Front Sight: Focus, Focus, Focus.

[Sgt T]

This afternoon I was coaching a new shooter when I heard one of our less experienced staff, who was coaching another shooter, say, "I know there is something wrong here, but I'm not sure what it is." The word "wrong" caught my attention.

I went down to his shooting bay to see what "wrong" meant. Fortunately it was just a sighting problem. The student had fired approximately ten shots each on three targets. One target looked like a shotgun blast. The other two were OK with decent groups. I looked at the targets and asked if the shotgun blast target was the first one shot. The student said it was.

I explained to her that most likely what happened was that on her first target she was watching the target because she wanted to see where she was hitting the target. Being fairly new she just forgot her fundamentals. For the second and third targets she remembered what had been taught in class and started watching her front sight, tightening her groups. The staff member didn't understand how the student went from shotgun blast to tight groups almost instantly. Now he knows.

When teaching my classes I tell all my students that the front sight is like a teenager, if you don't watch it, it will have a party on you and go wherever it wants.

[Eccentric]

When teaching my classes I tell all my students that the front sight is like a teenager, if you don't watch it, it will have a party on you and go wherever it wants.

I like that!

[JavamanX]

When teaching my classes I tell all my students that the front sight is like a teenager, if you don't watch it, it will have a party on you and go wherever it wants.

Whats wrong with a little freedom and youthful exuberance? ;)

Its actually quite astonishing how much someone can mess up a simple act such as sight alignment. I didnt know it wasnt a comonly known thing untill I was involved with a rifle team in high school and we had to teach new shooters the basics and then move them up the ladder to competitions. We had all kinds of crazy things happen (not unsafe) just oddities like trying to fire the weapon right handed and sight in using the left eye... Glad my dad taught us the basics early on.

[Sgt T]

JavamanX,

As you are well aware, in shooting you can do fifty things right, and only one thing wrong to ruin a great shot.

I love working with new shooters, particuarly when they realize that shooting is nothing like what they have been "taught" from Hollywood. When they start to master the basics and get good groups on their targets, the smile they get is a great reward.

[JavamanX]

I agree Sgt T Working with new shooters is fun. And yes you are correct 99% of the time they always say something along the lines of "wow thats alot different/harder/more involved than i thought"

We worked with precision air rifles and .22 cal rifles in highly competitive matches. And your "50 things right 1 thing wrong" rule could not be more true. I have also found out that such a rule applies to many of lifes dealings. Sadly though you only realize it after something has gone very much awry.

What do you teach Fire Arms wise?

[dnola]

You mean that I'm not supposted to hold the 9mm sideways and above my head? You don't hip shoot the scattergun?:D

My 'always carry' is a LCP and my eyes went over that magical 45 year threshold quite a while ago. Though the little LCP point shoots very well, front site acquisition is often not possible, especially in low light. The Crimson Trace really turned that gun around for me. I don't believe that laser sites should even be allowed in preliminary training classes but are fantastic for use on some short range weapons after the proper techniques are learned.

They can also be learning tool themselves. I've added lasers to a couple of other guns recently. It makes you realize how far off you can be with some guns by using only instinct pointing without sites. I found out that if my defense shotgun is not shouldered, I have a 60% chance of missing the target. And that's with a shotgun!!!:o (Clicking the laser on after 'pointing' will give you this feedback)

Do you ever get the feeling that you're preaching to the choir?;)

[Sgt T]

JavamanX,

In my signature are my NRA Instructor certifications. I also trained SWAT teams and combat tactics while in the military.

dnola,

Our "choir" is growing in leaps and bounds at the moment. For many the "sermon" is new information.

I have been shooting since I was 5 years old and I am always learning something new when it comes to shooting. For example, when I attended John Farnam's Advanced Defensive Handgun course I had to work to master stoppage drills. Why? Because I use firearms that work 99.999% of the time. I rarely, if ever, have a stoppage. Therefore it is not a skill I use, but it is a skill I have to know.

So, I guess I will continue to preach to whoever will listen.

[bill21]

Though the little LCP point shoots very well, front site acquisition is often not possible, especially in low light. The Crimson Trace really turned that gun around for me.

I, like you, am now on the far side of 45, and in anything but strong light, it is hard to get a good focus on the front site and site picture. I recently bought a set of CTC Laser grips for my Ultra, gotta take a few minutes and put them on.

Do you like them?

[dnola]

I recently bought a set of CTC Laser grips for my Ultra, gotta take a few minutes and put them on.

Do you like them?

On the LCP, I find them fantastic. It took my group at 7 yds down to half its original size and probably also halved the reacquisition time. On the long site path of my Hi Point carbine, it really doesn't seem to make a lot of difference in normal and moderately light but does help in low light. They are a big plus on any short range gun in normal to low light (most SD situations) but mostly worthless on longer range guns in bright sunlight. The ones on the shotgun and on the 9mm carbine are just inexpensive (>$30.00) lasers but seem to serve the purpose in these situations. I do intend to eventually get one for my Ultra also, the keyword being "eventually" as I don't actually carry it very often.

[rkbartley]

I've been reading through some of our older threads and plan on bringing some of them to the front again. This one from Sgt T hits home to me...maybe some of you, too?