Getting on target quickly - need help

Mick3411 · March 6, 2010, 09:43 PM

Club I belong to holds "tactical shoots" every week. They have an accuracy and speed component to the scoring. I always shoot reasonably accurate, but am slow. A friend told me it is always the first target that kills me time wise, after that I do fine. I dont feel like I am doing anything different on the first target, but obviously am.

I guess I am being too careful, or something on that first couple of shots. The funny thing is they arent any better than the rest of the shots.

Any good drills or pointer to help me get that first shot off more quickly?

Mick

scottawil · March 6, 2010, 10:05 PM

If you can, get your hands on a copy of "Practical Shooting - Beyond Fundamentals" by Brian Enos. http://www.brianenos.com/Enos does a great job of explaining techniques that will make you faster. FWIW I just started USPSA shooting and have only shot two matches; I finish around the middle of the pack so I consider that okay for a novice. Speed is what limits me as well and that book was the advice that was given to me by my buddy who always places in the top 10.

Mick3411 · March 6, 2010, 10:35 PM

Thanks for the quick response. I ck'd out the book and ordered it.

Slopemeno · March 6, 2010, 10:44 PM

I took a shooting class back when I was fairly new to Action Shooting, and it stressed the one-shot-draw-and-fire, to a degree that I didn't expect. Imagine hours and hours of of doing that before moving on to...you guessed it, draw-and-double-tap.

Don't be afraid to work on the fundamentals. You can easily do 20 minutes of that every day at home.

fastforty · March 6, 2010, 11:33 PM

As with anything mechanical that you do repeatedly, repetition leads to speed. Dry practice 15-20 minutes at least 2-3 times a week. Don't worry about speed, it will come naturally with repetition (ok, you do need to push speed once in a while, to the point that you haven't quite acquired a sight picture when the gun goes "click", then slow down a tad & continue dry practice).

bamaranger · March 6, 2010, 11:52 PM

Taking your gun to your line of sight to the target ie, find target w/ eyes, gun/sights appear in your line of vision, acquire sight picture, break shot.
Eyes track to next target, pistol/sights follow into your line of sight, etc.

I find when I track from target to target with the gun, I over compensate, and have to "come back on" before I can make the shot.

The above process seems to help w/ that problem.

A first shot problem may simply be presentations, which can be dry practiced easily. For me, a double action first shot is always slower, but cannot be helped w/ my issue SIG.

Strick · March 7, 2010, 08:14 PM

It is hard to give you a real breakdown without seeing it.

My times are around 1.2 +/- with my IDPA gear, not uber fast but quick enough since the whole match is not based on draw time.

It is not all about being real fast, that helps, but it is technic. Start in the position you are going to shoot in so you are not wasting time moving. When you draw have your support hand meet the gun once it is out of the holster and rotated to the target. Support hand should meet the gun slightly below the chest. Once they meet it is just pressing them to the target.

You should be focusing on the spot you want to hit while you draw and while you press out with the gun you should pick up the front sight and then press the trigger when the sights are on target.

One tip I got is to make sure you bring the gun up and press out to your dominant eye so you are not wasting time moving the gun over.

March 6, 2010, 09:43 PM	#1
Mick3411 Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Location: Dayton OH Posts: 55	Getting on target quickly - need help Club I belong to holds "tactical shoots" every week. They have an accuracy and speed component to the scoring. I always shoot reasonably accurate, but am slow. A friend told me it is always the first target that kills me time wise, after that I do fine. I dont feel like I am doing anything different on the first target, but obviously am. I guess I am being too careful, or something on that first couple of shots. The funny thing is they arent any better than the rest of the shots. Any good drills or pointer to help me get that first shot off more quickly? Mick __________________ Mick

March 6, 2010, 10:35 PM	#3
Mick3411 Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Location: Dayton OH Posts: 55	Thanks for the quick response. I ck'd out the book and ordered it. __________________ Mick

March 6, 2010, 11:33 PM	#5
fastforty Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 1999 Location: In a kornfield in kalifornia Posts: 1,161	As with anything mechanical that you do repeatedly, repetition leads to speed. Dry practice 15-20 minutes at least 2-3 times a week. Don't worry about speed, it will come naturally with repetition (ok, you do need to push speed once in a while, to the point that you haven't quite acquired a sight picture when the gun goes "click", then slow down a tad & continue dry practice). __________________ When Banjos are outlawed, only Outlaws will have Banjos The Bible is my lawbook. I turn the other cheek when applicable, and spend the rest of my days resisting evil at every front, until I have breathed my last breath.

March 6, 2010, 11:52 PM	#6
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,303	Try Taking your gun to your line of sight to the target ie, find target w/ eyes, gun/sights appear in your line of vision, acquire sight picture, break shot. Eyes track to next target, pistol/sights follow into your line of sight, etc. I find when I track from target to target with the gun, I over compensate, and have to "come back on" before I can make the shot. The above process seems to help w/ that problem. A first shot problem may simply be presentations, which can be dry practiced easily. For me, a double action first shot is always slower, but cannot be helped w/ my issue SIG.

March 7, 2010, 08:14 PM	#7
Strick Member Join Date: January 6, 2009 Location: Katy, TX Posts: 67	It is hard to give you a real breakdown without seeing it. My times are around 1.2 +/- with my IDPA gear, not uber fast but quick enough since the whole match is not based on draw time. It is not all about being real fast, that helps, but it is technic. Start in the position you are going to shoot in so you are not wasting time moving. When you draw have your support hand meet the gun once it is out of the holster and rotated to the target. Support hand should meet the gun slightly below the chest. Once they meet it is just pressing them to the target. You should be focusing on the spot you want to hit while you draw and while you press out with the gun you should pick up the front sight and then press the trigger when the sights are on target. One tip I got is to make sure you bring the gun up and press out to your dominant eye so you are not wasting time moving the gun over. __________________ Click for my shooting blog

March 6, 2010, 10:05 PM	#2
scottawil Member Join Date: February 24, 2010 Location: Ft Campbell, KY Posts: 27	If you can, get your hands on a copy of "Practical Shooting - Beyond Fundamentals" by Brian Enos. http://www.brianenos.com/Enos does a great job of explaining techniques that will make you faster. FWIW I just started USPSA shooting and have only shot two matches; I finish around the middle of the pack so I consider that okay for a novice. Speed is what limits me as well and that book was the advice that was given to me by my buddy who always places in the top 10.

March 6, 2010, 10:44 PM	#4
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	I took a shooting class back when I was fairly new to Action Shooting, and it stressed the one-shot-draw-and-fire, to a degree that I didn't expect. Imagine hours and hours of of doing that before moving on to...you guessed it, draw-and-double-tap. Don't be afraid to work on the fundamentals. You can easily do 20 minutes of that every day at home.