Drill to help stay on the front sight

[jte]

Okay, I'm having trouble staying focused on my front sight as I break shots, which is naturally killing my chances to call my shots. I have this tendency to want to look at the target to see my hit. I worked on it some yesterday at about 35 yards on a 6" steel plate with a rimfire. When I stayed with the sights, I got hits aplenty, but so many time I wanted to look at the plate to see the hit.

Specifically, I'm wondering if anyone out there has a particular drill they have used to help with this, or if it's all simply repetition and focus until the habit is broken.

Thanks for any help!

[ima45dv8]

Find a nice tall dirt backstop, or something else fairly benign. Shoot at it. Watch the sight.

With no target to distract you, you can practice keeping your focus where it should be.

[gixxerjunky]

I double plug my ear pro so the sound doesn't distract me and then I shoot into a berm like stated above. Go slow at first and when your front sight falls into the notch pull the trigger again. You will end up pulling the trigger pretty quick and watching the front sight the whole time.

[2011WRBSTI]

+1 for no target to distract you by you looking for a shot hole ( why I hate shoot n see targets )....shoot slow and deliberate at first and the speed will come with repitition

[jte]

Thanks guys, I'll do what you've sugested!

[SoCalNoMore]

I concur with the "No Target" theory. Also, say these words while prepping your trigger (either silently to yourself or out load if you are not bothered by peoples looks) Front sight press. Say these words over and over while squeezing the trigger to keep your focus.

I am learning that much of the mental games I use in basketball, golf and volleyball really work in shooting sports too.

[jte]

got to try this today, worked really well. Weather hasn't been conducive to outdoor practice here lately at all, but I squeezed in a little rimfire time with a Ruger 22/45 today, shooting steel at a bit over 25 yards, 5.5" plate, then the berm drill. I could see the sight almost perfectly through the whole arc doing the berm drill, a real eye opener.

I'm hoping to try this again tomorrow AM with my 9mm. Thinking the front sight may be harder to track on it vs the Ruger because it will be reciprocating with the slid as well as climbing.

One thing I saw that really made me happy when doing the berm drill, that sight was going straight up and down and settling perfectly. I always figured once I learned to track it, it'd be doing all sorts of crazy stuff.

[Lofty]

Thanks for your post jte i have the same problem.....watching the target....will do he practice as suggested...certainly looks logical

Lol

Edited May 11, 2013 by Lofty

[SoCalNoMore]

Dry fire and more dry fire. Dry fire while holding the sights any place on a wall in your house. While sitting on the couch draw the pistol up to a sight picture on a plain wall. Practice focusing on the front sight as you bring the weapon up. Do this over and over and then do the live fire in to a back stop or berm.

[zhuk]

Dry fire and more dry fire. Dry fire while holding the sights any place on a wall in your house. While sitting on the couch draw the pistol up to a sight picture on a plain wall. Practice focusing on the front sight as you bring the weapon up. Do this over and over and then do the live fire in to a back stop or berm.

I have also stuck up small ipsick classic target shapes cut out of carboard on my walls, and when I dryfire I make sure the outline of the target is blurry - if it is I know I'm looking at the front sight, and the front sight alone.

Have also blacked out the rear sight dots on my M&P so that only the front sight retains a white dot. I find this has helped in concentrating on the front sight alone, and the light bars either side of it.

[SoCalNoMore]

Find a nice tall dirt backstop, or something else fairly benign. Shoot at it. Watch the sight.

With no target to distract you, you can practice keeping your focus where it should be.

This is good advice. If you are shooting at an indoor range, just shoot at the backstop without putting a target up. Do this slow and deliberately until you are watching the front sight rise and fall on every shot you are shooting at the backstop.

[not4you2know]

I do half my dry fire drills facing a blank wall in one of my rooms. I stand just close enough that my barrel is about 2-3" from it. This makes it easy for my eyes to focus on the front sight without distraction and also trains my eyes on where they need to be. I had the same problem and doing some of my drills this way have helped greatly.

[johnhhuber]

I was never able to focus on my front sight and see it lift until I started double plugging my ears. Muffs and Plugs then try the above drills. Good luck!

[robertftw]

Dry fire and more dry fire. Dry fire while holding the sights any place on a wall in your house. While sitting on the couch draw the pistol up to a sight picture on a plain wall. Practice focusing on the front sight as you bring the weapon up. Do this over and over and then do the live fire in to a back stop or berm.

Have also blacked out the rear sight dots on my M&P so that only the front sight retains a white dot. I find this has helped in concentrating on the front sight alone, and the light bars either side of it.

I blacked out my fronts and rears, I found I was being distracted by the dots. I might put the front back on or go F/O so I don't have to look for the front sight when drawing.

[mark32]

One factor I saw that really created me satisfied when doing the berm routine, that vision was going directly up and down and deciding completely. I always realized once I discovered to monitor it, it'd be doing all kinds of insane things.

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Edited June 6, 2013 by ima45dv8