# Mind Over Ballistics



## Rediculous (Oct 16, 2013)

A topic today, and a trip to the range with some work buddies have rekindled my shooting philosophies and "light bulb" moments from learning to shoot and hunt. I have so many people talking about and citing times they have missed an important shot, be it at competition, or in the field on that big buck/coyote/hog. I started shooting at a very early age, around 4 years old. My father was a...ugh hum...contractor....on a SRT (special response team). You can equate this to SWAT I suppose. By 12 yrs old I would participate in his teams monthly drills for qualification at a range they used to get ready for evaluations. I learned a ton with these guys. The biggest advantage they had and I have retain from them is mental confidence. They believe, in their minds, that the impossible is possible. I get lots of laughs and stares, sometimes a smart remark, when I walk into a hunt with just a red dot sight on top of my rifle. I'm the "rambo" who can't hit a barns broad side....Until the shooting starts. I learned from a team member of my dads to aim through the red dot reticle. Using the extreme top, middle, and bottom of a reticle can expand it's useful range dramatically. I also learned the "man-up" principle. This apply's especially to larger caliber shooters. "Man-up" is knowing that a big bore or large caliber rifle is going to rattle your teeth and smack your shoulder, but mentally forgetting it is going to happen. This means you believe nothing is going to happen when you pull the trigger, like a .338 lapua is a red ryder bb gun. When you mentally clear away recoil, focusing on the basic marksmanship fundamentals is easier. This translates well to lower calibers as well. Aim small miss small, another classic philosophy, but these guys took it to the extreme. They shot >1000 yards in competition and one told me he aims for the little white 0 inside the ten ring designating it as 10. That is an impossible shot, but mentally, he believes he can do it. When deer hunting, he said, "I pick the hair I want to split on it's neck." Of course he doesn't actually split the hair, but the margin of error he creates for himself is huge. If your aiming, like most are taught, for an 8 inch vital area, then you margin of error become some percentage of an 8 in. circle, this guy, however, aiming for a hair on a deer is giving himself a margin of error that his rifle is probably not even capable of, thus he is shooting at it's maximum potential. Their is no substitute for practice, but mental fortitude and toughness is one of the greatest allies of a great shooter. I don't know an excellent shooter that does not have a high degree of belief in his/her abilities, usual beyond their actual abilities. It may sound cocky, but it is necessary. I am always learning in the shooting/hunting sports arena, and that's why we love it. Their is so much to learn in this sport and many life lessons can be translated from it. I hope reading this helps someone to develop a mental confidence to be a better shooter. Believe the impossible can be done, execute, and you will find out how close you can really come to it.

Any thoughts from you guys are always greatly appreciated.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

I try to make several trips to the range and shoot unsuportted to get ready for hunts. I have a bad day where I can not hit anything and that brings me down till the next trip to the range and it all comes together. I make up seneraoes and pratice them with loading when empty or using a single shot. The same is true with a bow and where to sight. The more you shoot the more confedent you become and better shot.


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## Rediculous (Oct 16, 2013)

knapper said:


> " The same is true with a bow and where to sight. The more you shoot the more confedent you become and better shot."


It is even more important in archery as precise repetative action is needed to be consistent. Very good point knapper.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

It's not really complicated, either. Great stuff, man!

I just posted something relative to what you are saying here, Rediculous on another thread. I would only add one thing to help with the mental gymnastics you have articulated: Know where your crosshairs were when the gun went off. Be able to call your shots - that means where the bullet strikes without looking at the target.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

good stuff guys!!


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## Hawk (Jul 4, 2012)

Good advice Rediculous. Confidence, confidence, confidence. Whether your calling varmints or shooting. Also, practice don't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Doing it right over and over and over.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Some great advice indeed, only one time I ever used some modern tech. stuff for sighting in my rifle, the wife bought me this laser rifle sighting gizmo's, forget the name brand but a middle of the market rating. Chose the calibur insert , in the rifle barrel, attach the light etc., fine tune the old 250.Had a couple yotes come out at the 250 yd. mark, shot - they reacted as if the bullet went over top, Hmmm !! had one come in at 50 yds ( think I forget a couple more misses ) straight on, usually I would go for the head or neck, anyways middle chest, DRT, went and looked - geez - in the head?? Went back to old school stuff, pulled the bolt - sight in at 25 yds - 12 inches high, went back to 1 1/2" at a 100 and everything was back to normal. the modern stuff can stay on the shelve.


