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Eight Awesomely Bad Shooting Tips

By NRA Staff (RSS)

July 15, 2012

In an effort to rid the firearms world of these damaging misconceptions, we surveyed eight professional shooters and writers to get their best examples of shooting advice gone wrong. Learn them, know them and be sure to scold anyone who has the gall to offer up any of these awesomely bad shooting tips.

Patrick Flanigan: Just Go Practice?
Mark Keefe: Starting with a .410?
Phil Bourjaily: Try to Miss?
Ron Spomer: The Gravity Effect?
Todd Jarrett: Non-Dominant or Dominant?
Scott Olmsted: Jerk the Trigger?
Doug Koenig: Non-Dominant Eye Closed?
John Zent: Lightweight Rifles Easier to Shoot?
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69 Responses to Eight Awesomely Bad Shooting Tips

jim wrote:
November 17, 2012

i am left eye dominant right handed pistol shooter left handed rifle shooter. when shooting a pistol i keep both eyes open and onthe sights. when shooting a rifle i close my weak eye and use my dominate eye but then as i said i shoot rifles left handed. i cant hit the broad side of a barn with a rifle shooting right handed but put it in my left and i will qualify expert every time.

John Losh wrote:
August 13, 2011

I also disagree... I've been a crack shot since I could walk and right handed since then too. At age 9 I lost most of my vision in my right eye which so happened to be my dominant eye. Shortly after, I taught myself to shoot left handed, and guess what? Still a crack shot. Lefty or Righty, shoot with what does you the best and with what's most comfortable to you.

Tim wrote:
July 23, 2011

Most of the advice seems sound. Squeeze trigger, use dominate hand to shoot with, etc. But keeping both eyes open? I find that really hard to believe. What's the rationale here? How can one shoot with double vision like that?

WBuchanan wrote:
September 02, 2010

My son is a lefty, but right eye dominant. He has been shooting his competition 10 meter pellet rifle with his dominant eye since 5 years old. He does pretty darn good now at 8 years old. I tend to disagree with Todd's advice on rifles. Can't speak for pistols yet.

Bary A. Dickson wrote:
August 27, 2010

I don't think I could hit anything that way. I too am right handed and left eye dominant. When I was young I could nott even close my right eye and keep the left open so I learned to shoot long guns left handed. I shoot pistols right handed left eye closed. If I keep both eyes opened I tend to favor the left eye and cant the gun to the left, which I think will miss. I will try at the range next time I go and see!

Tom Jerbic wrote:
August 26, 2010

I like to keep both eyes open no matter what I am shooting. It gives added safty and preception of possible game

Tom Jerbic wrote:
August 26, 2010

I've jerked my trigger quite a bit when I was younger, but I don't think it improved my shooting

Tom Jerbic wrote:
August 26, 2010

Tru-dat

Tom Jerbic wrote:
August 26, 2010

I agree. My 8mm Mauser made at the turn of the century is a lot more accurate than come of the newer guns with cheap Chineese optics. as for the uphill, down hill BS,9.8 meters per second squared isn't enough to affect 2000 meters per second over a 400-500 meter shot

Tom Jerbic wrote:
August 26, 2010

"Try to lose" is more to the point. What idiot would recommend trying to lose at anything.

Tom Jerbic wrote:
August 26, 2010

practice makes perfect. If you miss enough game, you will either starve or improve your shooting. I practiced alot with my single shot 22 and I learned how to get food quickly.

Tom Jerbic wrote:
August 26, 2010

I started witha 410 at 10 and by 14 I was able to hit my targets and reload my single shot almost as fast as a pump. This is not bad advice

Nick wrote:
August 26, 2010

Another one I'd have to disagree with. Again in training I was taught to keep the non-dominant eye closed. If you couldn't keep it closed there were these little blinders that attached onto the rear sight of the rifle.

Nick wrote:
August 26, 2010

I have to disagree with the "right/left hand dominant" line. I was trained(JROTC rifle team) to shoot whatever side your eye is dominant in. I'm left handed but right eye dominant. So I shoot right handed..I can't hit anything left handed.

B WEGNER wrote:
August 26, 2010

My previous comment was off. These guys are correct - AIM LOW with either slope. What I should have said is that slope causes a bullet to impact high, NOT aim high.

f-stop wrote:
August 26, 2010

With a dot sight or holographic, sure. But when trap or rifle shooting with standard sights of scope I don't see how this works better. More info, please.

