Book Review: Secrets of Mental Marksmanship

by
posted on February 2, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
secrets-book-cover1.jpg

"There is one thing that all marksmen—whether they’re soldiers, cops, hunters or competitive shooters, agree on; only hits count." With this introductory statement, two competitive shooting authors share decades of their coaching experience with winning teams, using real-world accounts to illustrate each topic.

Released in 2010, this 197-page book offers 34 sections on traditional topics such as conscious awareness, subconscious training and effective practice habits, but with a unique twist of citing example stories to reinforce their relevance to competition, law enforcement, military and hunting. Drawing from a rich bibliography, the book’s well organized format allows the reader to choose any topic without addressing subjects out of sequence. While some of the military citations such as the Battle at Gettysburg may stray from the subject, the overall focus remains true to the objective of improving competitive performance. The generous use of reinforcing stories presents a rich collection of practical applications worth reading on their own. The benefit of this approach is the collective contribution of a hundred authors rather than only the two who wrote this book. Coaches as well as competitors will find numerous “gold nuggets” in this valuable addition to their training library.

As a member of Canada’s National Shooting Team, Linda Miller won International Smallbore medals at the 1993 Mexico World Cup, 1994 Commonwealth Games and 1995 Cuba World Cup. She was the first woman to win the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal in fullbore in 1999. Nationally ranked in F-Class in 2002, she became the National Sniper/ Precision rifle champion in 2008.

Keith Cunningham is a career military officer with more than 25 years experience with Canadian and U.S. Military forces, specializing in long-range practical rifles and winning honors at Bisley, the World Long-Range Championships and the Commonwealth Games. He is the current Canadian national service rifle and three-gun champion. Together, Miller and Cunningham have coached winning teams in numerous Military and International matches for decades and are have been published in Precision Shooting, The Accurate RifleTactical Shooter and authors of The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters.

Purchase Secrets of Mental Marksmanship on Amazon.

Latest

2026 ATA Empiregrand 1
2026 ATA Empiregrand 1

Rebuilt Trap Fields To Greet Empire Satellite Grand American Competitors

The Amateur Trapshooting Association’s 22nd Annual Empire Satellite Grand American runs six days in Cicero, N.Y., with 15 events, cosmic night shooting and newly refurbished trap fields.

Eric Harvey Goes Back-to-Back at Gator Cup, Edmunds Takes Lady Crown

Eric Harvey wins his second consecutive Gator Cup Main Event HOA with 183/200. Desi Edmunds claims Lady HOA as Winchester and White Flyer competitors sweep top titles.

A Tornado, a Target Mix-Up and Triumphant Returns: 1992 National Matches

The 1992 National Matches at Camp Perry featured tornado evacuations, a historic target mix-up and dominant performances by Lozoya, Wigger and Bernosky.

Benelli’s ‘Art of Performance’ Series Goes Inside the Making of a Lupo Barrel

First video in Benelli USA’s new “Art of Performance” series showcases the three-step barrel engineering process in its Lupo bolt-action rifle.

Parcell, Powell Lead Team Remington’s Podium Run at 2026 Gator Cup

Brandon Powell finishes HOA runner-up and Turner Parcell takes third in the Main Event at the 2026 Gator Cup.

2026 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championship Preview

The NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championship returns to Ohio’s Cardinal Shooting Center in 2026 with expanded junior programs, major sponsor support and three national titles at stake.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.