Range Jitters

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Claymore_Dude

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So, for some reason every time I go to the range, I feel a my hands shake when I'm shooting my M&P. This never happens during dry fire practice at home, but happens almost every time I hit the range. I do a lot of deep breathing and calming exercises to slow the shake and eliminate but it only works for about 5 shots. Do I have a disease :confused: or is it something I'm doing? What can I do to relieve this? Thanks!
 
Do you have the best hearing protection you can buy? You might go some place where you can just shoot rapid fire or slow and not worry about hitting the target in front of folks. How are you at public speaking? Inhibited at all? May be just stage fright.
 
I would say about two years. It only happens when I shoot pistols though. And I consider myself an extrovert so, no speaking problems here lol.
 
kodiakpb said:
Do you have a death grip on the weapon?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll admit that when I first started shooting the M&P (my first pistol) I had a death grip on it, but I have since relaxed a lot which has also helped my groups a lot.
 
I believe it's just the excitement in anticipation of those first few rounds..I remember it well when I first began shooting.
I don't get the jitters anymore but I fog up my glasses in the beginning then it slowly subsides as the rounds add up...same thing happens before a fast drive or when I load my speargun before a dive.
 
I feel your frustration, jitters, and shakes. Twenty-five years ago, I shot ragged X-ring size groups in competion with a stock M586, Gold Cup, or M52 . Today I couldn't buy one of those groups with my life and my custom built target guns. Aging is not for sissies.
 
Lower your expectations. It's common for people to expect to shoot all their rounds through one hole. No one does it, but that's what we all want to do. To help with this, next time at the range, do a "function check" of your gun.

The idea is to just go throw some lead down range and who cares what the group looks like. Every now and then I do a series of controlled pairs just to get some lead out there. You still need to use all the proper fundamentals. Still use the right grip, still focus hard on the front sight, still press and release the trigger with control. Just change your expectations on the group size.

Yesterday I went to the range with my M&P .45 and just used a simple 8.5x11 sheet of white paper for a target. No Xs or any other mark on it. I was working on my speed a little. I shot controlled pairs while increasing speed without losing control. I shot about 165 rounds and kept them all on the paper at 7 yards. Not impressive groups, but all were good hits.

One more thing you might try:
Take a few shots with ultimate accuracy in mind. To do this you have to focus hard on the front sight. Of course your target is still part of your sight picture, but you never focus on it at all. Think only about keeping that front sight perfectly centered in the rear and the tops perfectly aligned. Press the trigger as slow as humanly possible with your only thought on the front sight. Let the break be a total surprise.

If you're at all like me, you'll find this difficult. Even so, it will help with your jitters.

So, there's two ideas. Give 'em a try and let us know how it goes.
 
Go to the range more often. Shooting is an assault in your senses. The recoil, concussion, sound etc. It's very unpleasant, really. The more often you go, the more acclimated you become.
Its a perishable skill. I feel the same way if I wait too long between sessions.

Also, try an outdoor range. The effects are much less in an outdoor environment. Indoor ranges have a tendency to sent shock and concussion back at you.
 
BIGMAC116 said:
Go to the range more often. Shooting is an assault in your senses. The recoil, concussion, sound etc. It's very unpleasant, really. The more often you go, the more acclimated you become.
Its a perishable skill. I feel the same way if I wait too long between sessions.

Also, try an outdoor range. The effects are much less in an outdoor environment. Indoor ranges have a tendency to sent shock and concussion back at you.
Click to expand...

That's a very interesting theory. I've been around the noise all my life, and only shoot outdoors. I would love to hit the range everyday if I could, but I'm still waiting to win the lotto so I don't have to worry about the cost of ammo and just have a blast lol.
 
I had the jitters

I had the jitters last trip. Been under a lot of stress and went to shoot to relax and realized how nervous and worn down I was. I shook, was sensitive to the boom and recoil and even started to flinch, which worried me more than anything (I've always been proud of my unflinchiness). I hope this trend doesn't last:(
 
The old saying have been around for a long time because they make sense and they work so...
BRASS
Breathe Relax Aim Slack Squeeze...
 
Only an opinion based on limited info, but have you considered picking up a .22 pistol to run for a while? If your dry fire exercises are uneventful it seems it's either the noise/recoil or the in public thing... and you say you're an extrovert...

Absolutely no offense of any sort intended, but when I got my kids into shooting the last thing I wanted was them to worry about the boom... .22 cal and working up to lower powered 20ga, etc. You can only hand them a 3" 12ga turkey load ONCE, lol...after that they expect it each and every time...so I just don't hand them the 12 :)

.22's are neither an assault on the senses nor overly expensive to run... a lot... do your rangework/practice on the .22, finish each session with a mag or two on the larger gun-

just an observation
 
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THE SHAKES

First it's nothing to be embarrassed about. several good things mentioned. DON"T choke the gun to death, try ear plugs as well as muffs, stay away from guys with MAGNABOOMERS, and IMO the best cure is the 22 lr. I bring one to the range everytime I go and try to start and finish each shooting session with it. if you start to flinch or shake, go back to the 22 until you settle down. for me closing my eyes during dry fire practice tells me a lot about my technique, especially the grip and trigger squeeze.
 
