Seeing The Fs On Target Transitions

[kevin c]

On multiple shots on one target, I understand that, with a good focus on the FS, you'll see it rise out of the rear notch, and then settle back in. As it comes back, the second shot breaks when the sight picture is accceptable.

When transitioning to a second target, though, the eyes go to the target first and the gun and sights follow. But, what do you see as the first shot breaks on the second target? Is the FS just "settling" into the rear notch as it did on the last shot on the previous target, so that everything sort of comes together at the same time - visual acquisition of the target, recoil recovery, reestablishment of sight alignment and of the sight picture all at once? Or have the sights settled first and you are just bringing the already realigned sights to your point of aim? If the latter, does this mean that you are tracking the sights into the target (sort of the reverse of a mover), and if so, do you need to break the shot early, say on the A-C border?

It seems to me to be faster to do the first, since I feel that the gun comes down in or just out of recoil recovery directly on the second target w/o having to wait, but it sort of runs counter to the classic shot follow through that I learned when I first started shooting.

[Loves2Shoot]

Hmm, The first shot on a transition (paper) I just see the sights lined up on the target. They just appear on the focus point (sort of like magic.) On plate racks it is totaly different, like a bouncing ball on the words in an old movie.

[Flexmoney]

On multiple shots on one target, I understand that, a good focus of the FS, you'll see it rise out of the rear notch, and then settle back in. As it comes back, the second shot breaks when the sight picture is accceptable.

You will need to see enough on the second shot to call it as well...almost always, that will mean seeing the sight lift out of the notch again. Heck, there might be times that you want to follow-through to the point that you get a third sight picture on that same target before you more on.

Hardly ever, even on the super-close hoser stuff, do you want transition off a shot without seeing the sight lift.

When transitioning to a second target, though, the eyes go to the target first and the gun and sights follow.

As Brian mentioned in another thread recently...don't just snap the eyes to the target in general. Pick the EXACT spot that you want to gun to go to. Don't be vague here...if you are, you will get vague hits.

When transitioning to a second target, though, the eyes go to the target first and the gun and sights follow. But, what do you see as the first shot breaks on the second target? Is the FS just "settling" into the rear notch as it did on the last shot on the previous target, so that everything sort of comes together at the same time - visual acquisition of the target, recoil recovery, reestablishment of sight alignment and of the sight picture all at once?

Like L2S said, it kinda depends on how the targets are setup. Closely spaced targets like plates or paper in a row are pretty poor to practice transitions on. It's a whole different ball game with them. With those, you can often stay on the front sight and bounce the gun along. (I am not going to say that is good or bad.)

Or have the sights settled first and you are just bringing the already realigned sights to your point of aim?

For "real" transitions, that is what I am seeing.

If the latter, does this mean that you are tracking the sights into the target (sort of the reverse of a mover)...

No, not at all. Doing so is slow and lacks precision (see the first part of my post...you want to pick the EXACT spot for the gun to go).

If you vision is riding with the front sight (in "real" transitions) you will have sloppy hits and slow transitions.

...and if so, do you need to break the shot early, say on the A-C border?

No. Rolling thru the target is a loser. You can get away with it at times, but it will bite you in the back side when you need solid hits the most (any time you are tense).

Pick the spot...eyes ahead of the gun/sights...as the gun comes on target, pull your vision back so that your front sight is in a razor sharp focus. The time it takes to bring your vision back will allow the gun to settle/stop right in the EXACT spot that you had picked out. (it really doesn't take any 'extra' time)

All of this changes a bit with the targets...read the section of Brian's book on focus types (read it over and over)...but, most of our shooting follows the outline above. (in my opinion)

[Flexmoney]

Oh, be sure to follow through before starting your transitions. Make sure that you have clearly called the shot. This will allow you to know. Knowing will allow you to move on to the next thing with purpose and clarity. Knowing is fast.

