I don't shoot flintlock pistols very well

[cynthialee]

Put a dime on top flat of barrel. and dry fire until it stays on there.....Tom

that is a good idea

When I was learning to shoot when I was many years younger I was taught with a peculiar method:
Dad and his friends had me shoulder a rifle and they would whack the muzzle with a mallet. Then every once and awhile they would miss the barrel on purpose and if you flinched they would tease you.

 

[azmntman]

Well thats a good idea too....except for the teasing..that was mean :shake: :nono: :td:

 

[FishDFly]

I have put together a sizeable library on pistol shooting and Zonie's advice covers the most important parts of all the articles.

To be a proficient pistol shooter, you have to handle the pistol often, dry fire and practice.

I shoot 2 air pistol targets each night before supper, it does help.

Pistol shooting is 90% mental. I fell into a slump this month, went back to basics as pointed out by Zonie, scores are creeping up.

 

[FishDFly]

"Still, it's about shooting and muscle memory."

Actually, it is about teaching your mind and allowing you to do as you wish and not what your mind doing as it wants.

 

[Mike M.]

Mr. Eames has provided a great deal of sage counsel. All of it.

Having said that, go to http://www.pilkguns.com/menu_coaching.shtml. Read everything.

 

[FishDFly]

It is a great place to learn.

 

[RonRC]

Thank you Mike and Richard!
That site you posted, Mike, is a vast compendium of valuable information. Almost overwhelming. Looks like that is where I am going to spend some spare time.
I have a feeling that I never will shoot my traditional flintlocks as well as my M1 Garand or gussied up 1911 (which I haven't touched since I started this muzzleloading compulsion), I know that I can still learn more, practice and improve.
This site is a treasure trove of information and help. I really appreciate it!
Ron

 

[FishDFly]

If you want to learn to shoot pistols get the following book, "The Pistol Shooter's Treasury" by Gil Hebard. I believe I got it from Gary's Guns. Concentrate on Bill Blankenship's articles.
Best book there is to learn to shoot pistols.

Also another great place to learn is:
www.bullseyepistol.com

Another good book is: "The Definitive Guide to Shooting Muzzle loading Pistols" by Derek Fuller. It has a European slant, but very good information.

I read a great article in the last NMLRA magazine which addressed line shooters, the writer said folks will spend $1,500 on a rifle and will not spend $20 on a book to educate themselves. His article goes into my library, very sage advice in it. His article was the best for line shooters which I have read.

I have been fortunate to shoot with some of the best M/L shooters in the country. There are no secrets into shooting pistols, it is about shooting basics and mental preparedness. They do share insight into line matches which most folks do not think of.

Their guidance jumped me from being a decent Marksman shooter to an Expert last year.

Sit in your chair in your living room and dry fire at the Viagra commercials, it works.

"I jerk the pistol in anticipation of the flash"

I prefer the flash of a pistol at arms length versus being close to my eye when shooting a rifle.

Folks will agree to disagree on what is the best priming powder to shoot in flint locks. I started with 4F. One of the Master shooters at the Texas State shoot gave me a partial can of 7F. After I finished shooting my targets he asked how do you like it, response was, you are not getting it back.

I now only shoot Swiss Null B, it is fast and I am happy with it.

 

[RonRC]

Looks like my book budget is going to take a hit this month! :grin:
Thank you,
Ron

 

[FishDFly]

I enjoy books they last forever.

 

[M. De Land]

I've been helped by a lot of folks in pistol craft and one of the most notable was Elmer Keith.
I learned from him that no human can hold a pistol still.
The method he taught and has worked for me is to take up trigger pressure incrementally when the sights are on target and don't give back the pressure when they move off.
Keep taking it up until the shot breaks as the sights move on again.
With flint lock one has to learn follow through in a big way.
When dry firing try to keep the sights on target through the cock fall, which is impossible but you will be training your muscles and mind to be bringing the sights back into line subconsciously which is re-aligning them for when the ball actually exits the muzzle.
It is good to make up a target sized proportionally to the actual distances you will be competing at. This helps your subconscious mind to get in the picture groove of what it will look like when it counts.
Mike Looma in muzzle blast magazine has been giving some really good tips on pistol craft advancement and I recommend his writings as well.
One more thing is natural body rhythm that we all have. Once you begin to see how you hold the sights and the repeatable movement your body naturally makes, one can use this to tighten their groups because you will know when to proceed or start a shot sequence over.
The worst shot you will ever make is when you feel an over whelming urge/need to break the shot instead of starting a new sequence.

 

[RonRC]

When I am not shooting other types of handguns well, it usually is because I wasn't concentrating on my follow through.
Do you consciously set up a defined pattern as the flintlock or caplock moves like is done in rifle shooting? Creating a figure 8 and releasing the trigger at the middle of the motion comes to mind in rifle shooting.
Ron

 

[M. De Land]

I've never noticed that figure 8 thing in my own rhythm Ron, mine is more of a circular movement but I can tell when the sight alignment is about to settle in the best groove for that shot sequence.
I have also found that if I will take the time to dry fire for a half hour each day a week before either a rifle or pistol match my scores will dramatically be improved.
There is still much to be learned but it is fascinating to see incremental improvement in ones skill.
Good shots are made not born although there are some physical and psychological predispositions that are helpful.

 

[FishDFly]

“The method he taught and has worked for me is to take up trigger pressure incrementally when the sights are on target and don't give back the pressure when they move off.”

As light as my trigger pulls are and the short travel, I have to be careful but understand the concept. Using your concept I end up with wandering shots at times.


“When dry firing try to keep the sights on target through the cock fall,”

I only shoot at blank walls, no target, focus only on the sights.

Mike Luma, very good teacher.

“The worst shot you will ever make is when you feel an over whelming urge/need to break the shot instead of starting a new sequence.”

Best advice a person can get.

“ Creating a figure 8 and releasing the trigger at the middle of the motion comes to mind in rifle shooting”.

Have read about the figure 8 but it does not happen with me.

“Good shots are made not born although there are some physical and psychological predispositions that are helpful.”

Yep.

 

[Mike M.]

Never hesitate to put the gun down and step back. If there's any question about the shot, abort!

 

[FishDFly]

Never hesitate to put the gun down and step back. If there's any question about the shot, abort!

Best advice there is, took me a long time to learn it.

 

[Pete G]

No one shoots flintlock pistols very well. That's why they have them in a separate match all by themselves.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Pistol shooting requires practice and muscle building to become accurate. A well tuned trigger is also essential. Dry shooting is a good way to develop the muscles and discipline. I may get mod zapped for saying this :shocked2: but a modern revolver with safety transfer bar is a great training device to become better with any handgun, including a flint ml. You can dry fire those without damage to the gun. And doing so will build the muscles and discipline necessary to become a good flint shooter. Tune yer lock/trigger and go fer it. Enjoy.

 

[FishDFly]

Very good advice.

 

[FishDFly]

No one shoots flintlock pistols very well. That's why they have them in a separate match all by themselves.

No, they have a separate match as they are what they are, flintlocks.

Check the NMLRA scores and you will see some outstanding flintlocks scores.

I shoot flintlock better than revolver or percussion. Some how I have managed to set 2 National records in LTF with a flintlock.