reticle or target?
Tom
Tom
- Thread starter tspearsrph
- Start date
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
Guess I'll jump in first and say how I do it. Make sure your reticle is super clear then it should maintain that even while focusing on your target. I find a bullet mark or the exact center of the target I'm shooting at, settle the gun into position so it stays in that spot and I stare at that spot on the target with the crosshairs perfectly centered on it till it goes off.
My eyes never come off what I was staring at even if the gun obscures the target for a split second when it settles down I'm still staring at that same spot and see the impact. Not sure if that is correct but its' been working fine for us and I think we started doing that while shooting our LR pistols at the local LR matches. They would recoil up and block any view of the target but when they did settle down we'd still be staring at that spot on our target, think that was part of learning the trigger control/follow thru with a gun that jumped all around. Learning to do that with those guns made it really easy to move to LR rifles.
Not sure if that answered your question but I'm sure others do it the exact opposite and it works for them.
Topstrap
Guess I'll jump in first and say how I do it. Make sure your reticle is super clear then it should maintain that even while focusing on your target. I find a bullet mark or the exact center of the target I'm shooting at, settle the gun into position so it stays in that spot and I stare at that spot on the target with the crosshairs perfectly centered on it till it goes off.
My eyes never come off what I was staring at even if the gun obscures the target for a split second when it settles down I'm still staring at that same spot and see the impact. Not sure if that is correct but its' been working fine for us and I think we started doing that while shooting our LR pistols at the local LR matches. They would recoil up and block any view of the target but when they did settle down we'd still be staring at that spot on our target, think that was part of learning the trigger control/follow thru with a gun that jumped all around. Learning to do that with those guns made it really easy to move to LR rifles.
Not sure if that answered your question but I'm sure others do it the exact opposite and it works for them.
Topstrap
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
Exactly what I was looking/asking for. Thanks a million, TopStrap.
After shooting a few rounds I guess my eyes begin to fatigue and
my targets begin to go in and out of focus and "dance around".
Hopefully this will help that also. Any breathing techniques to
suggest?
Thanks again.
Tom
Exactly what I was looking/asking for. Thanks a million, TopStrap.
After shooting a few rounds I guess my eyes begin to fatigue and
my targets begin to go in and out of focus and "dance around".
Hopefully this will help that also. Any breathing techniques to
suggest?
Thanks again.
Tom
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
With scope, you don't really have a choice about focus but you do have a choice about what you concentrate on; and it should be the reticle. With concentration on the reticle you can call the shot, which is an aid to shooter/target analysis. There are a multitude of other reasons to concentrate on the reticle, but most important, it assures you know exactly where the barrel is pointed. And, since the bullet ALWAYS goes in the direction the barrel is pointed, concentration on the reticle means you will hit exactly where aimed.
With scope, you don't really have a choice about focus but you do have a choice about what you concentrate on; and it should be the reticle. With concentration on the reticle you can call the shot, which is an aid to shooter/target analysis. There are a multitude of other reasons to concentrate on the reticle, but most important, it assures you know exactly where the barrel is pointed. And, since the bullet ALWAYS goes in the direction the barrel is pointed, concentration on the reticle means you will hit exactly where aimed.
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
Reticle/front sight. SS said it all. I tend to focus so hard on it that I don't blink when the round goes off.
Reticle/front sight. SS said it all. I tend to focus so hard on it that I don't blink when the round goes off.
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mister Ouchie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I tend to focus so hard on it that I don't blink when the round goes off. </div></div>Exactly: Don't disengage with recoil.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mister Ouchie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I tend to focus so hard on it that I don't blink when the round goes off. </div></div>Exactly: Don't disengage with recoil.
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
I understand what you all are saying but the reticle is still perfectly clear the way I have been doing it. Not sure why you can't be seeing a small dot on a distant target and also have the reticle clearly defined over top of that bulletmark or whatever you're aiming at. We don't shoot large targets and this has worked best for me and my son on the really small targets.
Not trying to steer anyone wrong, and only passed it along because it working for us. Maybe picked up on it using those cheap pistol scopes all those years and extending those out to 1000 yards on small targets works best for us. Even after switching over to rifle scopes this has still worked really well.
Metallic (open) sights, then I agree with you. Maybe it's the way we have everything focused but I'll accept it being wrong but it's sure been working for us. Appreciate not being chastised for doing it wrong, think we all find what best works for us but will give more thought as to whether offer suggestions/help based on how we do something if it's not what has been taught to be the correct method.
Good luck to the OP, it's not as hard as some make it. Quality practice with one of the better shooters at your range/matches will get you started down the right path.
Carry on,
Topstrap
I understand what you all are saying but the reticle is still perfectly clear the way I have been doing it. Not sure why you can't be seeing a small dot on a distant target and also have the reticle clearly defined over top of that bulletmark or whatever you're aiming at. We don't shoot large targets and this has worked best for me and my son on the really small targets.
