Calling the Shot

[LR1955]

That millisecond it takes for the rifle to fire your brain should have retained the sight picture and the POA, it will help when you need to determine the POI if you did not have a spotter or if a follow up is needed, plus it helps in training you to "call the shot" you should know where the bullet went, you fired it.

Randy:

IMHO -- an excellent explanation plus the added benefit of a reason why calling shots is so important. BTW -- I emphasize that the shooter calls his shots to his spotter as that is the only way his spotter knows if the shooter broke a good shot or not -- and in which direction it went if the shot wasn't so good.

To carry on this topic for those who don't shoot with observers, in doctrine the observer gives the shooter an elevation or hold and a wind call which is normally a hold. If he sees bullet trace and it doesn't go where it should, the observer will question himself in terms of his ability to give a good wind call and or if the shooter milled the distance wrong. If the shooter calls a good shot and the bullet didn't go there, the observer knows there was a mistake in range estimation and or a wind call. Providing of course the shooter took the right hold or indexed the right elevation. The feedback via a call by the shooter allows the observer the ability to determine if it was just a bad shot or something else. Same when guys shoot team matches where a coach gives them winds. The coach needs to know the call or he can't determine if his wind calls were good or not.

LR1955