How and why does follow through actually work?

[M. De Land]

Have done some thinking on this for quite a while and as it pertains to almost any sport, particularly flint shooting,have developed some ideas how how it works but would like to hear others thoughts. Mike D.

 

[FishDFly]

"Have done some thinking on this for quite a while and as it pertains to almost any sport, particularly flint shooting,have developed some ideas how how it works but would like to hear others thoughts. Mike D."



Simply, because it does.

It has to with time down the barrel and time to the target.

 

[George]

Anything which happen after the ball leaves the muzzle cannot effect the shot. Time in the barrel from ignition to muzzle exit is measured in thousandths of a second, so any action of yours which is triggered by ignition is far too slow to take effect before the ball leaves the muzzle. That leaves action before ignition as the only possibility for problems, so I would say the main objective of follow through is to make certain you aren't doing anything at the time of ignition. Holding through the shot is just a way of making certain you don't anticipate the shot and move before it actually happens.

Spence

 

[hanshi]

Follow through is critical with a flintlock. A flint lock is at least 4 times slower than even a percussion though they are both so fast it's difficult to notice. If one fires and and moves/drops/etc the gun even a smidgen, the ball will still be in the bore for that fraction of a second. If one maintains aim for an additional second before lowering the rifle it will be a good shot.

 

[roundball]

Anything which happen after the ball leaves the muzzle cannot effect the shot. Time in the barrel from ignition to muzzle exit is measured in thousandths of a second, so any action of yours which is triggered by ignition is far too slow to take effect before the ball leaves the muzzle. That leaves action before ignition as the only possibility for problems, so I would say the main objective of follow through is to make certain you aren't doing anything at the time of ignition. Holding through the shot is just a way of making certain you don't anticipate the shot and move before it actually happens.

Spence

To say nothing of the fact that we can't "follow through / hold on target" as is often suggested or implied simply because recoil won't let us.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

4 things.

Calm / breathing.

Balance.

Learning to know when good is good enough and not wait too long. If you waited too long, start from scratch again.

Focus on only 2 things. That front sight with your eyes and that trigger with everything else.

Many hobby sites online focus on equipment and not the actuall process itself. Good question.

 

[necchi]

The key aspect of "Follow through" is training the body and brain.
If we don't the brain will and does move the body in anticipation of a future event.
A big problem many have is called a "Peek". It's wanting to look at the target (or game) to see if it's been hit,, with a right hand shooter a peek will move the muzzle left as we lift the head a bit and naturally move what's in the way of our vision, out of the way. (the muzzle)
That's just peek, there is also a push or a pull (different) and drop not to mention flinch.

Sure the argument is always that everything happens to the projectile and muzzle in a fraction of a second and it does,,
But it's the anticipatory move that cause the rifle to move before/as we shoot.
It's a real thing, and can be observed by someone watching the shooter.
If someone never shoots with other people, or doesn't record what they do from a spectator view it'll never be noticed.

Follow through is something that has to be practiced.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

A big problem many have is called a "Peek". It's wanting to look at the target (or game) to see if it's been hit,, with a right hand shooter a peek will move the muzzle left as we lift the head a bit and naturally move what's in the way of our vision, out of the way. (the muzzle)
That's just peek, there is also a push or a pull (different) and drop not to mention flinch.

Sure the argument is always that everything happens to the projectile and muzzle in a fraction of a second and it does,,
But it's the anticipatory move that cause the rifle to move before/as we shoot.
It's a real thing, and can be observed by someone watching the shooter.
If someone never shoots with other people, or doesn't record what they do from a spectator view it'll never be noticed.

Follow through is something that has to be practiced.

1st :hatsoff: well said!

I had to learn to Follow through with a recurve bow. Every shot was low & left. Do I think I was dropping my left hand in the split second between release & the arrow passing the bow? No. I think just before or during release, my mind had already moved on to :hmm: where will it hit (and my hand started dropping, so I could see) because I was not thinking about the shot but the results

By working at holding the target, I don't allow my mind to move on to the "how did I shoot" and stayed with the shot.

