tips on shooting handguns

[chrisssteeven]

i wanted to make this thread so other people could offer their tips.

When I get any pistol, the first thing I do is either remove, or file off the rear site. You dont need it, and it's much faster. Rear sites are what cause people not to really aim in a high stress situation.

Something else, is learn to shoot with both eyes open. after you remove the rear site, it's much easier, but closing one eye cuts off your peripheral vision, and the eye you keep open gets tired, and strained. Try having your left eye squinted at first, and then just get used to it more and more. I've gotten really good with shooting pistols since I started doing both of these things. and dry firing helps ALOT. Just pointing at things around your house, and pretending to shoot.

[boz1911]

You should only post in one topic.

If removing the rear sight works for you, go for it. I just don't see the rear sight slowing down the winners of all major matches and the nationals.

[tpcdvc]

I say if it works for you stick with it.

However, I have seen many really talented open shooters try to only use the front sight on steel and crash and burn many times. I sure as heck would not want to take only a front sight to a match with steel out to 25 yards.

[Steve J]

My first reaction was to ask you if you are posting this as a joke or are you trolling for a controversy?

[Corey]

if it works for yo then keep it up, but there is now ay in hell i could shoot without a rear sight. just putting the front post on the target and having it be accurate is an impossibility for me. ive played around with my guns and seeing dif sight pictures and where the gun was "really" pointing. i can have the front post perfectly on the A-zone and the gun was actually pointing off the target bc the front and rears werent lined up. to each his own...

[Del]

If it works for you good luck with it

[Jman]

huh....thanks for stopping by.

Jim

[Flyin40]

Some guys don't even need to look at the target

Could be that someone is just

Welcome to the forums. You will find guys have a pretty good sense of humor here and tons of great info can be found. Pretty much endless reading

Flyin

[tpcdvc]

I thought trolling at first too, but then I remembered the story (I think in Front Sight) of the guy who took his sights off to finish a match.

If nothing else, USPSA shooters will always press the envelope.

[Flyin40]

I thought trolling at first too, but then I remembered the story (I think in Front Sight) of the guy who took his sights off to finish a match.

If nothing else, USPSA shooters will always press the envelope.

Actually this has been talked about recently but wasn't discussed much at all which I was really suprised at. Its pretty much accepted that there is only one way to use your sights and certain types of sight focus depending on target distance.

Check out this thread and Post #20

Clicky

Flyin

[tpcdvc]

I thought trolling at first too, but then I remembered the story (I think in Front Sight) of the guy who took his sights off to finish a match.

If nothing else, USPSA shooters will always press the envelope.

Actually this has been talked about recently but wasn't discussed much at all which I was really suprised at. Its pretty much accepted that there is only one way to use your sights and certain types of sight focus depending on target distance.

Check out this thread and Post #20

Clicky

Flyin

Wow, that is really interesting. For a time I noticed that on close targets I was target only focusing and watching holes appear in the targets. It really freaked me out at first and I don't seem to do it much anymore, but after reading that I don't Know if that is good or bad.

I wonder if that is what Matt was talking about?

[38supPat]

I've done it in a match and won. Basically I sighted down the slide like it was a shotgun rib, out to 10m (which was the farthest target...and that was a popper...which was the whole point I was making in taking the sight off) it worked fine. Probably faster on close targets than irons but slower than a dot because you want to confirm alignment down the slide before triggering. But I would rather have had a bead or something for more reference...or just plain 'ol iron sights so I could call the shots and make more precise placement when needed.

[calishootr]

thats all fine an well, and yes ive done the 'surrondthe gun w/ brown and pull the trigger twice' but a lot ofthing were goingfor me, the targets wernt that far away(under 10 yrds) and they were full open w no hard cover or no-shoots to reduce the size ofthe available shooting area....hadthey been further and had no-shoots and i shot them 'no sighted'??? all i can say is WHITE TAPE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[syndony]

I suggest the following to novice shooters. I dont even try to teach them marksmanship in the beginning aside from the prinicpals mentioned earlier, that will come in time.

Relax

Breathe

Squeeze

The rest will come, but if you never relax you won't hit anything no matter how long you practice. Breathe, if you don't breathe properly you will never relax. Squeeze. If you try to anticipate the moment the gun fires you will always flinch or pull your shot. once you've relaxed and remembered to breathe gently squeeze, don't pull or jerk the trigger. Once you get these three things right hitting anything you shoot at is much easier and fun.

[sperman]

I'd like to see someone shoot the Florida Open with no rear sight. Hosing 5 yard targets is one thing. Getting hits at 30+ yards is quite a bit harder.

[Jake Di Vita]

We could always just close our eyes and chuck a grenade into the stage.

[ericdesouza]

A good shot shoot s every day, or at least several times a week. If circumstances do not permit of practice with a loaded arm, he will content himself with dry-shooting. Whatever the form the practice takes it must be with complete concentration of mind and hand, for it is concentration which brings consistent skill.

