New Shooter Question

[blutch]

Ok.. i'm an experienced archer - hunting and target and 3-D. I'm pretty decent at it and now I am getting into shooting firearms - specifically hand guns.

I'm not interested in competing in target shooting with guns at all. I want to learn how to shoot well and enjoy it, but will get my CCW and have a gun at home and in the car for defense.

When I practice, I can be pretty accurate if I shoot slow and calm and really concentrate like when I'm shooting the bow. At the range I see serious shooters practicing by firing 10 or more shots in a row in quick succession.

When I try this, I miss the target about 30% of the time at 12 yards and the shots that do hit are all over the place.

So, my question is.. should I continue to work on rapid fire or continue to practice slowly and deliberatly?

Is it necessary to have a certain quality of group when firing 5-10 rounds in quick succession to be prepared for a defensive situation? how do you aim with any accuracy? There is no way to get the sights lined up that quickly between shots. What's the technique?

Same questions when drawing and firing quickly. I thought that was just in the movies. :-)

Any advice would be appreciated.. is there a good book on this subject?

B

 

[Mr.357Sig]

I would contact the folks at TDSA to get some proper training. They are fantastic and they will train you to shoot accurately and safely.

However, in the meantime, check out some of the training videos on guntalktv.com. They have great advice on proper techniques.

I will tell you this. At the range, hard focus on the front sight - NOT the target. The target should not be as sharp as your front sight. Pull the trigger. Don't jerk the trigger.

 

[blutch]

thanks. Yes. I am focusing on the front site, not the target. Similar to archery using a site. I can't believe people who fire rapidly use the site much. Just trying to figure it out. Thanks for the advice. I will check out those videos.

B

 

[Dale00]

http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2008/04/shooting-on-double.html

 

[prdator]

If you really want to learn go get some professional training.
I would strongly recommend Will Andrews www.oklahomashootingskills.com
It's right here in OKC and the classes are a steel for what you get out of them.

What you will learn is the stance, trigger control and sight alignment.
This will allow you to shoot fast and accurately!!!!!!

 

[Jholmes]

If you really want to learn go get some professional training.
I would strongly recommend Will Andrews www.oklahomashootingskills.com
It's right here in OKC and the classes are a steel for what you get out of them.

What you will learn is the stance, trigger control and sight alignment.
This will allow you to shoot fast and accurately!!!!!!

+1

I saw tremendous improvement in my speed and accuracy after each of Will's classes! I highly recommend Will's training! Great Training at a Great Price!

 

[Glocktogo]

Welcome Blutch!

Concerning the "rapid fire" you've seen and whether to continue practicing deliberately, it depends on your goals. Yes, it's possible to get good hits at speed. You can do this and be using the sights, but not in the way you're used to. Traditional slow fire, done with a perfect sight picture and deliberation is great for shooting things that don't shoot back. But for defense work, you want to take the the minimum time necessary to get a good hit.

A good shooter can get multiple center of mass hits at 7 yards or less in under 2/10ths of a second per shot. The longer the distance, the more time between shots it takes to verify the sight alignment before breaking the shot. Under these conditions, the sights are never static, but constantly moving. You're timing the trigger movement to coincide with the sights re-aligning at center mass. How quickly you can do it depends on your eye speed. You can only get good hits as fast as your eyes can see the sights.

Only you can detrmine how important it is to improve your defensive pistol skills, and what level of proficiency you consider acceptable. But to improve quickly with the least amount of time and energy expended, good training is critical. You may not be interested in competition, but it's an inexpensive way to get exposed to some really great shooting techniques. Most of the guys shooting these events are pretty free about sharing tips and information as well.

Good luck acquiring those pistol shooting skills and feel free to ask questions here!

 

[Lance Jensen]

Everyone is correct about getting professional training. Especially if you're just starting out. It can be very hard to break bad habits, believe me I know!
There are a lot of subtleties to shooting a pistol fast and accurate. I recommend spending the money for professional training and save yourself a lot of time and heartache.

 

[G Law]

Believe it or not, you can see your sights at that speed. It takes a lot of practice. One thing you can do next time you are at the range is to watch the front sight lift when you pull the trigger. Just shoot into the berm with no target and watch the front sight go up and come back down. When it comes back down then you can break the next shot. As your eyes get faster and your technique gets better you can shoot pretty quickly. I agree with the others on getting some training. It's better to learn it right the first time than to go back and try to change it later.
G

 

[trbii]

Take a defensive/combat pistol shooting course as soon as your time and money will allow. Those of us who practised regularly for years on our own developed slow, bad and clumsy habits. I would make an effort to buy a quality gun belt, holster and magazine pouches and spare magazines, first. HTH. Good shooting.