Hope that helps :idunno: It's the act of keeping your mind on target, by working at keeping the rifle on target. :wink:

 

[Alden]

Because it keeps all the fundamentals of shooting properly employed until you can't screw it up anymore including some margin for error on your part.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

One last trick, with nothing in the barrel, have someone you can trust stand behind you and prime (or not :wink: ) your pan for you. Now fire your rifle. When you get handed the unprimed rifle (without knowing) you will get a good look at your flinch :redface:

 

[Vaino]

Follow through after the shot is evidence of concentration.....Fred

 

[azmntman]

(and my hand started dropping, so I could see) because I was not thinking about the shot but the results

Missed a nice three pt that way! 50-60 yards in blind, he had no clue. Thanked God and shot and he run away! No blood. Shot a chew can at 80 to adjust sights and centered it like a drill press. I was worried about watching where I hit rather than the shot. Wont do that again (we'll see, lol)

Was so sure I hit him I didn't reload. As I was about to get outta blind he came creeping back and stood about 25-30 yds freaked out, then the smoke got to him and he was long gone!

 

[M. De Land]

I do quite a bit of dry firing both pistol and rifle and have long since learned the value of learning to call ones shot at the break.
While working fine with primered fixed ammunition and cap lock ignition, I have noticed it is less effective when shooting my flint pistols.
In dry fire practice as I go down the mental check list reflexively now, through practice and watch the sights as the trigger breaks I notice it impossible to hold the sights perfectly still through the hammer fall although it does get better as the muscles strengthen and learn through repetition.
What I noticed in flint shooting and practicing follow through is that the sights line back up on the proper release point after the hammer inertia temporarily misaligns them.
I'm wondering if this realignment (follow through) is possibly the explanation for what allows good target shooting accuracy by the synchronization of sight re-acquirement and the time delay of the pan ignition? Mike D.

 

[Artificer]

I do quite a bit of dry firing both pistol and rifle and have long since learned the value of learning to call ones shot at the break.
Mike D.

Great point! This is extremely important for sighting in, target shooting and hunting as well. In the latter case, if you miss the first shot and have no idea where the gun was aimed when it went off, you can’t properly adjust your aim to hit on the next shot. Learning to “call your shot” or know where the gun was aimed when the gun fired, is necessary to becoming a really good shot.

Gus

 

[FishDFly]

"In the latter case, if you miss the first shot and have no idea where the gun was aimed when it went off, you can’t properly adjust your aim to hit on the next shot."


If your gun is properly sighted in and the shot wanders off, there is but one problem, you lost the front sight in the aiming process.

You did not focus on the front sight, pure and simple. You do not need to adjust you aim point on the next shot, you need to focus on the front sight as in the past shots.

 

[FishDFly]

"What I noticed in flint shooting and practicing follow through is that the sights line back up on the proper release point after the hammer inertia temporarily misaligns them.
I'm wondering if this realignment (follow through) is possibly the explanation for what allows good target shooting accuracy by the synchronization of sight re-acquirement and the time delay of the pan ignition?"


As well put as a can person do. You will not see that in unlimited percussion pistols because they are so fast.

There are no secrets in pistol shooting, it's all mental.

I found a Lewis flintlock pistol recently, it has right hand lock mounted on the left side.

The rational is that mounted as such, when the cock drops it will not drive the barrel down from the force of the cock falling.

I have not dry fired it yet, I am curios to dry fire it and compare it to my other flintlocks to see the difference.

Dry firing at 18" at a blank wall is considered the best way.

 

[FishDFly]

Took me some time to find the definition of lack follow through:

Follow through is the subconscious attempt to keep everything just as it was at the time the shot broke. In other words you are continuing to fire the shot even after it is gone. Follow through is not to be confused recovery. Merely recovery and holding on the target after the shot is no indication that you are following through.

Courtesy of the U.S. Army.

 

[Artificer]

"In the latter case, if you miss the first shot and have no idea where the gun was aimed when it went off, you can’t properly adjust your aim to hit on the next shot."


If your gun is properly sighted in and the shot wanders off, there is but one problem, you lost the front sight in the aiming process.

You did not focus on the front sight, pure and simple. You do not need to adjust you aim point on the next shot, you need to focus on the front sight as in the past shots.

You are correct for a shot on game that is not moving.

Should have written when shooting moving targets in the sentence above. When you know where the gun went off and you missed when shooting at moving targets, then you can adjust your lead for the follow on shots.
Gus

 

[Stumpkiller]

Follow-through applies to both moving and motionless targets. If you are shooting at a crossing or rising bird and fail to follow through with your swing you will shoot where it was.

 

[Alden]

Not necessarily -- one can lead a target, stop, and shoot where it is GOING to be.

This is a perfectly acceptable and proven method in moving target sport shooting and is particularly useful for rifle shooters who are wired a certain way and have a hard time breaking into a more dynamic approach.