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Training Diary Home
Theatre Shooting Simulator DryFire Electronic
Training for Clay and Game STANCE:
In
order for the stance to be stable the shooter must distribute the weight of
his body, the arm and pistol evenly on both legs; the load placed on each
leg must pass through the balls of the feet. When the weight of the body is
distributed in this way the body's line of gravity will run through the
middle of the support area. The stance will be the most stable when the
muscles of both legs carry the same load. a. With the non-shooting hand, pick up the pistol by
the barrel and of the slide and keep the muzzle pointed down range.
SIGHT ALIGNMENT: When aiming the front
sight is positioned in the middle of the rear sight notch with an equal
light space on each side. The horizontal top surface of the front sight is
on the same level as the top horizontal surface of the rear sight notch
Correct sight alignment must be thoroughly
understood and practiced. It appears on the surface as a simple thing - this
lining up of two objects, front and rear sights. The problem lies in the
difficulty in maintaining these two sights in precise alignment while the
shooter is maintaining a minimum arc of movement and pressing the trigger to
cause the hammer to fall without disturbing sight alignment.
It is imperative to maintain 'front slight point of
focus" throughout the sighting and aiming of the pistol. The shooter
must concentrate on maintaining the correct relationship between front and
rear sight, and the point of focus must be on the front sight during the
short period required to deliver the shot. If the focus is displaced
forward, and the target is momentarily in clear focus, the ability of
shooter to achieve correct sight alignment is jeopardized for that moment. Initial pressure is an automatic, lightly applied
pressure, approximately one-fourth or less of the total required to fire the
pistol. This careful action is an aid in the positive pressure that will
release the hammer quickly and smoothly.
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IMPROVING
YOUR SHOOTING
The shooter must hold his body with
a slight rearward bend in the back and with the pelvis brought slightly forward.
In such a pose, the body is kept stable not so much by the work of the muscles,
but by strong ligaments.
The stability of the firing arm and pistol depends to an extent upon the correct
placement of the feet, the most stable and most comfortable stance will be when
the feet are placed approximately
shoulder width apart with the toes apart slightly.
The free hand should be inserted into the left pocket in a relaxed manner,
or you may hook the left thumb over the waist belt. The free arm must not be
allowed to hang loose, as any wind or recoiling of the body during firing
will cause the free arm to swing, transferring to the body any movement.
The pistol arm should be extended with the wrist stiff and the elbow locked
without strain. The arm must be straight, firmly extended and with no
unnecessary tension of the muscles.
.
To align yourself properly with the target, use the following method:
a. First face approximately 45 degrees from the target.
b. Look at the target by turning only the head.
c. Raise the arm to align with the target. Close your eyes, raise your
pistol arm a foot or two above the horizontal and then allow it to settle
back relaxed and naturally to the horizontal. Repeat this procedure once or
twice and settle into a natural position.
d. After settling into a natural position, open your eyes to check if your
arm and pistol are aligned with the target. If the pistol has settled in the
center of the target, you have your natural position.
e. If the arm settles to one side of the target center, move your rear foot
in the direction of error. Maintain without change the stance of the body as
a unit from the feet to the shoulders and head. Swing the whole body by
shifting the position of the feet until the arm and pistol are naturally
aligned on the center of the target. Tests such as this will readily
indicate your natural position. In no instance must the shooter correct
errors in hold by moving the arm independent of the body. This type of
correction is purely artificial and the arm will revert to the original
error after recovery from the recoil of a shot.
f. Recheck after each error is found until no error exists.
GRIP: The tighter the grip, short of setting up a tremble,
the better the control. The degree of pressure that should be exerted in
gripping the pistol is determined by the condition of the muscles that do
the gripping. Frequent practice, experience and certain exercises promote a
strong grip.
There must be no change in the tightness of the grip, any degree of
tightening or loosening of the grip will cause the sights to move out of
alignment. The pressure of the grip must remain constant
The trigger finger should not touch the stock or the frame of the pistol
because of the added friction and drag on applying trigger pressure. Dry
fire a few shots watching the front sight carefully. If the front sight
moves at the instant the hammer falls, reposition the trigger finger to the
left or right, up or down, on the face of the trigger. Repeat the dry firing
and adjusting the position of trigger finger until the release of the hammer
causes no movement of the front sight in the rear sight notch.
