Lessons from Lehigh Valley
Over the four days in Lehigh Valley, I never stopped being amazed at how many shooters, despite how many times we write about not looking down the barrel, are still doing it. Even though it does not make any logical sense when we propose the reality of it, they still are doing it.
The three-bullet drill is still the sleeper because it really does communicate to the brain what it’s supposed to look like. We’re still amazed at how quickly the sight pictures are in the brain and how looking at the bird behind the barrel is the key to getting the pictures into the brain and allowing for peripheral acceptance of the barrel. In turn, this allows the target to come to the lead.
The target coming to the lead is huge in the overall scheme of things. It’s as if when the target comes to the lead, the right brain just takes care of it and when it’s stable, it’s right. The farther behind the barrel the shooter is comfortable with the target being, the easier longer shots become. When time is short to take the shot or the target is fast, the brain always defaults to its comfort zone; how far it’s comfortable with the target behind the barrel.
The preload is a huge factor, too. The more the preload is used and success happens after the correct preload, the more rapidly the brain learns and responds.
It occurred to me the other day that there aren’t many different leads in reality due to the size of the pattern. I mean, the majority of the shots occur within maybe four or five feet of the target, and most as quartering appear within three feet. However, the aiming reflex that dominates shooters’ brains keeps the simplicity of the skill from being realized.
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