Aim small, miss small

[user 49399]

Over many years of shooting I’ve noticed that some days it seemed like I couldn’t miss and other days I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if I was standing in it. This happened with all types of muzzleloaders, different weather conditions, various distances and off hand or bench rested. I couldn’t find a consistent cause of this problem until I read something about it here.

Here’s what I’ve surmised. All of my shooting is at 50 yards or less. If I’m shooting at something small like a shotgun shell, bottle cap or golf ball, I rarely miss. However, if I shoot at a target the size of a deer, even with a small aiming point drawn on it, my groups open up considerably. I think shooting at a large target causes me to shoot sloppily but small targets force me to focus more.

Does this make sense? Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[64Springer]

There is a really good ASMS thread in the search function.

The thread took place just a couple of months back.

Lots of great reading in it.

 

[Stub]

When I sight in a gun I take a 3 inch stick on target and mount it on blank art paper. Before sticking the target on paper I cut the bottom of the target into a point. I aim at the point. I find I group much better than when I leave the target round and aim for the center.

 

[ETipp]

I like to use a somewhat thicker +, depending on sights and distance shooting.

 

[user 49399]

There is a really good ASMS thread in the search function.

The thread took place just a couple of months back.

Lots of great reading in it.

Thanks, I will look it up.

 

[HSmithTX]

When you are shooting at something bigger you have to pick a spot on that larger target to shoot at instead of aiming into the big target somewhere, and I understand that most of us are older and it's harder when you can't see a spot to pick, but pick a spot anyway and shoot at that. On a deer or elk I used to be able to pick a hair to shoot at and now I can't see hair at all, so I will pick a spot and aim into that spot and shoot that spot. The more quality trigger pulls you have in your life the easier it is, and the more consistently you get quality pulls the easier it is to maintain. Practice and shooting are two different activities and most people never figure that out, you can see who did pretty easily when they can shoot about anything you hand them pretty well. Shooting is the test to see if your practice has been quality practice or not.

 

[Brokennock]

Does this make sense? Has anyone else experienced this?

Short answer,,,,, yes.

 

[Sun City]

Use just blank paper and hold on your shot hole!! If you're only shooting at 25 to 50 yards works good!

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Yup.

 

[Rob M.]

Over many years of shooting I’ve noticed that some days it seemed like I couldn’t miss and other days I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if I was standing in it. This happened with all types of muzzleloaders, different weather conditions, various distances and off hand or bench rested. I couldn’t find a consistent cause of this problem until I read something about it here.

Here’s what I’ve surmised. All of my shooting is at 50 yards or less. If I’m shooting at something small like a shotgun shell, bottle cap or golf ball, I rarely miss. However, if I shoot at a target the size of a deer, even with a small aiming point drawn on it, my groups open up considerably. I think shooting at a large target causes me to shoot sloppily but small targets force me to focus more.

Does this make sense? Has anyone else experienced this?

Oh yes . I've experienced this many times through the years . Even the bullseye . I'll aim at sections or sides of it to make my groups smaller . Bottom of bullseye is my usual

 

[mushka]

Put up a large blank target and aim for the center. You would be surprised how small a group you can shoot. Ignore bullet holes just seek the middle of the target.

 

[user 49399]

.

 

[centershot]

Over many years of shooting I’ve noticed that some days it seemed like I couldn’t miss and other days I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if I was standing in it. This happened with all types of muzzleloaders, different weather conditions, various distances and off hand or bench rested. I couldn’t find a consistent cause of this problem until I read something about it here.

Here’s what I’ve surmised. All of my shooting is at 50 yards or less. If I’m shooting at something small like a shotgun shell, bottle cap or golf ball, I rarely miss. However, if I shoot at a target the size of a deer, even with a small aiming point drawn on it, my groups open up considerably. I think shooting at a large target causes me to shoot sloppily but small targets force me to focus more.

Does this make sense? Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes and Yes.

 

[necchi]

even with a small aiming point drawn on it, my groups open up considerably.

Yeah.
Pro's call it "bulls eye fever". It's a thing in yer head. (a head game) Honest.
I learned that when a "coach" brought it to my attention. Like you, I can hit an inanimate object.
A random dot on paper, a matchbook cover, a card, snuff a candle, cut a string,, all`a that,,
Put an X in a circle with other circles around it,, and I start making mistakes!
I'm not sure how to explain the head thing, it's like the pressure is on to "show",,
( but that number on the top right corner of an 8 of diamonds playing card doesn't have a circle around it).
My biggest one is a "peek", I forget about the follow through, an LOOK to see if I hit it!
That creates a preemptive movement,, it's human

 

[user 49399]

“Bulls Eye Fever”. Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Daveboone]

When I am range shooting, I usually use stick on black dots as a target...my six oclock hold is the edge of the dot at ...6:00., where I rest the top of my front sight. I use as narrow a front blade as I can find, allowing as fine a point of aim as possible.I am a firm believer in aim small, miss small...doesnt mean I dont suck every now and then...but when you get used to aiming for as fine a point as possible, it gets to be a reflex/ habit, that does carry over for field shooting/hunting.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

I sight in on clay pigeons at 50.

 

[HSmithTX]

If you can see golf balls at 50 plus they make great targets too. Get the whiffle ball golf balls at the box store and you can pull them in half at the seam and pin to a target really easy as well with a twig or a golf tee. I stick them on my archery block target for practice and zero set/zero confirmation. Targets last a long time when you can move the aiming point around and use up the whole target instead of shooting out a couple aiming points. Whiffle ball baseballs would be great if the golf ball is too small. You can hit the half whiffle ball golf ball easily 100 times and still use it with archery field points, the ML is going to destroy them much faster but they don’t cost much and they don’t go anywhere when they fall or get hit.