Visual Confusion on Long Crossers

A frustrated fan wrote us and asked about how to shoot a long crosser that was giving him trouble.

He wrote: “I shoot pull away on long crossers. My head stays with the gun. It’s usually a good solid mount and the gun keeps moving. But for some reason as I pull away to the lead, my eyes start looking way ahead of the gun for the lead. I am seeing the lead but my head and the gun are still way behind. Can you help?”

Our response:

What you are describing is visual confusion, since you are pulling away from a long crosser, which is the main risk of that method. Try two things –

1. Do not insert the gun on the target. Make the insertion just under or just in front of the target. This keeps the muzzle in the peripheral circle and does not disturb your primary focus on the target.
2. After the insertion, move the muzzle with the target for a split second, establishing a muzzle target speed relationship being the same. Then ease away from the target. The softer and smoother the pull away, the easier it will be for you to maintain focus on the target. As the lead window begins to open, pull the trigger.