Proper pistol aiming technique
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Depends on what kinda shooting you are doing and what kinda accuracy you expect. Lining up the dots is great for quick acquisition and good accuracy. Lining up the top of the blade with the top of the rear sight is best for precision shooting. the Front sight should always be in focus with the rear sight and targets blurry.
In matched I use 3 different types of aiming and focus. up close, muzzle blast to about 3yrd. I look over the slide, focus on the targets, using the front blade and slide for my index and aiming. Don't focus on the sights
3yrd to 10yrd, I focus on the front sight, using the front dot as the aiming point. The front post falls naturally in the rear notch, but I don't have time to comfirm the sight picture, but can call the shot ( knowing exactly where the bullet will hit on the target by knowing where my sights were when the trigger broke), At this speed and distance, I don't feel the trigger break,
10 yards out, The FS is in focus, using the top of the blade centered in the rear notch, I am very aware of my sight picture and trigger break
The key to shooting accurately is sight picture and trigger break. The key to shooting fast and accurate is keeping your eyes open through the recoil so you can track the FS the whole way. You need to be able to call your shots, as the trigger breaks, not when the gun is finished recoiling, this is not possible if you blink while shooting
In matched I use 3 different types of aiming and focus. up close, muzzle blast to about 3yrd. I look over the slide, focus on the targets, using the front blade and slide for my index and aiming. Don't focus on the sights
3yrd to 10yrd, I focus on the front sight, using the front dot as the aiming point. The front post falls naturally in the rear notch, but I don't have time to comfirm the sight picture, but can call the shot ( knowing exactly where the bullet will hit on the target by knowing where my sights were when the trigger broke), At this speed and distance, I don't feel the trigger break,
10 yards out, The FS is in focus, using the top of the blade centered in the rear notch, I am very aware of my sight picture and trigger break
The key to shooting accurately is sight picture and trigger break. The key to shooting fast and accurate is keeping your eyes open through the recoil so you can track the FS the whole way. You need to be able to call your shots, as the trigger breaks, not when the gun is finished recoiling, this is not possible if you blink while shooting
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start with accurate shots at close range then when you are accurate, move the distance further out. Front sight, smooth trigger press,
work on shooting group, then when your accuracy is good,work on speed, if you try for speed first, you will never get the accuracy
work on shooting group, then when your accuracy is good,work on speed, if you try for speed first, you will never get the accuracy
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4,133 Posts
Bruce,
That method doesn't work on the street or in combat but is great for shooting at static targets not returning fire.
Cops get killed left and right trying to sight their target or worst naturally under stress forgetting about their sights and effectively point shooting only not being practiced at as much and missing. Police shooting 'hit' stats reflect as much, cops are at best dismal shots on the whole.
The course I took at S&W toward this type of training covered this and other factoids in detail. Then we really got to see how this is first hand upon going force on force against each other with Simunitions. And this was in scenarios where we knew for sure the BG(s) was going to be there and even in some scenarios which BG would attack first, was armed, and from what direction he/she would be popping up.
Sighted fire for the lose at contact to combat distances as Ducman broke down above.
His description was pretty much what we 'discovered' and were advised to follow and train with toward street level survival. Sighting shooting with conventional sights works (and in class worked) great though when one has distance and time and static targets to fire on such as a BG being behind concealment or thin cover. We covered a bunch of techniques to that end too.
To especially show how sighting shooting is FTL they ran us on a CAPS system which is basically FATS only sourced from a Canadian company and it allowed us to see where our aimed shots were hitting _and_ to show in real time how often times one does not have the pleasure to take the time to sight via traditional means.
I still haven't done the write up toward that class as it will be a tome but it was to say the least eye opening.
Myself I'm normally a pretty good shot, against static targets. Make the targets move and have me engaging/retreating and add to that incoming fire as well and try to sight traditionally...you miss or worst die.
Shemoves if you are looking for how to sight a pistol period as in Basics 101 then go here as it's been covered prior in the 'Newbie' area and reference these two threads...
* ' Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask' - http://www.gunatics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325
How to: Gun sights
http://sports.expertvillage.com/videos/gun-sights.htm
* 'COMBAT TRAINING WITH PISTOLS (Uncle Sam on how to shoot)' - http://www.gunatics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=390
Field Manual 23-35 - Combat Training with Pistols and Revolvers
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-23-35/index.html
If you're looking to game or do extended training then what Duc indicated is a good primer.
FWIW I'm working to adjust my own shooting and sighting methods as I too used to be a front sight type shooter. Up until taking that S&W Academy course and getting to shoot at real people with real guns shooting back.
- Janq
That method doesn't work on the street or in combat but is great for shooting at static targets not returning fire.
Cops get killed left and right trying to sight their target or worst naturally under stress forgetting about their sights and effectively point shooting only not being practiced at as much and missing. Police shooting 'hit' stats reflect as much, cops are at best dismal shots on the whole.
The course I took at S&W toward this type of training covered this and other factoids in detail. Then we really got to see how this is first hand upon going force on force against each other with Simunitions. And this was in scenarios where we knew for sure the BG(s) was going to be there and even in some scenarios which BG would attack first, was armed, and from what direction he/she would be popping up.
Sighted fire for the lose at contact to combat distances as Ducman broke down above.
His description was pretty much what we 'discovered' and were advised to follow and train with toward street level survival. Sighting shooting with conventional sights works (and in class worked) great though when one has distance and time and static targets to fire on such as a BG being behind concealment or thin cover. We covered a bunch of techniques to that end too.
