the top of my glasses, it is just my eye-lid that gets burned.

Although I seldom have the time in the morning to do it, I like to dry-fire whatever it is that I'm going to shoot that day. Some guns I have a real problem with the front sight being in focus. I also sometimes will develop a flinching, and I'm not alone. I've watched my shooting buddy flinch shooting a .22 when the gun didn't go off at the point he thought it would. (He is a lot better shot than I am too).

I don't have a range where they allow you to draw from a holster. I do have one that allows double-caps. Primarily, I'm shooting for accuracy. I've gotten to the point that even with the .22 semi's, I only load 5 rounds. I do this because with 10 rounds I found that I was hurrying towards the last few rounds having forgotten to breath.

Sometimes when I'm doing poorly, I have to set the gun down and think about the basics: am I pushing with the strong hand and pulling with the weak hand? Am I relaxed with the strong hand and squeezing with the weak hand? Am I focused on the front site? Am I squeezing the trigger vs jerking it? Am I afraid of this gun? Why the %$#& did I drink all that coffee before coming to the range? ;D

[klmhq]

Last trip to the range I put four of the three inch, red, sticky targets on two different targets. My drill was to put a bullet in each one as quickly as possible... this was at 7.5 yards (the closest our range allows).

I wasn't doing very well until I slowed down a little. I found that the first shot was right on, but the other three were generally low and to the left.

While I was there, another guy showed me how he shot with a two handed grip (vs. the two handed grip I was using). I liked his much better and was able to shoot the metal turkey at 50 yds with the Trailside.

["DoubleAction"]

One drill I practice with consistancy, whether at home, at the range, or when I'm armed, is Safety. I think we all have our own safety drills that we practice when handling firearms, otherwise we would all be having some very sad stories to share.
While shooting; I usually start with accuracy and work up to speed. I can usually tell if something is not right with the ammunition I'm using, the grip I put on my gun for the first time, or my slide is pounding the frame harder than it should. Switching from different ammunition will sometimes show immediate results from five inch groups to one inch groups or less; It will also increase the smooth operation of my gun, as well as my speed.
My drill is to practice the same methods of shooting that I have during those best days that I've had at the range. If I change anything in between, it usually results in discarding the idea as a notion.
One drill I practice on occassions is light tapping the trigger, rather than a squeeze. With a trigger like the 1911 with zero take up and zero over travel, a high ride back strap grip safety, firm checkered grip panels and front strap, two hand hold with thumb over thumb, locked wrist, using a modified weaver stance with the weak arm supporting the strong side of the dominate eye and axis of the shooting arm, keeping the shooting arm slightly bend to counter muzzle flip in maintaining the locked wrist, and having my feet firmly planted with that found in the modified weaver stance, recoil is minumized, accuracy is maximized, and speed becomes a possibility.
Using some grades of .45 acp ammunition will have adverse effects on how well I tap out my shots for accuracy, but other ammunition might have more favorable results, so I reserve this method for certain ammunition.
The same method of rapid fire can be practiced with the triggers on the Sigs because of their short reset on single action, but the pad of the trigger finger must be in contact with the trigger in order to prevent the trigger from forward over travel on the reset.
Most of the time I use the Birchwood Casey "Shoot N See" 5 inch targets, Oval and Round. These provide me with immediate feedback after engaging the target.
One drill I practice is cutting out the target; This is when I find my niche rather early and resort to a destructive behaivor on the target. Once the outside edges are perforated, the inside can be punched out with a few remaining shots.
I've been going to the same range for around fifteen years; Seen alot of counter guys come and go. One thing that has cause problems is new shooters
coming in and shooting the guide wires and other things by trying rapid fire. The counter guys have been instructed to ban those who practice this method of shooting. Nothing has been said to me about it when I'm put on the rifle range during a crowded day, but some hotdog on the pistol range always tries to show off with his 9mm by doing the rapid fire.
I would not suggest that anyone use this method of shooting because I use it only as a training drill for when, or if, I might have to depend on it. I've seen many,many shoot their guns dry on rapid fire without even touching the edges of a full size silhouette target and I've seen more hit the ceiling and guide wires. I've often heard tales about Doc Holiday having shot his own six shooter dry at the O K Coral without having hit his intended target. The same thing happens during the heat of many gun fights in our own time.

I always start and finish with deliberate shot placements.