A sight question

M

Miss Demeanors

New member
Just curious.......when you are lining up your target through the sight, how long does it take for you to pull the trigger after that? I've seen people just aim and shoot in seconds, then there's people like me that take awhile to line everything up :) So how fast/slow are you?

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We are as one as we all are the same fighting for one cause -Metallica

[This message has been edited by Miss Demeanors (edited January 02, 2000).]
 
Miss D, Your mind is starting to really work now. The trick is to know your firearm and once near target start pulling up the trigger to the point where you know it's going to break. When your sights are perfect, break that glass rod. With time this drill will go faster than you can think about it.
Keep up the good work!
Hanl
 
Extremely cool Sandy! The girl is into it! :)

Depends...what is the goal when shooting? Are you hunting or at the range? Are you sighting/calibrating? What are the variables...wind; heat risers; is the target stationary or moving, etc?

It really is fun, isn't it?

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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
 
Miss D,

If there is an IDPA or IPSC club in your area, go visit them and watch them shoot. If they are anything like us old Southern boys, they'll fall all over themselves trying to be helpful. They can show you the fast side of aiming and shooting.

When I was instructing regularly, I saw every kind of shooter - novice to expert - and none are the same, but you can generalize after a while.

Using a "standard" measure, like hitting the 8" center of an IDPA target at 15 yards from the draw, you get a feel for the amount of time it can take at the different skill levels. We start with the gun in "carry" condition, holstered, hands relaxed at sides and start with an audible signal. A novice can generally draw, aim and fire one scoring hit in 2.5 to 3 seconds. A marksman can do it in about 1.5, a sharpshooter can go around 1.2 (my personal best is 1.12) and I've seen it done in 1.0 by experts! One of our VERY gifted club members has actually drawn and fired 3 scoring center hits in 1.45 seconds! That's in a defensive style of shooting where speed is important, but not at the expense of (defensive) accuracy.

Contrast that with Hunter Pistol Silhouette, a precision shooting game, where you have 2.5 minutes to fire 5 shots. That's 30 seconds per shot! So the amount of time it takes depends on the result you are trying to achieve and the measure of excellence varies as well.

One side note, when I learned to shoot IDPA (defensive) style and progressed to my present level of sharpshooter, my aimed slow fire accuracy became vastly better than it had EVER been before, even when that was all I used to practice! I guess learning to shoot rapidly, with accuracy, makes the slowed down version seem a lot easier. You must use discipline and set your acceptable accuracy level first. Then increase speed until the accuracy starts to deteriorate. Don't go any faster than the speed at which you can keep ALL your shots in your accuracy zone.

Mikey
 
Miss D;

There is an ole saying, "you can never miss fast enough"....

I think your question is not how long it takes to get out of the holster until firing, but how long do you take to align your sights and then press off the shot?

From the low ready position, after breathing control and exhail of the final breath, starting to raise the handgun onto target, should be about 2-5 seconds before the shot is released. That might mean you are on target concentraing on hold control and sight control for 1-4 seconds. It takes 2-3 seconds from exhail to extablish sight perfection and start the trigger control. After about 7-8 seconds, musscle, hold, sight control will suffer. So, general time, for extreme accuracy would be 2-5 seconds. You could also apply this to rifle shooting as well.

For defensive shooting, you will obviously not have the luxury of taking your time for extreme accuracy. At a standing fighting position my sights are on target before they are aligned with my eyes, so dependent on the distance, the shot may be released early.

From relaxed arms, holstered, standing, until the gun fires, the time could be as short as .80 second from the retention position at CQB distances of 10 feet. This would mean that the time from sights aligned on target until the trigger is pressed could be as short as .15 seconds.

Aimed head shots from the same hostered starting position at three yards are reasonable within 1.5 seconds. That is about 1.0 second to draw, about .30 second to establish a flash sight picture and .20 seconds for the trigger press (trigger preload is performed during the flash sight picture segment). And, the head shot could be center mass, I just use head shot as a reference of the accuracy skill level which should be expected.

As stated by previous replies, each different shooting decilpline will require different speeds. Regardless of the type of shooting you are performing, of course, when you first start, we take the time required to learn the skill in a slower motion. If extreme speed is the requirement, it must not be gained at the expense of acceptable accuracy.

Best Regards.....
"Train to Defend, Train to Survive, Train to Win"
 
Actually, MissD, from what I've gathered reading your posts - you're still pretty new to the game. Without knowing anything else, I'd say stay shooting at 7 yards (or less) for any defensive type drill shooting till you are abosultely comfortable doing any kind of speed drill at longer ranges. Not to say you shouldn't practice at longer ranges for just accuracy & all that.

Concentrate on sight alignment ("V" of the rear sight matched perfectly w/front sight) & these centered on target. Proper trigger s-q-u-e-e-z-e & bam. Still let it be a surprise. If you're not hitting where you aim, then concentrate on bullet placement & don't even think about speed till you can hit where you aim.

Sorry for any "talking down," if I am, but there's fundamentals to master first before you ever go for speed.

Concentrate on relatively short range & accuracy before you try to build up to longer ranges & the speed. It will all come to you.

An interesting drill to try is this:
do a drive fire at your house wall - maybe 10' - pick a mark on the wall. Make certain pistol's unloaded, etc. - everything absolutely safety first.

First, just draw your hand (no pistol) & point your index finger at the spot on the wall without really looking at your hand till you've got your "sight picture" with your finger. Chances are, you're just about right on the money. Try a coupla times - "fast draw" & point your index finger, hold it & then check how your aim is when you sight down your finger. Almost anyone can instinctively point a finger at any object & be amazingly accurate at a goodly distance.

Then, again all safety rules apply w/empty pistol, try the same drill with your pistol. No sighting - just draw & quick-point. Usually & for most, it's very instinctive & you can point-shoot at close ranges with almost zero thought & very good accuracy & speed.

After, just the draw & point, try a few dry fire excercises (safety 1st always! - check that gun!) & you will be amazed at how fast you can draw, point & shoot (at close range for sure). But too, most defensive handgun use is under 10' & this drill is very good for that type scenario.

Just an idea for certain type drills. Also, use the normal "front sight" & squeeze method for better accuracy at longer ranges - the normal practice.
 
Ok now I feel a little better. I didnt have problems with 10 yards, it was 50 that was slowing me down, lets not even mention 100 ;). I was just curious if it were a developed skill or something 'natural'. Hopefully next weekend my BIL will take me to the range, well I begged him anyways, will see if it actually happens. :) I only went that one time with JeffOTMG, and he knew I was new, my BIL IS going to make fun of me (jokingly). SO nothing better I would like to do than shut him up quick :).

DC.... :) I AM into this! :) It is GREAT! :) Only range shooting as of now, we'll see how sick of the squirrels I get in the summer ;).

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My-website
We are as one as we all are the same fighting for one cause -Metallica
 
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