Thursday, June 12, 2014

Ask Somebody!

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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