HOW TO USE YOUR SIGHTS???'s

**siggy1ride** · February 16th, 2008, 03:52 PM

I haven't shot in along time and went to the range last week with my H&K USP 40 and 200 rounds.

I decided to shoot at 50, 35, 30 25 and 15 feet.

I was supprised how well I shot.

The range I went to was outside and it was overcast, so the light wasn't great and I really had to concentrate on my sights before I squeezed the trigger.

What I am trying to find out is this! What would be the best way to acquire my targets faster. I need better sights and want to find out which ones to buy. I have UTL on my pistol for nighttime.

I also want to find out what would be the best tecnique for lining up my sights. Thank you in advance.

Regards,

Siggy

**Pa. Patriot** · February 16th, 2008, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by siggy1ride

What I am trying to find out is this! What would be the best way to acquire my targets faster.

Practice the basics. Repeat.

Speed comes from repetition.

Basics:
http://www.bobrohrer.com/sea_stories...er_squeeze.pdf
http://www.tpub.com/content/advancem.../12018_387.htm
http://www.auspistol.com.au/coaching/sights.htm

**CoyoteJack** · February 16th, 2008, 04:26 PM

Really a subjective topic

The sheer number and style choices in sights out there makes me think it ultimately has more to do with the shooter than the brand or configuration.

My latest pistol is a Taurus PT1911. These come with sights from Heine and are in their Straight Eight configuration.

I haven't used them enough to decide if they are superior to the more common 3 dot sights available. But I haven't found them to be any less speedy to sight with either.

When I get to the range I generally go with the same overall plan.

I shoot a magazine at the closest range first and take all the time I need to line up my sights between shots. This gives me a baseline of sorts for the day. Then I put up a fresh target and begin to reduce the time to first shot and in between shots. I try counting as I do this and keep it going until the groups get to be unacceptable to me.

How many different distances I'll do this at depends only on the amount of time and ammo I have that day

I intend to add Crimson Trace grips to my 1911. I don't want it to be a crutch as nothing beats proper form but as a backup for low light targets or shots that might not allow for a sure steady combat stance.

Also I've found that empty pistol drills at home are a good training tool. I pick a target on the wall and then close my eyes and practice drawing my pistol, and aiming it blind. Then I open my eyes and see how close to zero I got. Do this enough and you'll probably see an improvement in natural pointing skills.

**Brick** · February 16th, 2008, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by Pa. Patriot

Practice the basics. Repeat.

No matter what "style" or discipline you're using the basics always apply. Take a look at www.bullseyepistol.com and you'll find a copy of the U.S. Army Advanced Marksmanship Unit's Pistol Marksmanship manual. It covers everything from the ground up. And don't be put off by the fact that it's geared toward bullseye, the basics apply to EVERYTHING!

**synergy** · February 16th, 2008, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by siggy1ride

I haven't shot in along time and went to the range last week with my H&K USP 40 and 200 rounds.

I decided to shoot at 50, 35, 30 25 and 15 feet.

I was supprised how well I shot.

The range I went to was outside and it was overcast, so the light wasn't great and I really had to concentrate on my sights before I squeezed the trigger.

What I am trying to find out is this! What would be the best way to acquire my targets faster. I need better sights and want to find out which ones to buy. I have UTL on my pistol for nighttime.

I also want to find out what would be the best tecnique for lining up my sights. Thank you in advance.

Regards,

Siggy

I use big dots...they're faster than everything else I've used.

The key to finding your sights quickly is CONSISTENCY in training. Establish the SAME grip on the pistol, extend the pistol the SAME way to the target. Eliminate any excess movement in your draw and presentation.

I watch idiots shoot all day long. I watch guys strap on holsters and draw their gun as fast as they can...then shuffle their feet for 5 secs before they shoot. I watch guys shoot 2 rounds as fast as possible (1 which barely stays on target), then bring the gun back it, and points it at the sky (like they're a Charlie's Angles poster) finger still on the trigger....

Practice going from the high ready position, with the gun indexed downrange on your target. Go slow, and just take your time extending the gun straight out to the target. No up or down movement, at all. Hold the gun at high ready, and extend the gun out between you and the target. You'll develop the muscle memory for getting that gun out there with the sights already aligned before you see them....essentially, you're doing what a "point shooter" does. Once your arms can drive that gun out on target consistently, your sights will always be in the same place, and they'll be there for you to see immediately.

Here's a drill I picked up from a friend who has more training opportunities than I. Take an IDPA cardboard, and cut out the center A-Zone. Put it out at 5 or 7 yards....whatever you feel like. Go from the high ready position, and drive that gun out THROUGH the hole in the cardboard. This is what you visualize in your mind...the gun going through the hole.

Practice this a few times...then once you feel 100% with it.....take a shot, then close your eyes....wait a few secs...then fire a shot. You should be able to shoot through the hole. If you hit the cardboard...shoot 10 more rounds with your eyes open, each shot going back to high-ready. Once you feel comfortable with this...then close your eyes AT high-ready, and extend and fire with your eyes shut. [/drill]

The Big Dots will help you when you start moving while you shoot, or in low light. I've shot moving (quickly) with 1 hand....and I can honestly say there would have been no way for me to track a black front sight and a small dot through a notched rear sight....not moving as quickly as I was, and not in crappy light.

Coming from the guys who've done the spec ops pistol thing, they'll tell you the sights only "confirm" what your body is already doing with the gun. I haven't shot that many rounds, and I'm not nearly that "zen" with my shooting....but it's food for thought.

It's amazing how quickly you can progress when you focus on taking your time. The only thing that separates the expert from the novice, is that the expert applies the fundamentals better.

**synergy** · February 17th, 2008, 12:04 AM

Oh, so...if you want to see what consistent extension and front sight focus will get you....here's a group I shot with NO REAR SIGHT on the gun at 7 yards (SIG 239 in 9mm) . I think it was like a 9 shot group...dropped one of the rounds forward of the line while I was loading.