Point Shooting

[kelcarry]

Hey Y'all: Could not, with my limited computer skills, search out threads on point shooting so I'm asking. I'm pretty good target shooting at range with my 38 and my 380 but would like to appreciate comments and suggestions on how to develop a true ability to just point shoot with these weapons. I foresee, in a "what if" situation, that this is a more likely scenario forthe use of my firearm. Are there any hints, comments, suggestions out there that would be helpful in developing this skill. I do it now with a shotgun but with 10 or 15 pellets flying around, it is not that hard.

[KimberPB]

When I started defensive shooting the instructor I went to was really big on point shooting. He'd always say "If you can point at something you can shoot it!" But here is a good way to get started:

Move the target out to 7 -10ft, the average distance of must attacks. Start with the gun at a low ready (standing up straight, feet shoulder width, Gun in at your chest, finger off the trigger along the slide) Then when ready extend the gun, bend your knee, lean into the gun, and point at your target. Once you're in a good shooting position and pointing at your target place your finger in the trigger guard and pull the trigger. Then finger off the trigger, return to a low ready, and repeat.

Start slow and safe. As you get more comfortable and making good hits you can increase the speed and start mixing in double, triple, ect.

If you can find a good instructor and get some one on one time that’s always the best.

You can also dry fire practice this at home. MAKE SURE THE GUN IS EMPTY. Go through the above steps but at the end close an eye and see if you actually hit were you were pointing.

Hope this helps and if you have any questions feel free to IM me.

[jtg452]

The hardest part of learning to point shoot is learning to trust your body and to forget about the sights. Basically, you focus on a particular spot on the target (the smaller the better), point your trigger finger at it at it and press the trigger. To be successful, your gun's gotta fit your hand and you have to get the same grip on the gun every time AND have good, consistent trigger control. To start, I'd suggest bringing the gun up about mid way (about solar plexus high) and use BIG targets. If you are using a revolver, I found that shooting 'from the hip' (hold the gun at waist high, arm bent at a 90 degree angle and lock your elbow onto the front edge of your hipbone with your upper arm tight against your rib cage) is actually easier to master because you can't see the gun so you don't try to look at it. Every time you look at the gun, it starts moving but if you look at the target and just point, it stays still so DON"T LOOK AT THE GUN.

[HK4U]

Point Shooting - Colonel Rex Applegate - Sykes - Fairbairn - bobtuley.com Real World Gunfights Happen At Close Range

Jim Cirillo's Modern Point Shooting Techniques - The Firearms Forum.Com

The Goal of the Gunman by Gabe Suarez

[AvidshooterTX]

I remember reading that Wyatt Earp said he wasn't that fast - that he deliberately aimed while his opponent got off one or two shots in the dirt or over his head - before Earp killed him. Seems to me accuracy is more important. But it takes some nerves to do that. Earp said take your time and shoot fast.

[kelcarry]

Thank you guys for some good advice. I also found another site that had some interesting comments----threatfocused forums.

[GLOCK9]

KIMBER PB has Some Good things to Say... Point Shooting is VERY important in Real World encounters and not the range with Falling steel plates. In my deployment over the years, I have been in several firefights..and even with Rifles, Point shooting is very important. Gain ground, shooting while moving or engaging multiple targets. HELL, It's VERY important to Point shoot while turning to RUN...YES, RUN.... For Cover. Moving is Not always towards your opponent.

The Pistol must fit your hand naturally. Some guns point better for me than others. I find smaller grips point better...JFrames just point natural as it you are punching your fist out, and fire when your arm fully extends towards the target. I Found the 1911 straight grip points well, but the A1 grip frame with arched mainspring points very high for me. The Glock 17 and 19 both point well, but the smaller 26 and such do not.... They both point very high.

Check out YOUTUBE had a Good Israel Point shooting instruction (might still) BUT, it is TWO handed point shooting. I find One Handed much better, as the second hand might be used to push away someone, grab a car door, grab someone or grab a pack or equipment, even grab for a rifle.. I like ONE HAND Shooting. A Pistol is a HAND gun... A rifle is Two Hands. That might be my old time training... But I found in My experience it works... Not for small groups..not for steel plates...BUT a 18"x18" Chest is hit every shot just by pointing....Thou, I do not like the exaggerated stance of Fairbanks or the FBI Point stance... Stand UP...POINT your finger and fist and Shoot.
Kimber PB has the First part of training down... I couldnt add more to that. Once you have that natural feel, feel free to IM me as well.

