Handguns: The Mental Aspect

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badkarmamib

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Just got an email from the VCDL. In it was this little tidbit, that I found interesting. It mentions the 10% of accurate handgun shooting that is the physical manipulation, but focuses on the 90% that is the mental, involuntary "reactive interference", or preparation for the shot. It is the age-old "flinch", but a different approach to dealing with it, focused on introducing new shooters. The final part is an admonition to do our part to introduce new shooters to the sport, as a counter to the constant bombardment from the antis.



Mods: didn't know if this belonged here, in the handgun forum, or in general. Please move if appropriate.
 
I agree.

Especially with new and female shooters who are anxious about loud bang and recoil, I have them initially hold and shoot with just the middle finger and thumb around the pistol grip to demonstrate they do not need to have a death grip on the pistol to control the pistol/recoil.

Once they are convinced they can shoot/control the pistol with just the middle finger and thumb, I have them shoot fast at multiple targets (This also seems to address the flinch factor).

After that, I move to point shooting instruction and focus is shifted away from the pistol to target and movement to engage multiple targets.

At the end of the initial point shooting session, when I ask the students whether the loud noise or recoil bothered them, they are surprised they really were not bothered as they were focusing on the point shooting techniques and targets primarily.

Once they reach proficiency with point shooting at 5-7 yards, I then move onto sighted shooting (with emphasis on greater precision) with front sight focus at 10-15 yards.
 
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right wing extremist propaganda. just someone else trying to tell me how wrong I am and how right they are. don't agree with the guy's rhetoric, either.

never trust a two-legged critter.

typed from my shack in bubba-central,

murf
 
I always explain to new shooters that there will be a LOUD noise much louder then they anticipate, there will possibly be a noticeable muzzle flash and the gun will recoil WAY WAY less then they anticipate it will. I will demonstrate, get them used to noise and flash then load up a single round for them tell them to take hold and shoot, focusing on the recoil specifically. I tell them not to let noise and light fool them into thinking it’s recoil.

Most new folks are shocked at how little recoil most firearms have. The noise/blast wave is what is usually the biggest issue for new people. Hence you don’t start with .357 Magnum or even .357 SIG.
 
Very informative video. Thanks for posting. Take aways were "Never fire a shot while you're out of composure" and "meditation with a loaded gun". Not something I didn't know, but things I've been working on for a long time. At ever increasing distances and speeds. I liked the way the instructor verbalized those concepts.
 
IMHO I come from a long martial arts background, handgun use has always been primarily a martial art for me interestingly, long gun use has more of a hunting vibe to me. I have been hunting with various long guns (including BBs) since about seven years old which is about the same time I started martial arts.
 
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