Targets are crucial to improving your shooting skill. If the only time you shoot is when you hunt, you will probably not bring home much game. If you only shoot during competition then you will probably not win much. Targets provide feedback during practice to allow you to improve your shooting.
Most targets feedback is limited to telling you whether you hit what you aimed at or how much you missed by, but what they cannot do is tell you why you missed. Once you gain some experience shooting, your shot groups will start to shrink. For most shooters, unfortunately, this new smaller group will not be centered on the center of the target. It can be difficult to determine why the shots are not hitting the center of the target when you are consistently aiming at the center.
Diagnostic targets can help fill you determine why your shots are consistently different from your point of aim (POA). Years of instructional experience have confirmed that there are common issues with shooters and that each of these issues tend to effect the point of impact (POI) for your shot in a unique and consistent manner. For instance, a common issue with novice shooters is to shoot low left (for right-handed shooters), in the 7 to 8 o’clock area on the target. This is typically caused by slapping or jerking the trigger in anticipation of the shot recoil.
Most shooting issues are due to anticipation of the shot recoil, flash and sound. This “flinch” reflex can take different forms and cause different issues. The diagnostic target for right hand shooters divides the target into 8 equal pie slices. For each slice there is specific diagnostic information.
12 O’clock
Breaking wrist up
In anticipation of the recoil of the shot which will force the muzzle of the gun to rise, the shooter breaks their wrist upward. The correction is to recognize this tendency, lock the wrist and slowly pull the trigger for a “surprise” break. Dry fire practice can also be helpful to breaking this habit.
1 to 2 O’clock
Heeling (anticipating recoil)
The anticipation of recoil pressing the gun into the heel of your palm causes the shooter to compensate by pushing the heel of their palm against the gun grip. To break this reflex, slow down your trigger pull trying for the “surprise” break and concentrate on keeping your wrist locked straight.
3 O’clock
Squeezing the thumb
Too much trigger finger
These issues are caused by the action of the trigger press. Sometimes there is a sympathetic contraction of the thumb as the trigger finger contracts. This pushes the gun to the right. The other possible cause is placing too much finger through the trigger. As the finger is contracted, the gun is pulled to the right. The trigger should rest firmly on the pad of the trigger finger. Placing the trigger on the first joint of the trigger finger is often the cause of this issue. Too fix, use the wall drill. Place the muzzle of the unloaded gun less than an inch from a wall. Slowly pull the trigger watching the muzzle. Practice until you can pull the trigger without muzzle movement.
4 to 5 O’clock
Tightening grip while pulling trigger
This is a case of sympathetic muscle contraction of the other fingers of the shooting hand. As the trigger is pressed, the rest of the fingers and thumb contract as well pulling the gun down and to the right. The wall drill is the best fix. Place the muzzle of the unloaded gun less than an inch from a wall. Slowly pull the trigger watching the muzzle. Practice until you can pull the trigger without muzzle movement.
6 O’clock
Breaking wrist down
Pushing forward
Dropping head
These three different issues are all caused by an attempt to counter the recoil driving the barrel of the gun up. Breaking the wrist down, pushing the gun forward or dropping your head all cause the barrel to dip just before the shot. Use the slow trigger break looking for a “surprise” break to break these habits.
7 to 8 O’clock
Tightening fingers
Jerking or slapping trigger
Common problem with the trigger press. Often caused by trying to time the trigger press to when the sights first cover the target. A quick jerk or slap of trigger often causes the other fingers of the hand to tighten as well driving the muzzle low and left. Slow the trigger press until the break surprises you. You can also try taking a few shots at a blank target so you worry less about whether you are exactly on target or not when the trigger breaks.
9 O’clock
Too little trigger finger
If just the tip of the trigger finger is placed on the trigger, the action of pressing the trigger will tend to push the muzzle to the left. Place the pad of the trigger finger on the trigger and use the wall drill to confirm improvement. Place the muzzle of the unloaded gun less than an inch from a wall. Slowly pull the trigger watching the muzzle. Adjust the trigger finger placement as needed until you can pull the trigger without muzzle movement.
10 to 11 O’clock
Pushing (anticipating recoil)
No follow through
Anticipating recoil can cause the shooter to “jump” the gun pushing forward as a counter action to the anticipated recoil. The correction is to slow down the trigger pull workling on a “surprise” break of the trigger. No follow through refers to maintaining all aspects of the grip, trigger press and aiming before during and after the gun fires. Specifically, the trigger should be pressed to the rear after the gun fires. If you find your finger has jumped off the trigger, work on keeping a firm rearward pressure during and after the firing of the gun.
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