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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Target Focus

My first experiences with firearms concerned hunting small game with a 410 bore shotgun, a gift from my grandfather. The first gun I bought was a 22 rifle that was also intended for hunting, squirrels. When using a scatter gun it's normal to look at the target, point the gun at the target and take the shot. I learned early on to focus on the target, leaving the shotgun barrel blurry. When my shooting expanded to rifles and handguns, I didn't change a thing. I focus on the target, not the sights.

That's why I was surprised when attending my first CCW class, intended for the new shooter, that they instruct to focus on the front sight. In my case marksmanship is not better when focusing on the front sight, and I'm slower on target. I always shoot with both eyes open, even a scoped rifle.

I'm writing about this because this issue of Concealed Carry Magazine suggests that aging eyes do better if the shooter focuses on the target, rather than the front sight, and the target is engaged with more speed. All I can say is "well duh" I've known that for decades. And at least for me there's no adjustment in shooting mechanics required.
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The problem with focusing on the target rather than the sights is sight alignment.

If you're focusing on the target, it's very difficult to keep the sights properly aligned throughout the shot.

If your sights are aligned properly but are not pointed at the exact center of the target, you'll still hit the target, just not in the center.

Whereas if your front sight is perfectly centered on the target, but the sights are misaligned, there's no way the bullet is going to hit where the front sight was aimed, and there's a good chance you'll miss the target completely.

Having been shooting your way for years, you've probably developed an instinctive knack for aligning the sights to "close enough" using your peripheral vision, but I'd be willing to bet that if you really worked on it and learned to use the sights properly, your shooting would improve.

Working in reverse: I learned to shoot rifles before shotguns. I have a very hard time when shooting skeet or trap forcing myself to focus on the target. I tend to find myself staring at that little bead...and missing the target.

May 26, 2010 at 8:07 PM
trajectory said...

I've shot firearms so much for so many years, focusing on the target, that I actually shoot tighter groups that way. That's even how I do the best from the bench. I hunted deer with a 357 and open sights for many years. The very first one harvested was at 65 yards with a single shot, focussing on the target. The longest at 120 yards, but using a red dot sight.

Unfortunately I must use a red dot sight for hunting these days. At anything over 50 yards with a handgun, I either see the deer or the sights not both. I'm not talking one focused and one blurry here, it's more like one isn't even there.

I bring this up because those with old eyes and bifocals, especially at normal handgun ranges, may benefit by changing to this technique. It certainly allows me to look through the longer focus portion of the lense. Wider front blades and more gap on the side also help a lot.

May 27, 2010 at 5:25 PM
Anonymous said...

I guess the lesson here is, when you've got a technique that works, stick with it.

I'm definitely with you on the "old eyes" thing. My vision is good enough for "minute of bad guy" at defensive ranges, but whenever I'm shooting for precision and/or long range, I have to use reading glasses to be able to clearly see the front sight.

If I don't, I can't focus on it properly and it's too blurry for good accuracy.

Often, when using that technique, I really can't see the target...just a blob. I just aim at the part of the blob that I want to hit and worry about sight alignment from there. It works for me.

May 28, 2010 at 1:17 PM
trajectory said...

Yeah, ya gotta go with what works for the individual, but try new things also. Every now and then I try the conventional front sight focus thing, but keep going back to my norm. No line bifocals actually help a bit.

When teaching a new shooter I go with the do as I say not as I do thing. Most are better off focusing on the front sight, so that's what I teach. And if it's defensive shooting I help the new shooter with basic point shooting, metal on meat at close range.

May 28, 2010 at 5:37 PM

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