aiming

[Dave Hughes]

Which way do the elite shooters aim.
1 top to bottom
2 bottom to top
3 left to right
4 right to left
5 dead on

Personally, I can't see any difference in score between #1, #2, and #3. But, there is definite drop when do #4. Doing #5 is nearly impossible for me to do without expending tremendous amounts of mental and physical energy.

[David Levene]

I'm sure I won't be the only person who doesn't understand your question.

[Anschutz]

He may mean approach to the target ? Colin

[David Levene]

He may mean approach to the target ? Colin

Number 5 wouldn't make sense.

[Spencer]

Which event?

[david alaways]

If you are talking air pistol and you mean "do you start with your gun up and bring it down onto the bull" That would be #1. If thats your question then thats your answer. I personally start at the bottom and go up (elite im not) I am a pretty good shooter. The last 2 events I shot at all of the finalist shot #1.

[Makris D. G.]

I have never seen anyone approach the target from the side.
I have seen very few people approach from the bottom, mostly first timers and those that were not first timers were not upper tier shooters.
I think that approaching from the top helps "set" the shoulder muscles so you get better support of the pistol. At least it feels that way to me.

[Guest]

I think that the question is not posed for an ISSF shooter, and maybe it has more relevance for an IPSC competitor.

The confusing part is that this question is inaptly pitched in the olympic pistol forum when such a question doesn't really apply to ISSF.

Would it be generally agreed with the following? (for a right handed shooter):

Rapid fire=right to left targets
Air pistol=top to bottom
Centrefire duelling=bottom to Top... or bottom up to dead on!

[Guest]

Ha ha.

Funny how questions like this one infiltrate this forum every now and then.

[RobStubbs]

I have never seen anyone approach the target from the side.
I have seen very few people approach from the bottom, mostly first timers and those that were not first timers were not upper tier shooters.
I think that approaching from the top helps "set" the shoulder muscles so you get better support of the pistol. At least it feels that way to me.

Maybe he means in rapid fire ;)

And yes for precision events, most people generally raise above the target, and then lower down into their aiming mark.

Rob.

[joel]

I always thought you start above, lower and fire while in motion.

[2650 Plus]

A note for JOEL, My effort is directed toward lowering the pistol into my aiming area, holding it still as possible and by starting my trigger finger moving before the aiming area is reached the shots delivered very quickly. But the fundamental ,to me ,is to stop all straight line movement before the pistol fires and establish my best hold in my aiming area. Good Shooting Bill Horton

[david alaways]

Very well put Bill. the last 8 words being the most important. I start at the bottom and raise my gun up because thats the most comfortable way for me to shot. If you are comfortable going left to right or right to left and you shot good scores than dont change a thing. If you are a new shooter I would teach you to raise your gun up and lower it.

[david alaways]

Makris wrote " have never seen anyone approach the target from the side.
I have seen very few people approach from the bottom, mostly first timers and those that were not first timers were not upper tier shooters." .In my 3rd AP match ,2008 Olympic trials ( first timer?) I was approaching from the bottom. According to a post by either Horton or Poole my scores would have made me one of 16 world class AP pistol shooters in the US. In my first match , 2007 National championships I won the senior national championship and earned an AA ranking. ( I didnt even know how to dryfire) What exactlly did he mean by upper tier? Im at least close to upper tier....... To each his own! The best piece of advice I ever got was from the US Army coach " Do what comes naturally".

[Makris D. G.]

David, I did say that I have SEEN very few people etc. It was just my observation based on my experience. It was never meant as absolute knowledge, obviously I haven't seen ALL competitors, and in fact I am not an upper tier shooter. No reason to take offence, just my observation.

[Dave Hughes]

Which event?

10m air pistol.

[Guest]

Makris wrote " have never seen anyone approach the target from the side.
I have seen very few people approach from the bottom, mostly first timers and those that were not first timers were not upper tier shooters." .In my 3rd AP match ,2008 Olympic trials ( first timer?) I was approaching from the bottom. According to a post by either Horton or Poole my scores would have made me one of 16 world class AP pistol shooters in the US. In my first match , 2007 National championships I won the senior national championship and earned an AA ranking. ( I didnt even know how to dryfire) What exactlly did he mean by upper tier? Im at least close to upper tier....... To each his own! The best piece of advice I ever got was from the US Army coach " Do what comes naturally".

David,
I've pretty much found that starting to aim at the 12 0'clokc position and bringing down to the target works best for me. I just thought I would as the question because I'm not very experienced but quickly learning.

[Guest]

In air pistol you have as much time to experiment and get into the "zone".

To get into the zen zone, sometimes I try a sequence, from the options above, of numbers 3,2,4,1, then 5. Try it.

[david alaways]

Guest , you are in the major majority. Us who bring the gun up are very few. Look at Steve Reiter Nobody ( and I mean noboby) shoots like him(his form).He could maybe be the best shoot ever. Why doesnt everyone copy the way he shoots? After my first meeting with him I went home and tried to copy his approach,the results where not good. Steve R. could be the best shot EVER,with no dispute, if he would just shoot like everyone else.( that was a joke)I wonder how many changes and styles Steve used before he settled on his style? Does he still tinker with it?.... Thats like people telling me how much better I could be if I changed my approach. " When at the buffet check out all the food first , dont just fill up on a big salad" there is alot of good info on targettalk keep nibbleing.

[Guest]

My apologies, but I was just kidding with my last post about the "zone". I was describing a circle....

You see, with air pistol, there is enough time to do whatever you want with the aim, so long as you release the shot when the hold is with the correct sight picture.

However, the answer the original poster was after (for air pistol) has been answered by Rob Stubbs.

I shot a Centrefire match at the club yesterday, and had one bad duelling shot where my pistol/sights went up and settled right of centre-and my reaction to move the sights/pistol from right to left (to centre the sight picture) was a disaster-a snatch shot - with a blasted 7, and I thought of this topic at the time.

No-one, except rapid fire shooters, would contemplate a right to left or left to right set up for the sight picture-surely!