For those that shoot recreationally or competitively, it is vital to recognize that making mistakes is one of the most simple, easy and straightforward ways you can improve your skills. These errors not only help you better understand firearms, but they also help build resistance, push you closer to your goals and can increase your confidence. To help you become a better shooter, let us take a look at five common shooting mistakes and simple ways you can fix them. 

5 Common Shooting Mistakes All Shooters Should Train Away

Anticipating the Recoil

For many new shooters, once a firearm is discharged the blowback can be jarring and at times startling. Mix in the sound of the percussion with a force seemingly flying back at you, it is not surprising that recoil can cause a flinching reaction. This is known as anticipating the recoil and is one of the most common errors newbie and even experienced shooters can make. Anticipating the recoil can cause you to push your firearm forward, maneuver your wrist at an upward or downward angle or overly tighten your grip on your firearm. 

I have found that one of the best practices to correct this flinching reaction is to focus on relaxing yourself both mentally and physically. When dealing with tools that have the possibility of being dangerous, it can allow you to get inside your own head and psyche yourself out that the firearm will hurt you. Everyone is different in how they react to anxiety, but it is important you find a way to ground and center yourself. For me, I find that sometimes taking a step back, shaking out the nerves and stepping right back up to the booth is the best method to relax myself. 

Furthermore, I cannot stress the importance of familiarizing yourself with your firearm enough. If you are comfortable with your tool, you will learn that recoil is something not to be feared but welcomed. Practice often, and when you think you have had enough practice, train some more. 

Jerking the Trigger

When shooting, every minuscule movement you make can impact your accuracy. This means that your finger placement on the trigger is extremely important. One of the most common mistakes made is jerking the trigger. This harsh action causes the muzzle to angle downward, leading to a low shot grouping. You do not want too much or too little of your finger on the trigger.

Instead, allow the first pad of your index finger to sit on the trigger and add slow, steady pressure backwards until your firearm fires. Getting comfortable and familiar with proper trigger placement can take a while to master, but to help fix any inconsistencies you may find dry firing is the best recommended solution. Dry firing is the act of firing your firearm without any live ammunition in the chamber and is completely safe to do. Moreover, you can dry fire in the comfort of your own home.

Poor Stance

One of the most important aspects of shooting is having a good stance. Not only does the positioning of a shooter’s arms and feet help limit movement and provide balance, but it also helps maintain accuracy. The isosceles and weaver techniques remain two of the most popular stances. An isosceles stance occurs when a shooter places their feet shoulder width apart, making sure they are facing the target while both of their arms are extend forward. In this stance, the individual should lean slightly forward. As for the weaver stance, a shooter will bring their non-dominant leg in front of their dominant leg, making sure they are shoulder-width apart. A shooter’s arms will fully extend, making sure their support arm has a slight bend to it. 

No matter the stance you choose, a mistake that is often made with both positions is arching yourself backwards. Typically, this occurs because a shooter is anticipating the recoil, and the easiest way to correct it is to lean forward. A simple way to become comfortable with each stance is to pose in different stances in front of a mirror as you dry fire. This practice can help envision what your stance looks like and what you need to correct. 

No Breathing Technique

As you inhale and exhale, it is only natural that your firearm will move with your breathing patterns, leading to your sights slightly thrown off your target. This means that breath control plays a fundamental role when shooting. A mistake that many shooters, especially novice ones, make is holding their breath. Not only does this do nothing to improve your accuracy, but it can also leave you feeling lightheaded afterwards. Instead, find your respiratory pause. This pause occurs after you complete a cycle of inhaling and exhaling and typically lasts two to three seconds. 

An easy breathing technique you can practice is that once you take aim, begin to inhale, taking a brief pause before your lungs fully expand. During this pause, you will squeeze the trigger. Similarly, once you set your sights on the target, you can do the exact opposite by exhaling half way, taking a brief one to three second pause and following through with a shot. Much like any other mistake you make, dry firing is a great way to correct your breathing patterns. 

Not Believing In Yourself 

The last and worst mistake a shooter can make is not believing in themselves. No matter how much you train or how well you display all seven of the shooting fundamentals, it will mean nothing if you do not have a good mentality stepping into the range. Otherwise, this lack of confidence will just lead you to becoming frustrated and ready to give up. While learning to be confident is not an easy task for everyone, I find that a few ways to stay positive when shooting is to set small goals to increase motivation, know when to take a break to avoid becoming frustrated, and learn to speak to yourself in a constructive rather than negative way. 

Final Thoughts 

Failure is not a feeling that anyone wants to experience, but in the world of shooting, sometimes it is a necessary step to help grow your skills. Every one of the mistakes I have discussed are natural for shooters of every skill level to encounter, and fortunately each one is extremely simple to fix. Given that you train like you mean it, put in the right amount of dedication, and have a determined mindset to reach your goals, you can not only better yourself as a person but also become an even better marksman. 

Find a place to shoot at NSSF.org.