My first experience with firearms consisted of targets with a 22 rifle and hunting with a single shot 410. I did a lot of small game hunting with that 410, and later a 20 Ga pump. I haven't fired a shotgun in a decade or two, but I still shoot like I'm using a shotgun. Whether it's iron sites, scope, red dot, rifle or pistol, I shoot with both eyes open focused on the target.
I know all the 'experts' say to concentrate on the front site of a pistol, but it's never worked for me. And in my old age it works even less. If I concentrate on the site, the target doesn't just get blurry, it approaches unrecognizable. That's why my hunting handguns have optics. When I look at the target out there in the 75-150 yard range, the sites completely disappear. At ranges most consider appropriate for handguns, I don't have that problem.
When they say 'focus on the front site, let the target go blurry and press the trigger' I cringe. Of the three, pressing the trigger is the only one I can do.
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I'll never argue with what works for someone, but the axiom about focusing on the front sights is an important concept in accuracy and marksmanship.
For minute of badguy type shooting, when all you need is center of mass hits at short range, having a vague sight picture is OK. Basically, what you're doing is "point shooting". Some people with really good instinctive pointing can do very well that way.
But for most people and for precision and accuracy, proper sight alignment is key.
Think about it. One minute of angle is about 1" at 100 yards.
The sight radius of a rifle is, what, maybe 18"? Depends on the rifle, but that's a pretty good guesstimate.
Assuming 1" at 100 yards for an MOA, that means at 18" (.5 yards), one minute of angle is .005". Even if the front blade is perfectly centered on the target when the shot breaks, if you have your sights out of alignment by 5 thousandths of an inch, you miss by an inch at 100 yards.
That small amount is barely perceptible even if you ARE focusing on the front sight. If you're not focusing on the front sight and you don't have EXTREMELY good instinctive pointing skills, you'll be lucky to hit the scoring rings at all, let alone hold the black.
It's even worse with pistols where the sight radius is a few inches.
When shooting pins or steel plates, the tiniest little misalignment of the sights can mean a clean miss.
I don't see as well as I used to either, but I still have to focus on the sights for any kind of accuracy.
The problem is that as I've aged, I simply can't see the front sight clearly any more.
My trick is, when I'm shooting any type of competition, I wear weak reading glasses that are just strong enough to enable me to focus on the front sight. (1.5 diopters seem to work the best for me at the moment).
The problem with that is that I can't focus on the target at all...all I can see is basically a "blob"...but I can still shoot pretty darn well that way.
For things like pins or plates, just align sights, put the front sight in the center of the blob and pull the trigger.
For bullseye or high powered rifle shooting, however, more precision is needed.
My process is this: Look over the reading glasses to find the target. Get a rough line up of the sights, and then, while still focused on the target and concentrating on the point of aim, shift my vision so I'm looking through the glasses. Even though the target is now blurry, I still have a good idea of where my point of aim should be.
At that point I concentrate on the font sight and sight alignment as I breathe and squeeze the trigger.
I'm no world class shooter (never have been and probably never will be...don't have the time or money to practice enough), but I finish well enough at the Atlantic Fleet and All Navy matches to be invited to shoot with the Navy Marksmanship team at the National matches every time I compete. I'm hoping to actually be able to go to the national matches next year...I've been saving up vacation time.
With all that said, if you never plan to shoot in competition, there's no shame in using optics for long range shots...especially when you're getting older and your eyesight is going.
And if point shooting works for you, that's all that really matters...all I'm saying is that for true marksmanship and accuracy with iron sights...well...they put them there for a reason.
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