Edisson Quituisaca is a marine veteran who currently works in private security. In the following article, Edisson Quituisaca of Sleepy Hollow discusses the top 5 ways to improve shooting accuracy over long ranges, such as what mindset to maintain, which areas of the sport require prioritization, and how to make a marksman’s habits work in favor of accuracy.
Shooting at long range distances can be challenging, but rewarding, if the marksman is able to do it with efficiency. However, there are a few techniques people should work on to improve their long range shooting accuracy.
Edisson explains that improving long-range shooting accuracy can be accomplished by remaining true to the fundamentals, practicing consistency, and maintaining good shooting habits.
Edisson Quituisaca on Improving Accuracy
Edisson Quituisaca of Sleepy Hollow says that the techniques needed to improve long-range shooting accuracy are as follows:
1. Focus on Consistency
2. Lower Magnification
3. Practice Realistic Scenarios
4. Prioritize Repetition
5. Know Your Habits
Here’s a more in-depth look at each of these techniques below.
Focus on Consistency
“Muscle memory” is a term which refers to conditioning motor skills to repeat the same patterns of movement over and over. With time and care, Edisson Quituisaca of Sleepy Hollow says that these movements can be performed the same way no matter what situation or even position the body is in. The helpful nature of muscle memory when it comes to shooting long-range distances can’t be overstated!
Muscle memory engages in the cerebellum and is activated after a certain motor skill is repeated with conscious effort over and over again.
Therefore, when it comes to shooting, Edisson Quituisaca says that it is important to focus not on what needs to change, but on what is actually working. When a grip is consistent with firearm safety, or handling and stance are correct, focus on the encouraging fact that those things are being accomplished well!
The alternative is to focus on mistakes, which can actually lead to repeating them over and over. To avoid this, train thoughts as well as movements to be consistent in good shooting habits.
Lower Magnification
According to experts at Deer and Deer Hunting.com, many long-range marksman assume that using magnification equipment will solve all of their problems when it comes to hitting their mark successfully. On the contrary, Edisson Quituisaca reports that magnification can actually be the first step to setting up bad shooting habits and set a marksman on a course for repeated failures.
This is because technically, magnification actually offers a shrunken view of the field a marksman is evaluating to aim. Therefore, a target seen through magnification can be difficult to find in the first place, and it limits a hunter or marksman’s ability to see potentially higher-quality targets elsewhere.
Additionally, high magnification can cause a marksman to focus more on the actual target image rather than the all-important measuring by reticles, which is an important component in remaining consistent as a marksman practices.
Finally, using high magnification on a scope causes more attention to be drawn to errors, or the shakiness of a marksman’s grip and aim. Without great care, this negative aspect of high magnification can even cause a marksman to rush their shooting process and take a shot without focusing on the proper habits first.
Practice Realistic Scenarios
Another trap that marksmen often fall into is behaving one way when at a practice range and behaving contrarily when out in the field. Edisson Quituisaca says that this is the case when hunting or even in a hostile military situation. According to the experts at Gun Digest.com, it is important for a practicing marksman to simulate real-life scenarios when training for long-range shooting.
For example, if a hunter expects to use their long-range hunting skills in the wilderness, utilizing a bench at the shooting range over and over again is not in the marksman’s best interest. Practicing the removal of certain supports, as close to real-life situations as possible, is the best way to improve.
Prioritize Repetition
When a technique is finally solid, the marksman should not cut down on their practice time at the range. At the end of the day, Edisson Quituisaca says that gear like the above-mentioned magnification will never be a suitable replacement for simple repetition of good habits.
A marksman should prioritize going to the range at least once a week in order to solidify enhanced skills and get even better at long-range accuracy!
Know Your Habits
Finally, the best way to improve in long rang accuracy is to analyze habits and stick to the ones that cause success. For example, if a marksman is failing in most areas of technique, such as failing to brace for recoil and angling away from a target as a result, this does not have to mean they are failing as an accurate shooter.
Edisson Quituisaca says it would be best for the marksman to get more range time or instruction. The reason is bad habits need to be filtered out. When needed, your mind and body will fall back on their basic level of training. If bad habits are present it won’t result in a good outcome.
In Conclusion
To sum it all up, gun enthusiasts can improve long-range accuracy by committing to practice consistency in all things. At the end of the day, gear, and especially magnification on scopes, will do very little to help accuracy and may even create a disadvantage. This is because consistency is the only sure-fire way to improve in shooting.
