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Thread: POA when pistol is canted?

  1. #1
    Member
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    Jul 2017
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    West

    POA when pistol is canted?

    New member here, but long-time reader of TLG and the forum. This issue may have been addressed before, but I searched and didn't find an answer.

    Question, when the pistol is canted (i.e shooting around a barricade), does my POA need to shift?

    Note - I prefer not to cant the pistol, but find that it is occasionally necessary. (IDPA matches and a recent vehicle-centric pistol class which involved unconventional shooting positions).

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Ft Leavenworth, KS
    It depends on how accurate you need to be. It will matter more on a gun or shot where you'd normally require a 6 o'clock hold vs. a "drive the dot" sight picture. For most IDPA-type engagements, I would not expect it to matter very much at all, unless you're trying to hit a small target area, like might occur if there is partial obscurement from non-threats, hard cover, etc. The best answer would be to go test it out with your own gun.

  3. #3
    Member
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    Apr 2014
    Location
    Alaska
    The bullet impact will follow the sights. If you rotate them to the right, the impact will be low and right. If you rotate them to the left they will impact low and left. How much will depend on the distance as well as how much cant. Close distance will not show a dramatic change but once you get some distance you will see this effect.

  4. #4
    Member
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    May 2016
    Location
    Dallas
    The only way to know is to get out there and put some rounds on paper from less conventional positions. If you're POA/POI shifts, you're going to have to decide if it's significant enough to mess with.
    Last edited by txdpd; 08-24-2017 at 05:40 PM.
    Whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right.

  5. #5
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    I would be very surprised to hear there was any Impact to POI based on simply rotating the pistol.

    If the sights are aligned, and you press straight back, the bullet will impact center of target.

    The only time I see any canting is shooting one handed, for example in a USPSA qualifier. I'm pretty much just as inaccurate one handed as two hands, though, even if I cant it slightly.

  6. #6
    Member
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    Oct 2015
    Location
    Rochester Hills, MI
    If sights are aligned, it'll shoot where you're aiming. It might SEEM like your shots are low if you're actually pushing them low-left at a cant.


    Sent from mah smertfone using tapathingy

  7. #7
    Member Peally's Avatar
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    Mar 2014
    Location
    Wisconsin, USA
    Assuming it's a single good shot your hit will be fine. Recoil will be angled and if you pull shots a certain direction they will angle as well, but it's not major. With both hands being used having an angled gun isn't the end of the world; with one hand significantly angled it can become a problem though.

    I would not adjust POA for anything, rather I'd refine my fundamentals so my shots are actually going where I intend.
    Semper Gumby, Always Flexible

  8. #8
    There may be some apples and oranges comparisons going on between the theoretical/actual effect, which shows up at greater distances, and the practical effect at IDPA distances.

    http://www.accurateshooter.com/optic...int-of-impact/
    Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.

  9. #9
    As txdpd said, go out there, shoot, and see for yourself.

    I messed with canting the gun one range session at 15 yards. Shooting a G19 and using the top of the front sight as my reference, my sights were POA/POI when held straight up.

    With my gun canted at 45 degrees, I had to use the opposite corner of the front sight as my POA. For example, if my gun was canted left, the bullets impacted where the top right corner of the front sight was placed over the target.

    For IDPA, I'd say canting likely has a more appreciable effect on recoil control/timing than POI shift.

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    West
    Thanks for the input, everyone. Good info. As suggested, I'll get to the range and test actual POI shift (if any).

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