Not to go on forever but if you are a competent instructor you will either instill the correct principles of marksmenship in the candidate including keeping their eye on the front sight or they will not become proficient. You don't change the recognised course of instruction for everyone because some students may not pay attention to your direction. To do so would be a diservice to those who listen and understand. The single most important thing to instill in a student of any discipline is confidence. If that means starting at 10 feet so be it. I was lucky to have a course instructor who understood that.That was before my coffee kicked in.
What I was trying to do is point out the problems that will occur if you start shooting at a close distance when you are first learning to shoot a handgun.
If you apply the basics of shooting a handgun (grip,sight picture, trigger control/ follow through), it won't matter what distance you shoot at. Although when you are back at 25-50 yards then other factors will come into play regarding your group.
That is why I suggested 15 yards. Not close enough for you to see where your rounds are hitting and cause you to stare at the target and not far enough away that bullet drop or poor trigger control, grip etc will cause you to miss paper completely.
I've been an small arms instructor for going on 15 years and it's provided me with the opportunity to observe a lot of shooters and what works and what doesn't.
Our recert course of fire starts at 7 yards and every time I run the course there is at least 1 shooter that stares at the target instead of their front sight because they can see where their rounds are hitting. So instead of applying the above mentioned principles, they use "Kentucky windage" to try and hit the x ring.
That is one thing a lot of people have a hard time getting their head around...the purpose of applying the "marksmanship principles" is to shoot a tight group consistently, not shoot the center out of the target.
Once you can shoot tight groups consistently in the same spot on the target, then you adjust the sights to bring the MPI onto the x ring.
I'm such a rookie at pistols . . .
- Thread starter Grouse Man
- Start date
Go to the website targetshooting.ca. On the left choose "Documents Library" from the list. At the top of the new page under "Analysis" read the 3 PDF documents and they will help you with finding where your errors are and how to overcome them. I think it's ok to post this link as it isn't a place that sells stuff.
http://www.targetshooting.ca/
Mike
Have you ever instructed anyone before?
My job is to recertify my co-workers and to use whatever means necessary to correct any problems they have.
There is nothing carved in stone when it comes to correcting sighting problems.
If that means changing the sequence of the course of fire..I'm well with in my authority to do so.
I teach at the speed and level of the slowest learner or the person have the most difficult time. Doing anything else is dangerous to the point of being criminally negligent.
Range safety is more important then anything else.
As I posted above..people focusing on the target instead of their front site when shooting at 7 / 10 yards has and is an ongoing problem.
Just because I tell them to stop doesn't mean they will.
ETA..in the real world and in a fire fight..there is no "recognised course of fire". It won't be a B27 target standing 10 yards in front of you..learning to shoot from different distances, situations and positions is nothing but a benefit.
If my changing the sequence of the course of fire throws everyone for a loop and makes them really concentrate on what they are doing, that's an unintended bonus.
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Are you right or left handed?
If you are right handed it could be a couple of things.
1. You are putting side pressure on the right side of the pistol grip because you are squeezing to hard with the finger tips of your left hand.
2. you have the trigger in the first knuckle of your trigger finger. This might be causing you to pull the trigger to the side when you fire a shot instead of squeezing it straight back.
Have you ever instructed anyone before?
My job is to recertify my co-workers and to use whatever means necessary to correct any problems they have.
There is nothing carved in stone when it comes to correcting sighting problems.
If that means changing the sequence of the course of fire..I'm well with in my authority to do so.
I teach at the speed and level of the slowest learner or the person have the most difficult time. Doing anything else is dangerous to the point of being criminally negligent.
Range safety is more important then anything else.
As I posted above..people focusing on the target instead of their front site when shooting at 7 / 10 yards has and is an ongoing problem.
Just because I tell them to stop doesn't mean they will.
ETA..in the real world and in a fire fight..there is no "recognised course of fire". It won't be a B27 target standing 10 yards in front of you..learning to shoot from different distances, situations and positions is nothing but a benefit.
If my changing the sequence of the course of fire throws everyone for a loop and makes them really concentrate on what they are doing, that's an unintended bonus.
At the end of the day as long as everyone does their best, that's the main thing. No, I don't instruct and I don't mean to imply you aren't competent at what you do. I just know what worked best for me and there's nothing like hitting centre and knowing it was aim and not luck that made it happen.
All the best
Mike
PS, I was attacked once by a B-27 but that's another story...
Ya gotta put a 1/4 staple in the forehead or they will get loose on ya!
Luck becomes skill when you master all the principles of shooting a handgun.
Me getting people to shoot from 15 yards instead of 7 or 10 is a means to an end.
They can't focus on the bullet holes in the target because it's to far away and they gotta look at something.
A confidence booster I usually throw in at the end of the day is to get them to shoot weak hand.
I stress to them to apply all the points (trigger control,sight picture, grip,etc) they do when they shoot strong hand and give it a try.
The "holy #### I hit the target" exclamations I hear tell me they just got a boost to their confidence and the realization that shooting a handgun well isn't some kind of voodoo magic.
They certainly aren't a Rob Leatham but the fact they know they have the ability to hit what they are aiming at is where they need to be.
