Sighting techniques for speed

[cal44walker]

I've got my trigger technique down now and decided to go down the road of using the trigger to release the shots rather than hammer slipping. Now....I'm experimenting with sighting techniques and wanted to hear what other people are doing. Here's what I do at the moment:

1)Draw from the holster with my vision focused on the targets themselves rather than the front sight.
2)Use my dominant eye to sight with.
3)As the pistol comes up and approaches the target I use the sillouhette of the revolvers cylinder to cover the bottom of my target and point shoot without using the front sight.
4)Move along the line of targets repeating my point shooting technique

I've tried using the front sight and focusing on it but so far my times have suffered doing this as it just takes too long. I've also thought about widening the rear notch to allow for faster sight aquisition. I've also tried to "shotgun sight" the shots by using the front sight raised slightly, looking down the barrel and holding low. This works better.

cal44walker

[Red Cent]

It will come grasshopper. Use the front sight. Be aware of the rear sights. Smooth is fast, fast is good.
I would suggest practicing on paper pie plates at 21 feet, chest high, and  about 3' feet apart. The pie plates will not allow you to "index on the ding".
Start out by hittng all the plates every time. Speed does not each technique.  If you have got the trigger control, you need not take time to get "a fine bead". This drill will perfect your trigger control, cocking the revolver (what do you do with your thumb?),  and show that this method will produce a hit a little high.  I take a 6:00 hold and into the "meat"  a few inches.

I came to cowboy from IPSC. I have the classic IPSC draw. Bring the revolver up in front of you meeting the revolver with the wek hand, cocking th revolver as it is extended/presented to the target, and, at the same time, picking up the front site s I present the handgun. I holster in reverse. Unless you have a radical rake, this will facilitte hitting the hole. (I am a little nutty on the holster).

Dryfire is your biggest friend. Every top shooter got there by dry firing a bunch. I used to spend a quite a bit of time wearing my holsters and guns round the house and practicing on pictures and stuff. Kids are gone and a great wife.

Remember this. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

[Red Cent]

Not totally applicable but......

[Shotgun Franklin]

I look at the target while bringing the gun to the target. I look over the revolver picking up the front sight only as it comes onto the target. As the front sight comes onto the target I fire. I do tend to hold low on the target. I shoot gunfighter and use my dominate eye, right, for both guns. BTW, at these same ranges this works on real bad guys too.

[Jefro]

Front sight, front sight, front sight, doesn't matter if the target is a lttle out of focus. You want to clearly see the front sight. If one of the shooting schools (like Evil Roy's) is at a match near you it's well worth the time and money, his CDs have alota good info also. Good Luck


Jefro Relax-Enjoy

[Red Cent]

As Jefro haas stated, the target can/should be blurred. But the front sight must/should be clear. Matter of fact, I wear glasses that are one power stronger than necessary. I can see the hairs on the back of my fingers (front sight) and the targets are a little blurred. I have little choice.  I normally wear 1+ glasses or contacts. I change the glasses at the unloading table. Sometimes.

[pistol1911]

I still shoot NRA Bulleye competition. The fundamentals don't change. Trigger control, sight alignment, sight picture. If the target is clear you are not looking at the front sight. Get an air pistol and practice with it.

[Johnny McCrae]

This is a great topic. Many thanks for posting this.

I'm right eye dominant and shoot with my left eye closed. Would there be any advantage in learning to shoot with both eyes open? When I try both eyes open at an indoor range, I seem to do better with my left eye closed. Have not tried both eyes open outside yet.

Been shooting CAS for seven years. I'm 72 and have Glaucoma.

[pistol1911]

I am 72, right eye dominant. I keep both eyes open but put tape on my glasses. (Left eye) In NRA Bulleye I use an  Electronic dot sight on my 22 and 45. You still have to focus on the red dot.

[St. George]

The problem with shooting with one eye closed is that your open eye gets tired.

In C&WAS, the targets are so large and so close that hitting them shouldn't be a question, but when shooting Bullseye, it's different - you really do want those X's, because they count for a higher score, and in C&WAS, just hitting the massive thing counts.

Try keeping both eyes open during your practice - your eyes will thank you for it.

Good Luck!

Scouts Out!

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Gents,
Thank you for the advice. I'm doing a lot of dry fire practice over the winter.  I'll start practicing with both eyes wide open and see what happens. Never dawned on me that only using one eye would make the open eye tired.

[pistol1911]

I agree you always want X's in bullseye but they don't  give you a higher score. They still count 10, they are used for tie breakers. For example if I shoot 195-4x's and my buddy shoots 195-5X's he wins.

[cal44walker]

Some good replies here. I was out on the range experimenting with the focus on the front sight and I found the most effective technique for me was to bring the pistol down on the target with the front sight high and lower it rather than have the front sight low and use time to bring it up into the sight picture. I also used the front sight with a shotgun style aim picture with the front blade slightly high rather than attempting to center it completly in the rear notch. I then held slightly low on target and released the shots. Worked for me and I'll be practicing with this trechnique from now.

cal44walker

[Bugscuffle]

Thanks everyone for posting to this thread. I learned a lot reading it.