Multiple target transitions and cadence

[jumpthestack]

I've heard some trainers, for example Kyle Lamb in this video, starting at about 1:15 :



say that when firing multiple shots on multiple targets, the split times between shots on a given target should be about the same as the transition time from target to target, so it sounds like a constant stream of shots. I've never really heard anyone explain why that's desirable. It seems to me you should just do everything as fast as you can with acceptable accuracy. Thoughts?

[JodyH]

It's not that you're trying to get a cadence down, it's that you're trying to transition between targets as fast as possible.
When people think of it as Target-Target-Target they always take extra time on the transition as compared to TargetTargetTarget.
If you can get the shooter to try to shoot the transition split as fast as his normal splits (some call it cadence, I don't) then they will speed up the transition considerably.
This is one skill i'm actually really good at, on something like a Triple-Nickle all my splits including the transitions are right at .21-.24 .
I don't like teaching rhythm or cadence because I've seen that slow people down as well (or they shoot before getting an acceptable sight picture).
I prefer to work on the reset, trigger prep and sight tracking while transitioning.
Sight tracking on the transition is the hardest part, you have to slightly "lead" the sights to the next target while tracking them through their arc.

[CCT125US]

The size of the target and width of transition would have to come into play. Below is Frank Proctor shooting the VTAC 1-5 drill with his pistol (skip to 1:10 to see the actual drill). Sounds like constant fire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA_es0f5kSs

[ToddG]

Many people approach target arrays as:

1. Go as fast as I can blasting at T1
2. Stop
3. Move gun to T2
4. Go as fast as I can blasting at T2
5. repeat as necessary

This often leads to people firing faster on T1 than they can actually remain in visual control of the gun. So when they drive the gun over to T2, they need to spend time regaining it visually. It feels faster because your splits on a given target are faster, but in the long run the total time tends to be longer... sometimes significantly so.

I never try to shoot to a cadence. A metronome cannot tell whether I'm on my sights, aligned with the target, with the trigger ready. A cadence might simply be so slow that I have plenty of time to shoot comfortably (so I'm not going as fast as I could) or it might be so fast that it doesn't account for the possibility of an imperfect moment (so I'm going too fast).

[PPGMD]

Now here is a question, in order to achieve transition as fast as splits wouldn't one need to abandon the one mantra of always have one more sight picture than shots fired on the target?

Basically once shot two breaks on T1 and you see the sights lift your eyes are transitioning to T2 and bringing the gun down at T2. So in essence you have two sight pictures per a target on T1 & T2, and only T3 would you have three sight pictures (because you have nothing else to transition to).

[JodyH]

Once my front sight has lifted out of the rear notch, the shot is over and my follow through is complete.

[Wendell]

This discussion reminds me of this article about Gunsite, and Jeff Cooper.

...Head said he can remember Cooper riding his three-wheeler down to the range while a group of students ran through this drill. He would say, “Ed, they aren’t doing it right.” Cooper had been listening to the cadence of the shots being fired from up at his house. According to Cooper, properly done, it should sound like six evenly spaced shots, a pause for the reload and six more evenly spaced shots. Not three separate double-taps with a reload pause, then three more distinct double taps...

<http://www.shootingillustrated.com/index.php/429/el-presidente/>

[ToddG]

Now here is a question, in order to achieve transition as fast as splits wouldn't one need to abandon the one mantra of always have one more sight picture than shots fired on the target?

One would. One should. (for more, see here)

[PPGMD]

One would. One should. (for more, see here)

Well at least I see that I am not crazy because I came to that conclusion a year ago, trying to speed up my steel challenge times.

[gringop]

Now here is a question, in order to achieve transition as fast as splits wouldn't one need to abandon the one mantra of always have one more sight picture than shots fired on the target?

Basically once shot two breaks on T1 and you see the sights lift your eyes are transitioning to T2 and bringing the gun down at T2. So in essence you have two sight pictures per a target on T1 & T2, and only T3 would you have three sight pictures (because you have nothing else to transition to).

I use the "one extra sight picture" to teach trigger control as a cycle, instead of a linear "press the trigger, then release the trigger, then start over". It can be useful to newer shooters to learn about triggers and even "followthrough" at a basic level.

Once they have internalized running the trigger as a cycle and are starting to call their shots, then they don't need to mess with the "one extra sight picture" mental image.

What was the quote about "beginners need to follow the numbers and go by the book, masters need to forget the book and disregard the numbers"?

Gringop