I am a shooter. A
simple statement chock full of innuendo.
But quite simply it means that I go to the range frequently (almost
weekly, since retiring) and throw rounds down range in an attempt to improve my
skill set. With over forty year’s
experience, my performance is adequate.
One of the painful realities of my experience is that most shooters I
observe at the range I patronize are woefully inadequate. If one cannot consistently place their shots
in the “X” ring on a man sized target at seven yards (the standard for combat
handgun training) something is awry.
Now the process is simple.
The shooter should, using two hands (fancy one hand stuff will come
after a minimum performance level is consistently achieved) point the gun at
the center of the target. Their focus should be on the front sight. The front sight should be centered in the
notch of the rear sight at the same height, forming an image of three
rectangles lined up in a row across the shooter’s plane of vision. Once this had been achieved: Front sight in
focus, front and back sights aligned to form three level boxes, front sight
silhouetted against the center of the target; the shooter operates the trigger
without disturbing said alignment until the gun fires and voila, the bullet will impact the target at exactly the point of
aim.
At the simplest level, that is all there is to it. The trick is consistency and that comes only with
practice. Shooting is like any other athletic
pursuit; the more one puts into it, the higher the level of proficiency. HOWEVER, if the tyro shooter does not know
the mechanics of sight alignment, they can shoot thousands of rounds and never
achieve any level of proficiency.
If you are a gear head, did you pop the hood on your first
car and innately understand how to improve engine performance? No, some mentor had to walk you through the
mechanicals. If you are a master
carpenter, did you grab a measuring tape and saw and build a custom bookcase on
your first attempt? Again, you probably
had the help of an experienced hand teach you the proper technique for ripping
a straight line with a table saw. It
just makes sense that the mastery of new skills is greatly benefited by
tutelage from a master.
Yet every week I see newbie shooters fling round after round
downrange with no apparent appreciation for marksmanship. Their targets look like Swiss cheese; while
there I am, in full view of everyone placing every shot through the same hole
in the middle of the target. But does
anybody ask, “How do you do that?” In a
word, no!
I pay close attention to what is happening around me while
on the range. Gun handling is an
activity fraught with peril and I like to make sure the people near me are
adhering to safe shooting practices. And
if I see someone whose demeanor raises a concern, I will gently but firmly, and always politely offer them my
critique on their actions and offer a safer alternative. New shooters are generally welcoming of this
input because they are nervous about the environment to begin with.
If I see a woman struggling with shooting mechanics, I will
offer advice. Never so to men, their
egos are just too fragile. But women
appreciate the help and just a few minutes of demonstration of technique will
yield vast improvement. If a man asks, I'll help them; but I never make a cold offer. They all think if you put a gun in their hands their John McClain (Die Hard).
I will close with this invaluable bit of advice. If you are a new shooter, or just believe
your performance could be fine tuned, look around the range. When you have identified a good shooter
politely ask them, “How do you do that?”
In my experience shooters love to pass on their knowledge and will be
happy to show you what you need to know to improve your shooting.
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