Our 2nd, 10-Week B&B Bullseye Session Starts on May 30, 2022

[OkieStubble]

My issue 1 handed is shaking. I should hold the pistol out with 1 hand while watching tv to increase strength and steadiness.

Spoiler

But of course I won't.

I have been on a weight lifting regiment for over a year and a half. I can tell I’m much stronger when I am shooting a rifle and even a much firmer two handed grip. But man, that pistol and dot seems to be all over the place one handed.

I feel very shaky and unsure. I’m sure hoping it’s just a lack of experience and proper training, cuz it feels like tremor’s. Hope I’m wrong.

It’s kinda weird, feeling this insecure when holding a gun.

 

[Bob L.]

My issue 1 handed is shaking. I should hold the pistol out with 1 hand while watching tv to increase strength and steadiness.

Spoiler

But of course I won't.

Pushup variations help.

• Hands at shoulder width
• Hands halfway to center
• Hands touching at center

When that's going well it's time to the same on fingertips...

Enjoy!!!

 

[BigFoot]

Pushup variations help.

• Hands at shoulder width
• Hands halfway to center
• Hands touching at center

When that's going well it's time to the same on fingertips...

Enjoy!!!

 

[nortac]

@OkieStubble, I would try a more specific exercise. Try using a light weight and hold it out at arm's length using the same stance you use while shooting. Depending on what you use for a weight of about 5 lbs., use your thumb or whatever reference point on the weight, etc. as your "sight" and hold it on a reference point for about 15 sec. at a time, like dry fire practice. Of course, dry fire practice would be good as well. I find that this uses a totally different set of stressors that might not be addressed by a more conventional exercise.

Some of us develop tremors as we age that are not due to Parkinsons or other nefarious conditions. I believe I have what is called familial tremors, my father had it, my brother had it at an early age and I have it, somewhat less severe than my younger brother, now deceased. I probably first noticed it in my early 30's. It is aggravated by caffeine and alcohol, I am doomed!

I suppose depending on how severe your stance is bladed, shooting single handed as compared to a two-handed grip, uses your shoulder joint differently.

 

[OkieStubble]

@OkieStubble, I would try a more specific exercise. Try using a light weight and hold it out at arm's length using the same stance you use while shooting. Depending on what you use for a weight of about 5 lbs., use your thumb or whatever reference point on the weight, etc. as your "sight" and hold it on a reference point for about 15 sec. at a time, like dry fire practice. Of course, dry fire practice would be good as well. I find that this uses a totally different set of stressors that might not be addressed by a more conventional exercise.

Some of us develop tremors as we age that are not due to Parkinsons or other nefarious conditions. I believe I have what is called familial tremors, my father had it, my brother had it at an early age and I have it, somewhat less severe than my younger brother, now deceased. I probably first noticed it in my early 30's. It is aggravated by caffeine and alcohol, I am doomed!

I suppose depending on how severe your stance is bladed, shooting single handed as compared to a two-handed grip, uses your shoulder joint differently.

Good post and advice John! You're my buddy...

I have been working on various stances while holding the pistol to see if there was a more natural, stable feeling? I went from 90 degrees facing the target, all the way to standing perfectly sideways to the target and every degree of bladed stance in between and it made no difference in the stability of the dot for me. I get the dot isn't going to stop moving, but it seems to be jumping around quite a bit more then what I would think it should?

I dunno, it could be anything? just a lack of training shooting one handed, could be muscular, could be a developed tremor, I could just plain suck at shooting one handed, that's just it, I don't know. But that's why I'm going back to irons. I want to strip everything down and start from the basics and see if I can do a process of elimination.

Once I can point out the things it's not, what it could be will end up becoming more clear. I think using my scores in the competition thread will at least take the irons / red dot thing out of the equation? If one handed iron sight shooting is just heads and above my red dot scores? Or vice versa?

If they both suck, then it's clearly just a matter of skill or technique when shooting one handed, versus possible tremor? Even if it was a tremor, my thinking is, I would still need to learn to shoot with it?

 

[Bob L.]

Tremor Primer: Tremor Fact Sheet | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - https://www.ninds.nih.gov/tremor-fact-sheet

I inherited my Mom's dominant hand tremor, an action/essential tremor, and my Dad's Periodic Limb Movements Disorder. PLMD is when your legs dance as you sleep. Two very different issues with different root causes.

In my case, we've discovered that using my non-dominant hand to share the work dramatically reduces the effects of the tremors in my dominant hand. We call that a two-handed grip. By reducing the time I spend stressing my hand I can finish a task before the tremors build up.

I've been shooting with 1~2 seconds between shots on all three targets for the last two weeks. It's making a big difference in my group size/and scores.

