I really like competition. Motorcycle racing. RC cars and air guns. It has made me realize I am limited by my body and brain. And I have beaten some people much better than me. I know they are more skilled . Work harder and have what I don’t have to be a champion when it counts. So when they have a bad day I realize everyone has ups and downs.
 
Vana2
I started instinctive in 1968. Most if not all those steps are taking place subconsciously after a lot of shooting. I'll bet you know where your draw hand is after you have released the arrow. Did you creep, pluck, let your hand pull to the side of your anchor or did it slide along your face towards your ear/shoulder? YOU know when you are shooting your best and I'd say you can "call" your misses based upon the feel of the shot?
Roy
Roy,

1968, that would make us close to the same age 😁

You are right, I can feel the shot as I do it - knowing that bow, that arrow and the tension in the system, my subconscious compensates as required for the distance to target.

Funny, as far as the mechanics of the whole process of drawing and shooting I've been doing it so long that I really am not aware of what my form is. I just focus on the target, draw as I'm stepping into stance and release the moment I touch anchor. Works for me, guess I'm consistent whatever I'm doing. 😄

The cold Canadian winter has arrived here. Plan on making a bunch of full size and 1/4 scale bows from the ironwood (hophornbeam) staves I've had drying for 2 years. Fun stuff!

Cheers!
Hank
 
How many times have you taken the same gun, shot the same ammo with all the same settings, and shot an outstanding group, only to fail to do the same thing the next time you took out the same gun?
Everything is the same; you ask yourself, what the heck happened? You stare at the gun, thinking, why have you failed me? What has changed? What has caused this?
You go on this or that forum and ask questions. Why?
You get many answers, but none seem to help you; what now?
If everything is, in fact, the same, wouldn't the answer be YOU?
What brought this to my attention was the post about showing me your best group.
My best group is not with my most accurate rifle, yet it is my best group, this is a ten-shot group, so the rifle is in fact accurate.
Maybe this rifle is very accurate but more challenging to shoot accurately;I had a good day taming it; it was me.
I better stop. My ADD is taken over now, What I am trying to get across: Some day,s the shooter is better or not as good, it has nothing to do with equipment, it has to do with how your Mind has overcome the distractions in it to focus on shooting "tight groups".
If I’m having fun I just don’t care as the idea is to relax and enjoy 😉
 
How many times have you taken the same gun, shot the same ammo with all the same settings, and shot an outstanding group, only to fail to do the same thing the next time you took out the same gun?
Everything is the same; you ask yourself, what the heck happened? You stare at the gun, thinking, why have you failed me? What has changed? What has caused this?
You go on this or that forum and ask questions. Why?
You get many answers, but none seem to help you; what now?
If everything is, in fact, the same, wouldn't the answer be YOU?
What brought this to my attention was the post about showing me your best group.
My best group is not with my most accurate rifle, yet it is my best group, this is a ten-shot group, so the rifle is in fact accurate.
Maybe this rifle is very accurate but more challenging to shoot accurately;I had a good day taming it; it was me.
I better stop. My ADD is taken over now, What I am trying to get across: Some day,s the shooter is better or not as good, it has nothing to do with equipment, it has to do with how your Mind has overcome the distractions in it to focus on shooting "tight groups".
EXACTLY !
EDIT i laugh every time i read someone has had a not exactly good day and they go home and tear the gun down and put it back together finding nothing , but did they really put it back together exactly the same as it was when it shot that perfect group ?
 
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Just yesterday i shot a OK 1 hole group at 55 M, only to have the next 5 shots elsewhere not even touch each other.
OK it was a bit windy and the dial was not perfect, but still freaky there can be so much difference.

My friend is funny too, some days he just can not shoot, and it is not his rifles, his ADHD brain just are not there or something.
 
Whenever I get in a slump it's because my pellets are too dry. I moisten my fingers with a frosty beer and it gives them just the right amount of moisture to fly straight again.
Beer works great on a muzzle loader patch for round ball, and I'm totally serious about this.
 
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Great post. All things being equal, I’m the deciding factor in accuracy. Some days I’m totally on point, others not so much. Breathing techniques and calming my mind go a long way in supporting consistency. I don’t drink( just a personal choice) but avoiding coffee on the days I shoot seems to help also… that’s tough on a cold morning. I’ve learned to become tunnel focused .. still some days are just better physically than others. I take a magnesium supplement and that helps a lot with jitters and focus…
 
well, if we lived in a vacuum, it would be the same.
i noticed temps' humidity and barometric pressure takes a roll as well and of course increased lead in the barrel
freshly charged air tank hot air vs cold. Still learning

I've said the same thing same ammo same pressures everything is the same but where the pellet or slug lands
but there close. lol
no questions asked we all have those days i just got a stigmatism in one eye so i see gas fumes once in a while so i have to switch from right to left shooting.
i did the same with my bows i have both left and right-handed bows if my eyeball is acting up i know which bow to take.
i also learned to wipe my barrel every 300 shots usually it will start to get a few flyers give it a wipe and its back to normal.
i also learned it's not the gun that has the gremlins it's me or should i say its in my head,
for being air powered and dealing with all the elements it still amazes me how accurate and consistent they really can be.
if it's off a little a day later so, be it.
 
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Beer works great on a muzzle loader patch for round ball, and I'm totally serious about this.

I always used tobacco juice from a big wad of Copenhagen.

I went to saboted rifle bullets when I started smoking cigars. I just didn't have the spit for a patch anymore.

I'll roll the sabots in my fingers and get taco grease and salsa on them. They seat more evenly and go down over a couple shots much easier.
 
Happened to me several times as well. I'm a perfectionist and have OCD. So when I know my groups should be spot on and smaller than a dime @ 50 yrds, I lose my sh*t when it happens. Check over EVERYTHING time and time again...ie Settings, Reg/bottle psi, scope mounts, pellets/slugs, chrono etc. Gets me so damn frustrated! Walk away and come back later and its like it never happened.... UGH!