[ChristopherG]

Knowing is fast.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent mantra, Flex. Knowing is fast. Knowing is fast. Knowing is fast.

So much intuition and so many impulses to overcome in this game.

A good local shooter working with me on transitions last week emphasized that I should neither track the sights nor snap to the target and wait for the sights to arrive (and bounce around interminably before settling down). Instead, let the eye lead the gun. When I had it working, I was aware of the blur of motion between targets and the blur of the gun in my periphery, trailing the motion. Much quicker to settle on target, without overswinging it.

[kevin c]

Thanks, Flex.

Insightful, pertinent and precise, as always.

Kevin C

[Flexmoney]

It's a lot easier in dry-fire...when you don't have recoil or (as much) expectations to fight. (Dry-fire would be a great place to work on this.)

[Sam]

The time it takes to bring your vision back will allow the gun to settle/stop right in the EXACT spot that you had picked out. (it really doesn't take any 'extra' time)

This point is worth repeating. Actually, it is worth dwelling on for days and days on end.

[Ron Ankeny]

Flex pretty much nailed this one. I'll add a penny and a half worth to:

Or have the sights settled first and you are just bringing the already realigned sights to your point of aim?

For "real" transitions, that is what I am seeing.

Here is where visually acceptability and knowing the required degree of sight alignment can really pay off. On closer targets, the sights (me me and not saying it's good or bad) do not need to be in precise alignment. In other words, as long as I can instantly and accurately read the relationship of the bore to the target face, and accurately call the shot, I'll visually accept whatever will yield the desired results.

[kevin c]

Pick the spot...eyes ahead of the gun/sights...as the gun comes on target, pull your vision back so that your front sight is in a razor sharp focus. The time it takes to bring your vision back will allow the gun to settle/stop right in the EXACT spot that you had picked out. (it really doesn't take any 'extra' time)

Oh, be sure to follow through before starting your transitions. Make sure that you have clearly called the shot. This will allow you to know. Knowing will allow you to move on to the next thing with purpose and clarity. Knowing is fast.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The time it takes to bring your vision back will allow the gun to settle/stop right in the EXACT spot that you had picked out. (it really doesn't take any 'extra' time)

This point is worth repeating. Actually, it is worth dwelling on for days and days on end.

Yup...Went to the range, spent most of a couple hundred rounds transitioning between two or three widely spaced targets. Remembered finally to "pick the spot", and all of a sudden the shots were grouping from all over the A zone down to hand sized groups, and that in about the same time.

Thanks, Flex...

[j1b]

So much of transition is about index.

As has been said, see what you need to see to get the hits. After that, for me, it's an index thing.

I'll put my "buyer beware" hat on first here. While visually I understand what takes place with the gun I'd be lying if I said it all looked the same. That is to say that sometimes the front sight doesn't lift, shift slight to the right, loop and pull back down to the exact same spot in the notch. Frankly, it doesn't always happen like that and to be honest that doesn't disturb me. I "trust" enough in what I know I need to see to understand the impact of what I see and how that will impact what happens on the target. How the gun is moving, where it is at on target, where I am going, what's next - all impact what I see with the blaster.

With this said I again swing back to the index. Once indexed properly then (depending on what I see as well as the difficulty of the shot) I can move readily and relatively quickly to the next target. For me I need to understand the difficulty of both shots and see what needs to happen on both. I can't afford a miss on the target I'm leaving so I see what I need to there (if its 5 yards I see the top of the gun, at 25 yards its much much crisper) and I generally always "confirm" a solid sight picture on the transtition target. Ihate getting caught up in being so focused on a quick transition that I throw a miss. Point being you can't afford a miss on either target so take the necessary measures to insure a miss doesn't take place on either target. Only you knows what that takes.

This is a great question BTW. Jeeter sent me some video of my last major IPSC match and the one thing I noticed was that my transition times were suffering. It has been a major focus in dry fire.

JB