I don’t usually start a thread about shooting technique, because I don’t feel especially qualified to expound on such. I have some shooting and teaching experience, but very little research or data…I’m really bad about keeping stats and references. I mostly respond to questions, hoping that sharing my experiences will be helpful to others who haven’t shot as much or haven’t been able to attend the classes that I have.
Much of my experience comes from training and classes during 28 years in LE and several years teaching classes with Bruce Gray (as a young lad, he was my shooting idol because he used to run a long slide HK P-7…this makes him cringe, because I’m older than he
)
I’ve noticed a couple of threads now when I’ve posted something and folks either don’t understand or are confused about concepts in aiming and trigger control. I thought I’d post some items that I always thought were in shooting’s common knowledge pool and see if anyone finds them helpful. Just my way of “giving back” to a forum, that I am proud to be a member of.
The following points are related to real world employment of a handgun…not within the context target or hunting shooting…and mostly are directed at misconceptions concerning the DA trigger (be they DA/SA, DAK or other DAO)
A SA first shot is faster that a DA from the holster…or High Ready
A SAO trigger stroke isn’t any faster to the first aimed shot. Between drawing from the holster and the first shot, there is more than enough time to stroke a DA trigger before you can extend the gun and acquire a sight picture. Your objective is to have the shot break as you gun reaches the extension of your arms.
You can break a faster shot if you choose to point shoot, but unless you’re will to devote an inordinate amount of practice to it, you’re giving up accuracy.
The DA first shot is hard to learn
Ernest Langdon wrote a great article on it called “Fear Not, The Double Action Shot” and employed the technique, using a DA/SA Sig 220ST, in defeating 1911 shooters in a IDPA championship.
The DA shot can be just as accurate and is just as fast as any other.
It’s just a matter of pulling the DA trigger smoothly and steadily to the rear until the shot breaks. Your job is to align your sights on the target waiting for the break.
A DA shot is not as accurate as a SA shot
Actually many folks shoot more accurately in DA than SA…that is why all the top shooters in PPC shoot DA out to the 50 yard line
The DA trigger stroke requires that you concentrate on a smooth stroke…you are usually rewarded with a surprise break.
A SA trigger is known to be short and lighter. This tempts shooters to snatch at the trigger…when that sight picture is “perfect”…and causing miss through flinching.
You can shoot faster with in SA than DA
Actually you can...and this point addresses the relationship between aiming and firing the shot…if you’re special
When firing in SA your trigger should be prepped as it comes down from recoil…that is you should have reset it, taken up the slack and be applying pressure to the trigger. As soon as your aligned sights center on the target, you should break your shot…I remember reading this in “Cooper on Handguns” back in my youth.
When firing in DA, your trigger is in constant motion. Resetting the trigger and stroking through again. Your focus is on getting the sights to the next target at the same time that the shot breaks.
In both instances, firing the shot is cued by the sights on the target. In the case of the SA trigger, you’re waiting for the sights. In the case of the DA trigger, you’re leading with them. The difference in speed is your ability to move the gun vs. move the trigger…for most folks, especially when transitioning between targets, it’s the gun.
How to shoot faster
The biggest mistake that shooters make is to extend their gun before starting their trigger stroke…works in the Olympics, not so well on the street.
The next mistake is trying for the "perfect" sight picture, you need to dry fire and trust you sub-conscious alignment of the sights on target (but that's a whole other subject)
I’ve found the measure of a thread's helpfulness is often the inverse of its longevity…threads don’t last long if everyone agrees. I'm welcome any feedback or differing experience
Much of my experience comes from training and classes during 28 years in LE and several years teaching classes with Bruce Gray (as a young lad, he was my shooting idol because he used to run a long slide HK P-7…this makes him cringe, because I’m older than he
)I’ve noticed a couple of threads now when I’ve posted something and folks either don’t understand or are confused about concepts in aiming and trigger control. I thought I’d post some items that I always thought were in shooting’s common knowledge pool and see if anyone finds them helpful. Just my way of “giving back” to a forum, that I am proud to be a member of.
The following points are related to real world employment of a handgun…not within the context target or hunting shooting…and mostly are directed at misconceptions concerning the DA trigger (be they DA/SA, DAK or other DAO)
A SA first shot is faster that a DA from the holster…or High Ready
A SAO trigger stroke isn’t any faster to the first aimed shot. Between drawing from the holster and the first shot, there is more than enough time to stroke a DA trigger before you can extend the gun and acquire a sight picture. Your objective is to have the shot break as you gun reaches the extension of your arms.
You can break a faster shot if you choose to point shoot, but unless you’re will to devote an inordinate amount of practice to it, you’re giving up accuracy.
The DA first shot is hard to learn
Ernest Langdon wrote a great article on it called “Fear Not, The Double Action Shot” and employed the technique, using a DA/SA Sig 220ST, in defeating 1911 shooters in a IDPA championship.
The DA shot can be just as accurate and is just as fast as any other.
It’s just a matter of pulling the DA trigger smoothly and steadily to the rear until the shot breaks. Your job is to align your sights on the target waiting for the break.
A DA shot is not as accurate as a SA shot
Actually many folks shoot more accurately in DA than SA…that is why all the top shooters in PPC shoot DA out to the 50 yard line
The DA trigger stroke requires that you concentrate on a smooth stroke…you are usually rewarded with a surprise break.
A SA trigger is known to be short and lighter. This tempts shooters to snatch at the trigger…when that sight picture is “perfect”…and causing miss through flinching.
You can shoot faster with in SA than DA
Actually you can...and this point addresses the relationship between aiming and firing the shot…if you’re special
When firing in SA your trigger should be prepped as it comes down from recoil…that is you should have reset it, taken up the slack and be applying pressure to the trigger. As soon as your aligned sights center on the target, you should break your shot…I remember reading this in “Cooper on Handguns” back in my youth.
When firing in DA, your trigger is in constant motion. Resetting the trigger and stroking through again. Your focus is on getting the sights to the next target at the same time that the shot breaks.
In both instances, firing the shot is cued by the sights on the target. In the case of the SA trigger, you’re waiting for the sights. In the case of the DA trigger, you’re leading with them. The difference in speed is your ability to move the gun vs. move the trigger…for most folks, especially when transitioning between targets, it’s the gun.
How to shoot faster
The biggest mistake that shooters make is to extend their gun before starting their trigger stroke…works in the Olympics, not so well on the street.
The next mistake is trying for the "perfect" sight picture, you need to dry fire and trust you sub-conscious alignment of the sights on target (but that's a whole other subject)
I’ve found the measure of a thread's helpfulness is often the inverse of its longevity…threads don’t last long if everyone agrees. I'm welcome any feedback or differing experience
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