Saturday was another of the Winter Series .22 BPCR matches. As the scoreboard demonstrates I didn't do as well as I thought I would. As always I tend to overthink the results and ask myself questions. You know like why didn't I do as well as last time? Typically it comes down to, I don't know. This time I asked well, what did I learn? An answer might be, take my time. Be more deligent in the process of shooting. Virtually every relay but the chickens I had at least 3 minutes left on the clock. 3 minutes, that's a lot of time. 3 minutes divided by the lay down animals (3) is 18 seconds per animal for more aiming. More follow through. More double checking my hold. Or it's a total of 9 minutes I wasted hurrying along and not be deligent in the shooting process. All because I expected to do well but didn't do the appropiate shooting diligence.
It was still a good day. Winds were managable, food was the usual great and of course the company is always fun. The results leave me puzzled by it all. Everyone complains about their shooting and the biggest is why can't I be consistent. The reasons are not few, lack of focus is the umbrella that most fall in. Focus on the shot and don't rush, don't be thinking about the fight with your spouse, the finances or anything other than the shot.
My last target was the fifth station, a gong target. It has nothing to do with the silhouette match but is a way of utilizing time rather than stand around wishing you were shooting. This station consist of 3 targets placed at an unknown distance but it's between the pig line and the turkey line. You get 10 shots for score with no sighters. The largest gong is 10" and scores 3 points, the middle gong is 6" and scores 5 points, and little gong is 2" and scores 10 points. SPG Sales and Wyoming Sight Drifter co sponsor a $100 prize to the first shooter to score 100 points. So with my score was in the books I told myself to just relax and have fun. I shot a 68 to tie for second overall on the gong target. The point is that in the silhouette portion of the match I had big expectations and little shooting discipline. When I got the this gong portion I was in a more relaxed state of mind and did better proportionally than with the silhouettes. Hmmm, maybe I'm on to something. Relax, have fun and just do what you need to do to shoot well. Remember it's not a race and have fun. Now if only I can remember that at the next match.