there is no point shooting debate

[Matthew Temkin]

It has been four years since I began posting about point shooting on internet forums.
There has been much good....metting men such as 7677, Brownie, Geezer, SWB and many others--but there has been much BS to put up with as well.
Quite frankly I never understood the outright hostitlity the topic would bring out, especially on forums such as Glock Talk.
I submit that the ability to place a rapid fire burst of bullets into a surpringsly small target and with very good accuracy is a very handy skill to master.
The fact that point shooting has a proven track record and can be rapidly learned is another checkmark in it's favor.
I will continue to post both historical and "how to" material on the topic on a wide variety of open internet forums, but will no longer be dragged into internet debates.
Those who agree that point shooting is an important part of the puzzle are welcome to learn it, and those who do not are welcome to ignore it.
Actually, I learned a long time ago that there are many lurkers out there who are interested but never post and rarely contact me directly.
One such man, a police Sgt from a large department ---and who's officers have used point shooting with deadly effect at lleast 6 times---sent me this email, a part of which I will paste over here...


"Shot a little yesterday for practice. Y'know, I quick drawed and fired one handed, 3/4 hip from 20 ft. and put four rounds in the chest of a silhouette, just right of center (as I look at the target, about where the heart sits). Could cover them with a fist. And they say it can't be done !

I continue to shoot and learn of course, but lately have put more attention to my combatives (H2H). Thanks to you and Carl.

Take it easy. Have fun this weekend, sorry I can't make it."


I will repeat this one more time.....
POINT SHOOTING IS A COMPLIMENT TO AIMED FIRE---NOT A REPLACEMENT!!!!

 

[BigG]

I, for one, am always interested in historical shooting techniques and point shooting was advocated by Col Rex Applegate, who was taught by Fairbairn.

Applegate said his epiphany occurred when he read a letter to the editor written by Wild Bill Hickok, which said of his shooting technique, "I raised my pistol to eye level like pointing a finger and fired." Col Applegate thenceforward practiced exactly that and advocated it. Certainly anybody who learns to stick a key in a lock in the dark demonstrates the value of muscle memory and that's all the Col was saying, to me. Learn to align the gun, then forget about the gun and put a bullet into the target. Maybe that is a poor description but it's the best I can come up with now.

Like you I can't understand the hostility of some for your posts. It seems that a person who wants to CCW to "protect himself" would want to learn a practical technique. Instead you get backlash from IPSC/IDPA shooters who try to convince you they have the "one true religion." I'm glad you are not going to let them bait you any more.

 

[Matthew Temkin]

I, for one, am always interested in historical shooting techniques and point shooting was advocated by Col Rex Applegate, who was taught by Fairbairn.

Applegate said his epiphany occurred when he read a letter to the editor written by Wild Bill Hickok, which said of his shooting technique, "I raised my pistol to eye level like pointing a finger and fired." Col Applegate thenceforward practiced exactly that and advocated it. Certainly anybody who learns to stick a key in a lock in the dark demonstrates the value of muscle memory and that's all the Col was saying to me. Learn to align the gun, then forget about the gun and put a bullet into the target. Maybe that is a poor description but it's the best I can come up with now.

Like you I can't understand the hostility of some for your posts. It seems that a person who wants to CCW to "protect himself" would want to learn a practical technique. Instead you get backlash from IPSC/IDPA shooters who try to convince you they have the "one true religion." I'm glad you are not going to let them bait you any more.

I knew Applegate fairly well and spent a week at his ranch back in 1996.
I do think, however, that he missed the boat by ignoring hip shooting, feeling that it was too complicated and best replaced by what later became known as point shoulder technique.

 

[f4t9r]

POINT SHOOTING IS A COMPLIMENT TO AIMED FIRE---NOT A REPLACEMENT!!!!
i UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND HAVE TRIED POINT SHOOTING AND IT WORKS

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

We have over four point shooting threads going in S&T right now. That is plenty in my view and you could have made your point in any of them. This thread is closed until S&T mods can review it. If they want to reopen it that is fine with me; but until then you can use any one of the many threads you have running.

 

[Ankeny]

Instead you get backlash from IPSC/IDPA shooters who try to convince you they have the "one true religion." I'm glad you are not going to let them bait you any more.

..and that's just the kind of stuff that competition shooters are tired of. Oh poo...I took the bait.