The Next Shot

The most important shot you fire is the first one. Every shot you fire should be considered the first, and most important, regardless of how many you fire. Are you prepared to take the next, most important shot?

As soon as the trigger is pressed consider thinking about the next shot as the most critical. You can’t be thinking about the one you just fired; it’s already out of the barrel so you have no more control over it. Plus, if you’re thinking about the past you’re not thinking about the shot you’re firing right now.

You can’t be thinking about the next shot you’re firing. Again, we must be focused on the shot now, and while prepared and expect to have to fire again that is in the future. The shot you’re firing right now is the most important one

you’ll ever fire.

Especially after malfunction, since the weapon may experience another malfunction following that shot. The tendency is to correct the problem and immediately fire a shot off as quickly as possible, and it’s usually not an accurate shot. Now imagine under the effects of stress how wide that shot is going to be. It may not even be a hit, much less an effective hit.

Remember on the range we’re setting up malfunctions on weapons that are running fine. In real life, the problem may pop up again.

This means you need to know how to clear, or transition to another weapon, but the next shot you fire is going to be very important. Plus, you’re already behind, and we know you can’t catch up by going fast. Fix it. This applies to malfunctions, and especially marksmanship – every shot you fire is the most important shot you’ll ever fire

Don’t think about firing three shots. Think about firing one shot three times. ~ Tiger

Tiger McKee
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. He is the author of “The Book of Two Guns” - http://shootrite.org/book/book.html writes for several firearms/tactical publications, and is featured on GunTalk’s DVD, “Fighting With The 1911 - http://shootrite.org/dvd/dvd.html McKee’s new book, AR-15 Skills and Drills, is available off Shootrite’s website: http://shootrite.org/AR15SkillsBook/AR15SkillsBook.html

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