Driving the "dot"

[Bummy425]

Can someone please define/explain this to me?

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[JAD]

It just means having sights set up so that the point of impact is where the dot, fiber optic, or tritium vial appears to be in the sight picture. It can be contrasted to the point of impact being on the top edge of the front sight, or somewhere above the front sight.

[RJ]

^^^ That is my understanding, too.

I.e. In the picture, draw a horizontal line through the three dots, put the line on the bull, with center dot centered.

What I've found interesting is that you kind of assume 'the dot' and the 'top of sight' would be pretty close in terms of POI. Not so.

I bought a set of Trijicon HDs for my M&P that were (if I recall correctly) 3" high at 7 yards, using a top of sight picture. I never did hear a good explanation from Trijicon on that. I subsequently just went back to the factory sights.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?13321-Do-Trijicon-HD-Night-Sights-shoot-a-bit-higher-than-stock-M-amp-P-Sights&highlight=Trijicon

9311

Image credit www.galls.com.

[Bummy425]

It just means having sights set up so that the point of impact is where the dot, fiber optic, or tritium vial appears to be in the sight picture. It can be contrasted to the point of impact being on the top edge of the front sight, or somewhere above the front sight.
So what you are saying is that the dot COVERS the poi....correct? For aome reason I thought it had something to do with recoil control at speed. I am used to placing the dot below the target....I will have to try that at speed and see how it works.

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[AtomicToaster]

For aome reason I thought it had something to do with recoil control at speed.

I've heard some people use the term "driving the gun" when referring to recoil management. That might be where the confusion is coming from.

[JAD]

So what you are saying is that the dot COVERS the poi....correct? For aome reason I thought it had something to do with recoil control at speed. I am used to placing the dot below the target....I will have to try that at speed and see how it works.

On this forum, at least, it refers to how your sights are set up, not a technique. Figure out where the pistol hits now, and if you don't like it, you can change it with different sights.

I have occasionally heard of 'driving the dot' from target to target in transitions, with reference to red dot optics, but that seems like more of a phrase of convenience than a common colloquialism.

[Peally]

And that's not how I. It's one of the many really useless terms in the shooting world.

Just remember to lock your elbows as you're driving your dot.

[HCM]

So what you are saying is that the dot COVERS the poi....correct? For aome reason I thought it had something to do with recoil control at speed. I am used to placing the dot below the target....I will have to try that at speed and see how it works.

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There is a "drive the dot" sight picture aka #3 and then there is the technique of "drive the gun" for transitioning between multiple targets at speed.


9322

Different gun, ammo and sight combinations will require different sight pictures. Which is "better depends on what you are trying to accomplish. The #3 sight picture is advantageous for shooting close to medium range targets at speed, but the same POI is problematic of you are trying to shoot small targets at distances where your front sight covers the whole target.

[dbateman]

It can mean different things depending on the context of the statement.

Generally when I hear someone say driving the dot they're referring to transitions, you lead with your eyes.
Find the target with your eyes then drive the sights (dot) to the target.