In this issue:

Re: Help with pistol problem
New mental newsletter

*******************************************************************

Michael Ray wrote:

>      Dear Michael,
> 
>      I have another shooting dilemma which I hope you could help me with.
>      My problem is that my front sights and rear sights usually become
>      misaligned.  It seems that when I start lifting my pistol the front
>      sight is equally spaced between the rear sights but when I reach the
>      aiming area, my front sight shifts toward the left side of my rear
>      sights (this leads to my shots/groupings to be on the left side).  I
>      have experimented on some solutions (e.g. shifting stance, neck
>      stretching, slight grip alteration) but they seem to have no effect.
> 
>      I hope that you or some of your readers could offer some insight as to
>      what's causing this and how I can correct it.
> 
>      Thanks very much.
> 
>      Art Cabinian
> 
> [Editor - while I'm not a competitive pistol shooter, the way Art Sievers
> showed me was to make sure the grip was absolutely consistent from shot to
> shot as far as the angle the gun would make relative to your hand. He would
> put a mark on the backstrap which you were to align with a reference point
> on the web of your hand. Also, what do you care if they are aligned when not
> pointing at the target? You should align the gun in your hand after you have
> it on target. Make marks if you need to. If you can't consistently align it
> after you do this, you either don't have a consistent head position or arm
> position. Do all this fiddling unloaded, of course!]

Michael

I have some thoughts about this item.

The pistols sights should (only) line up correctly when the pistol is
aimed at the target with the wrist in it's most natural position. To do
this you may have to modify your grips, either by removing or adding to
the grips (some pistols allow you to adjust the angle of the grip in
relation to the sights). Many people are reluctant to carve or add
filler to their grips (I sure did for a long time), but it's totally
necessary. (for instance my new Steyr air pistol grips pinched the web
of my hand, I carved wood off even before I had a shot with it). Go
slowley and shoot for a while after each change to see how you feel
(don't do it all at once). There are many fillers on the market that can
be added easily and then worked with dremmels or chisels etc (try to
degrease or rough up the area you intend filling 1st, this aids in
adhesion). Also your hands will change slowley so be prepared to do
rework occasionally. If you shooting in different temperatures remember
you hand will swell in the heat, so don't make the grips too tight (this
is where an adjustable shelf is handy).

The idea of alignment marks on the backstrap (and web of hand) is a good
one to promote a consistant grip position, I'll have a look at that
myself.

Cheers

Francis

********************************************************************

Mike: I just got the first issue of a new newsletter, devoted to mental
training. If you want to post the info on your page, go ahead. Here's my
ideas on this publication.

There is a new source of information on the mental game that has just begun
publishing - The Head Coach. This is a 6 times per year newsletter that is
aimed at professionals in the
field of athletic performance, but I suspect that coaches could
subscribe as well. This newsletter is put out by Micheal E. Wolf, Ph.D.
of Dallas, TX. The inagural 8-page issue looks pretty good to me, and
has some nice info in it. Subject areas included: Children and Heroes: A
youth's heroes play a significant role in his/her development, in goals,
standards, and behavior. Heroes are Human Too: Our sports heroes need to
be seen as imperfect humans, as we all are. The Value of Sports: Healthy
competition provides a natural physical and emotional outlet for
children. Competition: Often society attaches too many unnecessary
meanings to athletic victory. Commitment: Every great accomplishment
begins with a dream or vision. Sportsmanship: "sportsmanship" is one of
those words for which we think we know the meaning but find it difficult
to define. The Mental Game: Working on the mental game is not a
substitute for physical skill development. Performance Enhancement:
Determining one's strength and weaknesses begins with self-observation.
Mental Toughness Training: Consistency is the mark of mental toughness
in an athlete. It is the champion's medallion. Living With Success: Many
athletes may need training in how to live with success. Success in
Sports: Success in sports depends on one's goals. 								These are the main
points of the first issue, and the comments are just some of what
is contained under each heading. While Dr. Wolf is not speaking directly
to the shooting sports, his ideas apply just as well to swimming as
shooting. Contact him at:  Michael E. Wolf, Ph.D., 972-385-0267, 13800
Montfort Dr., Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75240. I think it looks good,
myself. Don Williams, Oregon

[Editor - Don informs me that this is indeed similar material to the
"classic" sport pysch books by the likes of Orlick.]

********************************************************************
End of UIT Mailing List #29

Michael Ray - Systems Engineer
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. Rifle Coach
UIT Shooting Page - http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/1190/index.htm