Getting Eyes to Next Target

[Fergus]

I had this "event" happen at a match a month or so ago where my eye's just went/snapped to the next target and my sights just floated into view and "2 alpha's" with shot placement side by each. Anyway I was totally stunned / and totally in awe at how well I shot the stage and know this is what people talk about. Unfortunately [a thousand rounds later] I haven't been able to duplicate the event - my eye's and gun seem to arrive on the next target at about the same time.

In dry fire I seem to get the eye's moving first but it isn't following through on the range so I'm wondering if there are some exercises/drills or tips I can try to help this learning step along.

Thanks a Bunch

Fergus

[Corey]

maybe try practicing transitions with more distance between the target. i use 1/3 scale targets for dryfire and space them about 6 feet apart. practicing transitions with that distance makes a real El Prez transition feel super close and fast. you dont even need a gun to practice moving your eyes. find a light switch on your wall, then a door handle at 90 degrees or a window crank or something. just sit there and snap your eyes from one to the other.

You gotta make yourself move your eyes first. When i practice moving my eyes first the guns does kind of float into picture and is usually where I want it to be. when i catch myself moving both together, i tend to overswing my intended target.

[Fergus]

At what distance do you normally do that drill with the targets 6ft apart. I can get about 7yds in the garage with a target on each side of the door. .

I've been racking my brain for good drills for the range to really force the eyes to snap but haven't come up with anything.

[Rob D]

LittleKahuna said this to me when I was asking about the same thing: "Shoot Smoke & Hope about 10,000 times." Shooting steel challenge matches has helped me immensley with transitions in USPSA.

[Fergus]

I'm not sure what the "shoot smoke" means but the 10,000 times means I got to get busy on the reloading press. I'm hoping to make it out to the range later today. Going to take some mini targets and see what I can do. Thought I might try off real slow just to establish the right technique and then gradually speed it up.

[Flyin40]

I remember when I was really working on it. In dryfire I would hold the gun up on target, squeeze the shot. I would then snap my eyes to the next target while leaving the gun still on the target I just shot. After my eyes get to the next target I then snap the gun over and repeat over and over. I started doing this because I was shooting brown. So I simply started back to the basics, the very basics. When I went to the range I did the exact same drill but with live ammo.

One thing to remember is that good stage you had your eyes where snapping to an exact point, a target spot. Once you are looking at that target spot your body will bring the gun to that exact point. For me on close targets my target spot is the very middle of the perf on the top of the Azone. I shoot open and at close distances my gun is sighted in to shoot a little low. That gives me an A hit in the top portion of the Azone.

The hardest part wasn't learning how to snap the eyes but figure out how to snap my eyes to an exact spot. I was speed focused and just wanted to see brown and pull the trigger.

Flyin

[benos]

Dry fire practice to improve transition speed isn't nearly as effective as live fire practice, because you are not calling the shot in dry fire.

I found this from some old posts on this...

Disragarding skill in index, two factors determine split times.

1) How quickly you see the next target.

2) The precision of your call, on the pervious target.

Of the two, number two is about twice as important as number one.

Or, how you leave is more important than where you go.

Only if you know for certain as the shot is fired that it is acceptable, will you move toward the next target decisively. Hesitation, no matter how slight, always loses.

When you understand transition speed properly, there's really no "speed" involved. Moving quickly (to the next target) is the result of your INTENTION to shoot the next target as quickly as possible, and manifests due to the occurrence of the previous two conditions.

be

[Fergus]

That is really really interesting. I think I "just" started to learn that at the range today.

I found that when I took my time and called my shots then moved to the next target I moved with a great deal more confidence hence speed. I knew I shot an alpha and just wanted to get to the next target so the effort went to "getting there". I did this a number of times going both ways and it felt pretty good. I'm going to look at the video I think I was moving my head slightly trying to see the next target but I felt I got there pretty quickly. When the dust settled I shot a few close C's but by far they were mostly alpha's.

I'm going back to the range ASAP - got rained out a little earlier than I would have liked but I think the path is somewhat clearer.

Thanks for the comments and input - greatly appreciated.

Dave

[benos]

I'm going to look at the video I think I was moving my head slightly trying to see the next target but I felt I got there pretty quickly.

It's vital to never move your head once you begin shooting. (There are a couple exceptions but they are not relevant here.) It's only the eyes that move.

Instsead of looking at a video to know if you are moving your head, you might try this. Keep all of your attention right in your head while you are shooting. Do that for an entire practice session and see what you find out.

be

[rvb]

I agree that livefire is the best way to practice transitions, but something that helped me in dryfire was to take a "shot" on a target (and call it!) and then see how fast I could focus on the next target. And I did this w/o moving a muscle (except the eyes) after the shot broke. Then as it feels more and more natural make the transition wider. Of course, once you get the transition wide enough, you'll have to start moving more than your eyes. but it'll help you figure out your fastest way to find the next target.

the hard part (for me, still!) is once I add moving the gun back into the drill, is fighting tension in my arms when snapping the gun over to the second target. Tension = wobble and overshooting. Relaxed = sights settle on the exact point my eyes are focused on.

-rvb

[Fergus]

Sorry, I couldn't resist and took a look at the video and sure enough I was turning my head slightly [ a few degree's] before the arms and gun started to move. Maybe I should have started with targets a little closer together and practice until I can get them widely spaced.

I'll try what you're suggesting as soon as I can get back out there - its raining here; so a break in the weather is needed.

Dave