Transitions

[spanky]

I find myself, from time to time, trying to speed up my transitions as I think you're supposed to.

I will aim in, let's say, on T1, fire shot one, then bring my eyes to T2 as I fire shot two on T1.

Is this correct? I know it's distance variable for the most part but are some of you aiming in then looking at the next target for both of your shots on the first?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[Flexmoney]

I will aim in, let's say, on T1, fire shot one, then bring my eyes to T2 as I fire shot two on T1.

Negative.

See what you need to see to make EACH shot.

Complete the task you are on, then move on to the next task.

[Singlestack]

I will aim in, let's say, on T1, fire shot one, then bring my eyes to T2 as I fire shot two on T1.

Can you say "Alpha, Mike"?

I knew you could

[outerlimits]

try practicing transitions by shooting just one shot at each target. you will start to see things that will help in the timing.

[spanky]

I will aim in, let's say, on T1, fire shot one, then bring my eyes to T2 as I fire shot two on T1.

Can you say "Alpha, Mike"?

I knew you could

It works the times that I've done it but I'm still a rookie so anything I can find out that I'm doing wrong (or right) helps tremendously.

[spanky]

I will aim in, let's say, on T1, fire shot one, then bring my eyes to T2 as I fire shot two on T1.

Negative.

See what you need to see to make EACH shot.

Complete the task you are on, then move on to the next task.

Thanks Flex. That seems so simple that it must be correct. I tend to over-think things from time to time.

AB by "from time to time" I mean "entirely too much."

[JThompson]

What you are looking for is the sight start to lift, or dot start to rise. After that you are snapping your eyes to the next target. You don't need to wait for the gun to come out of recoil after that second shot. You immediately snap your eyes to the next target and the gun starts moving at the same time... your eyes will get there first. You don't just want to "look" at the next target either, you want to be looking at the spot you want to hit. After a time your gun will snap right to where you are looking... at least in theory.

JT

[bkeeler]

My eyes will snap to the next target spot after I have called the shot I am currently on.

If you can try this drill.

http://shooting-performance.com/doc/TargetAquisition.doc

BK

[boz1911]

I will aim in, let's say, on T1, fire shot one, then bring my eyes to T2 as I fire shot two on T1.

Can you say "Alpha, Mike"?

I knew you could

Yes, I can..........

[Supermoto]

I find myself, from time to time, trying to speed up my transitions as I think you're supposed to.

I will aim in, let's say, on T1, fire shot one, then bring my eyes to T2 as I fire shot two on T1.

Is this correct? I know it's distance variable for the most part but are some of you aiming in then looking at the next target for both of your shots on the first?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

You mean like this? (pic below) Its a real bad habit, one that I have been fighting with on wide transitions on fast targets, sometimes you get lucky, most times you miss. Make sure you follow through on each shot

Here is the video that the pic is from. one of the benefits of filming yourself is you get to see all your mistakes when you slow the video down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGEZA-ExY24

Edited September 25, 2009 by Supermoto

[spanky]

Yes, basically, except I haven't had the balls to try it on far spaced targets. I'm taking specifically about closely spaced ones.

[davecutts]

On some close hoser stuff I can get away with looking over the gun at the target, however if they are further than arms length away I want to see some sights, but I am looking at the target for both shots then finding the next one. Like everyone else is saying you've got to see (for each shot) what you want to hit. Have you read Brian's book? The types of focus he mentions are a key point about seeing enough of the target/sight to make the shot, basically the harder the target the more of each you have to see.

[spanky]

On some close hoser stuff I can get away with looking over the gun at the target, however if they are further than arms length away I want to see some sights, but I am looking at the target for both shots then finding the next one. Like everyone else is saying you've got to see (for each shot) what you want to hit. Have you read Brian's book? The types of focus he mentions are a key point about seeing enough of the target/sight to make the shot, basically the harder the target the more of each you have to see.

I have the book. reading it is another thing entirely.

[benos]

My eyes will snap to the next target spot after I have called the shot I am currently on.

BK

Yes. The best thing you can do to decrease transition time is call the last shot before you move with certainty. Now your eyes are moving decisively. See the next target, and get your eyes back to the sights as they are coming onto the target. Repeat. Forever.

be

[TWHaz]

I find myself, from time to time, trying to speed up my transitions as I think you're supposed to.

I will aim in, let's say, on T1, fire shot one, then bring my eyes to T2 as I fire shot two on T1.

Is this correct? I know it's distance variable for the most part but are some of you aiming in then looking at the next target for both of your shots on the first?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

When I do that the second shot is a MIKE

Follow thru on that second shot my friend.

[PaulW]

A great drill I like to use for practicing transitions is setting up two pieces of steel (poppers will work, set them so they do not fall)....space out 20-25 yards and then from draw shoot one, transition, shoot the 2nd one and back and fourth with a whole mag. Then do same thing with 2 shots on each. You'll really start to get the feel of snapping your eyes and you will learn what it takes to stop/decelerate the gun coming into a target.

[Ramas]

See the next target, and get your eyes back to the sights as they are coming onto the target.

be

Very immportant question: when is the right moment to change vision from target spot to sights?

I find out to my self, that I get the best hits when I look at the spot in the next target during transition and when my sights arrives and stops I immediately change focus from target to sights and shoot. Is it right? When I change focus during transition from next target spot to sights when sights are moving I tend overswing the spot. What is the right technique?

Edited November 11, 2009 by Ramas

[benos]

See the next target, and get your eyes back to the sights as they are coming onto the target.

be

Very immportant question: when is the right moment to change vision from target spot to sights?