Method of getting the proper grip:
b. Spread the index finger and thumb of the shooting hand apart to form a
"V", with the thumb held slightly lower than the index finger.
c. Fit the pistol into the "V" of the thumb and index fingers by
seating the grip safety straight and firmly into the loose "web"
of akin in the "V".
d. Stretch the fingers forward, letting the trigger finger come to rest flat
against the pistol frame just above the trigger guard. Safety dictates the
trigger not be contacted at this time.
e. The lower three fingers should come to rest closely touching each other,
with the center bone of each finger resting on the curved front surface or
"front strap" of the receiver. Little or no pressure should be
exerted on the finger tips extending around the front strap to the surface
of the left handgrip. Pressure exerted on the front strap by the little
finger should be lighter than that brought to bear by the middle and ring
fingers. Too much pressure with the little finger may cause the muzzle to
depress slightly, resulting in the front sight aligning low in the rear
sight notch.
f. The thumb should be raised to a level higher than the index or trigger
finger. Only the joint at the middle of the thumb is high against the stock
in the vicinity of the slide safety. The end of the thumb is turned up and
away from the stock as it has no function. Pressure exerted on the aide of
the pistol by the end of the thumb has a tendency to disturb sight
alignment. The thumb should not exert great pressure on the aide of the
pistol as early fatigue will result. 
g. A controlling grip can be affected by the three lower fingers directing
primary pressure on the front strap straight to the rear
h. The non-shooting hand should be used to adjust the "fit" of the
pistol into the shooting hand. A slight rotation of the pistol in the
gripping hand as it is alternately gripping and releasing will allow the
equalizing of a forceful grasp. The gripping hand must reach around to the
right far enough to allow the trigger finger to reach into the trigger guard
and also to position itself on the trigger at the exact point at which the
trigger pressure can be applied straight to the rear. According to the size
of the hand, the trigger finger will apply pressure with the tip, ball of
the first section or the crook of the first joint or elsewhere. The primary
concern is not what portion or spot along the trigger finger is the standard
point of contact, but at what spot on the finger you can bisect the trigger,
press straight to the rear without disturbing sight alignment.
i. When the "fit" is correct, remove the trigger finger from the
trigger, free the pistol from the non-shooting hand and tighten the grip
with great force until a tremor is noticed. Release a small percentage of
this gripping pressure immediately, enough so that the tremor disappears and
leaves the shooter with a hard, solid grasp that will result in absolute
control. The tighter the grip, the better the control. The shooter is now
exerting correct pressure for maximum recoil control.
The Relationship of the Sights.
Most often a shooter locates
the front sight in a different position In the rear notch. This accounts for
a greater dispersion of shots on the target, since the bullets will deviate
In the direction In which the front sight is positioned In the notch.
The accuracy of a shot depends mainly upon the shooter's ability to
consistently maintain correct sight alignment. The main effort should be
toward keeping your sights aligned, Holding the pistol perfectly still is
desirable but It is not mandatory. 
Displacement of the Bullet When The Pistol is Shifted: (a) Parallel, (b)
Angular
The solution is partly in focusing the eye on the front sight during the
delivery of the shot. 
Improper. Control of sight alignment is not precise. Distinct focus on
target renders sight indistinct. 
Control alignment is precise. Focus limited to front sight only, renders the
sights distinct and target indistinct and sight relationship can be
controlled constantly.
In order to fire a controlled shot the shooter must learn to increase the
pressure on the trigger positively, smoothly, gradually, and evenly. This
does not mean, however, that the trigger must be pressed slowly.
Correct Placement of the Index Finger on the Trigger.
Ability to control the trigger smoothly is not sufficient in itself to
produce an accurate shot. The trigger must be activated in conjunction with
correct sight alignment, minimum arc of movement, and maximum undisturbed
concentration. This might be called cadence, rhythm or timing. Under any
name, it comes only to those who practice frequently
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