What can a bagpiper teach us about shooting?

[Jumping Frog]

A good guy I know from another forum posted this, and I thought it was worth pondering . . .

What I learned about shooting from a bagpiper. (But should've known - and been practicing - all along anyway.)

Most days at lunch I drive up to a little park no one in the area seems to know about to "get away from it all" and spend some quiet time reading. Well, most don't know about it. There is a fellow that goes there to practice his 'pipes. (For those that don't know, bagpipes don't really have an "indoor voice.") So sometimes I get to enjoy a book and some music. Not too long ago we had a conversation. I learned he's been playing 50 years. Fifty years! ...since he was 7 seven years old. So you would think he's into pretty advanced pieces of music, eh? Well, perhaps he is. But here's the thing. I normally am only there when he's getting warmed up. And what does he do? ...rip right into a heart-breaking rendition of Amazing Grace? Nope. He does scales. Yep. do-re-mi and all that.

And that's when I had my epiphany. "Good grief," thinks I to myself, "if this guy, with fifty years of experience starts each session with the basics, what the heck makes me think marching up to the line, drawing and shooting is such a great training regimen?"

Last night I started off my range session with a hundred .22s out of the Huntsman working on stance, trigger press, sight alignment - and doing it sloooowly. Can you guess what my results were when I finally did transition to the G19 and a box of 50? Yep. This is my new routine.

[Keith B]

Good info. The basics are VERY important. You lose those base building blocks and your whole structure will crumble.

[A-R]

Great post. I recently learned a shooting warm up drill: basically dry fire 5 times, fire one live round, repeat until mag is empty. This gets very tiring with a 17-round mag, so last time at range I skipped it and was amazed how poorly I shot - my flinch was back, bad as ever. Next time I'll be doing the warm up first.

[OldCannon]

How disappointing. After reading the title of this thread, I was expecting the body of the OP to say:

"No matter how many times you shoot a bagpipe, it still sounds like somebody is strangling a cat."

[Choctaw]

I shoot sporting clays competitively. As with the bagpiper, a golfer, a shooter and baseball player...Your pre-shot routine is critical. I will practice mounting my shotgun, the mount is paramount. You must be able to hit your shoulder the same every time.

Great post.

[Reserve161]

And the definition of "Perfect Pitch" is when you throw the bagpipes into the dumpster and they hit a banjo.


Edited to add real content:
Why do sports teams always go back to basics when they have a tough stretch? - Because it works.
They are the foundation that all other techniques rely on.
Really, really good topic and important point!

[ffemt300]

Good stuff! I love bagpipes. I agree with learning and practicing the basic often. Finding a way that works and doing it consistently every time.

[txhighlander]

There is a saying that only a true Scotsman or a true Irishman love the bagpipes. Having said that always starting with the basics is a good thing, when I do the practice works better. As a drummer the same applies, start warming up with basics then get into the complicated stuff. As a ScotIrish guy that got married in his kilt, I love the bagpipes. Used to play side drum in a pipe band for awhile. That aught to give you guys some ammo to shoot at me with. Have a outstanding day.

[puma guy]

Sage advice! BTW I love bagpipes, my dad started taking us when we were wee lads to see the Scots Guards when they made appearances in Houston. We had a piper at his graveside service.

[74novaman]

Good article. I always shoot my .22 first (and shoot way more .22 than anything else) at the range.

.22 first, then any other guns I've brought, and finish with my carry gun.

It works for me at least.

[flechero]

I am a firm believer in fundamentals.... however, my "warm up" to shoot involves a cold draw from concealment, with 2-3 shots COM and a scan to check for additional "targets." I work on fundamentals after that because if I ever have a real world "test" I won't get the luxury of a warm up. Shooting for score... yes, a warm up session would absolutely be the best route.

Kind of like my bowhunting practice differs from archery in that bowhunting practice was always a single arrow, shot cold, from a tree or the roof, early in the AM. Where as archery practice involves hundreds of arrows with concentration on form, draw, release.

[MoJo]

When it counts most you won't have time to warm up. A high speed low drag military organization I know about will randomly call a member's name to report to the range. When he gets there he has to perform a rather difficult drill cold and cannot make less than 90%. Less than 90% and it's back to the basics doing repetitious drills until he can shoot 90%+ cold.

The basics are good.