Overcoming looking for hits

[white_ræbbit]

Hi guys!

Let me introduce myself quickly. I'm from South Africa, and have been following pistol-training/forum avidly for quite some time. I've been a pistol-owner for the last 10 years, but have only started taking my training and pistol skills seriously for the last 3 or 4 months. I also joined an IDPA club about the same time, and qualified as Marksman. Since then I've started doing daily dry firing, and started going to the range once a week with about 200 rounds per session.

Now on to my post... I have an annoying problem that I just haven't been able to fix up to now. I keep looking at the target for my hits while shooting. I know it's slowing me down, and I also suspect it's meddling with my accuracy as I'm sure that I either do not focus on the front sight properly, or constantly shift between the sight and the target after each shot. I also still blink when a fire most of the time, am unable to track my sights properly because of that, and can't call my shots yet.

As far as I see it, my priorities and goals to fix this will be, in order : 1) Learn to keep my eyes open, 2) Practice tracking my sights during recoil, 3) Learn to call my shots, and 4) Learn to not look for my hits on target(which should happen automatically because of 1 - 3 above).

That is the "problem". The solution came to me this morning after talking to a buddy on the train about tomorrow's IDPA club shoot. Tomorrow's club shoot will only be my second. The first club shoot I did quite well, BUT I shot heashots exclusively, because I felt WAY too uncomfortable shooting COM shots where I couldn't see my hits(The targets all had cloth/t-shirts draped over them). In total I only had something like 2 headshots down, but it was still a problem.

So, while discussing this issue this morning, I thought to myself suddenly "Hey, why not practice with cloth-draped targets?!". That way I won't be able to see where my shots hit, and hopefully will be able to train that habit out of me! So I'll go get some cloth and a permanent marker, A4 sized circle targets, and then draw the same-sized circle on the cloth. Then drape the cloth over the target, superimposing the two circles over each other... to do this I want to be able to see where I have to shoot, but just not where I end up hitting. Then I'll shoot about 3 rounds from 3 to 5 meters, trying to call each and every shot, and go check the hits under the cloth when I'm done, comparing the hits to my calls.

I'll probably start off a session like this by emptying 2 or 3 mags at the berm, focussing on keeping my eyes open and tracking the front sight.

I'm pretty sure the above strategy could help me achieve all four goals listed above... what do you guys think?

[MDS]

Just a n00b here, so I don't know, but it sounds like a great idea and I'll be real interested to hear how it goes for you!

[JodyH]

Negative targets might work for you as well. Cut the A zone out if your target and shoot through the hole. No bullet holes to be seen, so there's no point in looking for them.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

[Jay Cunningham]

Negative targets are a great idea; if available, steel targets may also help.

[white_ræbbit]

Ok great. The negative targets do sound like a lot less effort. Only thing they won't be able to help with, is shot calling, but will still be useful.

[JConn]

Ok great. The negative targets do sound like a lot less effort. Only thing they won't be able to help with, is shot calling, but will still be useful.

It will help with shot calling, because you will be watching your sight instead of the target.

[NETim]

I hate steel! I just HAVE to watch it fall apparently. Must come from my days of trapshooting and the joys of watching a clay target explode mid-flight.

[ubervic]

Must come from my days of trapshooting and the joys of watching a clay target explode mid-flight.

Yup. I've been shooting clays for over 20 years, and my habits with that discipline make it tough for me not to focus on target and keep a focus on the front sight. With shotgunning, all focus is on target.

[ToddG]

• Dry fire.
• Negative targets are great unless you still end up eye sprinting to see if you hit or missed. Same is true with clothed targets.
• Static (not falling) steel targets are a little better because you'll get hit confirmation without needing your eyes.
• Work on keeping your focus at the front sight for a single shot and try to build it into two, then three, and so on.
• Work in steps. Not every drill or target system is going to build every skill. If eye sprinting is your number one problem, first work on eliminating that. Then you can move on to calling shots, etc.

[white_ræbbit]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Had my second club shoot on Saturday, and I shot COM. It wasn't bad really, just something to get used to.