Firearms Final Qualify

[CO_Hopeful]

Hello...looking for some advice.

I have my final qualify for Firearms this coming weekend. I'm feel confident that I am one of the best shooters in the class, but I also know that crazier things have happened.

Do you have any advice about mentality, or whatever will help to soothe my nerves before stepping onto the firing line?

We had practice last week, and we had a trial run at the POST course in the morning...to which I totally forgot how to shoot, and acted like a moron. I obviously wasn't mentally prepared, but was also unprepared to walk onto the range and shoot without warmup....(which is how ALL real life shooting situations will be). I missed the qualification score in the morning by 1 point. After having all day to practice on various drills, I shot a 195/210 in the afternoon.

The trouble is, I will have to walk onto the range "cold" again this week for the final qualify. No time to warm up, and no chance to practice before then. Like I said....I know I have the skills to pass the course.....but it's the thought of the nerves, and the fact that this is "final" that sort of makes it a little more stressful.

Any tips?

[Kahuna5150]

You know the course.. You've been trough it several times. You don't have to go through it cold at all! An idea that seems to work for me is this. Before the shoot, (earlier in the day, or even the night before) run through the shoot mentally. Do the qualification in your head over and over again. Everything, the reloads, the running, the barricades, by the time you get to the physical range, you should be sick of shooting, (as you have been shooting all day in your head).

Sounds goofy, but I know a school did a study years ago when they had 3 groups go out to the basketball court. They all shot and each member of each group was scored over and over till they had an accurate measure of their ability. One group went to the courts everyday for a week to practice. One group was told to take 30mins to 1hr a day and to shoot basketball in their heads, (to really focus and concentrate). The final group did neither.

When they came back for the test the group that did nothing scored about the same as the first shoot. The group that practiced scored much higher. The groupd that practiced mentally scored about as well as the group that actually practiced in person.

The mind is a powerful tool if you use it!

Kahuna

(GOOD LUCK!!)

[Mongo]

The only advice I can give:

You have to go through the course cold.....but you can still practice! One of the best ways to practice anything is mentally. You have done the course before, just walk through it over and over and over and over again in your head. Envision yourself doing everything right....then come time....go do it. You will be suprised at how this settles your nerves and helps you maintain your focus. Relax and rest before going off to the range on the day of qualification and remember to breathe....you can't make it through if you pass out.

[Mongo]

Hey kahuna good advice seems like we posted just about the same advice at the same time....we must be on the same mental preparation wavelength. HAHA.

[DelC]

Originally posted by Kahuna5150
Sounds goofy, but I know a school did a study years ago when they had 3 groups go out to the basketball court. They all shot and each member of each group was scored over and over till they had an accurate measure of their ability. One group went to the courts everyday for a week to practice. One group was told to take 30mins to 1hr a day and to shoot basketball in their heads, (to really focus and concentrate). The final group did neither. . . The mind is a powerful tool if you use it! . . . Kahuna, I’m familiar with that study. I used the concept while coaching soccer. (You have to see it in your mind, before you can do it!!)

CO_Hopeful,

Once at the range, waiting my turn, I don’t do any prep prior to stepping onto the firing line, in fact, I don’t even try to think about it, I try to relax and rest my eyes. However, I do watch the other shooters and make sure I don’t make the same mistakes they make.

Practice your sight alignment, practice changing clips, etc, the night before and then get a good night’s sleep on it. You may want to practice pulling from your holster and getting onto target with a good sight picture in a speedy manner, don’t rush it, but some speed is necessary.

Once I step onto the firing line I concentrate on the instructions of the Range Officer as he goes through the shooting procedure, i.e., number of rounds to be fired on which target and the amount of time allowed to fire them. (I think a lot of problem shooters are in a state of bewilderment on the firing line once the pistol comes out of the holster) While placing my shots, I try to mentally keep track of the time and the number of rounds I have fired, trying not to finish early or not to go over the time limit. I don’t try to ace it, just to qualify and get the hell out of there. I always finish at the top of the heap. Good Luck.