Glock 35

Not everyone inches toward a static 7 yard target while yelling 'Bust Em' you might need that extra sight radius for some action shooting games
 
Also the slight reduction in recoil.

I agree with the main point TDC is trying to make which is skills > gear and better gear should not be used to compensate for a lack of training but at the same time, all things equal, why not use the tools that offer the best performance? Running shoes, golf clubs, tennis racquets... all same thing. You need to work on your techniques and strategies first and foremost as these are the foundation but I don't see a problem with using equipment which enhances it... just don't use it as a crutch.
 
I'm going to have to agree and disagree with you.
If we are talking shooting groups or bullseye shooting where you have ample time to align your sights and press the shot off, then yes, a short vs long sight radius makes less of a difference, but it still makes a difference.

If we are talking 3 gun or any other action shooting sport where tenths of a second make the difference between first place and "thanks for coming out", then the longer the sight radius, the better chance you have of hitting your target while on the clock.
In most, if not all, the major 3gun matches, paper targets are one A zone or two anywhere on paper.

As long as my front blade is anywhere in my rear sight's notch, I'm breaking the shot.
Now lets say my front blade is firmly against the left side of my rear notch and I have daylight on the right side.
Short sight radius will send the shot further left than a long sight radius with the same sight picture.
That could be the difference between an A vs a C, C vs D, or D vs miss!

I'll take all the help I can get and use a firearm with the longest sight radius possible.
If I was using a glock in 3 gun, I'd be buying a 17L.

My rifle has a 20" barrel and my front sight is as far forward on that barrel as I can get it.

I don't care how good someone's fundamentals are, when your on the clock everyone's grip and trigger press breaks down at some point.
Like I said, I'll take all the help I can get.


You're missing the point. Focus on your skills not the gear. As usual most want an immediate fix/performance gain with little to no effort required. If you focus on your skills then trivial things like "sight radius" become moot. Your gear will only cover up so much bad form and take you only so far. Skill is what wins a match or gunfight. If your 3 gun match only requires any 2 hits(I'm accustomed to any 3) why would you waste your time with precision sight alignment? If the target is wider than your slide, just shoot. If its the opposite, then you might want to check your sight alignment.

I understand the science behind sight radius and its true. However, the minute difference in radius is greatly overshadowed by piss poor alignment. Your sights are fixed to the same plane and are NEVER out of alignment. Its your perception of the sights and sights against the target that changes. That being said, it would be prudent to focus on your ability to consistently align the sights with your eye and the target as opposed to "increasing sight radius". You can run a 30" radius, but it won't make a difference if your sight picture and/or alignment(with your eye that is) is off.

Here's a video about point shooting. That is running the gun WITHOUT sights. So much for radius being important...

[youtube]rrTg7pELyuE&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

Here he is at 50, 75, and 100 yards.
[youtube]sjil10f6LeI&feature=related[/youtube]

TDC
 
Those videos do highlight that sight radius is not as important as many think it is but to be fair, that's not really point shooting in the conventional sense. He's still taking precise aim, just using the top of the slide instead of a post and a notch.... it's still aiming.
 
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]TDC that video doesn't change anything. You need to understand IPSC to be able to understand why. I noticed by some of your questions in earlier posts that you don't shoot much if any IPSC as you didn't know how major or minor worked. So while the longer sight radius may not matter for your type of shooting it does for mine. We are talking about winning matches not gun fights. Your points from the target hits minus any penalties/procedurals are divided by your time for a hit factor. The best score sits at a fine line with speed and accuracy (and power major/minor if not shooting production). Longer stages can allow for a little less accuracy if done super quick(another fine line). In the short stages you get hammered if you go quick but don't get the Alphas. To find the happy medium throughout a match the longer sight radius will help. You call it not having the skills but someone with the skills as you say will lose the match to the shooter who knows when to crank up the speed and sacrifice the perfect sight picture just a little. You must understand that? We are talking about a sport and trying to win here. I think you many need to participate more in this sport to understand. :cheers:[/FONT]
 
Those videos do highlight that sight radius is not as important as many think it is but to be fair, that's not really point shooting in the conventional sense. He's still taking precise aim, just using the top of the slide instead of a post and a notch.... it's still aiming.

Aiming is the act of pointing something at a desired object/target. Of course he's aiming, but he does it without mechanical aids. How many people can make hits at 50 yards and greater with any sighting system on their handgun?? The point is, that sight radius plays a very minor and trivial role in ones ability to make hits.

