Shooting on a full stomach.

[Bazoo]

I was reading sixguns and Elmer Keith recommends not shooting on a full stomach. He was talking primarily about handgun matches but in general he said shoot on an empty stomach if you want the best accuracy. He didn’t say as to why. Does anyone have a take on this?

[dannyd]

Your body moves to digest food; so shooting on an empty stomach helps two things your heart rate and breathing.

[Baltimoreed]

Your blood goes to your stomach and intestines to help you digest food. That’s why we get sleepy after a meal. If blood is there it can’t be circulating around your muscles keeping them as steady as they need to be. At least thats what I understand. But I’m no doctor. Sure a real therapist will reply.

[Bazoo]

I didn’t think of that. Thanks.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve always had better luck hunting on an empty stomach. Some primal hormones must kick in when you are hungry.

[Good Cheer]

When "Instant Breakfast" came out it was used to help minimize the bobbing.

[elmacgyver0]

Things a little slow?

[44MAG#1]

I was reading sixguns and Elmer Keith recommends not shooting on a full stomach. He was talking primarily about handgun matches but in general he said shoot on an empty stomach if you want the best accuracy. He didn’t say as to why. Does anyone have a take on this?

This maybe an answer you don't want to hear but, If one shoots good enough offhand, especially with a handgun, to be concerned about shooting on a full or empty stomach I want to see them shoot.
It should be a treat in a big way.

[TNsailorman]

I did notice when I was shooting combat matches in the 70's and 80's that if I took an aspirin or drank coffee just before shooting in a match that my score didn't match my capabilities. I don't know the correlation but even my wife made a comment about it. Of course it could have just been another excuse for a bad day. james

[Bazoo]

This maybe an answer you don't want to hear but, If one shoots good enough offhand, especially with a handgun, to be concerned about shooting on a full or empty stomach I want to see them shoot.
It should be a treat in a big way.
I can’t do that well. The best I’ve ever been able to do was holding 6” at 75 yard offhand. I can still do it half the time. On plates. I used to be able to hit an empty shotshell at 25, with a single six. But I practiced every single day. Now, I can hit a coke can, offhand but really struggle to hit or scare a shotshell hull.

[44MAG#1]

Most of us could do better when we were younger having better eyes, nerves, could stand more still and keep our thoughts in control of what we were doing. That is the price of getting older. I was a lot better shot years ago. Shot 22RF to 45 Auto to 44 Magnum to 454 Casull to a 14 inch 458 Win Mag Encore and a 13 inch 50 Alaskan. Not now. My "GOLDEN YEARS" have moved in and have taken over.

[country gent]

Food some medications coffee or caffeine all affect heart bet respiration insulin and blood pressure, these affect vision,muscles coordination and concentration.

Whats even worse than the guy drinking a coffee is the guy who drinks a 32 ouncer a couple times a day is him not drinking it

[Bazoo]

I’d asoon tell the wife she’s fat just before she was going to make supper as to give up my coffee!

[45workhorse]

I’d asoon tell the wife she’s fat just before she was going to make supper as to give up my coffee!

Smart man on BOTH points!

[Bmi48219]

Odd. I don’t shoot immediately after eating but have at times skipped a meal to go shooting. I don’t shoot as well then, attribute it to low blood sugar or something similar.

[cwtebay]

It's essentially creating a mild vagal response. A number of the folks I shoot long range with take a beta blocker or even a small tot of alcohol prior to getting behind the glass to obtain the desired effect. Immediately after eating you'll notice that your pulse is more pronounced, your heart rate quickens, and your respiratory rate increases. It doesn't take long to figure out the crosshairs move a great deal with each heartbeat.

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[Larry Gibson]

Back in the '60s or early '70s there was a series of "discussions" in the gun magazines by most all the top pistol shooter/writers as to which "drink" was the best group tightener. They also discussed the load, as in # of shots to be consumed between relays, of such and what was considered a "max" load...... It was quite interesting but probably very un PC these days.....

