Quote:
Originally Posted by OPFOR
....All that said, here is what I have come up with: Use the sights as much as possible. If it's NOT possible, be as practiced and proficient with "alternate sight pictures" as you can...
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I agree completely. I also agree that much is left out of the 'testing' process - like shooting in a crowded area, shooting in a hostage situation.
To me the the true debate of point shooting vs sight shooting is four things: what point shooting is, whether to always point shoot until the situation forces the use of sights, whether to always sight shoot until the situation does not allow the use of sights, and fourth whether the eye is focused on the threat or on the front sight at the instant the shot breaks.
What point shooting really is, is debatable. To some, point shooting is any shooting without focusing on the front sight. But
all point shooting training I've had comes as a package consisting of stances, arm positions, techniques, etc. E.g. Applegate's method is one handed point shooting.
Kelly McCann aka Jim Grover has been into training in all aspects of real-world combative training more than anyone I've ever heard of and has been provided tons of ammo and time to determine whether point shooting or sighted fire works best for the
moderately trained man. His findings were crystal clear - focus on the front sight wherever, whenever possible. In his four DVD set, "Inside the Crucible", he describes not only his background but the research he did of famous gunfighters and how they won gunfights.
My experiences in training schools have revealed the very same thing. One case in particular occurred at Blackwater. Two buddies and myself were shooting reactive targets in the funhouse. These were target initiated response drills. In other words, we react to the target, not a 'go' or 'gun' command. An interesting thing happened. We were blazing away and having a great time, but then started missing things we knew we should be hitting. This went on for a while and in our frustration we looked at each other and Jimmy said, "I know what my problem is, I started shooting without using the sights." We realized we were 'victims' of the same thing. When our turn came again, we went back to sights and the hits immediately improved. Now this is on dynamic targets, both in the sense of falling when shot, and popping up or moving sideways into play.
In his DVDs, McCann also addresses the Applegate method, in fact, one of his instructors, Michael Janich, worked with Applegate and co-authored a point shooting book with Applegate, before joining McCann in his training programs. Michael now teaches sighted shooting (except at very close ranges), inspite becoming very proficient with Applegate's method.
McCann is focusing on the
moderately trained person. He does include what he even calls point shooting in his training, but it is only used in 'flinch' type, very close quarters shooting.