Newbie -- Where to aim

[rmurfster]

Hi,

I'm a newbie to shooting, although I have read probably hundreds of articles by now and am fairly comfortable shooting.

When I've been going to the range, I've been focusing on the front sight instead of the target.

I just read an old thread about comparing ISO to Weaver stance and wondered if in the ISO stance where you're supposed to be focusing when you bring the gun into the target. Do you shift your focus from the target to the front sight as it comes into the target or do you remain focused on the target when you fire the gun?

Thanks for your feedback.
Richard

 

[Ditchtiger]

I look at the front sight to line it up with the rear sight, then I shift focus to the target and shoot when it it's time.

 

[mete]

Ditchtiger , you have it backwards !! FRONT SIGHT, that's the way to hit ! You can actually work out the mathematics to show that of the three the most important is the front sight. If you want to hit in SD use both eyes and both sights with focus on the front.

 

[Black Majik]

Always the front sight.

When I draw, I look below the target. This will let me catch the front sight on the draw shifting focus from target to front sight.

For me though, I shoot POA=POI. I can't stand the 6 o'clock way of sighting.

 

[up_onus]

in the very begining you want to learn muscle recognition, and use repetition to do this. Dry firing is the way to go, many many many times....after a while, you can bring the gun up and just TO the target and look BACK at your sights to see how right on you are. Im not sure if this is a fantastic training method or not, but it worked for me. I feel that I should be fast to draw, and immediate to the target, but, muscle memory is the key.....

 

[TFin04]

in the very begining you want to learn muscle recognition, and use repetition to do this. Dry firing is the way to go, many many many times....after a while, you can bring the gun up and just TO the target and look BACK at your sights to see how right on you are. Im not sure if this is a fantastic training method or not, but it worked for me. I feel that I should be fast to draw, and immediate to the target, but, muscle memory is the key.....

I was doing this just the other day and even after a few minutes my point aiming improved a lot.

Another thing I like to do training wise (not that it relates to this post at all) is to let a shooting buddy load a revolver w/ 4 live shots and one snap cap. You can really see if/how you're flinching with a test like that. Kinda fun to do at the range too. Of course you need a wheelgun for this.

 

[P95Carry]

In case of any interest - or as a ''refresher'' - this link goes to a thread I did near three years ago - just to highlight some aspects of sight useage. Hardly definitive but hopefully useful to some

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=858920

The link goes to right thread but maybe not the very beginning post.

 

[Wedge]

Front sight.

 

[10-Ring]

1st off - welcome to THR!
Focus on the front sight w/ the target blurred in the distance.

 

[JohnKSa]

Do you shift your focus from the target to the front sight as it comes into the target or do you remain focused on the target when you fire the gun?

Jerry Miculek claims he looks at the target, brings the gun to the target and changes focus to the front sight for the shot. If you've seen him shoot, that all happens in a fraction of a second. I don't think I can change focus that fast...

 

[rmurfster]

Thanks so much for the feedback!

When you bring the gun up and the front sight into focus, I am finding it pretty difficult keeping both eyes open.

Any tips?

Thanks again,
Richard

 

[Trebor]

You want to keep the front sight in sharp focus. The rear sight and the target will be blury. Keeping both eyes open is good, if you can do it, but many people have problems. I find that I tend to revert to closing my left (non-dominant) eye when shooting unless I specifically force myself to keep both eyes open. Even then it's not something I worry about that much. Whatever works, works.

 

[kludge]

I shoot just fine and I focus on the target with both eyes open. If I focus on the front sight I see two targets. "Front Sight" just doesn't work for me.

 

[KarlG]

When you bring the gun up and the front sight into focus, I am finding it pretty difficult keeping both eyes open.

Any tips?

Tip#1 - Make sure you are using your dominant eye. One easy way to determine which eye is dominat is to stretch both arms in front of you. Make a little window by opening your hands and putting your fingers on one hand over the finger of the other hand and crossing your thumbs underneath. Lookthrough the hole above your thumbs and focus on something about five yards away. Draw you hands all the way up to your face. The eye that is peeking through t he hole is the dominant one (I am hope the explaination is understandable).

Tip#2 - Practice and work at it. I had the same issue when I started shooting. I did a lot of dry firing to work on trigger control. At the same time I would work on training my eye(s). I would close my non-dominant eye and sight the gun. Then I would open the closed eye and try to keep focus and alignment of the sight. After a while it became natural.

 

[miko]

If target is very close, you focus on it. For SD situatuon, you wouldn't be able to do otherwise and really shouldn't since the bad guy up close needs carefull watching - what his hands are doing, etc. You are not likely to miss anyway.

The further away the target, the more important is the front sight focus to achieve a hit and less important is watching the target.

miko

 

[rmurfster]

Thanks again for all your input.

KarlG -- Thanks for the tips -- It makes a lot of sense to train by first focusing on the front sight using your dominant eye and then open the other to practice using both eyes and still being able to focus on the front sight.

Richard