[FergusonTO35]

I can't make any kind of decent group on a full stomach. It disturbs my breath control pretty severely.

[TyGuy]

I get really shaky if I don’t eat prior to shooting.l
I assume focusing so hard ramps up my metabolism. Then again, I’m far from a competitive shooter!

[Tokarev]

The suggestion not to shoot on an empty stomach is no different than the same about partaking in any sport or work that requires fine motoric skills, for the reasons that dannyd articulated.
It does not matter which physical activity - it only matters that blood flows from muscles to the digestive tract.

[cwtebay]

I should probably edit my post - I am not advocating drinking as a leisure activity while shooting, but alcohol can be used medicinally. I have a job that requires very steady, precise dexterity - I have to make sure that I eat right the night before (protein, fats, restricted complex carbs) and the morning of. I still have to take a beta blocker for long range precision to be competitive at all.
I will use alcohol if it's practice, I sip an ounce of bourbon with water during my outing. I don't really even feel the effects, but my shakes do abate fairly quickly - without the bleh feeling from atenolol.

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[Bazoo]

I hadn’t realized until now that eating or not eating could have any effect. I’ve been known to go shooting after supper. Or, before when I’m hungry. Maybe that explains some of the variation I’ve seen when trying for groups and not just plinking.

[44MAG#1]

I hadn’t realized until now that eating or not eating could have any effect. I’ve been known to go shooting after supper. Or, before when I’m hungry. Maybe that explains some of the variation I’ve seen when trying for groups and not just plinking.

Ive never known anyone that will shoot the same score, the same group size time after time after time after time after time after time. The human platform just isn't that consistant regardless of what one does. That is the reason the same person doesn't win match after match after match after match. Many things have an influence on ones shooting. One thing is lighting conditions. Many other things. It is an elusive endeavor to reach the epitome of phenominal accuracy. If a full or empty stomach was the key that would be an easy fix. Either don't eat before a match or eat before a match.

[BD]

I never eat breakfast the morning before a match. I've found out over time that I do better if I'm a little hungry.

[Tokarev]

I never eat breakfast the morning before a match. I've found out over time that I do better if I'm a little hungry.

In that case you might try to eat a candy 10-15 min before the match. Chances are that your scores will improve. It's not a universal recipe though - it's individual.

[Jtarm]

I’d asoon tell the wife she’s fat just before she was going to make supper as to give up my coffee!

I tried it once.

After about a week, I woke up one morning feeling probably the worst I’ve ever felt (including Covid).

I thought I had the flu. I called in sick to work and stayed in bed all day, feeling so weak it was a chore to lift my head off the pillow.

I was going to school and that evening was review for final in a very tough class. So I drug my butt out of bed and left for class. I decided to stop at the store for a cup off coffee to help me focus. Boom! It was like Popeye eating his spinach. Instant cure!

The reason I tried kicking coffee was an experience in a rimfire match a couple weeks earlier. I left home without coffee and picked some up just before reaching the range. I started sipping the coffee after about my second string, and the effects of even just a little bit were obvious next time at the line.. Tremors started, breathing and heart rate got faster.

[Bigslug]

Like anything else do do with precision shooting and handloading, if you're trying to take things to the edge, best thing is to document and study.

My Dad and I were heavy into Highpower Rifle in my mid-20's and his mid-40's. I didn't drink coffee the day of the match; Dad did, and I said it was probably lowering his scores. His reply was that without coffee he would shoot REALLY low scores because he wouldn't even make it to the match.:-P

Any more, I think of it as applied to hunting or CCW and the time that you shoot will be chosen by events outside your control, so it's probably good to deliberately develop knowledge of your "chemical" extremes.

[MT Gianni]

If he was talking about all shooting, prone position is much better on an empty stomach. I think his sitting position with the revolver just ahead of the knee might be better also.

[wilecoyote]

...before...a glass of milk = 500mg. calcium_
if tolerated, it lowers and regulates the heart beat