The Comfortable Gunslinger

The third stage in the life of a gunslinger is the Comfortable Gunslinger. Here the shooter is comfortable with his draw.  He shoots the same every time because he is no longer tinkering with anything. His draw is set, how he cocks the gun is second nature to him, the position from which he fires is set.  He may from time to time revert to the Draw Developer but pays the price in an increase in his times.  Many times he or she almost hits in the same hole because the draws are almost identical.  This is what we strive for.

 The Comfortable Gunslinger is still pursuing improvement but it comes in a completely different venue.  He now works on the mental part of the game. He works to get his mind to the place where there is only the startle reflex determining the time.  Scientific studies have shown that elite athletes do not have above average reflexes.  Their reflexes may be better or worse than the average person.   The difference is the skills that they have acquired.  The startle reflex of the average person is about 225-250 millisecond. That means for a 400 millisecond shooter the act of drawing, cocking, firing and flight of the bullet to the target takes less time than the startle reflex.

The Comfortable Gunslinger is honing his startle reflex.  Have you ever been surprised by a fast shot? It is not an accident, but comes when you are completely comfortable with your draw on that shot.  The time is the sum of your startle reflex and your natural draw without any addition for your tinkering or thinking. While you are in the Draw Developer stage you might as well acquire the draw that for you has the least movement, the quickest, the most comfortable and the most accurate solid place to fire the gun.  Once you have that, stop. Don't change! That draw will get faster and faster as it becomes more and more a part of you.  Now that you are comfortable, hone that startle reflex and work on the mental part of the game. 

Next Stop: The Champion Gunslinger!