To especially show how sighting shooting is FTL they ran us on a CAPS system which is basically FATS only sourced from a Canadian company and it allowed us to see where our aimed shots were hitting _and_ to show in real time how often times one does not have the pleasure to take the time to sight via traditional means.
I still haven't done the write up toward that class as it will be a tome but it was to say the least eye opening.
Myself I'm normally a pretty good shot, against static targets. Make the targets move and have me engaging/retreating and add to that incoming fire as well and try to sight traditionally...you miss or worst die.
Shemoves if you are looking for how to sight a pistol period as in Basics 101 then go here as it's been covered prior in the 'Newbie' area and reference these two threads...
* ' Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask' - http://www.gunatics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325
How to: Gun sights
http://sports.expertvillage.com/videos/gun-sights.htm
* 'COMBAT TRAINING WITH PISTOLS (Uncle Sam on how to shoot)' - http://www.gunatics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=390
Field Manual 23-35 - Combat Training with Pistols and Revolvers
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-23-35/index.html
If you're looking to game or do extended training then what Duc indicated is a good primer.
FWIW I'm working to adjust my own shooting and sighting methods as I too used to be a front sight type shooter. Up until taking that S&W Academy course and getting to shoot at real people with real guns shooting back.
- Janq
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4,133 Posts
Damn...Owned by brain dump, again!brucelee said:
:lol:
Hey BTW on my way to Dick's right now to go look at shotguns.
I went last night but the mgr. came over and said there is a state law that they cannot take guns out of the case within 15 minutes of close.
I got there at 9:10P. Argh...fucking MA laws!!!
- Janq
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Janq said:
Janq FTW! That really makes me think hard about what I've "learned" from LEO/Military training. It's like the difference between being able to throw a long football pass to your buddy in the backyard, vs. throwing the same pass in a real football game. The physics may be the same, but the stress level and consequences are entirely different.
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4,133 Posts
Exactly Kart.
I walked away at the end knowing exactly where I am weak and need to fix things, and where my strengths and most correct learning/understanding are as well.
I'm not saying I sucked during class because I didn't. In order myself, the weapons trainer from Canada, and a parole officer from NJ were tops in the class. I consistently day to day walked away with either the least Simunition hits on my body and on one day no hits at all. Everybody else had welts and marks and one dude got totally owned in his upper torso. As well I was one of the top four in class toward timed draw, fire, and hit...and I was the only person in class who the whole session used actual carry equipment (my EDC holsters) and I on day two trained only with my left hand and was using a 3" 1911 too where as most others had full size arms. Still with those handicaps, which up to then I'd roll on the streets with, I was consistently in the top 3 to 5 and #1 on the event where we had to shoot a low fast moving target imitating an animal rushing us.
From the exercises though I learned I'm not going to carry on the street left handed anymore untill I refine that hand even more so for quickness (my right hand is nearly twice as fast) and to retrain that hand to better slap fire the trigger for quick combat distance hits in groups of two. Normally I train with both hands but had not realized for the majority I spend my time with my left taking Bullseye type slow fire supreme accuracy shots...which is exactly what my brain defaulted to even as I consciously was telling myself; "DANGER! DANGER!! Fuck man two to the sternum NOW!!!...QUICKER!".
FWIW though the Canadian guy was impressed at my splits and hit ratios as relative to everyone else shooting strong hand. But still on the streets _and_ in a court of law toward ones defense, good enough and "I meant to hit" are not at all good enough.
Bottomline; Duc is as usual on target.
- Janq
I walked away at the end knowing exactly where I am weak and need to fix things, and where my strengths and most correct learning/understanding are as well.
I'm not saying I sucked during class because I didn't. In order myself, the weapons trainer from Canada, and a parole officer from NJ were tops in the class. I consistently day to day walked away with either the least Simunition hits on my body and on one day no hits at all. Everybody else had welts and marks and one dude got totally owned in his upper torso. As well I was one of the top four in class toward timed draw, fire, and hit...and I was the only person in class who the whole session used actual carry equipment (my EDC holsters) and I on day two trained only with my left hand and was using a 3" 1911 too where as most others had full size arms. Still with those handicaps, which up to then I'd roll on the streets with, I was consistently in the top 3 to 5 and #1 on the event where we had to shoot a low fast moving target imitating an animal rushing us.
From the exercises though I learned I'm not going to carry on the street left handed anymore untill I refine that hand even more so for quickness (my right hand is nearly twice as fast) and to retrain that hand to better slap fire the trigger for quick combat distance hits in groups of two. Normally I train with both hands but had not realized for the majority I spend my time with my left taking Bullseye type slow fire supreme accuracy shots...which is exactly what my brain defaulted to even as I consciously was telling myself; "DANGER! DANGER!! Fuck man two to the sternum NOW!!!...QUICKER!".
FWIW though the Canadian guy was impressed at my splits and hit ratios as relative to everyone else shooting strong hand. But still on the streets _and_ in a court of law toward ones defense, good enough and "I meant to hit" are not at all good enough.
Bottomline; Duc is as usual on target.
- Janq
Joined
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767 Posts
The most important skill in shooting fast and accurately is awareness. You must be aware of everything, but thinking of nothing. you must be aware of your sights, aware of the trigger break, aware of your grip, your stance. your mind needs to be clear to take in everything. but once you start thinking of one aspect while shooting, you nolonger are aware of the others.
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