follow through

It means different things to different people and as such there are differing ways to achieve what is called "follow through".
I have learned over the years that when one can learn to call their shot placement after the trigger break and before needing to look, they will be following through.
Calling your shot is taking a mental picture of where the sites were aligned at the break.
When you are able to do this regularly you will have eliminated any flinch and will be following through. I seldom need to peek to know what my score is as calling the shot will inform me instantly at the break, if the shot was good.
The elusive term does not mean you will always hit the mark you are shooting for but it does mean your percentages will go up dramatically because you are in control of the shot. Mike D.

M.D. said:

I have learned over the years that when one can learn to call their shot placement after the trigger break and before needing to look, they will be following through.

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Interesting, I remember when I reached that stage.
I never brought it to anyone else's attention or thought of it in that manner, it just began happening.
First one I called publicly was on a woods walk where they had to go "count" the hit's on a distant steel target, I just thought I'd save'm time and tell'm where it hit.

Another interesting thing is seeing your Heart beat with the sights and waiting for the pause.
As someone else mentioned it is a "Zen" thing if you really get in the zone.

It's that darn peek that'll still get me,, if it's a high pressure shot !

This is a very interesting thread!
I have entertained a lot of thoughts about follow through.

Do you feel it different out hunting or target shooting? So far I've been only target practicing with the flintlock but know from center fire experience that when I am following through I can see the deers immediate reaction to the shot.

Shooting the flintlock almost exclusively lately I still can't call the shot but sometimes see the patch flying towards the target - usually when this happens the shot is well on target.
Somebody else experiencing this?

Silex

You know your follow through is good if you have a hang fire and still hit on the paper. Your follow through is really good if that shot is in the 8 ring. I'm still working on the last part.

Many Klatch

To me it means staying with the shot until I know the ball has made it's journey! If I Duck under the smoke to see if I have hit the deer, I know I will miss! If I hold the shot picture, stay down with the shot, gun, I usually can be assured I will have meat laying close by!....tnpaw.....should have been directed to Flinter1955! My bad! First post! New by to Forum!........tnpaw

Tnpaw...I did that 3 years ago. Missed a nice lil 3 pt at 50 yds after waiting 2 minutes in a blind for the shot (with a rest). Shot a chew can dead center back at camp at 80 yds so I know it was me. I had even thanked the Lord for the meat before the shot! I just "had" to see where I hit and cleanly missed him. He busted through the tank and circled back 25 yds from me and watched me twitchin his ears till the smoke hit his nose and then he was gone!. Lessons learned every day in the field!

Mooman76 said:

Yes follow through is continuing the shot. It has to do with good shooting habits. If you immediately take your eyes off the target or start moving then next thing you know you are anticipating the shot and maybe moving a split second too soon throwing your shot off.

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+1 :thumbsup:

As with most things, I've changed my thinking on follow through over the years, as time and experience accumulate.
I used to think the elusive term had more to do with setting one up mentally for the next shot but have come to believe it has more to do with negating anticipation which induces flinching.
Still a mental process which some 95 percent of accurate shooting consists but none the less essential.
I have come to believe one will wind up the day with a higher overall score if they will learn to break the shot even when it if off target than they will by trying to grab the shot as the sight passes by.
I have to fight this every time I compete. Practice and mental follow through is the best defense I know of to negate the impulse. Mike D.

Coming from the precision crowd I can tell you 2 aspects of follow through that would be very important to shooting a muzzleloader:

1- as mentioned earlier calling your shot. Being mentally aware of where your sights were aligned when the shot broke. Having a good trigger and good finger press will help with this massively.

2 - another aspect that I didn't see mentioned was holding the trigger. All too often I see shooters who are so quick to get off the trigger that they are basically slapping the trigger. This introduces a lot of movement to the shot.

Fundamentals are fundamentals no matter the weapon being shot. The mechanics can be different, especially from a handgun to a long rifle but between long guns they're basically the same.

Follow through is both mental and physical and different from what many think when they hear the term.

1. The mental part is simple concentration on the shot/target that you maintain for seconds after the trigger pull. Not paying attention to this part can screw you up on the second part (the crux of the whole thing).

2. When the trigger is CAREFULLY PULLED the finger stays on the trigger, the sight alignment is maintained and the aim is also maintained. This is held for a minimum of one to two seconds. Those use to shooting with modern rifles get in the habit of pulling the trigger and immediately lowering the rifle. Do this with a flintlock (or even a caplock) and you move the point of aim. Though the ears can't always tell a difference it takes orders of magnitude longer from the sear trip to projectile exit, with MLs, than with modern rifles. Forget what is normally thought of as "snap shots". A flintlock "snap shot" means maintaining sight alignment for a noticeable pause after the report.