Target/Bench shooting can DEFINITELY be a real NIGHTMARE for some! I have a good friend that simply can NOT shoot a group with a rifle on a Bullseye type target, example being if i shoot a true 1” group with a given rifle, Kevin will be DARN lucky if he can shoot a 10” Group with that exact same rifle/load. But here is the funny part, Make that 100 yard target a life size deer target with vitals etc. And he can hit it anywhere you ask him to? He has a SERIOUS case of target panic. I know this all to well, i have this EXACT same problem with Target Archery, I literally quit going to 3D shoots, the last 3D shoot i went to was 5 or so years ago, i totally missed the Largest target of the entire shoot, A GIANT BULL Moose standing Broadside at 50 yards, i punched the trigger release and pulled my bow arm, i shot right in front of it’s chest, my arrow never touched him, down over the mountain it went. I knew after doing that i would likely never go to another 3D Archery shoot, and to this day I haven’t done so. I don’t like groups of people, i never have! I was shooting with 3 other guys, plus another Larger group directly on our heels, by the time i was ready to shoot, that other group of people was standing there watching, That TOTALLY destroyed me!
I met my wife at a Gun Club where i use to shoot Competition Trap, sporting Clays, and 5 Stand, Trap was my favorite Game, even though it was repetitious and somewhat boring, From a young boy on I have always had a fairly natural ability to shoot a shotgun well, They feel natural to me. Out of 100 clay birds i was always in the high 80s to mid 90s, I never did run 100 straight birds, but came VERY close a few times in the high 90s. The absolute best shooting i ever done was on target nights, i ran MANY MANY 25 straights, But on Competition Day i was always edgy/nervous.
Moral of the story, Target shooting is something you REALLY have to train yourself to do well! And in a group setting with people around it can make it a whole different deal