Every shooter's point of aim jumps around a bit. The trick is timing the trigger release to match the right POA. When I hold on target with a one-handed grip my red dot remains steady for a second or two. That includes the time needed to move the pistol to the target's face. After that point, it can't consistently stay on target. It's a wild bouncing ride of 8 to 12 inches at 50 feet.

With a two-handed grip, using the support hand to provide a bit of back pressure, my red dot bounces around the black portion of the target. If I hold too long it begins to bounce beyond the black portion. The trick for me is to time my five shots so they are all in the air before I can't isolate the red dot in the black part of the target.

Change one thing at a time when you experiment. Try each experiment a couple of times as you try to isolate causes, effects, and possible solutions.

Red dots don't help or hurt tremors. Red dots affect the way you see your POA and the hopeful POI. I use a red dot because I can't focus on the front blade anymore. My eyes have lost the ability to focus that close. I stare at the target and superimpose my slightly fuzzy red dot on the target.

This is a friendly Bullseye League. If free-standing isn't working for you, try sitting with your elbows on the shooting table. Elbows have always been my favorite bipod.

The best advice I received from my local club members was to learn the basics while using a two-handed grip. Move to a one-handed grip once you are consistently shooting well.

 

[OkieStubble]

Tremor Primer: Tremor Fact Sheet | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - https://www.ninds.nih.gov/tremor-fact-sheet

I inherited my Mom's dominant hand tremor, an action/essential tremor, and my Dad's Periodic Limb Movements Disorder. PLMD is when your legs dance as you sleep. Two very different issues with different root causes.

In my case, we've discovered that using my non-dominant hand to share the work dramatically reduces the effects of the tremors in my dominant hand. We call that a two-handed grip. By reducing the time I spend stressing my hand I can finish a task before the tremors build up.

I've been shooting with 1~2 seconds between shots on all three targets for the last two weeks. It's making a big difference in my group size/and scores.

Every shooter's point of aim jumps around a bit. The trick is timing the trigger release to match the right POA. When I hold on target with a one-handed grip my red dot remains steady for a second or two. That includes the time needed to move the pistol to the target's face. After that point, it can't consistently stay on target. It's a wild bouncing ride of 8 to 12 inches at 50 feet.

With a two-handed grip, using the support hand to provide a bit of back pressure, my red dot bounces around the black portion of the target. If I hold too long it begins to bounce beyond the black portion. The trick for me is to time my five shots so they are all in the air before I can't isolate the red dot in the black part of the target.

Change one thing at a time when you experiment. Try each experiment a couple of times as you try to isolate causes, effects, and possible solutions.

Red dots don't help or hurt tremors. Red dots affect the way you see your POA and the hopeful POI. I use a red dot because I can't focus on the front blade anymore. My eyes have lost the ability to focus that close. I stare at the target and superimpose my slightly fuzzy red dot on the target.

This is a friendly Bullseye League. If free-standing isn't working for you, try sitting with your elbows on the shooting table. Elbows have always been my favorite bipod.

The best advice I received from my local club members was to learn the basics while using a two-handed grip. Move to a one-handed grip once you are consistently shooting well.

Great post Bob. Lots of good advice packed in there. As of right now, free-standing, one-handed isn't working for me, but I'm a stubborn, ornery and obstinate sorta fellar, so ima gunna pass on the sittin' down and using my elbows...

I'll git it figured out soon enuf.

 

[Bob L.]

Great post Bob. Lots of good advice packed in there. As of right now, free-standing, one-handed isn't working for me, but I'm a stubborn, ornery and obstinate sorta fellar, so ima gunna pass on the sittin' down and using my elbows...

I'll git it figured out soon enuf.

Sounds very familiar!

 

[eightysixCJ]

I use a wrist weight, one with the pockets to hold steel rods so you can adjust the weight and a grip exerciser. Extend my arm, tighten my grip as if holding a gun, squeeze off five or ten rounds and repeat. I keep it handy and exercise whenever I have idle time like sitting in traffic. Not a heavy workout but does condition what’s needed. Definitely helps when used the timed/rapid timer to develop a rhythm.

Tom

 

[OkieStubble]

I use a wrist weight, one with the pockets to hold steel rods so you can adjust the weight and a grip exerciser. Extend my arm, tighten my grip as if holding a gun, squeeze off five or ten rounds and repeat. I keep it handy and exercise whenever I have idle time like sitting in traffic. Not a heavy workout but does condition what’s needed. Definitely helps when used the timed/rapid timer to develop a rhythm.

Tom

Wow, great idea! And your targets don't lie!

 

[oc_in_fw]

Wow, great idea! And your targets don't lie!

Yep, he’s doing something right, for sure.