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Double Tap


Fisharner

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This is my first post so go easy....

I recently bought a 9mm Springfield XD, it is my first handgun. I have only shot a pistol probably 6 times in the past...however the last three times have been for 100-200 rounds each and my shooting has improved....

ANYWAYS...

I am looking for suggestions on double taps. When i try them I get one on target and the second is way off. I am doing a lot of dryfiring, but that doesn't help this (at least I can't figure out how it could). What are suggestions on how to control the second shot?

fisharner

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First, welcom aboard!

Now for the fun. :);)

Repeat after me:

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

There is no such thing as a double tap.

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What are suggestions on how to control the second shot?

You control EACH shot by shooting them sighted.

The old "one sight picture, two trigger pulls" thing results in what you are experiencing. A miss.

Try out the search function here...there are some good therads on this already.

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What are suggestions on how to control the second shot?

fisharner

The EXACT same way you control the first shot. The more you practice, the faster the second shot is, but double tap, nope, never. It is plain foolish to take one sight picture and not wait to see the second one when you have to put two shots on a target.

Oh , yea what Flex said too.

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but double tap, nope, never

Although I agree with L2S and Flex, I will add that on extreme close range targets, what you NEED to see is different. You can get away with gripping and ripping and still shoot alpha's. With training and experience you will be able to switch your focus and let your vision determine how fast you shoot. I would recommend reading our Host's book, "Practical Shooting/Beyoyd Fundamentals" and J.M. Plaxco's "Shooting From Within" if you haven't already. They've really helped me.

Regards,

Todd

P.S. Welcome to the forum.

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Buy a [PACT] shot timer & spend some time shooting four consecutive shots. See how short you can get the "splits" [time between shots] and still be in control. Try different distances from the target.

The split times will probably be longer at 15 yards than at 10, 10 yard splits longer than 5yard splits. This is normal.

If you pay attention to the sight lift and recovery after the fourth shot, and just don't break a fifth shot, it's like getting extra practice while saving 20% of your ammo.

Shoot 2 shots in a match at the pace you can control 4 shots in practice, and you will see what you need to see & do very well in the match.

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I think you will find the camp is divided on the old double tap debate. While I agree with the preceeding posts, there are some world class shooters who are also world class instructors still using the term double tap, especially on a target at arm's length.

You need to see what you need to see to make and call each and every shot. That could be any one of several types of target focus or it might be by the seat of your pants as you cover the target with powder burns and blow tape all over the range. I wouldn't get bogged down in debate over rhetoric. You will need to have your body aligning the gun on the target, break the shot without disturbing the alignment, with your vision involved at whatever level is required. It is really pretty simple. But simple doesn't necessarily mean easy.

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I think we might be experiencing a little break-down in communication.

When I talk about a "controlling each shot by shooting them sighted", I don't mean it has to be a rigid...Type 5...sight focus.

If my index is proper, I can get away with the bare minimum of "sight picture" (on some targets..that could mean the silhouette of the gun on the target).

But, a double tap...that (to me) means firing two shots with only having visual input for one of them. That is not only imprecise, but (IMO) also slower.

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The infamous "double tap" is what causes the mystery miss on the target that was arms length away...which has happened to me more than once. ;)

Yea, I'm familiar with that one!

Basically, it comes down to - you can see what you need to (to know where the shot went) as fast as you cannot - so why not see it. See and know.

be

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My understanding has always been that "two shots, two sight pictures" was a double tap. "Two shots, one sight picture" was a hammer.

Terminology. Isn't it great?

That is the way I was taught as well. Standards are such a wonderful thing; that is why there are so many of them..... ;)

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I can't remember if it was in Cooper on Handguns, or I just read it somewhere. But although I can't remember the difference at the moment, I do distinctly remember there is a difference between the "double tap" and the "split hammer."

:lol::lol::lol:

I just can't stop laughing when I think about the "split hammer."

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I had a discussion with Robbie on this and we concluded that a "double tap" was two trigger pulls from one sight picture. Whereas the "split hammer" was actually two sight pictures, done "very quickly." So I guess just shooting properly is a "split hammer."

:o:o:o

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There's a great Ron Avery quote from a "Weaver vs Iso" magazine article many years ago, that goes something like this.. "With the Isoceles Stance, there's no need to shoot Hammers (one sight-picture, 2 shots) anymore. You can see the sights lift and return in under 0.12 seconds"

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