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2014)

"I don't know an excellent shooter that does not have a high degree of belief in his/her abilities, usual beyond their actual abilities. It may sound cocky, but it is necessary."

No..it's not necessary. Infact, any professional marksman, and I know alot, are actually quite reserved about thier abilities because bragging and being cocky is for those people whom need to validate thier existance and feel good about themselves.

Too much "confidence" will get you killed and you don't need to "man-up" when you shoot a large caliber rifle....just hike up your skirt a little and you should be fine.

Been there, done that, I got the DD214 and the T-shirt.......so don't take it personal.


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## Rediculous (Oct 16, 2013)

short204 said:


> No..it's not necessary. Infact, any professional marksman, and I know alot, are actually quite reserved about thier abilities because bragging and being cocky is for those people whom need to validate thier existance and feel good about themselves.


I never said that a person with these skills acts it out publicly. I said in their mind they believe they can do it. I know the flashy types and they are normally not the "get it done" guys. But if someone is a great marksman, they have a mental confidence and toughness, not that they outwardly show anything but a humble exterior, if they are competitors, just being at the competition is enough to tell someone that they believe they are good enough to compete.


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## Rediculous (Oct 16, 2013)

"Too much "confidence" will get you killed"

Get you killed at a shooting competition? or hunting? I think you are refering to war time scenerios where, yes over confidence can be a downfall. I was merely writing this to the average joe.


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2014)

Rediculous said:


> "Too much "confidence" will get you killed"
> 
> Get you killed at a shooting competition? or hunting? I think you are refering to war time scenerios where, yes over confidence can be a downfall. I was merely writing this to the average joe.


Oh yeah, guess I got lost in the B.S.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Now Now guys. Picking apart member's posts is not what PT is about. Helping and hopefully guiding people to become better shooters, hunters, sportsman or just a better person is where we're at. I know, its hard not to say and comment with the first thing that enters the old noggin, I'll usually re- read the post and think about what I may reply and how to put it down, a lot of times I'll wait to see what other comments may be, many many times a person would like to call someone on a statement they made, it doesn't have to be on this site to see it, seems to be everywhere ( I deal with it every week ) . Anyways I guess I blabbed enough. This will hopefully help everyone !!


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I found no BS in the original post and consider it to be rather well composed and insightful.

The remarks about "manning up" are spot on, although I've never heard the term used in this context. I'm not a big guy but still shoot some big stuff (the avatar shows one of them - a custom JDJ Contender .45-70 handcannon).

It's extremely difficult to be accurate - much more so than with lesser-recoiling firearms. A shooter must have "mind over ballistics" or he'll develop a flinch, which is produced by thinking about the punishment he'll receive, as he actuates the trigger. At that point, he's finished. Certainly, there's much more to it, but nobody's writing a book here.

Thanks, Rediculous. Again!


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## OHIOOutdoors2 (May 1, 2013)

First time shooting a big center fire cartridge, had the gun held properly and my grandpa says man up as stated above....I manned up and got a nice little scope kiss for my efforts. I learned my lesson.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

a whole new meaning to "man up".....................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xohy9gWz7kk#t=90


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

220swift said:


> a whole new meaning to "man up".....................
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xohy9gWz7kk#t=90


Always enjoy watching that one again. HA !!


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2014)

Yeah, I'm man enough to say that I may have come off a little to harsh and abbrassive. I'm a no B.S. type of guy thanks to the military and unfortunately because of that...I'm straight forward and I don't sugar coat sh*t. I was having a bad day, and unfortunately, one of my PT family members took the brunt of my agitation at no fault of his own.

To the OP, I appologize for offending you in any way and I hope that both of us could possibly create some interesting threads together. I hope all is forgiven, but I would understand if not.

To my PT family, well I owe you all an apology too. Like hassel said, that's not how this family operates and I seem to have forgoten to respect the values of this family. My appologies.

Man...i feel like an a**hole.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Your little statement above shows us what you are really made of, thanks for being a part of PT.