Not trying to steer anyone wrong, and only passed it along because it working for us. Maybe picked up on it using those cheap pistol scopes all those years and extending those out to 1000 yards on small targets works best for us. Even after switching over to rifle scopes this has still worked really well.
Metallic (open) sights, then I agree with you. Maybe it's the way we have everything focused but I'll accept it being wrong but it's sure been working for us. Appreciate not being chastised for doing it wrong, think we all find what best works for us but will give more thought as to whether offer suggestions/help based on how we do something if it's not what has been taught to be the correct method.
Good luck to the OP, it's not as hard as some make it. Quality practice with one of the better shooters at your range/matches will get you started down the right path.
Carry on,
Topstrap
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
Reticle. They will both be clear, but our eyes can only fully focus on on thing at a time.
Reticle. They will both be clear, but our eyes can only fully focus on on thing at a time.
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
I'm not nearly as experienced as graham or sterling but I focus on my target... This might stem from my years as a competitive archer, but for me my body naturally aligns my reticle with what my eyes and my mind is focusing on. Once I center up my target on the reticle my focus goes to my target. I could be wrong but I think lowlight made a post a while back where he reccommended focusing on the target. At least that's what I remember...
That being said, though ive never tried it intentionally, I can see the point of focusing on the reticle and calling your shots...ill have to give that a try to see what happens... To be honest once the recoil pulse is over my mind switches over to spotting my impacts to make corrections based on the bullet if need be.
I'm not nearly as experienced as graham or sterling but I focus on my target... This might stem from my years as a competitive archer, but for me my body naturally aligns my reticle with what my eyes and my mind is focusing on. Once I center up my target on the reticle my focus goes to my target. I could be wrong but I think lowlight made a post a while back where he reccommended focusing on the target. At least that's what I remember...
That being said, though ive never tried it intentionally, I can see the point of focusing on the reticle and calling your shots...ill have to give that a try to see what happens... To be honest once the recoil pulse is over my mind switches over to spotting my impacts to make corrections based on the bullet if need be.
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
I stare down(focus on) the reticle...
I stare down(focus on) the reticle...
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
Not to stir the pot but if one is out of focus something is generally wrong.
Parallax or diopter.
The reticle is the "front sight" but with adjustable optics both should be in focus and a combined POA solution should be obtained.
Not to stir the pot but if one is out of focus something is generally wrong.
Parallax or diopter.
The reticle is the "front sight" but with adjustable optics both should be in focus and a combined POA solution should be obtained.
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
Ok, just so I'm not misquoting anyone, lowlight did not say to focus on the target... I was mistaken. He said to focus on the reticle on the target if that makes sense...
I'm going to try to pay more attention to it the next practice session and see how it goes....I'm always open to improving and trying something different....
Ok, just so I'm not misquoting anyone, lowlight did not say to focus on the target... I was mistaken. He said to focus on the reticle on the target if that makes sense...
I'm going to try to pay more attention to it the next practice session and see how it goes....I'm always open to improving and trying something different....
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
All,
One more thing, while I concentrate on the reticle, I have trained my brain to see the sight picture as a two dimensional object, in black and white. This is not particularly necessary using a scope; but, it is paramount when using irons, if the best results are desired. Seeing the sight picture as a two dimensional object makes it easier to understand when the target/sight relationship is consistent shot to shot. It's one of the things the best Long Range Service Rifle shooters do to produce sub MOA groups using irons, which other shooters using a scope would envy. Of course, these really good shooters still need a target big enough which can be seen as having a relationship to the sight. For me, sometimes I can't even see the 1000 yard bull and I need to find something else out there which serves the purpose of a target, like the target number board, or a brown patch of dirt.
All,
One more thing, while I concentrate on the reticle, I have trained my brain to see the sight picture as a two dimensional object, in black and white. This is not particularly necessary using a scope; but, it is paramount when using irons, if the best results are desired. Seeing the sight picture as a two dimensional object makes it easier to understand when the target/sight relationship is consistent shot to shot. It's one of the things the best Long Range Service Rifle shooters do to produce sub MOA groups using irons, which other shooters using a scope would envy. Of course, these really good shooters still need a target big enough which can be seen as having a relationship to the sight. For me, sometimes I can't even see the 1000 yard bull and I need to find something else out there which serves the purpose of a target, like the target number board, or a brown patch of dirt.
Re: Which to focus/concentrate on .........
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mister Ouchie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I tend to focus so hard on it that I don't blink when the round goes off. </div></div>Exactly: Don't disengage with recoil. </div></div>
It's called follow through.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mister Ouchie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I tend to focus so hard on it that I don't blink when the round goes off. </div></div>Exactly: Don't disengage with recoil. </div></div>
It's called follow through.
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