[FONT=arial, sans-serif]TDC that video doesn't change anything. You need to understand IPSC to be able to understand why. I noticed by some of your questions in earlier posts that you don't shoot much if any IPSC as you didn't know how major or minor worked. So while the longer sight radius may not matter for your type of shooting it does for mine. We are talking about winning matches not gun fights. Your points from the target hits minus any penalties/procedurals are divided by your time for a hit factor. The best score sits at a fine line with speed and accuracy (and power major/minor if not shooting production). Longer stages can allow for a little less accuracy if done super quick(another fine line). In the short stages you get hammered if you go quick but don't get the Alphas. To find the happy medium throughout a match the longer sight radius will help. You call it not having the skills but someone with the skills as you say will lose the match to the shooter who knows when to crank up the speed and sacrifice the perfect sight picture just a little. You must understand that? We are talking about a sport and trying to win here. I think you many need to participate more in this sport to understand. :cheers:[/FONT]

You're right, I don't fully understand the 70 plus pages of "rules" for IPSC(which seem to change every year:rolleyes:). I'm well aware of the blend of speed and accuracy. As I said, the sight radius makes no difference if your sight alignment(with your eye, because the sights are never misaligned) and sight picture are correct. Errors in either or both with a shorter radius will produce a greater negative result than a longer radius. By how much is determined by distance, but its not enough to piss and moan about. Learn to shoot and stop trying to solve software problems with a hardware solution. The videos above are clear evidence that sight radius makes no difference so long as YOU do your part.

I run XS big dots, a sight designed for fast defensive type shooting. I have no issues besting guys with adjustable sights and reddots on their guns. Does that mean I can't be beaten? Of course not, but it tells you that gear alone does not make the shot, its the shooter. More time honing ones skills is better time spent then wasting it on bolt on crap that you still can't run effectively.

As for IPSC. I'm not interested in a discipline that contains as many rules as it does. Nor am I willing to pay for a "course" on the rules just to shoot a match. The wait times are insane which means lots of doing nothing and few rounds downrange. IPSC is a gear race that focuses on time vs tactics.

TDC
 
Aiming is the act of pointing something at a desired object/target. Of course he's aiming, but he does it without mechanical aids. How many people can make hits at 50 yards and greater with any sighting system on their handgun?? The point is, that sight radius plays a very minor and trivial role in ones ability to make hits.



You're right, I don't fully understand the 70 plus pages of "rules" for IPSC(which seem to change every year:rolleyes:). I'm well aware of the blend of speed and accuracy. As I said, the sight radius makes no difference if your sight alignment(with your eye, because the sights are never misaligned) and sight picture are correct. Errors in either or both with a shorter radius will produce a greater negative result than a longer radius. By how much is determined by distance, but its not enough to piss and moan about. Learn to shoot and stop trying to solve software problems with a hardware solution. The videos above are clear evidence that sight radius makes no difference so long as YOU do your part.

I run XS big dots, a sight designed for fast defensive type shooting. I have no issues besting guys with adjustable sights and reddots on their guns. Does that mean I can't be beaten? Of course not, but it tells you that gear alone does not make the shot, its the shooter. More time honing ones skills is better time spent then wasting it on bolt on crap that you still can't run effectively.

As for IPSC. I'm not interested in a discipline that contains as many rules as it does. Nor am I willing to pay for a "course" on the rules just to shoot a match. The wait times are insane which means lots of doing nothing and few rounds downrange. IPSC is a gear race that focuses on time vs tactics.

TDC

IPSC is a lot of fun TDC. Even your friend in the video D.R. Middlebrooks holds IPSC shooters in high regard. :cheers:
 
The opinion of middlebrooks on ipsc is his own. Its far too much drama and bs rules for me. There's nothing practical about it the gear or rules.

Tdc

IPSC is very practical TDC.

When I would bring IPSC B level shooters to IDPA stages I set up at my club they would clean up even with any procedurals added to their time. The speed and accuracy that high level IPSC shooters have are as good as it gets in my opinion. I have learned a lot more about shooting since moving more into IPSC. The gear race is just an extension of how competitive they are. You don't have to get involved in a gear race if you don't want to.

From what I have witnessed IPSC shooters don't have issues transitioning to cover, tactical priority/sequence, not dropping loaded mags after just a couple of months of shooting IDPA.

If you tried IPSC TDC I am sure you would become a better shooter. There is a lot of running though. ;)
 
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