Intense Newbie Sizing It All Up...

[Dogproblems.com]

Alright... perhaps this is a question you might need to be an eye doctor to answer. So don't shoot me.

I'm thinking about taking up competitive shooting as my new hobby. I have a tendency to throw myself into things, 110%, once I make the committment.

After mastering several other (unrelated) disciplines, I've found that it's often best to start from the beginning by investing in quality instruction, so not to develop bad habits.

But before I jump in and invest large amounts of time and money, I am a bit worried about this: Today at the range, I noticed that:

- The first 25 shots (I am a new shooter) I was able to place the shots in an aprox. 1 1/2" group, with the target run out to the first marker at our indoor range. (Is this 3 yards? I'm not sure.) The last 25 shots were done with the target at the second marker (7 yards?) ... and they were ALL OVER THE PLACE.

So here's my question: I have poor vision. My vision is good enough to drive a car, but if I were to drop one line in the eye chart, I'd probably lose my license.

Is my poor performance at the range likely an indication of just being new to firing the gun-- or is it likely the result of poor vision?

Any guesses?

Thanks for your input. The reason I ask is that if I choose to get involved with this sport, I know I'm gonna want to get competitive. So, I'd like to know if my vision will be a limitation, in advance. For those of you with your Crystal Balls... please whip them out.

(I said Crystal Balls, not Brass balls.)

- Adam

[ErikW]

You don't really know why you shot a group up close and sprayed wildly out farther. You're assuming it's eyesight deteriorating at distance. That may be, but it may also be that you are not executing a few fundamentals of pistol marksmanship because you simply aren't aware of them.

To shoot iron-sighted pistols well in time-critical events, you need to be able to shift your focus from target to front sight, back and forth, repeatedly. For the more generously timed events you'll need to be able to focus on the front sight*. If your eyesight precludes those abilities, you can compete in a division in which optical sights are allowed. A red dot sight will let you focus on a single plane, the target.

* There are exceptions, but it's generally accepted that most people have to focus on the front sight to make an accurate shot.

[Loves2Shoot]

1 1/2" groups at 3 yards would be pretty big groups @ 7 yards.

An experienced shooter could shoot one hole groups at 3 yards and 1" groups @ 7 yards. Your experience would be to be expected from a new shooter. The further downrange the target is the larger the groups is because it magnifies the slightest movement.

Take a broom and hold the handle sticking away from you. Look at how much the broom moves at the far end of the broom. Now, if you look at your hands the movement isn't moving very much. Maybe that will help you understand what your bullets are doing in your groups at the two distances.

If you moved the target to 15 yards the pattern would be HUGE. Your sight might be part of it, but I'd be willing to wager that the bigger part of it is your lack of shooting experience.

[Dogproblems.com]

Thank you for the input.

Sounds like technique is a big part of it?

I'm still unclear as to whether you think I could be competitive in this sport, if my eyesight is just good enough to drive an automobile? Err... let me qualify the question by saying, "With a production gun."

(That's one of the 'non-souped-up' guns, right?)

- Adam.

[Singlestack]

We can't tell you if you will be good from the information you give. I would venture a guess that it is highly possible if you desire to be.

Have an experienced shooter teach you the basics or research this forum for the techniques and learn how to shoot a pistol. You just might be real good. It all depends on how bad you want it.

[Dogproblems.com]

Well... I can tell you this: If smooth is fast, then I'm gonna be REAL GOOD at this sport. My wife can't stop telling me how quick I am.

[Flexmoney]

Adam,

You have a lot of room to progress before your vision will make a difference between you winning and getting second place.

Strap those coke-bottles on and go shoot!

[kimel]

Welcome aboard Adam!

1) Can you be competitive? Depends on who you want to be competing against. Planning on taking down the Grand Master class shooters any time soon? Probably not. Plan on competing against other shooters of your same rank? Very likely. Plan on competing against yourself to see how far you can go? Absolutely.

2) Will your vision be a factor. You betcha. But not as much as you might think as long as it can be corrected. Invest in a good set of shooting glasses that will take a Rx insert and get some good shooting spectacles on your head. These will not only correct your vision but protect your eyes (and maybe make you look cool as well). Personally, I wear Rudy Project glasses for shooting and I love them. Oakley and others also make frames that take Rx inserts. There are a number of threads concerning shooting glasses on this forum. Do some reading and go for it. You might also want to seek out an optometrist that either shoots himself or understands the needs of the shooter; but this is not an absolute necessity.

The vast majority of shooting in this sport takes place at 30 yards or less so you only need correction to meet this. Even then, you are shooting at a large target (usually) so if it is a bit blurry all you really have to do is to place your front sight in the middle of the blur and go. I have worn glasses since I was 6 years old, bifocals since I was 7. I started shooting at 5. I look at it as an asset...I have never been told at a range to put my eye protection on only to realize I left it at home. It is always there.

Shooting by itself is based upon fundamentals that virtually anyone can master given enough dedication and practice. Some hand-eye coordination combined with muscle control and a bit of strength conditioning and you can shoot good groups at distance on a regular basis.

The sport of IPSC/USPSA take shooting and combines it with a lot of mental conditioning, strategic planning and even some physical fitness. This sport is not necessarily easy, and that is why we love it.

My advice would be to get a good handle on the shooting aspects (sight alignment, trigger control, basic firearm function, etc) before trying to integrate this with the rest of the activities in this sport. A couple good weekends at the range combined with lots of dry fire (to learn trigger control, sight alignment, etc.) should take care of the basics. Without the solid foundation of good gun handling so that you can hit reliably you cannot be competitive. No amount of speed and tactics will make up for all those misses.

If you can afford professional instruction then by all means engage some.

Hope this helps.

Kevin

[tightloop]

The only way to know if you will like it is to get in there and try.

Go for it.

[TBF]

Shooters with perfect eyesight find shooting to be a challenge, know that your eyesight will offer additional challenge. But do not let a challenge stand in the way of desire. I get beaten regularly by overweight gray haired men with thick glasses...If you want to shoot DO IT. Travis F.

[eric nielsen]

Adam

I'm not an eye doctor but my job is "troubleshooting" all sorts of issues for a huge optical company. I know the product line inside & out as well as most all the vision problems a person can have - how to solve them.

Let me know what your vision is, what your prescription is (even if its all Greek to you) and what do you wear now. Contacts? Single vision, bifocal, or progressive eyeglass lenses? Are you over the age of 40? Do you have any known eye disease?

If you don't know your prescription or haven't been to the eye doctor in a long time, GO NOW. You'll find that most employee health care plans cover one visit per year to the optometrist. (My co-pay for that is $15.)

Just as a quick encouragement: you may find that your large groups at 7 yards are simply because you're shutting your eyes as the gun goes off, or that you're grabbing at the gun with all 10 fingers as the gun goes off. Both of these are normal instinctive responses to noise and they can easily be trained away. Okay?

Eric Nielsen

A-28026

[kaiserb]

You need to analyze your shooting issues one step at a time.

Your vision may be an issue but if you can focus on the target and focus on the sites you should be ok to hit the target.

You most likely have not shot enough to develop a consistant grip and stance, which could lead to a multitude of problems hitting targets at longer ranges.