Training with an air pistol question

SMBeyer · Post by **SMBeyer** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 1:33 pm

Also at this point in the game as a new shooter you (your conscious self) is trying to control everything, and you cant there is too much to do. As you shoot more and learn to trust your subconscious more as well as your hold and not try to make everything perfect you will find that the shots will start to break right at the perfect time without having to think about it at all. Even though your aiming point is say somewhere around an 1 1/2" bellow the black give or take 1/4". Great shooters shoot from their subconscious, good shooters use both, and beginers are doing it all themselves. Just my .02$ Scott[/u]

SMBeyer · Post by **SMBeyer** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 1:40 pm

Another thing that might help you also is get yourself to realize that there is nothing important going on down there at the target. All the important stuff is happening back at the firing line. Front sight focus is the Rosetta stone to pistol shooting. What happens down there is a result of what is happening up here. Scott

john bickar · Post by **john bickar** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:38 am

Not canonical, but here are some visual representations of two different sight pictures:

Center hold:

Sub-six hold:

Keep the sights aligned, wobble within that ZIP code, bring the trigger straight back, and you'll keep your shots within the 9 ring.

sakurama · Post by **sakurama** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:05 am

This has been a very illuminating thread. I didn't realize there was so much involved with iron sights and, for my air pistols at least, I'm going concentrate on developing my sub 6 hold. The comment about everything going on at the gun makes a lot of sense. When I shoot the dot it's a very different experience and with my first bullseye competition tomorrow I'm not ready to swap but I do think I'll learn a lot from shooting the open sights on my air pistols.

AlphaDSierra · Post by **AlphaDSierra** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:51 pm

yana wrote:AP usually is less forgiving cause its action is slower.
Thats a good training.
I like recoiling pistols too. Not matchpistols, but plinkers. They're even more picky about hold etc,. They also have heavier triggers; good for my technique. ;)
Its always good to keep practicing, not with .22, than with air. Keep muscles etc upto strength as well.

Recoil tends to slow training. SCATT/RIKA ftw.

jackh · Post by **jackh** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:33 am

Isabel1130 wrote:
sakurama wrote:Okay, I tried it last night and got one of the better groups I've gotten with my FWB 65 but I think it's going to take some time. It feels very vague and imprecise so i find it ironic that it is the hold used for such precision shooting. Thanks for the tips - I'll look for more information on the hold and I'll keep practicing.

It is one of those things that is counter intuitive. Remember that even though it looks like your hold is moving all over the target, it really isn't. What matters far more than what you see on the target is that your sights are aligned. Front to rear sight alignment and triggering errors create 90 percent of shooting errors. Your hold is what it is for as long as it is good. This is why most iron sights shooters rely on area aiming. They know that " precision" occurs in your sight alignment and your trigger pull, not with your hold.

http://www.pilkguns.com/c4.shtml

Precise sight alignment is one of the results of a good hold. You might equate technique and hold. I would not downplay "hold" at all. How do you do sight alignment if not with your hold? Eventually it becomes pretty automatic. Getting that aligned sight thing, that is. Sight picture too.