The quick and the dead...

Accuracy matters. Only hits count, and you can't miss fast enough to keep up. All the ammo stockpiles in the world, and the biggest baddest rifle money can buy, aren't going to help you if you can't put rounds on target. It's just that simple. In order to be effective against the threat, your rounds must actually impact the threat. If it's life or death, having a bullet whiz past the threat may make said threat shit himself and run away...or it may indicate to this person that you can't shoot your way out of a wet paper bag, which may embolden him further.

Everyone knows that proper shooting technique, breathing, appropriate rests, etc are important when shooting off a bench, from the prone position, or through the window ledge of a deer blind. Putting your sights on the target, checking that half-breath, and letting it fly is good when you've got the time to spare. That's great and all, but what happens when you simply don't have that kind of time? What happens when the situation dictates that you can't see the sights like what occurs in low-light situations, you don't have a chance to grab your $300 designer-frame glasses, or you've been awaked from a dead sleep and are still disoriented? What happens if you just happen to be walking to the deer blind with your decked-out rifle equipped with a high-powered scope, and happen to jump a deer? Or, worse, a wild pig and/or bobcat charging for you?

You learn to shoot without using your sights. Musicians, writers who type 80wpm, accountants who work the 10-key pad, and so forth and so on understand that it is far easier to train instinctual relationships than it is to learn how to direct individual muscles to react at a specific time.

When you have to focus on target, aim your rifle and line up sights, and then operate your trigger, you are going through four sets of movement. When all three are tied together, they add up to an incredible degree of accuracy for a person who is greatly experienced at operating the rifle from a standard "target range" situation and has mastered this skill.

Now think back to that secretary who can accurately transcribe a letter dictated by her boss. In order to do so, she must be concentrating on what she is hearing and not what she is seeing her fingers do. Much like the sights of a weapon on target, the typewriter represents three points of focus...the fingers, the keys, and the words being produced. The weapon in action (much like the typewriter) sees a rear sight, a front sight, and a target.

A skilled typist knows how to set his/her fingers and is able to type with his/her eyes closed. If you're reading this, you're likely near a keyboard and you'll notice tabs on the "f" and "j" keys. Likewise, a skilled operator knows how to hold his/her rifle. If you are able to take steps out of the equation due to muscle memory, you are able to speed things up a bit. Obviously, just as a skilled typist may look at his fingers and take his time while typing and double-check his work, having the time to do so will increase accuracy.

When time does not permit such a thing, having actual skill obtained by practice will allow a person to disregard a view of his keys and keep on typing like there's no tomorrow. With the appropriate amount of practice, the typist will be able to type with a great deal of accuracy and never once look at his fingers or keys.

The fingers represent the rear sight ring of your rifle, the keys represent the front post. If you can look at your target, and know instinctively where your rifle is in relation to the target, you can hit your target. Can you look at something 25yds away and point your finger at it, without having to square up and align your finger between your eye and the target?

If you can do it with your fingers, you can do it with a rifle. All it takes is practice.

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Before going further, remember your obvious safety procedures here. Drop your magazine, clear the chamber, and visually inspect.

1) Assume proper cheek weld with the rifle.

2) Aim at the target.

3) Raise your head into its natural position, without moving the rifle.

4) Take note of this position, mentally. How does it feel? When you look at the target, where is the muzzle of the rifle in relation to the target?

5) Practice this on the "short range". Remember, this is intended to be used within 25yds. I recommend using a rimfire rifle, especially in the beginning, due solely to the cost savings while you get the technique down.

6) Practice some more with your "real" rifle.

But seriously, "muscle memory" requires practice. Repetition is how you develop muscle memory.

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If you're able, and happen to be using an AR15-type rifle, I highly recommend a .22LR conversion kit. At current prices of anywhere between $5-10/box, shooting a "333" box of match-grade .22LR will pay for this kit with nothing more than simple ammo savings, while saving your body the toll of blast noise and recoil of full-power rounds. While the standard .223 round is not "that loud", it will take its toll upon the ears if shot repeatedly even with earplugs/muffs in place.