Hi all; Donald Sensing on shooting:
My own tale of marksmanship training
Donald Sensing, January 10, 2003
I forgot to mention that the essayist I refer to in the post below calls for a return to a robust shooting competition program, involving all soldiers in the Army and Marines. That's an excellent idea because nothing inculcates accuracy better than competition training.
I was fortunate in two ways, learning to shoot. First, my dad was an excellent shot and taught me well as I grew up. Bird hunting also helps develop instinctive pointing skills.
Second, I shot for four years of varsity rifle team in college under the personal tutelage of two Special Forces master sergeants, first Chuck Norton and then "Pat" Patterson. My senor year I hit a bad slump and my scores really suffered. Pat tried to tell me what I was doing wrong, but I was so frustrated and unwilling to listen that I refused to take his advice to heart.
After a few fruitless practices when I had insisted on self analyzing (wrongly), Pat quietly said to me, "If you try it my way now, and score a bullseye on your next shot, the beer and pizza tonight are on me." Well, what college student is going to turn that down? I assumed a prone firing position and Pat made some position corrections.
Then he picked up an unused target and walked downrange - unnecessary because we had mechanical target mounts. He got to the backstop, turned around and held the target at arm's length from his body. "Okay, shoot a bullseye," he said. I knew Pat well and knew he wasn't bluffing. Talk about pressure!
I loaded my Anschutz rifle and swung it into position slowly from my left so the muzzle would not cross his body. The target was not even slightly quivering as Pat held it. "Breathe, relax, aim, squeeze." Bang! Pat looked at the target and snorted. He walked back to me and showed it to me. "Ten ring," he said. The bullet hole was slightly off center but did indeed take out the tiny dot in dead center that earned 10 competition points.
Since that day I never refused to listen to a coach. My memory of Pat holding that target is as clear today as if it had happened yesterday, but it was 26 years ago.
donaldsensing.com
-- Carl |