Greg Whelchel wrote:
July 17, 2010

I began writing left handed in school at a time when teachers believed it was best to force lefties to write right handed. My left eye is my dominant eye and since a child I learned to shoot left handed with a BB gun and later through higher powered rifles and shotguns as I got older. When I got my first handgun just a few years ago it seemed natural for me to learn to shoot it left handed. Also, I am able to acquire my target much faster and with greater accuracy left handed. I would like to know more about why Mr. Jarrett thinks the law enforcement trainers are wrong. I hope someone can explain this reasoning to me because I want to be able to effectively use my guns to the nest of my ability.

Larry Schafer wrote:
July 13, 2010

I can agree with using the dominate hand for pistol. but there is no way I can shoot long gun right handed while being extremely left eye dominate due to amblyopia. You can not get your head comfortably on the gun and dominate eye behind the sights shooting dominate hand. I recently ran into a grandfather teaching his 14yr old granddaughter to shoot his hunting rifle. I easily recognized her struggle and offered my suggestion that she try shooting with her left. within two shots she was much more comfortable on the gun and was soon out shooting grandpa. Cross dominate does have one neat advantage, when you drop your long gun to your left side on the sling it doesn't interfere with your right hand holstered pistol.

Jim Newland wrote:
July 12, 2010

I used to shoot steel targets at 200 meters with open sights, pistol with a 10" barrel and hit almost all the time. Shooting up or downhill you need to hold the same sight. If you are shooting at a 45° angle at 200 yards, imagine a plumb bob line from your target to a horizontal line from your position, that is the distance you hold for according to what rifle you are firing.

Ed True wrote:
July 11, 2010

Practicing without knowing what you are doing right or wrong may make money for the ammo suppliers but won't make for a good shooter. Shooting is like playing an instrument without instruction. You make noise and that's about it. If you have a teacher who has given you instruction; then practicing that is a good idea. Without instruction, all you're doing is wasting ammunition.

Neil Blam wrote:
July 09, 2010

I think it's more important to try different shotguns until one's own "fit" is found.My first was an Ithaca Supersingle in 20 gauge, which I was awful with.Then I bought a very used Browning Auto-5 in 12 gauge, and I couldn't miss.I was a teenager then, and now at 62 that Browning is still my favorite shotgun. And I have a bunch of them.

Larry Morgan wrote:
July 08, 2010

If you could jerk the trigger straight back it might work but if you jerk the trigger and your right handed you will shoot to the right and vice versa.Squeeze the trigger and let the explosion be a suprise!

Bob Stryker wrote:
July 08, 2010

I got a Red Ryder bb gun for my 5th birthday in 1946. I remember trying to shoot right handed - I am right handed - the very first day and trying to hang my head over the stock because I was left eye dominant. More than that, my right eye was a slave eye, but we didn't find that out till 5 years later. I intuitively started shooting left handed and that was 64 years ago. I shoot a handgun with either hand. A long gun, or bow, left handed.

Bob Stryker wrote:
July 08, 2010

I couldn't agree more with Mark Keefe. In fact at the ripe old age of 11 I was carrying a Remington model 11 humpback. On occasion I carried a 16 ga. H&R bolt action, and a 20 ga single barrel. It wasn't till several years later when my brother got a single barrel .410 that I ever shot one (I was 15). By that time I had moved to Missouri and started shooting quail instead of pheasants. I thought quail were awfully easy to hit with the .410. But I was also a very good shot with rifle or shotgun.

Pat duffy wrote:
July 08, 2010

In the Royal Marines we had to qualify with the 7.62mm SLR (FN FAL) at 300 & 500yds with open sights. Marksmans award for getting so many (can't remember how many) in the inner circle.

John Carlson wrote:
July 08, 2010

I'm right-handed but my left eye is my dominant eye ... What should I do with my eyes?

Ronald Gray wrote:
July 08, 2010

When I was in the Corps starting during the Cuban Missile Crisis, BRASS was Breath, Relax, Aim, Slack, Squeeze. You have to take up the trigger slack for a good clean squeeze that surprises the heck out of you when the round goes off. Then you're able to call your shot and know if you need a sight adjustment.