I get excited jitters when I first start shooting in any given range session. Usually after a few rounds I settle down. I have been shooting for years and like to shoot large calibers, .45 and .357 so it's not recoil or noise anticipation, just excitement!
 
hangnoose said:
First it's nothing to be embarrassed about. several good things mentioned. DON"T choke the gun to death, try ear plugs as well as muffs, stay away from guys with MAGNABOOMERS, and IMO the best cure is the 22 lr. I bring one to the range everytime I go and try to start and finish each shooting session with it. if you start to flinch or shake, go back to the 22 until you settle down. for me closing my eyes during dry fire practice tells me a lot about my technique, especially the grip and trigger squeeze.
Click to expand...

This is what I do as well. The 22 will usually get rid of any jitters that you have or at least calm them down.

Also if it's possible try to use a lane with no one on either side of you. We all want to out shoot the other guy and if there is no one there it will ease the nerves a lot or at least it does for me.
 
It might help to find some land to shoot on. Outdoors with a few cans, paper targets, a bit of solitude and control of your own time IMO is a superior experience, way more relaxed, quieter and a lot more fun than the enclosed retail ranges. You can two-gun, draw and shoot, sight in and reload at your leisure... just be sure to eject away from your windshield and resist the urge to scratch with the front sight ... ;)
 
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I had the same problem with my SW99.Lossen up on the grip I had a death grip and this was the cure
 
While I was always relatively calm at the range even when I had to qualify while in the military & for armed security where the job depends on it I find myself calmer with just casual SD shooting. I feel good if I can hit the target center mass & not worry about an X ring. If I say to myself that had the target been someone trying to take my life would he be incapacitated? I find that in almost every case the answer is yes & at that time I can start hitting the X ring more often & I'm even more relaxed since my doubts & fears are now gone.

Unless you plan on going into competition then don't worry about it for self defense training. Put enough rounds into a man sized target & he'll go down.
 
And eliminate any caffeine such as coffee, tea, or colas for a couple of hours prior to your range sessions.
 
New shooters always jump from shots around them, but go away after awhile. Caffeine should be avoided before like stated above. Best thing is to go and pretend you're the only one at the range. I don't even think about the shooters around me when I go.

I've gotten so good at it that I've had a guy shoot a S&W 500 out of nowhere in the lane right next to me in the middle of shooting a magazine out of my M&P and I didn't even flinch. Relaxing and a good stable grip helps too.
 
Simple performance anxiety brought on by what you expect in the way of results. As mentioned by others above focus on the front sight, the trigger pull and the fundamentals. Ignore the results for a while. Shoot a group of 20 to 30 rounds on a blank target. Really watch that front sight. Focus on letting the shot go while maintaining good sight alignment. If shakes start, dry fire a few rounds then go back to shooting. The noise and concussion in the range is greatly amplified indoors. Your nervous system is just a bit more sensitive than you'd like. More exposure to the range would help.
Keith
 
Thanks for the pointers and tips. As said, I've been around firearms for around 7 years and have a lot of exposure to the loud noises and booms so I don't think it's a sound thing. I also, have loosened my grip a lot, and do have a .22 (gotta love .05 compared to .27)! That being said, I will keep in mind what everyone has said, and apply to the next range time. On another note, maybe that bulls-eye circle is what gets me worked up like others have mentioned. Time to get a blank piece of paper like some have suggested.
 
I have a bad habit of not eating before I go (skipping breakfast or lunch) - every time I do that, I get the shakes. You would think I would know better, I've been shooting for 30 years. Now, I keep power bars or something of the like in my range bag. If I forget to eat or didn't have time, I'll just eat those and they usually hold me over.
 
I shake because I'm worried the idiot in the next lane will shoot me. Some of them are very careless.
Rob
 
SpringGunTunes said:
I shake because I'm worried the idiot in the next lane will shoot me. Some of them are very careless.
Rob
Click to expand...

If the range staff can't (or won't) control careless behavior, it's time to find another range. Have you told them your concern? Range officers can't always see everything. Voicing your concern may prevent some future mishap. ;)
 
SpringGunTunes said:
I shake because I'm worried the idiot in the next lane will shoot me. Some of them are very careless.
Rob
Click to expand...

I've seen surveillance footage of a woman walking up behind a guy at an indoor range and putting one in the back of his head. Not pretty. You never know who's in there with you.
 
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