Stay Safe... God Bless... Captain Philippine Security Extraction Service

[HK4U]

I remember reading that Wyatt Earp said he wasn't that fast - that he deliberately aimed while his opponent got off one or two shots in the dirt or over his head - before Earp killed him. Seems to me accuracy is more important. But it takes some nerves to do that. Earp said take your time and shoot fast.

I have a video that I got from The NRA. It is Rob Pincus of the Valhalla shooting school, one of the best schools in the country. On it he explains what he calls Combat Focus Shooting. He explains that anywhere in the center of mass accomplishes our desired results and that generally if you are all over the target and not in this area yo are shooting to fast. On the other hand he explains that if you are shooting to small a group you are probably shooting to slow. i.e. before your adversary has time to kill you. You want to be relatively accurate but accuracy does you little good if you are already dead.


The Valhalla Training Center Newsletter: Combat Focus Shooting Instructor Development Course in Farmington, NM

[kelcarry]

Hey Glock9 and Y'all: You mention one hand shooting. I have a Jframe 642 38 and a kel tec 380 P3at. I find it enough trouble just shooting accurate with 2 hands and that is when I am "aiming" at a target. These guns are light, small and pack a bit of a punch on recoil not to mention the long, hard trigger pull of each one. I fail to appreciate how in the world I can point shoot with any accuracy with only a one hand grip, unless you give me the expected answer of practice, practice, practice. I find that the long and hard trigger pull plays into inaccuracy, which improves if I minimize the long trigger pull by "going half way on the pull" before truly aiming at the target (kind of like having a cocked trigger vs a non-cocked trigger). I did pick up one thing as I perused sites-----I have noted that when I just point with my finger extended and then reexamine what I am aiming at with my dominant eye (for me it is right eye open), the finger is consistently slightly low and slightly to the left of the target. I've got to go out to range and appreciate that fact when I point shoot and also move firearm slightly higher and to the right, which should put me back on the target---does that sound correct? I'm also interested in comments by jtg452 about shooting from the hip and being able to maintain more "stability"--probably give it a try---likewise with my shotgun. I guess this all comes down to some good instruction and direction and then it is up to me to develop technique that just fits me. We'll see. I definitely feel that if I am to defend myself in a very quick and fluid situation, aiming at a target takes that extra second or two that is not there. When I target shoot with some guys and they are using a 9mm, they are aiming for several seconds before firing--yes they hit the target, but I shake my head because I just do not see a slime waiting around while I aim for several seconds. Hope these comments make sense. Again I appreciate your replies and look forward to any other comments.

[SteveB]

Hey Glock9 and Y'all: You mention one hand shooting. I have a Jframe 642 38 and a kel tec 380 P3at. I find it enough trouble just shooting accurate with 2 hands and that is when I am "aiming" at a target. These guns are light, small and pack a bit of a punch on recoil not to mention the long, hard trigger pull of each one. I fail to appreciate how in the world I can point shoot with any accuracy with only a one hand grip, unless you give me the expected answer of practice, practice, practice. I find that the long and hard trigger pull plays into inaccuracy, which improves if I minimize the long trigger pull by "going half way on the pull" before truly aiming at the target (kind of like having a cocked trigger vs a non-cocked trigger). I did pick up one thing as I perused sites-----I have noted that when I just point with my finger extended and then reexamine what I am aiming at with my dominant eye (for me it is right eye open), the finger is consistently slightly low and slightly to the left of the target. I've got to go out to range and appreciate that fact when I point shoot and also move firearm slightly higher and to the right, which should put me back on the target---does that sound correct? I'm also interested in comments by jtg452 about shooting from the hip and being able to maintain more "stability"--probably give it a try---likewise with my shotgun. I guess this all comes down to some good instruction and direction and then it is up to me to develop technique that just fits me. We'll see. I definitely feel that if I am to defend myself in a very quick and fluid situation, aiming at a target takes that extra second or two that is not there. When I target shoot with some guys and they are using a 9mm, they are aiming for several seconds before firing--yes they hit the target, but I shake my head because I just do not see a slime waiting around while I aim for several seconds. Hope these comments make sense. Again I appreciate your replies and look forward to any other comments.

I found with a Rossie .38 snub, I could should more accurately by fast point shooting, rather than slow and deliberate. With it's stiff trigger pull, you end up pulling off target if trying to take careful aim.