WHY Do You Miss?? Practical Shooting Quick Tip

Published on January 20, 2026
Duration: 5:46

This guide, presented by a professional firearms instructor from Farewell Firearms Training, outlines a diagnostic flowchart for identifying the cause of missed shots, particularly on a 'cold start' in competitive shooting. It emphasizes that a miss or low score on an easy target indicates a fundamental process breakdown. The process involves checking sight picture acquisition, mechanical issues, and external factors before concluding the failure is internal.

Quick Summary

Diagnose shooting misses by first asking if you saw your sights acceptably. If not, you rushed. If you did see them, check for mechanical issues (zero, optic, barrel, ammo) or external factors (wind, movement, bumps). If none apply, the failure is internal to your process.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Cold Start Standard & Disqualifiers
  2. 01:02Diagnostic Question: Sight Picture
  3. 02:27Mechanical and Exterior Factors

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first step in diagnosing a missed shot in competitive shooting?

The first step is to ask yourself if you saw your sights within an acceptable picture before pulling the trigger. If the answer is no, you likely rushed the shot by not properly acquiring your sight alignment and picture.

When is it acceptable to say you 'rushed' a shot?

According to expert instructors, you can only legitimately claim you 'rushed' a shot if you pulled the trigger without a confirmed, acceptable sight picture. This indicates a failure in the initial aiming process.

What should you check if you saw your sights but still missed?

If you confirmed an acceptable sight picture but still missed, you must investigate mechanical issues like zero shift, loose optics, or barrel wear, as well as external factors such as wind or being bumped.

Why are Mikes and Deltas critical on a 'cold start'?

On a 'cold start,' a 'Mike' (miss) or 'Delta' (low score) is an instant disqualifier because these easy targets at 12-20 yards should not be missed if the shooter's fundamental process is sound.

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