Excuses, Excuses

Firearm Training On Range
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https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/the-bermuda-triangle-of-firearms-and-other-excuses-for-missing-the-target/

Beth’s latest blog article made me laugh with the list of excuses shooters use:

  • “I haven’t shot a gun in a while.”
  • “My spouse won’t let me practice as much as I want to.”
  • “I’ve never used this gun (holster, ammo, etc.) before.”
  • “I’m just testing this gun (holster, ammo, etc.).”
  • “These safety glasses keep fogging up.”
  • “The sun was in my eyes.”
  • “I forgot my contacts.”
  • “I flinched.”
  • “It’s too cold.”
  • “It’s too hot.”
  • “I was actually aiming somewhere else.”
  • “I forgot which target was mine.”
  • “I didn’t want to outshoot everyone else.”
  • “I didn’t want to wear out the center of the target.”
  • “I do better when I shoot at the orange targets, not the blue ones.”
  • “The wind blew the paper target sideways when I was shooting.”
  • “It’s too dark.”
  • “I waited too long to get that perfect shot, and my hands and arms got shaky.”
  • “This gun just doesn’t fit me well.”
  • “I’ve never liked this gun.”
  • “This trigger is too light.”
  • “I’m using reloads.”
  • “I forgot that this gun doesn’t like this ammo.”
  • “I have different shoes on today.”
  • “My sights are off.”
  • “I was just pushing myself to failure.”
  • “My socks are too tight.”
  • “I had to sneeze.”
  • “My mental game is off today.”
  • “I’m actually not feeling very well at all today.”
  • “I’m trying out for the part of an Imperial Stormtrooper.”

What other excuses do you use (own up to it!) or heard?

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Oh this was a timely post with Pheasant season just around the corner… I will be using “I’m trying out for the part of an Imperial Stormtrooper.” for sure!

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They’re true! All TRUE I tell you :joy:

Except maybe this one…

:rofl::joy: that’s too awesome :joy:

And… er… socks? :laughing:

But really, most of those things CAN be a factor… and that’s why we train and practice and work with a coach and go to classes… so your skills are good enough that when they happen its a minor thing.

Let’s see… my additions, the ones that aren’t on the list already, are…

  • New gun
  • My eye sight is changing
  • Tired
  • Haven’t been practicing enough
  • Just off my game today

But mostly it’s just “my shooting SUCKED today” :joy: :woman_facepalming: :grimacing: :woman_facepalming:

ETA: “sucked” is a relative term… usually applied to my expectations for the day’s performance… and my level of success at making midstream correction.

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There wasn’t any bacon at the range today.

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And from the article… FWIW… if I’ve got a student having hand muscle cramps … that’s involuntary and I SURELY dont want them handling a firearm until that stops. NOT safe. :flushed: reholstering may well have been the safest thing to do. (Maybe not stepping off the line though, depending on the range rules.)

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New shooters (and some of the more experienced shooters who haven’t shot in a while) will get those hand cramps or just tired hands. That’s not surprising. Building good muscle memory is important so stepping away is a great idea.

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Good God Almighty from all the excuses that @Dawn and @Zee hears those people don’t need a gun they need a Nursing Home. I shake my head ladies, you have patience I couldn’t listen to it, I am more like the Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann type although I was in the Army, You know R Lee Ermey famous from the movie Full Metal Jacket and NRA TV.

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@Robert8

Wait a minute Robert, I thought those were excuses @Dawn and @Zee have/do use. :smiling_imp::smiling_imp:

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@DBrogue. They’re doing great Don, we have the best of the best Sir! Nobody could do any better than either of them
:wink::wink:

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Oh trust me I know, but someone has to give them a hard time once in a while and I am just so good at it.

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@DBrogue You’re our guy for that sir!

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@Robert8 @DBrogue ya know… I may use one of those from time to time :wink:
… now the real question is if I think they’re TRUE :grin:
… or to quote the sticker my granddaughter made for me … proudly displayed on my truck window…

“Suck it up Buttercup”

The best one I think I’ve heard from someone recently was “well I haven’t shot anything in over 25 years”… as he was looking at a 10yd target with a neat 20-hole 3 inch group :roll_eyes::laughing: :+1::+1::+1:

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I guess my favorite has to be the classic “this gun shoots low left”.

My personal go to excuse is “I just suck” or “shooting is a perishable skill”

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I was trying to lead the target… It didn’t move like it was supposed too…

(Fixed target)

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Allergies! My eyes keep watering.

It’s actually a real thing, so far I’ve managed to push through it just fine but I’m not working on timed drills either. Side note: anyone have a spare shot timer? (Kidding! I’m going to get one after January. This time of year sucks for budgeting with 3 of my 4 kids birthdays plus the holidays.)

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I had an itch.

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Excuses? We don’t need no stinking excuses!

My biggest problem is that I keep getting batches of ammo made with scaredy-lead. You know, the kind that’s scared to go into the orange dot in the middle of the target.

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Beth is as honest as they come, incredibly intelligent, and has both the education and real world experience along with a talent for communicating that make her a fantastic instructor.

She and Shawn are probably my all time favorite instructors and just a heck of a team all the way around.

She does need to do a better job of taking care of herself particularly in ensuring she stays well hydrated and either covered up or covered with the strongest sunblock she can get her hands on.

I bet if you asked her that is one of the more teachable moments she’s had in the field.

We all have our limitations, our strengths and weaknesses. We all have to learn to recognize them and be honest about them and do as she does here in this article and in classes, share them with others to learn from.

My main physical issue is severe carpel and cubital syndrome in both arms so I am only good for so many rounds a day or in a session before my hands go numb and I lose control of them. When I hit that wall all I can do is holster up and take a break.

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