dagger10k Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 (edited) I shot my first match ever at Solano Target Masters this month. The only practice I had ever done before this was dry fire and slow fire at the range. (All I can do really), and I left a little confused about how to transition from target to target. I had always practiced keeping my eyes on the front sight as I swing the gun over to the next target, but I often tend to overswing or have problems stopping exactly where I want. I found in dry fire that it works a bit better for me if I look with my eyes at the target and then swing the gun over to meet me eyes, and then focus on the front sight and shoot. Is this the proper way to do it? It certainly seems better to me. Also, a friend took videos of me shooting all the stages here: http://www.youtube.com/user/dagger10k If anyone wants to look at the videos and give me any advice, that would be appreciated too. I plan to shoot at the next match on the 11th, and I know I've got my work cut out for me. In case anyone is wondering, I am shooting a cz75b in .40 S&W with factory 180 grain ammunition. Edited September 22, 2009 by dagger10k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide45 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I found in dry fire that it works a bit better for me if I look with my eyes at the target and then swing the gun over to meet me eyes, and then focus on the front sight and shoot. You got it! It's much better when you lead with the eyes. The gun will go where you are looking. There are a ton of posts about this on the forums. It's worth searching them out if you have hours to kill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 You can train your eyes to move faster, and to "See" more. Try looking at a light switch across the room ...find the top screw and try to see what way the slot in the screw is turned ....thin look at the bottom screw. teach your self to move your eyes faster and see smaller things in better detail. The rewards are many including a better appreciation of nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGaultsGun Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I will add that you should get Benos's book. Also Steve Anderson's Refinement & Repetition book. Between the two, they will introduce you to some additional concepts (and the practice drills) that will hopefully improve your skill. Familiarize yourself with these before reinforcing bad habits with poor practice sessions. It will save you time and $$$$ in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagger10k Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 Thanks guys! That's what I thought. I am pretty new to pistol shooting and think I am doing pretty well for a guy who's only really been shooting pistols for a few months, because I try not to learn any bad habits to start with. I have ordered Brian Enos' book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDarkOne Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 (edited) Posing this question on another forum is how I got directed here, (I guess it was over their head). I have been combing through the archives the last few days, and while I have gleaned a lot of great information, I still don't feel like I have the answer. It seems like there is a few different schools of thought discussed in each thread, which is probably why I don't feel like I have it yet. I am a new shooter, so I want to get this sorted out before I ingrain bad habits. I just ordered Brian's book, and will continue to search through the forums until I am satisfied. In the meantime, if anyone has the answer, or can point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated. Edited January 27, 2010 by TheDarkOne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 ... a little confused about how to transition from target to target. I had always practiced keeping my eyes on the front sight as I swing the gun over to the next target, but I often tend to overswing or have problems stopping exactly where I want. Right. You don't stop the gun where you "want", because you haven't truly identified and LOCATED the target SPOT. You only have a vague notion of where the target is, so all you can hope for is to bring the gun vaguely to the target. That is not efficient. I found in dry fire that it works a bit better for me if I look with my eyes at the target and then swing the gun over to meet me eyes, and then focus on the front sight and shoot. Yes. As you break the current shot, you have a razor sharp focus on the front sight. You see the sight lift in recoil, and from that, you know the relationship of the front sight to the rear sight and to the target. This allows you to "call the shot"...very important. If you execute this properly, you will KNOW where the bullet will strike the target, even before the bullet gets there. (this requires follow through. After seeing the front sight lift, you begin your target transition by snapping your eyes and visual focus to the next target SPOT. Your head and the gun will follow. Get your visual focus on the SPOT you want to hit on the target. Your have located the target, as your gun comes to the target, you switch your vision to bring the front sight into razor sharp focus again. The gun should settle in about the same amount of time it takes for your vision to focus on that front sight (so, no real time loss). Do have the visual patience to see what you need to see. break the shot, see the front sight lift in recoil (follow through visually), and ccall the shot. Repeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 thanks!! I now relize that I must pick a spot on the target to stop from overswining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 I might have introduced a bit of confusion into the conversation. I brought up two different things. thanks!! I now relize that I must pick a spot on the target to