Driving the gun on transitions

[Slavex]

So after spending 2 days with Todd Jarrett last week I've been motivated to get out more and shoot. I'm not shooting IPSC this season (long dumb story) so I've let a lot the skills needed for it slide. Transitions and movement the most. Working with Todd last week made me remember how important the legs and hips are in really big arc transitions, and after today's practice I can actually feel it. Anyone else got any tips on transitions and how to speed up the actual moving of the gun from target to target?

[Kobalt60]

For large MOA transitions... eyes, head, shoulders and hips, then gun. Basically, everything should already be lined up by the time your gun gets on target so you can break an accurate shot once the sights are on target. Also, by the time your sights are on target, your eyes and therefore your attention has been on target (hopefully) long enough to make the decision to shoot or not. If your gun is waiting on your eyes/brain, then there's mental pressure to make a rushed decision.

For small MOA transitions, like shooting a plate rack, take advantage of the recoil to reposition the sights. So the sights go up on recoil and come down on the new target.

[theblacknight]

I'm also working on my trans BC they are usually .40-.30 when my splits are .2's. As soon as I call that target's last shot, my eyes race to the next target zone and I actually think the word"drive". Top guys start their transitions during recoil. I'm getting there.


When I have a large swings of between 90 and 179* degrees, I bring the gun back a little to give it the straightest, shortest path to travel between extension points.

[FailureDrill]

So after spending 2 days with Todd Jarrett last week I've been motivated to get out more and shoot. I'm not shooting IPSC this season (long dumb story) so I've let a lot the skills needed for it slide. Transitions and movement the most. Working with Todd last week made me remember how important the legs and hips are in really big arc transitions, and after today's practice I can actually feel it. Anyone else got any tips on transitions and how to speed up the actual moving of the gun from target to target?

Calling shots is a critical component to faster target transitions. If you can call your shot as you break the shot on the last target prior to the transition, you don't need to let the sights resettle on that target. As the shot breaks, you can be instantly driving your eyes to the next target and your gun can immediately begin movement towards the second target while still in recoil. If you are waiting for your sights to settle to see where your hit is on the target, that's hundreths or tenths of a second that you aren't transitioning to the next target.

This shows itself most apparently when watching a top shooter fire on a swinger/mover target and then transition to something else. They will come up, break two shots and move out, confident that they call two hits on the swinger and transition immediately to the next target. Less experienced shooters don't know what they saw or trust what they see and will wait for a second, or even third exposure to follow up with additional shots.

[Kobalt60]

Calling shots is a critical component to faster target transitions. If you can call your shot as you break the shot on the last target prior to the transition, you don't need to let the sights resettle on that target. As the shot breaks, you can be instantly driving your eyes to the next target and your gun can immediately begin movement towards the second target while still in recoil. If you are waiting for your sights to settle to see where your hit is on the target, that's hundreths or tenths of a second that you aren't transitioning to the next target.

This shows itself most apparently when watching a top shooter fire on a swinger/mover target and then transition to something else. They will come up, break two shots and move out, confident that they call two hits on the swinger and transition immediately to the next target. Less experienced shooters don't know what they saw or trust what they see and will wait for a second, or even third exposure to follow up with additional shots.

Its more than just the time spent transitioning after seeing your hit. When in recoil, your sight picture is already unsettled, moving the sights to the new target while the sights are already in motion lets the sights settle just once on the new target... rather than twice on the last target and then again on the new one.

[Slavex]

When I do transitions drills at the start of practice, the targets are about 5-7 yards away and a minimum of 1 yard apart, although the further out the more the spread. I even put some amost one the 90 on each side. Eyes of course move first and the gun (I hope) is moving during recoil as I've called the shot based on sight picture when it broke. but to really get speed and muscle in it, I'm pushing off with my legs and using my core to swing me around, and man, does it work. my legs and ass felt it today big time.

[gunkid]

people and targets don't respond the same, and when you don't have ear protection, you are going to miss a lot. Ditto nightfire, if you are already wounded, etc. In civilian self defense with a pistol, 45 years of study have failed to find, since the advent of the 1911 and the end of the frontier, a case wherein the civilian had to hit more than 2 guys. It's very rare for a soldier to SURVIVE needing to do so, too. :-) Cirillo, in his famous first shootout, shot one of the fleeing robbers in the back. So that was an unnecessary hit. You fight like you train, and a great deal of IPSC and IDPA are very bad habits to get into. I'll shoot at the first one until I see the sob's brains, thanks all the same. With a suppressed M4, softpoints and a TEOTWAKI environment, I might have to alter that approach, a little bit, but I'll have reasons upon which to base my faith in 1-2 shots having done the job, too.

[TCinVA]

people and targets don't respond the same, and when you don't have ear protection, you are going to miss a lot.

[ToddG]

In civilian self defense with a pistol, 45 years of study have failed to find, since the advent of the 1911 and the end of the frontier, a case wherein the civilian had to hit more than 2 guys.

So you're in favor of high capacity magazine bans?

[JAD]

So you're in favor of high capacity magazine bans?

No, duh. He's saying that the invention of the 1911 eliminated all numbers greater than two. Which is why I carry a 1211.


Jon
KC