How to aim?

[gosnmic]

(Forgive a novice shooter for his incompetence.)

I never really learned how to use my ‘iron sights’ and although I found a great FAQ on how to shoot, I didn’t really read in there (or anywhere else I looked) how to aim. The side-to-side is pretty straight forward (if you can’t figure out that the same space should be on both sides of the sight for a straight shot, you probably shouldn’t own a gun! ;))

My question is where should the standard-issue dot be in relation to the side sights as well as the target? My impression is that the top of the dot should be level with the top of the side posts and the exact point on the target should be at the top center of your dot. And for longer shots, maybe the center of the dot should be level with the top of the sides (thus raising the barrel slightly to account for the longer shots).

Clearly, if I had a mount to shoot from I could clamp the gun and determine where the shot went in relation to where I was looking on the sight, etc., etc. However, with still getting familiar with my pistol I was hoping to learn the correct way to be aiming.

I’ve seen a lot of remarks regarding after-market sights as well as night sights. Is it recommended by the majority of home-guarding Glock owners to obtain night sights, or is that more of a personal preference issue?

Thanks for your assistance

[Custom Glock Racing]

Ignore the dots and pay attention to the sights. The top of the front should be level with the top of the rear and there should be an equal amount of light on both sides of the front.

[Grandfather Glock]

And the plane created by the top of the sights should cut the target in half horizontally.

[Stopdropnroll]

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Dreyer_infonet/f2-4c.gif


To answer you question specifically go here;

http://www.targetshooting.ca/docs/pistol_sighting.pdf

if you want more info that will take you forward...hit the whole training section ....

http://www.targetshooting.ca/ Select "training" on left side.

or; http://www.bullseyepistol.com/ Lots of great information here... (Specifically, go to "perfecting technique", army markmanship training guide)

Hope this helps. SDnR ;)

[MrMurphy]

It all depends on the type of gun, and the type of sights.

I'm assuming you're talking about a Glock, with the standard "ball in a bucket" sight. In that case, evenly centered left/right, the top of the front sight should be level with the top or the rear. The round will impact where the dot is. (not at the top).

The ball should be centered in the bucket.


With 3-dot sights, align the 3 dots, the round will hit where the middle dot is.

With revolver sights, center the front in the rear, level the top of the front and rear, and the round will hit where the top of the front sight blade is. Many target and other automatic pistol sights will work the same.


Without knowing your gun and type of sight, I can't say more.

[Luke77]

Originally posted by MrMurphy
It all depends on the type of gun, and the type of sights.

I'm assuming you're talking about a Glock, with the standard "ball in a bucket" sight. In that case, evenly centered left/right, the top of the front sight should be level with the top or the rear. The round will impact where the dot is. (not at the top).

The ball should be centered in the bucket.


With 3-dot sights, align the 3 dots, the round will hit where the middle dot is.

With revolver sights, center the front in the rear, level the top of the front and rear, and the round will hit where the top of the front sight blade is. Many target and other automatic pistol sights will work the same.



Without knowing your gun and type of sight, I can't say more.


this is how i was taught as well.

[gosnmic]

Thanks for the insight and especially for those last few posts & references. Some of what was said in there coinsides with what I found about general trigger control and shooting at http://www.glockfaq.com/trigger.htm and the rest cleared up the other questions I was asking about.

Oh MrM. - I shoot a Glock 19C with the factory sights.

[MrMurphy]

Follow the ball in the bucket instructions then. :)


If you get 3-dot night sights, Trijicon is the best out there.

[gary newport]

If you get three-dot night sights and you SHOULD if your pistol might be used for self-defense, there are several good brands. Many of us consider Meprolights to be at least as good as, if not better than, any night sight available for Glocks--including Trijicons (and Mepros cost less than Trijis).

The classic six-o-clock hold sight picture illustrated in Stopdrop's post is what bullseye shooters use--but then they normally have ajustable sights adjusted to a center point-of-impact when using a six-o-clock point-of-aim, with a particular load at a specific distance. With fixed sights and varying distances, the point-of-aim may be elsewhere. For example, my 9mm Glocks require very close to a center hold at 12 yards and almost a center hold at 25 yards. My .45 Glocks appreciate a classic six-o-clock at 25, and a low center hold at 12.

[Stopdropnroll]

I am still a firm advocate of forgetting all the dots, lines, bars, buckets and squares...These are there for fast combat target acquisition. You need to pretend like you took a black el-marko and covered all that up. now we have 3 black squares, 1 front, 2 rear.

It boils down to: all you focus on the front sight, level the top of the front to the top of the rear, put and equal amount of light on either side of the front sights. Begin adding slowly increasing pressure on the trigger until the gun shoots.

"Equal height, equal light, press the hit"

SDnR ;)

[MrMurphy]

Some of us DO want fast target acquisition.

That's why I use XSS Big Dot Express Tritium sights... one BIG dot on a post. Very very fast for shooting while moving and close range combat.

[gary newport]

Originally posted by MrMurphy
Some of us DO want fast target acquisition.



^6

I find the white dots on my Mepros to be helpful in low-contrast situations where the sight "edges" (conventional sight picture) can't easily be seen, and it isn't dark enough to detect the tritium glow.

I think the sights should be used (and useful) to solve the problem at hand. In certain situations (bright light, longer shots, need for precision), using the edges and ignoring the dots may be appropriate. In other situations, aligning the dots may get it done faster and easier. Use what works for you and ignore dogmatic statements about THE way to use your sights.

[Custom Glock Racing]

Originally posted by MrMurphy
Some of us DO want fast target acquisition.

That's why I use XSS Big Dot Express Tritium sights... one BIG dot on a post. Very very fast for shooting while moving and close range combat. Anything works fast up close, even a bald slide with no sights. The diffrence is usually seen at distance and a well proportioned set of notch and post sights are considerably faster than express.

[Stopdropnroll]

But,... The original question was a general "how to aim" the poster never being versed in how to use his "iron sights... "

We have 2 differents groups with 2 different mindsets trying to post answers here, precision and practical/tactical.

The proper way to use your iron sights is in the links provided...That does not mean that iron sights are the only way you can aim your gun... especially in a gun fight... likely we will all be index (unsighted) shooting if that day should ever come.

SDnR ;)

[CanadianGlockFan]

A lot of shooters use what's called a "six o clock" hold (shown in stopdropnroll's post), inclduding bullseye shooters who want to be able to see the whole target; some of use like to use a "centre hold", which is the same only you move your sight alignment up until the tip of your front sight sits exactly where you want your bullet to hit. I find the centre hold a little faster and more natural, but YMMV.