The shooting range I use has fixed, solid benches at 100 yards, but only portable wooden benches at 200 yards. Those benches, although reinforced to some extent, will shake if anything touches them.

I like to shoot at 200 yards, but I've noticed recently that my heartbeat is causing shaking at this 200 yard bench. In fact, I doubt that I could consistently hold within 1 inch at this 200 yard distance and using these benches.

How common is this problem of heartbeat interfering with one's shooting, and is there any remedy short of stopping one's heart? -- but that remedy would have other consequences that I don't want.

I'm 62 years old, in mostly good health, although I'm a bit overweight (200 lbs. when I should be maybe 170) and have high blood pressure. I take medication for hypertension, but my pressure is still in the 150/70 area.

__________

I'm not sure if I'm right but it sounds like you are shooting off of a rest on a bench, not the cradle deal that all you touch is the trigger. I'm a high power shooter and our trick is to shoot between heartbeats. I've noticed that the prone position cuts out most of the pulse even if I don't use the glove and jacket. I'm not sure if this is any help but try either sitting or prone with out the bench. The other solution is to buy a sturdier bench to take out to the range or see if you can modify one at the range.

first off - it's best to allow your heart to keep beating. Seriously - this is a condition everybody faces, but only better shooters become aware of it. As your hear beats you will notice that your sight picture forms a horizontal figure 8. A steady bench is a must, but so it learning how to shoot with the heartbeat. This will entail a bunch of pratice. Don't hold your rifle to tightly because that will only make things worse. Then you must learn the trigger squeeze so that it goes off at the same time during the figure 8. Usually most of the guys like it to go off on the down cycle just before it reaches the apex.

I'm pretty new to all this stuff, so bear with me a little bit. How on earth can you tell anything about your heartbeat when you're shooting? I have to really remind myself to breathe as I have a tendency to hold my breath when I'm really concentrating, but the heartbeat thing is new to me.

Now, if this is actually related to your heart rate, I'm history. I know the "average" pulse rate is 65 to 75 - usually 65-70 men and 70-75 women - at least that is my understanding. Mine has always been around 90 but anything between that and 105 are normal. Understand, I have blood pressure on the low side, no weight problem, low cholesterol, etc., just a really fast pulse.

My first shot is always the slowest. If I have to start paying attention to my heartbeat in addition to everything else, I'm afraid I'll never get that shot off!

Just so you understand, I've only been shooting rifles for less than a year. Right-handed and left-eye dominant. Started with a .270 and was doing okay, but not as well as I wanted, but friend who was helping me said I was doing great and ready to move up. Got a .300WinMag in late September. Love it but still need practice. I'm shooting a pretty steady average of 3" at 200 yds and 1 1/2 at 100 yds and got an 11 pt buck this season.

Please explain this to me!! Thanks for all the info. You would be amazed at what little details are helpful to others.

GTgirl3-Watch the crosshairs wiggle. It will be rythmic...in time with your heartbeat. High magnification scopes will show it up the most. If you are shooting from anywhere other than a solid bench, other movements will dominate, but from a stable bench it is fairly easy to see, especially if you hold your breath for a few seconds.

GTgirl - shooting is like most anything else you do. The more you do it the better you get at it. Small things that were unnoticed, all of a sudden become big. It's like a musician - at first you are concentrating so hard on making the instrument work that the music doesn't come out right, then after while the instrument works and you concentrate on the sounds you are making. In the shooting game it takes a few thousand rounds of ammo before you get the muscle memory and can work on controlling the uncontrolable

Gotogirl3- This does happen and is more evident with the higher powered scopes. You must be touching the rifle for this to happen but it does occur. That is why an awfull lot of benchresters shoot "free recoil" which means that they only touch the trigger when ready to fire and the gun isn't touched by any other part of the body. They get behind the rifle but the shoulder or arm doesn't touch the rifle. They keep their head off the stock (one reason benchrest scopes on bench guns are mounted so high) and only touch the gun with the trigger hand thumb on top of the stock behind the action or the trigger guard is held like it is being pinched with the thumb on the back of the trigger guard and trigger finger with the finger on the trigger. Takes some practice cause most bench guns have a two ounce trigger. Don't try this with your hunting rifle unless you want to feel some real recoil.

Pegleg is right. About all you do is have your cheek resting lightly against the stock, your hand lightly grasping the pistol grip area and just the tip of your finger on the trigger. Your other hand is holding the rear bag and the butt is gently against your shoulder. You squeeze so gently that the gun fires without you expecting it or flinching for it. In about ten years, you'll be halfways decent. It's going to take me alot longer because I am about 3/4 blind.