Jim Finley wrote:
July 08, 2010

Correct! I was a rifle coach in the Corps and taught marksmanship at the NM Corrections Academy after I retired from the service - I was taught, and taught others, that if you think you know exactly when the weapon will go off, you're more likely to flinch, buck the shot, and throw it off to the left (if you're right-handed.)

John Bowie wrote:
July 08, 2010

My right eye is my dominate. I am left handed. I am retired military & was a LEO for a while. I was a very good shot left handed, but somewhat ambidestrious(sp), I had to teach myself to be. When I found I was right eye dominate, I retrained myself to shoot right handed & improved a lot. So, for me, I disagree.

Me wrote:
July 08, 2010

Even better: Squeeze the trigger at the natural breathing pause, i.e., the brief moment between your natural exhale and natural inhale. If you can't make the trigger break in that time, wait for the next pause. This is also a Marine-taught marksmanship technique.

Me wrote:
July 07, 2010

As a Marine, I've regularly made 10 shots in a human torso-sized target at 500 yds with an M-16 and open sights during known-distance qualification (albeit on a stationary target). With the right shooting position, this kind of shot is trivial.

Patrick B wrote:
July 07, 2010

Please do tell With pistol you can tilt your head but how do you do so with a rifle or shotgun without your site picture being wrong?

Orlando R. La Rosa wrote:
July 07, 2010

Once again, when I was in Marine boot camp in 1963, we were taught to close the non-dominant eye. They even had eye patches for the guys that had trouble shutting the non-dominant eye. In my 4 years in the Corps, I managed to shoot Expert every time I went to the range. I, at one time, put 11 out of 12 rounds in the bulls eye at 500 yards. The 12th round was in the 4 ring. I must have jerked the trigger. This was with a standard issue M14 with iron sights.

Orlando R. La Rosa wrote:
July 07, 2010

When I was in the Marines, we were taught, BRASS, not BRASSF. It meant, Breathe, relax, aim, slack, (as in take up the slack), squeeze. That was in 1963. Maybe it's changed since then.

DNR wrote:
July 07, 2010

Yes, aim LOW when shooting either uphill, or downhill. See, for example, John Plaster, The Ultimate Sniper, "Special Shooting Situations, Up/Down Compensation Holding"

Jim Finley wrote:
July 07, 2010

Heck, anyone who has qualified with the M16 at even the minimum level in the Marine Corps has had to get consistent hits at 500 yards with a peep sight on a 5.56mm.

Anthony G. Yates wrote:
July 07, 2010

Can any of these people spell correctly? How can they be writers? Or do they depend on a spell checker! Or are these just comments by readers? I sure hope they can shoot better than they spell!

Jim Branch wrote:
July 07, 2010

It is bad policy to publish comments such as the one by Peter Thomas. His spelling, whether intentional or not, is an insult to NRA members!!!!

John Mouring wrote:
July 07, 2010

Whoa,Commenter. "Practice"wasn't citicized; lack of instruction was! We know of no good performer who simply practiced with out a coach. Trial and error may get one there, but prolonged.

steve pike wrote:
July 07, 2010

I'm a right handed shooter left eye dominant. I use the both eyes open method when shooting handguns and it works fine but when shooting rifle/shotguns I need to close my left eye because I end up seeing the side of the gun. I think that every shooter should try different things and then stick with what works best for them.

w. van Ginkel wrote:
July 07, 2010

good and essential advise,if followed, shall become a habit and will result in optimum safety and better scores.

B Wegner wrote:
July 07, 2010

When shooting uphill or downhill, especially grades of 15 degs or more, you generally aim slightly high.

Peter Thomas wrote:
July 07, 2010

Thanks Doug, both eye's on great approach to being spot on target.

Peter Thomas wrote:
July 07, 2010

"BRASSF" You got that right Scott. No trigger jerks folks on your follow through. A good indication of solid marksmanship is a smooth timely shot squeezeing the trigger. Lest leave the jerks off the range and out of the trigger wells.

Peter Thomas wrote:
July 07, 2010

A bit crazy I'd say, to Todd. Thanks for the head up.

Peter Thomas wrote:
July 07, 2010

Phil we thank you for your sound advice to not joke around with rifling long range shoot. It's always sites on target.

Peter Thomas wrote:
July 07, 2010

Great shooting edvice, to tell a person what there doing wrong. With shooting sports we all can only afford to do things write the first time.