I find out to my self, that I get the best hits when I look at the spot in the next target during transition and when my sights arrives and stops I immediately change focus from target to sights and shoot. Is it right?

That works, but it will be too slow.

When I change focus during transition from next target spot to sights when sights are moving I tend overswing the spot.

As soon as you've seen the next target clearly, start bringing your focus back to where the front sight is eventually going to be. What's causing you to overswing targets is that you are probably looking toward where the front is before it has arrived on the target. So the "line of focus" you established by seeing the target clearly has moved off the physical line between your eye and the target.

It's tricky to do it right, because, as you start bring your focus back, there's nothing there (yet) to focus on.

Does that make sense?

be

[shooterbenedetto]

Practice on 35 yards and focus on the middle of the target not just seeing the brown target,then call your shots..if you see the sights or dot lift somewhere in the middle of the target on each shot then move!! shoot another target array then move!!.. check then repeat.Practice practice>>>

Edited November 12, 2009 by shooterbenedetto

[Aloha Robert]

As soon as you've seen the next target clearly, start bringing your focus back to where the front sight is eventually going to be.

Does that make sense?

be

Maybe this is dumb question, but does focus mean optical focus of eye, or mental focus of attention?

I dont shot iron sights frequently. But when I do, since I am older, I use a reading glass correction for dominant eye and distant for non dominant, and always shoot with both eyes open. So there is never a change in optical focus. One less thing to do. Works for everything except tight ports or slats when parallax requires one eye shooting.

But I like the idea of mentally paying attention to sight (or dot) after you have visually located the next target. Like Brian Says, it will be there just not quite yet.

On close hosers your subconcious can time it before you actually see it. But for aimed shots you HAVE to call it.

[benos]

As soon as you've seen the next target clearly, start bringing your focus back to where the front sight is eventually going to be.

Does that make sense?

be

Maybe this is dumb question, but does focus mean optical focus of eye, or mental focus of attention?

It's not a dumb question. It's hard to explain and do. You are focusing where the sight is going to be, but because it isn't there yet, it's hard to do.

Try this. Pick out a target on the other side of the room. A light switch maybe. Then hold up your thumb and focus on your thumbnail. Now lower your thumb but don't change your focus, and note that the target stays blurry.

When you are acquiring and shooting single shots on steel targets quickly (properly) it should feel like your focus never stops moving.

be

[spanky]

Excellent info. Thanks to everyone!

[Resjudicata]

As soon as you've seen the next target clearly, start bringing your focus back to where the front sight is eventually going to be.

Does that make sense?

be

Maybe this is dumb question, but does focus mean optical focus of eye, or mental focus of attention?

It's not a dumb question. It's hard to explain and do. You are focusing where the sight is going to be, but because it isn't there yet, it's hard to do.

Try this. Pick out a target on the other side of the room. A light switch maybe. Then hold up your thumb and focus on your thumbnail. Now lower your thumb but don't change your focus, and note that the target stays blurry.

When you are acquiring and shooting single shots on steel targets quickly (properly) it should feel like your focus never stops moving.

be

BE,

Do you have any suggestions for training the eye to maintain a front sight visual focus without something there to focus on? Other than what you mention in your post above?

I've been working on bringing my visual focus back to the sights for better hits. Up to recently I've been using a blurred sight picture and blurred targets. This has gotten me this far but it is apparent that this alone won't take me further. I had thought that I needed to run my visual focus back and forth between the target and sights when the sights are on target but I am very slow doing this. If I'm understanding your posts here correctly you actually start to cross your eyes and focus on where the sights are going to be when they get between your eye and the target. I need to work on this and see if I can get my eyes to do this.

Chris

[benos]

As soon as you've seen the next target clearly, start bringing your focus back to where the front sight is eventually going to be.

Does that make sense?

be

Maybe this is dumb question, but does focus mean optical focus of eye, or mental focus of attention?

It's not a dumb question. It's hard to explain and do. You are focusing where the sight is going to be, but because it isn't there yet, it's hard to do.

Try this. Pick out a target on the other side of the room. A light switch maybe. Then hold up your thumb and focus on your thumbnail. Now lower your thumb but don't change your focus, and note that the target stays blurry.

When you are acquiring and shooting single shots on steel targets quickly (properly) it should feel like your focus never stops moving.

be

BE,

Do you have any suggestions for training the eye to maintain a front sight visual focus without something there to focus on? Other than what you mention in your post above?

I've been working on bringing my visual focus back to the sights for better hits. Up to recently I've been using a blurred sight picture and blurred targets. This has gotten me this far but it is apparent that this alone won't take me further. I had thought that I needed to run my visual focus back and forth between the target and sights when the sights are on target but I am very slow doing this. If I'm understanding your posts here correctly you actually start to cross your eyes and focus on where the sights are going to be when they get between your eye and the target. I need to work on this and see if I can get my eyes to do this.

Chris

The only thing I ever did to improve that was practice shooting multiple targets. With the goal being - see the target clearly, then immediately get back to the sights. When done properly, you should be aware of the sights peripherally just as they are coming onto the target.

Or another way to say it - if you didn't remember seeing the sights until they were stopped on the center of the target, you didn't see them, peripherally, and then in sharp foucs, soon enough.

be

[Rob D]

Great thread. I was struggling with slow transitions(even for my skill leve) last summer. Nick Santiago's advice was, "Shoot smoke and hope about a thousand times." I started shooting steel challenge the next month, and my transitions have gotten much faster in IPSC matches. I would definitely advise you to shoot some steel challenge.