It’s commonly believed that 90% of accuracy issues are caused by poor breath control. While breath control is a factor, it’s only a small piece of the equation. So why is so much attention put on how we breathe when shooting? In this article, we’ll look at the four primary areas shooters need to consider if they want to become true marksmen.
The Elephant in the Room – “Check your Breathing”
“Check your breathing” is heard more often than you might imagine at gun ranges. The reality is that proper breath control is important. But let’s look at things realistically. Breathing is a natural function. Our bodies require oxygen to function; holding your breath as a means to try and “be steady” is only denying your body what it needs to operate effectively. When some folks are telling other shooters to “check your breathing,” they are referring to some elaborate system of breathe in, breathe out, hold, shoot, repeat. Or some variation on that theme. True breath control, as it relates to shooting technique, involves NOT interrupting your normal breathing rhythm. Rather, it’s learning how to take the shot within your normal breathing cycle.
As we all know, breathing has a natural rhythm. It’s usually at the end of our exhale, just before we inhale again. This is the moment you should aim to be relaxed and take your shot. It’s about finding your rhythm, not disrupting it by holding your breath. Instead, it’s about learning to shoot within your natural breathing cycle. A true marksman understands how to harmonize with their natural rhythm rather than trying to impose an unnatural one.
The other 75% – Position, Aiming, Trigger Control
Position
Now, let’s explore the other three fundamentals, starting with position. Just as we all have a natural breathing rhythm, we also all have a natural shooting position. Here’s how to discover yours. For this exercise, let’s use a scoped rifle on a rest. Relax and align your crosshairs with the center of the target. Ensure you’re fully relaxed and not resisting the rifle rest or your grip. Now, close your eyes and count to ten. Open your eyes and observe where you’re aiming. If you’re not still dead center on the target, then you’re not in your natural shooting position. It may take time and practice to find your natural shooting position, but once you do, the rest will fall into place more naturally.
Aiming
Most shooting errors have more to do with aiming issues than breath control. All things being equal, the gun is going to fire the projectile where you point it. If you are not consistent with your aim, then you are not going to be consistent with your point of impact.
Now, there are times when equipment can certainly be the root cause of the problem. Some examples would be loose stock screws, loose scope mounts, defective optic, defective powerplant, or a really dirty barrel. It’s why you should check all of those potential issues before you sit down at the bench and work on your shooting technique.
Trigger Control
Shots that fly outside of your intended point of impact are usually due to aiming problems and trigger control problems, not how you are breathing. It’s also not about how good or bad the trigger feels either. Sure, a match trigger with a sub 1lb pull is going to be easier to use, but a true marksman who understands trigger control is going to be able to use what he or she is handed and not blame the equipment for poor results.
There’s more to the process than just squeezing the trigger without trying to move the gun. You need to match that trigger squeeze to the natural pause in your breathing rhythm while maintaining your natural shooting position and keeping proper aim. That’s a lot to think about all at once, and it’s why this is such a great sport. It takes real skill to become a master. It’s not about the equipment; it’s about the person behind the trigger.
Time to Get Out to the Range.
We hope this article has encouraged you to examine your shooting techniques again. As you do so, please let us know how things go. Are you shooting better? Are you struggling? Are there aspects of these four fundamentals that you’d like us to explore further? Please let us know.
