Recently I’ve been reading a lot of older books on pistol shooting. Revolvers are the main subject, which is what I carry when not teaching. And, as most of us know, the older we get the more we realize that success – regardless of the task – relies on application of the fundamentals. In reading the past classics, and some lesser knowns, it’s surprising how little they discuss use of the sights. Their main focus is on matters like body positioning - stance, arm positions and grip. And as a whole they all really hammer home the importance of trigger control.
Gun men and women who concentrate on becoming proficient with firearms have been around since the age of “modern” firearms. Advances in firearm designs, along with ammunition in a variety of cartridges allowed anyone, regardless of age and size to enjoy sporting firearms. Competition, hunting and exhibitions were common; firearms were popular in both urban and rural areas. Serious study on the use of firearms began in the early 1900’s with some great works from the mid twentieth century.
In these works, there’s a great amount of discussion on what equipment one should use, which varies with your application. This includes details on the “proper” holster. (That’s something that’s missing today. Very few gun owners know what a makes a good holster.). There’s plenty of information on what sights work best – again, depending on what you’re shooting. All discuss how to aim, with lots of emphasis on body and arm position and grip. But, there’s not a lot of depth when it comes to what we call “front sight focus.”
Jeff Cooper, father of the modern technique for the handgun, introduced the concept of using the sights for defensive work, either the “flash sight picture” or a dedicated sight picture. The flash sight picture is used for close, large targets, when speed is critical. As accuracy demands rise - distance increases and/or target size decreases – the dedicated sight picture is necessary. You align front and rear sight as precisely as possible, then visually focus on the front sight to hold the sight picture steady. Both of these methods work great, and have increased the efficiency – speed and accuracy – of defensive shooters.
But, at some point we became obsessed with the front sight, to the detriment of the other fundamentals. Instead of watching or looking at the front sight, focusing your vision and depth of field at the distance where the front sight is located, “focus” became an attempt to see every detail of the sight. Almost as if looking through a microscope, having the ability to see every detail of the sight. Even to the point of closing one eye to be better able to see the details of the sight. We’ve gone too far on our focus.
Making an accurate shot relies on the fundaments – Aim, Hold and Press. Each of these is mandatory. You can use any technique you like to help you focus on the front, but if you’re not holding steady and getting a smooth trigger press you ain’t hittin’ ‘nuthin’. In the next few weeks we’re going back to school. We’re going to look at what past masters of the pistol have recommended, and see how this compares to what we’re doing today. We’re going to focus on all the fundamentals, not just the front sight. “Don’t touch that dial.”
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, which is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary. He is the author of The Book of Two Guns, AR-15 Skills and Drills, has a regular column in American Handgunner and makes some cool knives and custom revolvers. Visit Shootrite’s Facebook page for other details.