Good shooting requires good feedback and the only way to get it is learning to keep your eyes open.

It is nearly impossible to progress until the ability to consistently and accurately call shots is developed. That is, seeing the sights lift in recoil as the triggered shot is released. Seeing that tenth of a second window that tells you where your shot really went.

Most gun owners never develop that ability, or even realize its importance. Here is an example of what this is supposed to look like but COL Denise Loring of the USAR Marksmanship Program.

Notice her eye stays open for every fired shot. Man up and learn to shoot like her.

Demonstration of rapid fire prone at the National Matches by members of the USAR Service Rifle team.

COL Loring and MSG Mango shoot events at Camp Perry during a team match.

It has been said that a great way to judge the skill of a marksman is by looking at the quality of their poor shots.

For even the most novice shooter, when the planets, stars, and sights all align, one can’t help but point a great shot and call it good. Anyone that has shot more than a few boxes of ammo in their life managed at least one good shot. It’s when things don’t align so neatly that we see how good someone really is.

Everyone makes mistakes. Things rarely go perfectly or even as planned. Higher skill helps lessen the impact of those mistakes.

Here is an example of 2014 Hearst Doubles Team Champions Kirk Freeman and Kris Friend demonstrating this.