Shooting through ports

[okorpheus]

I had a great time (terrible performance, but a lot of fun) at my first USPSA match yesterday. One question I had and got distracted before asking, how do yo approach shooting through ports? How close do you get? Do you squat or what to get down to it? Do you typically stick the gun and part of arms, or maybe just the muzzle through the port?

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[Poppa Bear]

It all depends on where you can see the targets. Some allow you to see them while 5+ feet away from the port, some require you to stick the gun through to engage that target off to the side. Never stick your gun or arms through the port if you can help it. Some ports start at ground level, some start 4+ feet off the ground, some are every distance between there, so they are all different.

Edited May 27, 2012 by Poppa Bear

[Poppa Bear]

type USPSA into Youtube and you will be able to see almost every type of port ever used if you check out enough videos.

[sroe3]

I agree. If you can help it never enter a port. If you have to enter it to see all the targets be careful to pull the gun straight back out of the port when you exit.

[okorpheus]

Thanks. They just seemed suddenly lower when I got to them while running the stage

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[Bshooter]

Your getting good advice here. Don't stick your gun or arm into a port unless it is necessary. Same with a tube. I understand TGO hit a tube with his gun and dropped it resulting in a DQ.

[sdm74]

I spread my legs a little further then usual, and squat to see through

[torrpd]

It all depends on where the port is in relation to ground level, what targets are visible and at what angles. Are you ending at the port or do you need to move to another location. There are a lot of variables that you need to decide on how you are going to shoot the ports before the buzzer goes off. But you don't want to stick your gun into the ports if you can help it.

[colt]

If your gun is in a port and under recoil you might take the front site on the gun with the top of the port or jam the gun up. Stay out side if possible.

Brent

[ErichF]

I have two examples of port shooting in the following video. First at 1:09 and the other at 1:50. The first is an ending port shot, the other is a starting port shot. I'm no expert, but I follow their advice and stay out of them.

[ErichF]

keep you gun out of the tube.

Wise advice for more than just shooting

[Chip_E]

4 problems with sticking your gun into a barrel. You have to pull it out to get going again, you could hit the front sight and lose alignment, you could get a malfunction due to a case coming back into the breach, and you lose a lot of light that's useful on the front sight. As mentioned, there are times when you HAVE to put your gun into a port or barrel to acquire the target, but in all other instances you should only get as close as you need to.