[Rob96]

Today while at the range I decided to try something another person had said they do with their snubs. Instead of looking thru the rear sight, I only got my sight picture with the front sight. I couldn't believe how well I was able to shoot, using this method. Anyone else ever try it?

[Jim March]

No, but...I have some theoretical issues with the approach.

I think this is only working because you're already an experienced shooter. So you're already instinctively pointing the barrel downrange.

That leads to two possibilities:

1) This won't work for newbies?

2) This might fail for YOU under stress?

Not saying for sure, I'm just...concerned, is all.

[dinosaur]

Depends. How far away was the target? What kind was it? B.G. bullseye etc?
A snub isn`t a target gun but usually for self defense. Ideally 15 yds. is max as most S.D. shootings take place at 3 yds. or less. No need for any sights at that distance. We actually taught no sights out to 7 yds.


I remember a recruit we had who further than 7 yds. was hitting the top of the berm. He explained that since we told him to "watch his front sight" that`s what he was doing. He didn`t line up with the rear at all. He was actually watching the top of the barrel.:what: Taught me a lesson that new shooters will sometimes take what you say literally.

If you`re hitting the target consistently, good group, center mass, no flyers, you should be good to go. Maybe you should be teaching us.:D

[C.R.Sam]

Quite a few years ago was replacing the rear sight on a GI 1911A1.
Drifted the dinged sight out and got to thinkin, wonderin.
Ran a couple magazines of ball through it at 25 yd target.
Resusts were better than some folks usin both sights. but not great.
But....I was familiar with the gun. A few hundred thousand rounds through it's sisters.
Appeared that what I was doin was using the whole gun as a sight and managing to get a half way consistant sight picture.

My conclusion....both sights important for most applications, front sight more important.

Fifteen minute accuracy sucks at 25 and 50 yds.
Fifteen minute accuracy just fine at 7yds.

Relative

Sam

[Rob96]

Now when I tried this yesterday I did it with the lighter magnum loads, 110gr JHP Winchester, 125gr Fed. Classic JHP and 125gr Speer Gold Dots. To clarify a little of what I was trying to say. Typically with this snub, the lighter loads print a few inches low. This was done at about 21'. By just holding the front sight at the 6 o'clock position in the center of the target, raised my point of impact. Now granted , if I am at 6-8' social distance, it is more of pointoing the barrel as an extension of the hand. I will have to play around with this a little more, at different anles and such.

[OneShot]

I shoot my snubby 38 all the time without using the sights at all up to 7 yards. I simply point and shoot it. I usually have about an 80% hit rate, somewhere in the center mass area. I have practiced this with both standard loads and +p loads.

I find that I almost have to push the gun down or hold it down to continue to score hits, It's kind of hard to explain exactly how I do it. Lets just say that I've practiced it A LOT and it kinda comes natural to me now.

At greater distances then about 7 yards my accuracy really falls off.

I do feel that i could do it under stress if required. With only 5 rounds, I guess it is kind of risky, but it can be done VERY fast if needed.--Oneshot

[Standing Wolf]

I shoot my snubby 38 all the time without using the sights at all up to 7 yards. I simply point and shoot it.

Amen!

If I'm shooting quickly at close distances, not sighting doesn't seem to affect my accuracy much at all. When I shoot single action at greater distances, sighting helps, but even then, it's at least partly point shooting, since the sights are nothing to write home about. I believe close enough is close enough at close range—assuming one hits the target, of course.

[Blueduck]

I was actually trained this way if the target was very close. Works well where it's intended to (inside 7 yards).

[444]

All of the shooting classes I have been to have advocated the use of a flash sight picture at close range. When you see the front sight on the COM, you fire. Obviously at close range, good hits are much easier to achieve even with a poor sight picture. I think it is something well worth practicing. See how far away you can consistantly place shots COM to learn your limitations. From that point on out, you need the sights.
It is just one more tool to put in your box. There are occasions when you need more precision. This is when you use a classic sight picture combined with all the other shooting fundamentals. There are also times when coming close as fast as you can is the way to go.

[OneShot]

I practiced point shooting when at the range today with my snub. Even though I could consistantly score hits while not using the sights at all, I could score far better when getting just a flash sight picture.

The increase in accuracy was substantial, but I feel that in a low light/no light situation I would still be able to score hits while just point shooting the snub. In fact I could probably get a pretty good idea of exactly where the target was by using the muzzel flash:D :D

I would say that overall if you are willing to practice point shooting (a lot) it can be quite a valuable skill to master, although "flash sighting" would probably be a much better technique to master.

To each his own I guess.--Oneshot