Sighting Techniques

[g.willikers]

What sighting techniques, for rifle or handgun, do you find is the most effective?
Do you use different methods and different types of sights for different disciplines?
How much do you actually depend on the sights to align the gun to the target.
Or do you depend on something else?
This thread should be less about any particular sight manufacturer or design, but rather more about the technique you use with it.
But anything goes.
Can't ever know too much about anything.
Curious minds want to know.

[g.willikers]

It took me a long time to understand that aiming had more to do with me, the shooter, than the sights.
From the time I first picked up a Daisy Red Ryder, aligning the gun to the target with the sights just seemed the normal thing.
First ya' fish around for the sights, and then mosey the gun over to the target, all the while keeping the sights lined up and on the target.
Nice and deliberate....and slow.
But is there another way?

[AK103K]

I think it depends on how youre shooting.

Target takes more deliberation and focus on the sights, in respect to the target. Reactive or more realistic shooting is more focus on the target, and the sights seem to naturally come a long.

When I present a handgun, or quickly shoulder a rifle/shotgun, the sights seem to just come right up to where I was looking on the target, and without thought.

[g.willikers]

The first time I tried an action pistol match, the speed and accuracy of most of the folks there was an real surprise.
At the time I didn't know how they could do that.
Eventually, it became clear that they were doing just as you say.
Good form and the gun and sights find their own way.
The sights become more of a reference that they were on target rather than just a way to get on target.
After figuring it out, my scores went from the bottom to the upper third fairly quickly.
Even with precision type shooting, the better the form, the less time it takes to get the sights on target, especially with a scope.

[Deaf Smith]

Good form and the gun and sights find their own way.

Exactly! And the more experience you have doing that the easier it becomes to adapting the techniques in a fight.

No matter if you use the Weaver Stance, Isocelies, Chapman, reverse Weaver(fistfire), or one handed. And no matter if you use 'flash sight picture', 'front sight focus', target focus where you see the sights as a blur, etc...

Practiced often and then just adapt it to the street.

Deaf

[45_auto]

Originally Posted by g.willikers

The first time I tried an action pistol match, the speed and accuracy of most of the folks there was an real surprise.

You are ahead of 99.99% of all pistol owners just by virtue of knowing what is possible.

The vast majority of shooters will never even attend, much less participate in, a match to evaluate their skills.

They all just "know" that they are fast and accurate!

As far as the sighting process, AK103K described it best:

When I present a handgun, or quickly shoulder a rifle/shotgun, the sights seem to just come right up to where I was looking on the target, and without thought.

Doesn't matter whether it's an AR15, AK47, 10/22, Garand, 1911, Glock, Mark I/II/II, S&W, etc, etc, etc. As you present the weapon, the sights come into view. The required accuracy of the shot will determine the amount of time you spend refining the sight picture.

[g.willikers]

The real motivation to understand this new-to-me method of shooting,
Was seeing folks easily nail the impossible drop turner target.
How could anyone hit a falling and twisting target in less time than it took most people just to clear leather?
Let alone find the sights and get the gun on target.
It truly was a hard concept to grasp, at first.

[Frank Ettin]

The flash sight picture (Morrison, Gregory, The Modern Technique of the Pistol, Gunsite Press, 1991, pp 87 - 88, emphasis added):

...The flash sight-picture involves a glimpse of the sight-picture sufficient to confirm alignment....The target shooter’s gaze at the front sight has proven inappropriate for the bulk of pistol fighting. However, the practical shooter must start at this level and work up to the flash, which becomes reflexive as motor skills are refined. With practice, a consistent firing platform and firing stroke align the sights effortlessly. This index to the target eventually becomes an instantaneous confirmation of the sight-picture.

...Using the flash sight-picture programs the reflex of aligning the weapon’s sights with the target instantly....There is good reason for sights: one needs them to align the barrel with the target reliably....

[g.willikers]

Nicely said.
Now, if the conversation is to meaningfully continue, for those who are interested, maybe it should turn to how to do that.
I'll give it a try.
The first thing I was told to do, to develop this style of shooting, was to determine my Natural Point of Aim.
This can be looked up on youtube for live demonstrations that will be better than trying to describe it.
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...l+point+of+aim

[AK103K]

When I think of NPA, I usually associate that with high power rifle target type shooting. Its usually something you learn to acquire, after some practice and get a feel for things.

I never really gave it much thought with a handgun beyond the old bulls eye stance, but Im sure its there as well, but again, its attained after those bazillion presentations in practice.

With either, rifle or handgun, I think its still just a lot of constant practice, dry fire and live fire. Youre simply programming your brain and muscles to the point of "Zen" for the lack of a better explanation. The doing without doing.

I still practice daily with something. Always at the very least, presentations from a concealed holster. Some days its also with a rifle, simply holding and squeezing on a dot on the wall, or presentations on everything and anything I see, and especially on those fleeting "targets" on the TV.

Besides programming your mind, doing the above, also helps to keep your muscle tone up for all things gun related.

The whole idea here is to get to the point of not thinking about doing it, and just doing it when your brain calls for "guns".

[g.willikers]

After figuring out the NPA, the next thing I was told to do was practice aiming the gun with eyes closed.
And then checking if the sights were where they were supposed to be.
This was done a number of ways, with one target.
From the holster, from the low ready, from off a table, around a barricade, one handed, 'etc.
It can be done dry fire or with airguns.
No need to waste ammo, as it can take quite awhile to get the hang of it.
No doubt safer, too, at least at first.