stop from overswining. Picking the SPOT is defining the target with clear intent. You can have a well defined target SPOT and still over/under swing (therefore end up being slow and inefficient). When this happens, it is often a result of the shooting keeping their visual focus on the front sight after the previous shot and also during the transition to the next target. So, while the two ideas above are related, they are different. - Clearly defining the target SPOT, and... - Clearly locating that target SPOT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McAllyn Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Granted, I'm still totally a beginner, but post #28 in the following thread really helped me get the sequence of how things SHOULD happen. What EXACTLY do you see? Mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Granted, I'm still totally a beginner, but post #28 in the following thread really helped me get the sequence of how things SHOULD happen. What EXACTLY do you see? Mac best pictorial i have EVER seen, haha. I too ordered Brian's Book when i decided i wanted to get involved in this. It maybe time for a re-read now that Ive actually started shooting matches now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebg3 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 I think you'll find that "looking" to the next target and following with the gun will be the quickest way. You should go to the range and compare keeping the front sight in focus vs. shifting your eyes to the next target. Right down your transition times and decide which way you like the most, this will also help you work on decreasing your times. You'll also notice that under different circumstances you can use different approaches. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDarkOne Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 As you break the current shot, you have a razor sharp focus on the front sight. You see the sight lift in recoil, and from that, you know the relationship of the front sight to the rear sight and to the target. This allows you to "call the shot"...very important. If you execute this properly, you will KNOW where the bullet will strike the target, even before the bullet gets there. (this requires follow through. After seeing the front sight lift, you begin your target transition by snapping your eyes and visual focus to the next target SPOT. Your head and the gun will follow. Get your visual focus on the SPOT you want to hit on the target. Your have located the target, as your gun comes to the target, you switch your vision to bring the front sight into razor sharp focus again. The gun should settle in about the same amount of time it takes for your vision to focus on that front sight (so, no real time loss). Do have the visual patience to see what you need to see. break the shot, see the front sight lift in recoil (follow through visually), and ccall the shot. Repeat. Very well put. I am beginning to understand, and lets just say this is not what I was doing. My current MO was to start with target focal plane, shifting to front sight focus as my gun came out of the holster and onto the target, but I would stay with strict front sight focus throughout the entire stage. Since I have 2 fuzzy images of every target out there, it became confusing as to which one I was supposed to be aiming at, especially when they look the same and start to overlap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FRANKIE D Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Guess if I'm going to shoot steels or anything else involving transitioning I'm gonna have to keep an eye on this topic (maybe the entire beginners forum). Just wondering...does anyone have success shooting/transitioning with both eyes open? I can shoot ok at a stationary target both eyes open but if I have to move, say in a dry-fire exercise, I get all messed up and lose my sight picture. Whatcha think? Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SOW Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 (edited) Guess if I'm going to shoot steels or anything else involving transitioning I'm gonna have to keep an eye on this topic (maybe the entire beginners forum). Just wondering...does anyone have success shooting/transitioning with both eyes open? I can shoot ok at a stationary target both eyes open but if I have to move, say in a dry-fire exercise, I get all messed up and lose my sight picture. First, let me say I'm not an expert shooter, so you're getting what you paid for. I am still trying to develop and improve the skills you bring up. I do shoot steel challenge as well as run-and-gun with both eyes open . Flexmoney mentioned some of the factors involved, and his picture of the "all seeing eye' is pertinent. Eye dominance, depth perception, balance, and more all come into play. The eyes are amazing things. With practice, your gun will snap to your dominant eye. Like Flex said, look at where you want the bullet hole to appear, not just in the general 'center mass'. Before a stage, you get a walk-through. This is where you decide how to run the stage, where to change mags, where to haul butt while pointing the gun in a safe direction, and where to keep moving while shooting using your version of the "Groucho stroll". If you're old enough to know who comedian Groucho Marx was, he had a funky looking stride where his upper body didn't move/bounce up or down. You have to develop your own method to do the same. "Smooth is fast" and add accurate to that by practicing. Edited February 1, 2010 by 1SOW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Cue the duck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I see the part I was missing was defining, picking and remaining on target. That pesky follow thru. I have been aplying this in my practice. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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