Calling Your Shots

In the context of shooting sports, such as IPSC (International Practical Shooting Confederation), "calling your shot" refers to a shooter's ability to predict where their bullet will hit the target before actually confirming it visually.

This skill is based on the shooter's perception of their gun's alignment and the sight picture at the moment the trigger is pulled, as well as the feeling of the gun's recoil.

Calling shots is crucial for competitive shooting because it allows shooters to make quick decisions about whether they need to take a follow-up shot on a target, or can safely transition immediately on to the next target, without waiting to see the actual impact on the target, or hear the 'ding' on steel.

Waiting for the auditory feedback of a hit on steel is a particularly slow way to do things, and shot calling is the solution.

This can significantly reduce overall stage times and improve scores, as the shooter is effectively assessing their performance in real-time and adjusting their strategy accordingly.

Developing the ability to call shots accurately requires a lot of practice, focus, and a deep understanding of one's shooting mechanics. It involves being acutely aware of the gun's behavior at the moment of firing—knowing, based on the feel of the recoil and the sight alignment, exactly where the shot will land.

It's a skill that distinguishes seasoned competitors from novices and is a testament to how much work a shooter has put in to build proficiency and confidence in their abilities.