1/4″

Posted On: 11-24-2025

It is probably one of the most difficult components of shooting in any shooting sport: lifting your head off the comb.  I mean who doesn’t want to see what is happening!  In golf one is taught from an early age to keep their head down and watch the ball.  While a physical action, it is a mental game to do just that – KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN. 

The problem with mentally telling yourself to keep that cheek firmly on the comb, it also works against you as your brain reverses the thought and next thing you know you lift your head.  I do it, and everyone does it, so how do we resolve the problem?

Before we look at the problem let’s look at the ways we are fighting to keep our head down.  Motion for one thing forces the gun away from the body if we fail to rotate our bodies instead of taking the easy route and just moving the gun.  So being rigid and stiff will increase the opportunities to pull away from the comb. 

A second way this happens is simply poor gun fit.  More to the point a gun that tends to force a shooter to lean back to hold the gun up and at the same pulling away from the comb.  An incorrect length of pull will also exacerbate the issue as one either reaches too far for the trigger or crowds the trigger.

A third thought is failing to realize the speed of the target or not being prepared as the target leaves the house.  Again, the gun starts to chase the target and one never catches up so the next best thing is throw the gun at the target. 

So back to the first source of lifting the head in regard to motion.  As younger shooters it never seems a big issue to be flexible but despite that flexibility the muscles fight back to maintain control.  Perhaps a few stretches and warm up moves before shooting would help one with movement.  Take a few minutes to follow a few targets recognizing how your body needs to move. 

The idea of poor gun fit is not a simple thing to remedy because many use guns that are given to them and never fit from the start.  Sometimes guns are purchased with the idea one will grow into them and fit will work itself out.  Remember, there are several parts to the gun that all work together to create a good fit.  If the gun has too long a barrel it will not balance in the hands of all shooters.  Keep in mind all guns are made for the average person which is defined as 5 foot 7 inches and 199 pounds for a male and 5 foot 4 inches 170 pounds for a female.  Ask yourself is that you? 

Finaly, how does one track the target to get the gun barrel ahead of the target?  Practice dry firing at targets every time you go to the range.  Put in a dry fire shell (you can use a previously shot shell) and move the gun to the lead over and over.  Walk through stations and concentrate on your lead.  Don’t sell yourself short by figuring this is not important to your success. It really does help.  Be patient.

Remember, we all lift our heads, but overcoming this bad habit will result in so many more targets broken.  I can assure you when you miss, the head lifting is likely the cause, and don’t forget ¼” lift will result in being off the target by at least 10”  or a third of your pattern. 

David R. Vaught, Ph.D.

Executive Director