The Lead

Posted On: 10-02-2024

I have discussed this before but want to add a little detail to the conversation.  In shooting one needs to think of a “Lead” in more than one dimension.  Often all one thinks of is getting ahead of a target without refining the lead to include being above or below the target.  Geometrically we shoot in a X and Y grid.  The X being ahead of or behind a target and the Y being above or below the target. 

When I work with youth shooters and really all shooters, I often watch them unable to find the Y axis of the target line.  Aside from catching up to the target, getting ahead of the target and then pulling the trigger I instead see the trigger pulled with little regard for the Y axis.  When I use the Garmin Zero S1 or a Shotkam and analyze shooting after the round, I see missed targets most often above and below, but of course also behind the target.  How do we fix this?

Too often youth shooters do not take advantage of the time before they are called to shoot.  This is when they should be watching targets on the field they will shoot and imagine in their minds the flight line of the target at each station.  So visually one should look to figure out the flight line using the background as a resource.  Watch targets in the tree line or terrain and get a feel for how high they fly or how low they seem to fly on each station.  Mount that imaginary gun and follow targets to build a visual image of what the Y axis flight looks like.  Soon one begins to sort out a common point of missing.

In practice coaches should encourage each shooter to do the same and follow targets with their gun on the line without firing until they understand the flight line.  Way too much time might be spent thinking of lead in only one axis.  Practice is the formative time for sorting out issues so work on lead rather than just shooting targets.

As for lead, one only has four ways to get ahead of a target: First one rides the target with a prescribed lead, next they could chase the target quickly to get ahead of it and fire, next they chase the target get ahead of it and back off to the lead and fire and finally they just strike the target in a both X and Y lead, intersecting the target instead of ever establishing a lead. 

I would guess the later of these four is most often used while skill, practice and dedication to correct shooting eventually puts one on the first choice of establishing a smooth lead and pulling the trigger.  Follow through is another topic I will talk about next newsletter. 

David R. Vaught, Ph.D.

Executive Director