One of the most important things to remember is to stay focused on the process and not the outcome. All you can control is your shooting. For me, if I shoot well with smooth quick actions, good trigger control, visual patience and I work my plan, then I am happy. If I do all that it doesn't matter where I place because I can't control who will be at the match or how they will shoot. On the other side, I have won matches where I wasn't happy because I didn't shoot well. If you stay focused on the process long enough, stuff like competing well and winning start to take care of themselves.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Confidence Shaken
- Thread starter MrGreen
- Start date
Never get yourself down due to poor performance in competition. Competition give you a lot of range time at varied targets and is a great humbler. Learn from it, don't be discouraged.
As a personal example - I've personally been shooting in general for over 20 years. I've been shooting handguns for about 10 years. I've been shooting competition (3 matches per month) for about 8 months. My handgun shooting has improved more in those 8 months than it did in the other 10 years.
As a personal example - I've personally been shooting in general for over 20 years. I've been shooting handguns for about 10 years. I've been shooting competition (3 matches per month) for about 8 months. My handgun shooting has improved more in those 8 months than it did in the other 10 years.
I appreciate all the support and ideas. Grapes, I do tend to be hard on myself. Not in shooting usually but overall in life. I don't plan to stop shooting anytime soon, it has been a great hobby for me so far. I just need to remember to have fun and work on self improvement instead of focus on where I am compared to other shooters. Next weekend I plan to go out shooting again so I will focus more on those things.
You hit it in a nut shell. Every match you shoot all you do is try to better your results from the previous match whether it be points down, faster shooting time, penalties. At a point it WILL ALL come together. Just shoot to beat yourself.
First year also
Last summer was my first year in competative shooting also. I had no idea what I was doing, and felt completely out of my league, which I was.
I think the key is you have to be able to laugh at yourself. I had one match where it all went wrong. It began with the .45 jamming on about every third round, and from there it went downhill. My temper was on high, I was embarrassed beyond belief.
Then the RO said to me to just let it go, I was not the first to have it happen, and just take the day to learn how to prepare, and laugh it off. When you figure out the only one who cares is you, the day goes well. I just started laughing at the errors and misses, and even those with me did nothing short of give me support and tips, they had all walked down the same road as I was on.
I certainly learned not only to check the function of each round I was taking, but to ensure they WORK by practicing each batch of reloads. Make sure you remember to CRIMP the little demons, remember to count your shots, and on the list goes.
You won't be the first to mess up, and not the last. I watched one match where one of the best gunners turned around to shoot a steel right after the rules were gone over twice that if you pass the plate, you missed it, don't turn around and fire.
Enjoy it, you will only get better.
Last summer was my first year in competative shooting also. I had no idea what I was doing, and felt completely out of my league, which I was.
I think the key is you have to be able to laugh at yourself. I had one match where it all went wrong. It began with the .45 jamming on about every third round, and from there it went downhill. My temper was on high, I was embarrassed beyond belief.
Then the RO said to me to just let it go, I was not the first to have it happen, and just take the day to learn how to prepare, and laugh it off. When you figure out the only one who cares is you, the day goes well. I just started laughing at the errors and misses, and even those with me did nothing short of give me support and tips, they had all walked down the same road as I was on.
I certainly learned not only to check the function of each round I was taking, but to ensure they WORK by practicing each batch of reloads. Make sure you remember to CRIMP the little demons, remember to count your shots, and on the list goes.
You won't be the first to mess up, and not the last. I watched one match where one of the best gunners turned around to shoot a steel right after the rules were gone over twice that if you pass the plate, you missed it, don't turn around and fire.
Enjoy it, you will only get better.
m.p.driver
New member
Started shooting Hi-Power rifle way back when with a stock 1903 Springfield.Was rushing it through the rapid fire and throwing a few rounds out of the black.Old guy next to me told me to slow down,take my time,get it on paper,and that i was out there to have fun to better my self,not beat all the others on the line.