The 4 Yard Target

[JD45]

One of the most frequently seen targets at our local matches is often around four yards. It's hardly ever under three and usually under five. You probably know what I mean. You are rounding a corner or peeking from cover when you see two or three targets right in your face.

They should be easy, but the dreaded down 1 will flush the whole deal down the crapper. One point is a half-second in IDPA, and at 4yds. we don't have a half second to throw away.

I don't practice this enough. But I believe that if you can always clean these targets it will really add up in a match.

Right now I use a target focus and try to be aware of the gun. At the same time, I feel that you need a calm smooth transition to not drop points. But at this range you can't help but see the holes, and I don't think that helps anything.

Add the famous ninth shot slide-lock reload (in .45) on the last target and it gets even more tricky. The top shooters can burn these targets clean every time. I think that these close targets add up and hold many of us back because of the dropped point or two.

Does anyone have any tips or breakthroughs on these types of targets?

[postal]

bill drills, and el'prez drills, above all practice, if that is your weak spot practice it, your on the right direction just knowing your weak spot, now practice it until it is not

[vincent]

Try this.

1) Setup a drill to practice the desired skill in a known configuration that you can repeat. Document the drill by writing it down with measurements for distances and such. When creating the drill, try to isolate exactly what you need to work on. Remember this is a drill not a stage.

2) Use a brown marker to trace over the A-zone perf on all targets so the -0 zone stands out a bit more than usual. This will help aid your visual focus on the -0 zone.

3) Run the drill twice as the first thing you do at each practice session and record your time and points down. Keep track of your "cold" performance in a seperate table.

4) Work on the drill during your normal practice, again recording your time and points down for ALL runs. Keep track of this data in a seperate table and compare with your cold performances.

5) Analyze what works and what doesn't through hard numbers.

6) Use what works for you at this point in your skill level at major matches. Recognize that this will change as you get better.

7) Repeat.

-Vincent

[Sac Law Man]

JD45,

At 4 yards, it may not matter whether you use a front sight focus, or look at the tatget (0 down zone). The important thing is that you "see" somehting. It is real easy from that distance to shoot and reflect back and think, "I didn't see anything, just pointed the gun"! Make up your mind and decide what you want to see, and see it.

[Practical Use]

Sac Law Man is correct in my opinion - as long as I see - really see - the target at that range I seem to get the hits. I don't need to focus on the front sight at that range.

Ed

[p99shooter]

At a recent match, a shooter missed their second shot on a target about 4 yards away. During the scoring, the SO told the shooter why he missed the second shot;he wasn't looking at the target. The shooter had transitioned his eyes and head to another target (also about 4 yards away) before firing the second shot on the first target.

To build on the replies by Sac Law Man and Practical Use: Keep looking at the sights/target until you've finished firing all required rounds.

[Loves2Shoot]

This my sound dumb, but if you are really watching the sights, you don't see the holes. It is easier to use your sights on every target in my experience.

[diehli]

You get to a point where you don't (necessarily) have to watch at those distances. I noticed Taran doing that this past weekend. On the close® stuff, he would look at the target and then be moving his head to the next target as he fired the second shot. I guess this was at about the 2-3 yard range, but still... ya know?

[Loves2Shoot]

You get to a point where you don't (necessarily) have to watch at those distances. I noticed Taran doing that this past weekend. On the close® stuff, he would look at the target and then be moving his head to the next target as he fired the second shot. I guess this was at about the 2-3 yard range, but still... ya know?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When you are at that point you won't be asking the question, and just because he did it doesn't mean it's what he wanted to do

I once shot 2 targets without looking at them through a port with 4 A's, didn't mean to do it then, it just happened. I would not reccomend it.

[Steve Moneypenny]

I have found this to be quite a challenge, but an easily fixed one. if you do Timing drills with your gun. your gun should come back to the point it was that recoil began. In most of us there is a subconscious tension in our muscles that control the wrist motion.

IN all honesty you SHOULD be able to take your 1911 45 and double tap at that distance and make snake eyes. add in a sight focus and your golden. but if you can't close your eyes. and shoot 2 and them be within 2-3" of each other as fast as you can you NEED to be more in tune with the timing of your gun. this is just learning the tension point where the gun comes back to the EXACT same point and maintaining this grip every time you touch your gun. it sounds wierd. but just shoot some rounds at a target without looking at the sights. just pairs. once you get 2 down 3 then 4 until you can put 10 rounds on a target as fast as you can pull the trigger.

i hope that made sence feel free to ask for clarification here or via any of the contacts i have.

[JD45]

I'm assuming you mean timing drills like Matt Burkett's? I'll try those at 4yds. and cut the times down.

Let me tell you how I know what you are saying about returning the gun is so true.

Years ago I did alot of point shooting with revolvers (strong hand only). Recently I discovered that I can take a two-hand competition grip on my 1911, hold the pistol at about chin level, point shooting only, and hit better and faster at 7yds. than I can shooting normally. But you must see and focus on the bullet holes to guide your brain.

All of that old-timey style point shooting involved watching the first shot and walking the rest to the center.The target may be a can on the ground or a dirt clod on the berm, but it works.

Unfortunately, there are too many disadvantages in relying solely on point shooting in competition. What if it's a steel target? Without seeing the bullet strike it doesn't work well.

However I believe that everyone should occasionally try (at practice) some point shooting because you get to experience a totally differant feel of the pistol. A .22 is big fun for this, and cheap to waste some ammo.

[Sac Law Man]

JD45,

First, using steel to cite a disadvantage for "looking" at the target from 4 yards is a bad idea. Afterall, who shoots at steel from that distance? An example in favor of looking at the target would be shooting smoke and hope during a steel challange match. While shooting the four large square plates, most index the gun on the plates,,this is exactly point shooting.

Second, don't confuse seeing the target w/ looking for bullet holes. From 4 yards you should be able to pick out a spot on the target, preferably in the O down or A zone and hit that exact spot while looking at the target. Like Steve Moneypenny said, you could probably do it with your eyes closed. The purpose of looking at the target from such a short distance is to give your mind a reference point, subconsciously telling yourself, "thats what I want to hit"! I may see the bullet holes since I am looking at the target, but I am definately not looking for them.

Hope this helps...