The technique of pistol shooting has changed considerably from what it was earlier in the XX century, yet there is far from complete agreement amongst the experts as to how the pistol should be held. It is generally conceded that the grip should be firm, for a tight hold on the butt is necessary to prevent pressure on the trigger from deflecting the aim. This is particularly true of double-action shooting with a revolver. The trigger must be pressed just as steadily as in rifle shooting — in fact, with even greater care, if this is possible. The pressure should be straight back, not to one side or another.

The pistol should be gripped as high as possible, that part of the hand between the first finger and thumb being well to the top of the grip. (Some revolvers have a nasty habit of pinching the skin between the finger and thumb when the hammer comes back, if the hand is held too high). Some experts in double-action shooting recommend that the revolver be turned a little to the right in the hand: others say that all pistols should be held straight. Probably it is best to learn by experience which particular hold suits your style. The size and strength of your hand will determine to some extent what hold to adopt with any particular pistol. Remember all pistols do not behave alike and must be held according to their peculiarities.

While much is said of shooting from the hip and of snap shots taken without using the sights, consistent accuracy can only be achieved by properly aligning the sights. Even in very rapid shooting the sights must be aligned on the target. The expert does this in a minimum of time, getting the shot away by an even pressure of the trigger at just the right moment, without any suggestion of yanking at the trigger as he comes on aim. In deliberate target shooting, the pistol is brought up a little above the target and brought down again, the sights aligned and steadied while the shot is fired.

[Rolex]

See you! Keep the rear sight

[sirveyr]

When I get any pistol, the first thing I do is either remove, or file off the rear site. You don't need it, and it's much faster. Rear sites are what cause people not to really aim in a high stress situation.

Couldn't the same principle be accomplished by just widening the rear notch? It would serve the same purpose and allow one to still utilize the sights at distances greater than bad breath range. I think that total removal of the sight is a bit extreme, but if it works for you, that's great.

[scap99]

i wanted to make this thread so other people could offer their tips.

When I get any pistol, the first thing I do is either remove, or file off the rear site. You dont need it, and it's much faster. Rear sites are what cause people not to really aim in a high stress situation.

Something else, is learn to shoot with both eyes open. after you remove the rear site, it's much easier, but closing one eye cuts off your peripheral vision, and the eye you keep open gets tired, and strained. Try having your left eye squinted at first, and then just get used to it more and more. I've gotten really good with shooting pistols since I started doing both of these things. and dry firing helps ALOT. Just pointing at things around your house, and pretending to shoot.

I've heard of filing off the front sight, but only on .25's and .32's...because when you shoot some big guy with it, he's gonna be mad. Then he's gonna grab that pistol from you and shove it in your bulls eye. Now while that won't feel good, you don't want that front sight cutting you to pieces when it's removed.

[JimmyZip]

While there are some who have mastered this technique, that is shooting without sights, it isn't a panacea by any means for what ails those of us who shoot with irons, or a dot. If it were, there would be few if any optics or sights on any guns seen in competitions around the world.

I am often intrigued at those that come around and offer the next great thing in any forum or situation be it guns, or running, or whatever. Sometimes these things seem so crazy and yet they make good sense after many try them and see the value to their claims. As time passes, word gets around, and next thing you know it, it becomes the standard. Other times, it is embraced by a few, but fails to get real recognition not because of some conspiracy, or desire by the herd to maintain the status quo, but rather because it is inferior to any existing or emerging technologies in the area in question.

IF no sights were better, than sighting systems would be much different than they are today. We went from the irons to the optics because that is what the evolution of racing with pistolas turned out.

If you can hit those poppers out at 40 yds in a timely fashion and still remain competitive, more power to you. If so, then you need to get your story out there, and sell that technique to the shooting world. I think there are many who would love to learn how less in this situation is really more.

But, if you can get a chance to shoot an open gun on a feild course, I can assure you your eyes will be opened up! The first time I tried it, I was astonished at the ease with which I was able to acquire targets, and engage them without changing my type of focus. Now that IS faster. If it were not, then you would not find the open shooters typically at the top of the pack score wise at shoots across the country and the world.

Right now, I woll stick to my irons. I will adjust my sight focus according to the demands each target tasks on that focus, and train to determine that as quckly and seamlessly as possible.

As Gump would say, "That is all I have to say about that."

JZ

[Sabot]

I need both front and rear, but I can tell you that when I get this weird zen feeling just before the shot breaks, I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt where the shot is going to go. If I don't get that zen feeling it's maybe 50/50...I don't know how else to explain it other than just a millisecond of total peace and calm as the shot breaks.

[Justin]

We could always just close our eyes and chuck a grenade into the stage.

What division would a hand grenade fall under?

[Jake Di Vita]

The "hope and pray" division.

[Airframe Mech]

Sights are over rated anyways.