Dot Fixation = Visual Patience?

[flack jacket]

Good morning all!!

I've been browsing the other member's posts and came to realization about my shooting. Recently, my club comrades have noticed I shoot considerably slower now shooting Open compared to Limited. Granted, my stage times are similar or faster and I'm getting good hits. ( So what's the problem?)

Another buddy and I had a short training session at a range and timed my transitions to targets are slower now with the "Dot". Am I diagnosing it correct in terms of "Dot Fixation"? ( I'm waiting too long for a steady dot before breaking the shot?)

Limited, I was using a Fiber optic front sight.....

Thanks in advance for your advice...

[Flexmoney]

Are you focusing on the target or the dot? (you probably won't really be able to answer until you go shoot again and pay attention to seeing what you are doing)

[flack jacket]

Are you focusing on the target or the dot? (you probably won't really be able to answer until you go shoot again and pay attention to seeing what you are doing)

Flex,

I caught myself focusing on dot.... big no no... More practice eh? Thanks for your help.

[Loki999]

I caught myself focusing on dot.... big no no... More practice eh? Thanks for your help.

I have the same, interessting post I also use to shoot standard.

The way i shoot my targets at 25 meters is, first i spot the target then bring the dot on the target en watch how the dot lifts of the target to call my shot.

So that is actually a shift in focus i guess? But a lot less shift then with a standard gun.

[G-ManBart]

Cover the front of the scope lens with something (something thin, with no lettering like the back of a business card trimmed to fit the outline of the scope) and shoot the gun that way. If you're focusing on the dot, you won't see the target at all. If you're looking at the target your non-dominant eye will see the target, your dominant eye will see the dot and you/your brain will see both...works perfectly. Do that a bit, including dry fire where you transition to other targets and the problem will go away. The problem is that you'll then have to learn to undue this when shooting iron sights (it's possible to learn to do both on demand). R,

[benos]

With a dot, never look anywhere but right at the spot on the target you want to hit. Everything you need to know about the dot you can see peripheally.

be

[flack jacket]

Thank you B and G-man.. I "ll give that a try!!

[shred]

Make sure you aren't riding the dot over to the next target. You can't transition fast until your eyes leave the dot, snap to the next target and wait over there for the dot to arrive.

[Neomet]

This is a really timely post. Just took a class Sunday and it was quite correctly pointed out to me again that I am taking forever to break my first shots on targets. Really slow. I was wondering if it was just not trusting the dot but then I came upon this post. I just did the paper trick and lets just say that while I thought I had target focus I wasn't even close. Target forcus actually feels unnatural. (Literal translation: I have a deeply ingrained bad habit.) Lets see how this works out on the clock......

Thanks guys.

[benos]

Thank you B and G-man.. I "ll give that a try!!

Doing beats trying every time!

[Neomet]

Okay, as I think about this more why would we ever uncover the dot? Not only are we kept from reverting to staring at the dot during a match or having to deal with lens glare, but we would also look like the ultimate Zen shooter with our sight covered.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Neomet

[Corey]

Okay, as I think about this more why would we ever uncover the dot? Not only are we kept from reverting to staring at the dot during a match or having to deal with lens glare, but we would also look like the ultimate Zen shooter with our sight covered.

If thats the case, why even have a dot? just shoot open division with irons, haha

[BritinUSA]

I think one of the reasons I have trouble focusing on the dot is the fact that I am left-eye dominant and right-handed. Taping up the left eye costs me the peripheral vision of the target, so I end up focusing on the dot.

Theoretically being left-eye dominant and right-handed should provide me with a better method of focus. Left eye on the target, right eye on the dot and the dot will seem to be overlapping the target. But that will work only if I remove the tape.

I need to use this, I think. I've been away from shooting for a while so I'm going to learn something new before I redevelop some bad habits.

[benos]

I think one of the reasons I have trouble focusing on the dot is the fact that I am left-eye dominant and right-handed. Taping up the left eye costs me the peripheral vision of the target, so I end up focusing on the dot.

In your first sentence, did you mean "dot," or maybe "target"?

I am also as such. But I trained to stay focused on the targets that way and had excellent results (with tape).

be

[BritinUSA]

Yep, meant to say target in the first sentence. I stare at the dot, wait until it is precisely in the middle of the target before breaking the shot. The tape works well for dot acquisition, but I am losing that peripheral vision with the tape (which is as small as I can make it), so the dot becomes the focus of my attention.

I've always shot this way, always focused on the sight or the dot. Its going to be a hard habit to break.

[Xfactor]

With a dot, never look anywhere but right at the spot on the target you want to hit. Everything you need to know about the dot you can see peripherally.

This tip has really resonated with me... I am new to Open, so I'm hoping to stave off developing bad habits.

The idea of looking though the lens and really focusing on a point on the target while being "aware" of where the dot is in relation to that point on the target seems like a great way to develop this skill. I tried it in dry fire the last couple nights and I like what I'm seeing.

One thing I've been wondering about while getting my mind around this discussion is how bright the dot should be. Initially I assumed it should be as big and bright as possible without getting all star bursty, but now I'm thinking there's a point of diminishing returns... i.e. if the dot is too bright, it may make it harder not to focus on it - as opposed to being bright enough to be easily visible, but not overpowering.

[benos]

Yep, meant to say target in the first sentence. I stare at the dot, wait until it is precisely in the middle of the target before breaking the shot. The tape works well for dot acquisition, but I am losing that peripheral vision with the tape (which is as small as I can make it), so the dot becomes the focus of my attention.

I've always shot this way, always focused on the sight or the dot. Its going to be a hard habit to break.

You might try some slowfire practice at 8" plates at 25+ yards. Just hold the round circle of the plate clearly in focus until the shot fires.

be

[Jman]

Make sure you aren't riding the dot over to the next target. You can't transition fast until your eyes leave the dot, snap to the next target and wait over there for the dot to arrive.

What a great thread. Timing couldn't be much better for me. This post was an "eye opener" so I'm going to dry fire this out of my brain.

[flack jacket]

Morning !

Update:

My performance has improved tremendously. Learning to "unlock" my eyes from the sight to target is so much the key to my shooting. The advantage of Red dot is only needing to focus on where you want to hit and let the peripheral vision do the rest.

I went back to my Production pistol thinking I would now just hose without using sights. I now notice that iron sights just require another step of shifting my focus back to front sight for and acceptable sight picture, then break the shot, follow through, call the shot.

My early days of FRONT SIGHT! FRONT SIGHT! caused the "riding" the sights, which is way to slow.

Thank you very much Brian and fellow BE members!

[benos]

flack jacket,

Try the Transition Drill with your Open Gun.

be

[Wilsoncreek]

Great info for a fledgling Open shooter. Gotta go strap on the gear and do some dryfire practice!