I’m by no means an advanced shooter, but one of the things I really like about both brightly colored front sights and red dots is that I can still get good hits (passing the Test by either Vickers or Hackathorn scoring standards) with a target focus. It’s much easier to maintain a hard target focus instead of a soft focus with the red dot, but either way you start breaking the shot as the brightly colored thingy starts falling back into the acceptable target area.
Well, there's some good, bad, and ugly advice so far, and I lack the patience right now to multi quote and reply to each point.
So I'll make it brief:
Don't confuse focus with awareness. The human brain is very capable, lining up two bumpy protrusions on a piece of metal, is well within those capabilities.
What some call confusing, others call feedback. Don't assume your misunderstanding of a process applies to me. Just because you can't do it, doesn't mean someone else can't. What works best for you at your current position on the map, may not be best practices for another's journey. Meet people where their at, not where you think they should be.
Taking a break from social media.
There were some great points in the other thread.Originally Posted by RJ
Short of chanting the mantra “front sight”, which has worked for me in competitive situations, it just takes repetition.
The classic front sight focus was the way for years, but now some high level shooters are espousing a crisp target focus and being aware of the sight alignment. Whether what has been dogma for a long, long time should be immediately abandoned or never taught to new shooters is a long discussion above my understanding. There’s always a dot sight...
Could you clear up what the good, bad, and ugly advice is? I’d certainly like to know if and why I’m giving bad advice and self correct if necessary.
Your reply was posted as I was responding to earlier posts.
However, I agree with what you posted.
Taking a break from social media.
First thing I did for my Glock 21 gen 3 was to replace the stock plastic Glock sights. I got Ameriglo Hackathorn sights. The front sight is tritium with an orange donut around the tritium. The front sight really pops. I got the Glock 17 gen 5 with Glock night sights. Personally, I would prefer a bit more light around the front sight. If I get another Glock, I will get the plastic stock sights and replace them. I have Trijicon HD sights on my USP 45. Lots of light around front sight. Works for me.
There are too many good sight combinations available to settle with what came on the pistol.....unless it works for you. Find your sight combination that works for you, then practice. An oldie such as myself, I learned focused front sight, with a fuzzy target and rear sight. Worked for me in my youth.
But practice, practice, practice with whatever you decide!
Hacks are great; I have them on all my Glocks. They work really well outside. Inside I often literally -can’t- get them to come into focus. Trying is good enough, but I suppose it slows me down a little. Nail polish works good too.
The easiest sights for me to see both indoors and out are finely serrated black ramps. I can tolerate a tritium vial without an outline.
Ignore Alien Orders
Agree with you sunlight observation. If I can't read something inside, I go outside in the direct sunlight and have no problem reading whatever.
Frank Proctor speaks to "seeing" in his presentations and even if you can't attend a class, buy his performance Pistol DVD. Not all targets are shot the same. I go back to the Brian Enos Book Beyond fundamentals where different distances require different sight pictures and techniques.
I think of the keys is that not all targets are shot the same. I also think that you would be shocked at people that shoot with target focus like Ben Stoeger and Frank Proctor. Seeing more than the front sight, more than the target and the sight, more than a single target at one time, "seeing" is limited by old school bullseye shooting technique.
Opening your mind up to something that is not what your brother-in-law Joe told you was the right way to do it, is always challenging. It's always about learning and adapting. Good luck in your search.
Mr White did a really great podcast on firearms nation. Episode 095 that includes some exercises on changing your focal depth.
Personally, I wonder if red dots are going to change the way we use irons also. If we really apply ourselves to 100% target focused shooting with irons what kind of drop off will there be, if any? Is it such a bad thing if our focus drifts off our front sight? I don’t know the answer to these questions but I’m pursuing them in my shooting journey.
"Shooting is 90% mental. The rest is in your head." -Nils
Reply With Quote