I keep getting differing opinions on when you hold your breathing before a shot. At what point do you hold your breath; take a deep breath and then hold, take a deep breath let it all out then hold, or take a deep breath let it half out then hold?

To me I don't think it matters since the goal is to keep your chest from moving, and as long as you consistantly use the same technique, all of these ways seem to do that. So what are your opinions?

take a deep breath. let out half. squeeze the trigger. follow through.

Breathing is very important and I like to watch the scope cross-hairs rise and fall as I breath while sighting, establishing a rhythm. For most folk there's a pause between exhale and the next inhale where scope cross-hairs "settle". This is the point at which your shot should break.

Everyone is different and you should strive for the "rhythm" first, then consistency of timing the "break" at the point in which your cross-hairs settle.

Dry fire practice on the living room floor, or anywhere for that matter, helps with the establishment of these factors into a muscle memory reflex and a confidence in your ability to coordinate the breathing rhythm and the break. Nothing can replace practice here.

Most world class shooters, and I ain't one, know at the "break" whether the shot is good, I do, which is why IMO hunting is such an excellent training tool, nuthing can replace the feeling of making a perfect shot on that big buck, when your heart is racing 90 to nuthin. And why no matter what your doing, proper breathing allows ya to do it better.

my 2cents,
Mike

You shouldn't be holding your breath at all. You need to be squeezing off the during your natural respiratory pause, at the bottom of the breath. Breathe in, exhale completely, squeeze the trigger during the pause for the next breath. That's when you body is at its "quietest". That's exactly what the USMC teaches. If it's good enough for them...

Only thing I have to add to the above is, breathe through your mouth, not your nose.

If my heart's racing and I'm breathing fast, I'll take a deep breath and exhale. That gives my body a rush of oxygen and then it's usually easier to settle down into a normal breathing pattern.

Quoted: Breathe in, exhale completely, squeeze the trigger during the pause for the next breath. That's when you body is at its "quietest". That's exactly what the USMC teaches.

Not exactly. It depends on what type of shoting you're referring to: slow fire, rapid fire or long distance (800-1000 yards).

Bob, how about breaking it down for us then.. :)

Quoted: Breathing is very important and I like to watch the scope cross-hairs rise and fall as I breath while sighting, establishing a rhythm. For most folk there's a pause between exhale and the next inhale where scope cross-hairs "settle". This is the point at which your shot should break. Mike

This is a question, not a criticism; but isn't that "anticipating the shot," and isn't that a bad thing?

Quoted: Bob, how about breaking it down for us then..

Well, like skinning a cat, there's more than one way. For precise long-range shooting, the great ones actually between heart beats as well as breaths.

Most Old Corp Marines will tell you to let half your breath out per shot for normal shooting.

Of course, there's always those who shoot better outside "normal" guidelines.

Quoted: This is a question, not a criticism; but isn't that "anticipating the shot," and isn't that a bad thing?

Not a problem, essentially the same as Bob has stated, just worded differently. Object IMO is to know/recognized that point at which is inbetween ones exhale and inhale, that pause where scope cross-hairs naturally settle and attempt to time the trigger break so it occurs during this short pause. For me, when I'm shooting from the bench or hunting the following of the cross-hairs up and down for several cycles helps with me my timing and prevents me from rushing the shot. With the lite trigger weights and 2-stage triggers in use at present I don't see this as anticipating as much as timing that final squeeze which causes the trigger to break, hopefully while your at the "pause".

Mike

Quoted: Most Old Corp Marines will tell you to let half your breath out per shot for normal shooting.

The way the Corp currently teaches marksmanship is, squeeze the shot off during the normal respiratory pause. The 3 Scout Sniper instructors I originally learned from can't be wrong, can they? When you let your breath out entirely, there's no tension on your diaphragm. That means there no pressure in your lungs. THAT means there's nothing that could potentially squeeze on your heart, thus your blood pressure is less pronounced, and won't be as likely to affect your shot. It's very simple physiology. When your body is at its quietest, that's when the shot should be sent. I don't care if you shooting off-hand at a moving deer 25 yards away, or prone a paper target 1000 yards away. It's all done the same way. That's why it's called "the basics".

I will say though, that it doesn't work for everybody. This is how the USMC teaches a recruit to fire a weapon, and this is the point at which you should start. If it doesn't work for you, then adjust what you're doing. I guarantee though, if you practice this, it will become second nature, and you're groups will remain small.