Pete wrote:
July 07, 2010

Practice only helps when what you're doing is correct. Help a new or inexperienced shooter to correct any problems he or she is having, and then advise them to practice. Watch for a while to make sure they have made any necessary corrections.

mike hauptly wrote:
July 07, 2010

i'm with Roger K. right handed and left eye dominant, so i HAVE to close the left eye, and i shoot quite well with longrifle or a handgun.

George Bransom wrote:
July 07, 2010

He starts off good but goes wrong about the long guns. In a life threatening situation, both eyes go open and the dominant eye will aim the long gun. You had better learn to shoot long guns from the shoulder with the dominant eye. I have tried opposite shoulder with iron sights on shotguns and rifles as well as worked with a large number of opposite eye dominant students. You will miss completely in a stessful situation using the strong side shoulder when the dominant eye is on the other side. With handguns he is correct, practice with the dominant eye and the strong hand.

mike hauptly wrote:
July 07, 2010

i'm right handed and left eye dominant. i shoot quite well right handed, i found it far easier to learn to shoot with my right eye than it would be to use my "stupid" hand.

Jack wrote:
July 07, 2010

Always aim low when shooting uphill or downhill. The line of sight is not the same as the distance to the target.

Dale Tritsch wrote:
July 07, 2010

most .410s have the same reach as a 20ga, not just the larger pattern. Starting with a .410 will actually make a better marksman.

Janus Livingston wrote:
July 07, 2010

Most 20 ga kick as much as 12 gauges, depending what you hunt 410 is a wonderful starter, and every kid I knew that owned them LOVED them

Janus Livingston wrote:
July 07, 2010

There is NOTHING wrong with the adage, "Go out and practise," there are way too many so called experts that want to parse every word or phrase looking for fault, practise is the fundamental principle in perfecting any art

Greg Evans wrote:
July 07, 2010

You could never convince me that both eyes open is better...Period! Who came up with that one?

John Hutson wrote:
July 07, 2010

For some types of pistol shooting, favoring the dominant hand over the dominant eye makes sense. For rifle shooting, the dominant eye is definitely advantagous and all the more so for shotgun. With a little coaching, it's not a hard switch to make.

John Hofeling wrote:
July 07, 2010

Not completely true. I shoot pistols right handed. My dominant eye is my left. I cannot hit anything with a long gun right handed, only left.

'ol yeller wrote:
July 07, 2010

always rest your rifle for a steady shot. the lighter rifle recoils harder on your shoulder.

John R. wrote:
July 07, 2010

You just state this as fact with no support. If Rifleman wants me to "scold anyone who has the gall to offer up these...", you need to provide me some rationale. Why is the monocular technique an "awesomely bad" one? I've been using it with good results. Should I change?

Genie wrote:
July 07, 2010

To 'aim high for uphill shots,' is a dangerous, frightening bit of advice.

Genie wrote:
July 07, 2010

Great advice.

Michael Old Turtle wrote:
July 07, 2010

If you don't aim high or low, where should ya aim? Don't laugh, I'm new at this.

Rhett M. Brackin wrote:
July 07, 2010

I disagree with this statement. The first firearm should be a .22 long rifle, single shot, youth model. You must teach the new shooter correct shooting habits, without recoil. Any gauge shotgun would cause the new student to flinch and jerk the tigger. Do not start with any recoil.

Cathy Lynch wrote:
July 07, 2010

I can only speak for teaching youth, and I have taught a ton, but the most blank targets that come back to the bench is new shooters not using the dominate eye. Why would the NRA instructor course teach how to look for dominate eye? And why did they shoot better when I changed eyes?

M. Miller wrote:
July 07, 2010

"This is the absolute wrong way to teach shooting. " --Doug Koenig, Professional Shooter, Hornady Ammunition Ah, the unquestionable confidence of youth. Hope that works out for you, Doug.

Roger K. wrote:
July 07, 2010

Okay I am a right handed shooter and left eye dominant, how do I do that without seeing the side of the scope or rifle?? have tried many times to keep both eyes open and it just does not work out, if there is a way please let me know...

dennis wojciechowski wrote:
July 07, 2010

was your advice valid 50 years ago? My Dad and all my Uncles that were farmers and avid hunters had me start off with a .410 when i was 12. Was your advice valid back then

Wayne Hachten, DVM wrote:
July 07, 2010

Excellent advice. Folks should be ready to train new shooters. This means learning proper methods so as to be ready yourself.