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## Rediculous (Oct 16, 2013)

No problems there short! I understand wwhen things are in text they can be interpreted many different ways. I should have been a little more specific, as everything I was talking about in post is in refrence to only mental aspects, their must be physical aspects as well in order to perform good marksmanship, but also a mental state must exist. I was simply addressing the mentality need, in most cases, to succeed. If your fundementals are bad, well, there's another can-o-worms. "man-up" in this case is just what this guy called it, it is more or less mental blocking, not as most people think of it as a physical tensing up or just do it principle. As for me, I have found mental calmness and stability very important once the basics are mastered. I don't profess to know more than another and I learn new things all the time, but I do know what works for me. As to professional shooters, I have turned down a sponsorship once in my life (2004) from a major corporation. My reasons were simple, I did not intend on traveling constantly with my family at home, and the pay isn't all that impressive...they offed me free ammo and weapons from their line-up, but the monetary amount was 10k less than my current employment....<--- this was my jab back all in good fun, But I can take criticism, as long as it is constructive. Anyways, no hard feelings, it is the internet after all, and I look forward to more discussions in the future.


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## JTKillough (May 4, 2010)

Rediculous said:


> A topic today, and a trip to the range with some work buddies have rekindled my shooting philosophies and "light bulb" moments from learning to shoot and hunt. I have so many people talking about and citing times they have missed an important shot, be it at competition, or in the field on that big buck/coyote/hog. I started shooting at a very early age, around 4 years old. My father was a...ugh hum...contractor....on a SRT (special response team). You can equate this to SWAT I suppose. By 12 yrs old I would participate in his teams monthly drills for qualification at a range they used to get ready for evaluations. I learned a ton with these guys. The biggest advantage they had and I have retain from them is mental confidence. They believe, in their minds, that the impossible is possible. I get lots of laughs and stares, sometimes a smart remark, when I walk into a hunt with just a red dot sight on top of my rifle. I'm the "rambo" who can't hit a barns broad side....Until the shooting starts. I learned from a team member of my dads to aim through the red dot reticle. Using the extreme top, middle, and bottom of a reticle can expand it's useful range dramatically. I also learned the "man-up" principle. This apply's especially to larger caliber shooters. "Man-up" is knowing that a big bore or large caliber rifle is going to rattle your teeth and smack your shoulder, but mentally forgetting it is going to happen. This means you believe nothing is going to happen when you pull the trigger, like a .338 lapua is a red ryder bb gun. When you mentally clear away recoil, focusing on the basic marksmanship fundamentals is easier. This translates well to lower calibers as well. Aim small miss small, another classic philosophy, but these guys took it to the extreme. They shot >1000 yards in competition and one told me he aims for the little white 0 inside the ten ring designating it as 10. That is an impossible shot, but mentally, he believes he can do it. When deer hunting, he said, "I pick the hair I want to split on it's neck." Of course he doesn't actually split the hair, but the margin of error he creates for himself is huge. If your aiming, like most are taught, for an 8 inch vital area, then you margin of error become some percentage of an 8 in. circle, this guy, however, aiming for a hair on a deer is giving himself a margin of error that his rifle is probably not even capable of, thus he is shooting at it's maximum potential. Their is no substitute for practice, but mental fortitude and toughness is one of the greatest allies of a great shooter. I don't know an excellent shooter that does not have a high degree of belief in his/her abilities, usual beyond their actual abilities. It may sound cocky, but it is necessary. I am always learning in the shooting/hunting sports arena, and that's why we love it. Their is so much to learn in this sport and many life lessons can be translated from it. I hope reading this helps someone to develop a mental confidence to be a better shooter. Believe the impossible can be done, execute, and you will find out how close you can really come to it.
> 
> Any thoughts from you guys are always greatly appreciated.


All good stuff. So good in fact I am quoting you so the boys can re-read it again. Thanks for the posting. And just so y'all know, I can split that hair.


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## Dialed_In (Jan 5, 2013)

Good Stuff Rediculous. The head game in shooting competition is 70% of the fight. I shot Police Pistol Competition for a few years back in the '80s. Physical conditioning, breath control, even the ability to drop your heart rate a couple beats per minute contribute to excellent scores, but the practice... good practice and the mental attitude are the most important. John Pride a California cop was one of the best at the time I competed, along with Phillip Hemphill a Mississippi State Trooper. Both used a form of self hypnosis prior to competition. A quiet time, closing one's eyes, and mentally going through a match, breaking each shot and seeing in their mind an X Ring hit was their method. Pride made a tape detailing his mental preparation for a match. I tried it for one season and my scores improved. Never sustained High Master scores, but bumped on the door often! And like someone said aim small, miss small. At 25 yards I used to aim at the # 9 above the X Ring. Pistol was set to drop the wadcutters into the center of the X. I never looked at the group, only that da*n '9'. Got to the point that I could shoot Silver dollar size groups on timed fire ( 12 rds in 25 seconds) at 25 yards.


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