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Speed and accuracy work together, which is to get hit(s) as soon as possible.
Pressing the trigger at the speed needed to control the sights to hit your target is what it's all about.

If the threat is in anyway difficult to hit, you will need to slow down on the trigger and focus more on sight alignment.
If the threat is close and easy to hit, then….....this is no time for a bullseye type group, in fact, you need to be pounding shots into the threat as fast as possible and stop the threat NOW!
Most of the time you will be somewhere between the two above examples.

My rule of thumb for combat shooting;
If your threat is larger than your front sight, better get ta shootin'
If your threat is the same or smaller than your front sight, better get on them sights and fast.

Practice this process slow at first..........remember, slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Speed will come with practice.

Your decision on how fast vs. how slow to press the trigger, how much front sight vs. combat look through and/or body index is based on two things, your perception of the threat situation AND your perception of your skill with your equipment.

If you practice only one trigger press and sight alignment you are a target shooter and not preparing yourself properly for the street, and doing yourself an injustice.
Recognize the need for different levels of trigger press and sight alignment, practice at those levels and in between. In the fight have the ability to adapt to the situation smoothly not to survive, but to decisively win!
 
You sure are a great addition to this site..
I plan on practicing slow, quick question..

What is that motto you repeated during drawing and pinching the pistol towards the target??

I just remember rock and lock, was that the whole thing?
 
Proper presentation to the target.

Draw up, rock & lock, hands together in the work space, then push out to the target.

Or are you meaning during the manipulation drills?
 
As you practice, start double tapping. You should find that if you keep the shots in quick succession, they pretty much stay in proximity. If they don't, evaluate your shooting stance. A good stance will pay of good dividends every time. Once you get comfortable with a double tap, try a tripple (is that spelled right?).

One thing that I have found to be extremely helpful, is to maintain a good mental note on shots fired, and rounds remaining (drilled in hard during Coast Guard boarding training). You never know when you'll find yourself in a position where the threat may outlast your ammunition. Wise use of ammunition is essential at all times.

Remember, there's no such thing as too much practice. Ammunition is cheep when compared to saving lives.
 
Speed and accuracy work together, which is to get hit(s) as soon as possible.
Pressing the trigger at the speed needed to control the sights to hit your target is what it's all about.

Not that I disagree with this in anyway at all, but I know for me when I was first being taught how to shoot people (relax I was in the army) target acquisition was where I failed horribly and less at actually hitting targets. I just took to dang long to shoot them :p

I've never really had any problems what-so-ever when it came to hitting a target, but I had real trouble with picking out those targets in general. I blame my past doing graphic design but I am very good at picking out changes in small, concentrated area's, but very poor at noticing change over a large field of view.

This kicked me in the butt during early pop-up target shooting hitting targets between 25 and 300 yards sometimes I just would entirely miss a target raising. To fix it I was told to mentally fire off a camera click in my head and then try to compare that one to the previous one. It sound silly I know, but it worked for me really well. I have no idea if its a common problem or not, but if anyone else has a similar problem maybe that'll work for ya.
 
Not that I disagree with this in anyway at all, but I know for me when I was first being taught how to shoot people (relax I was in the army) target acquisition was where I failed horribly and less at actually hitting targets. I just took to dang long to shoot them :p

Most of that can be helped with a proper mechanics of the draw and presentation to the target.


I've never really had any problems what-so-ever when it came to hitting a target, but I had real trouble with picking out those targets in general. I blame my past doing graphic design but I am very good at picking out changes in small, concentrated area's, but very poor at noticing change over a large field of view.

That sounds like an eye problem for the most part.
 
Speed and accuracy work together, which is to get hit(s) as soon as possible.
Pressing the trigger at the speed needed to control the sights to hit your target is what it's all about.

If the threat is in anyway difficult to hit, you will need to slow down on the trigger and focus more on sight alignment.
If the threat is close and easy to hit, then….....this is no time for a bullseye type group, in fact, you need to be pounding shots into the threat as fast as possible and stop the threat NOW!
Most of the time you will be somewhere between the two above examples.

My rule of thumb for combat shooting;
If your threat is larger than your front sight, better get ta shootin'
If your threat is the same or smaller than your front sight, better get on them sights and fast.

Practice this process slow at first..........remember, slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Speed will come with practice.

Your decision on how fast vs. how slow to press the trigger, how much front sight vs. combat look through and/or body index is based on two things, your perception of the threat situation AND your perception of your skill with your equipment.

If you practice only one trigger press and sight alignment you are a target shooter and not preparing yourself properly for the street, and doing yourself an injustice.
Recognize the need for different levels of trigger press and sight alignment, practice at those levels and in between. In the fight have the ability to adapt to the situation smoothly not to survive, but to decisively win!

As a new shooter, I really appreciate this advice. Would you care to share some links or reading where I might gain some knowledge?

Thanks!:s0155:
 
I firmly believe that some things just need to be taught in person. Have come across many a person whom have read many books/articles and yet still get the concepts/mechanics a bit off.

John Farnham's "Method of Defensive Shooting" would be a good start. But I would recommend a class in defensive/combat pistol. Well worth the money.........
 
I firmly believe that some things just need to be taught in person. Have come across many a person whom have read many books/articles and yet still get the concepts/mechanics a bit off.

John Farnham's "Method of Defensive Shooting" would be a good start. But I would recommend a class in defensive/combat pistol. Well worth the money.........

You teaching one soon? I would love to learn in person.
 
Thinking about that post by Kadath128, The first O in OODA is Observe..... I think most people knw how to shoot and hit and find cover etc... but there is that little mind lag between what you are seeing and what your brain is processing.... Like is this real?
 
What my friend and I did with pistols(Didn't have the rifles this day) is we set up three targets each one 15 feet from the next. We then stood at 5 yds from the first with our hands behind our head and when the person yelled go we drew from our holster and fired three shots, changed magazines then went to the next target where the fire line was 8 yds away. Fired three shots, changed magazines while running the 15 feet to the next target line at 10 yds away and fired off three last shots. What do you think of this excercise? We timed it as well to see how fast we were.

It seems to help in all areas, drawing your weapon, acquiring the target after drawing a weapon, quickly changing magazines and reloading, shooting from different distances(target acquistion) and in general shooting with speed and accuracy. I was amazed at how slow it looked like my friend was going since he went first. I went and thought I flew through faster than him til I was told i took 3 seconds longer. Its amazing how time speeds up/slows down when you are in even a mock situation.
 
That sounds close to the academy teachings, just different terms.
Draw, Level, Index, push to the target.
(Index is pointing weak side thumb at the target, as you bring your hands together.)

And no Doc, you can't miss fast enough
 
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