Back To The Basics: Sight Alignment and Sight Picture

In previous posts I have talked about The Eight Principles of Pistol Marksmanship and covered Stance and Grip.  In todays post I will talk about Sight Alignment (#3) and Sight Picture (4)

First off for today on Sight alignment we use a weaver stance and grip and aim at our target as close to possible of our natural point of aim.

With the red Horizontal line as our alignment line align the blade or post of the front sight in-between  the dovetail of the rear sight.  Again this is easier done with a target at your eye level as pictured below.

In the above picture these shots were taken at 10 yards with a Taurus 24/7 .45 cal.  The 10 ring or gut was at eye level with me at my firing position and the head shots were above me by about 2 feet.  The hits in the 10 ring are pretty consistent for double taps, with one dropped from the 10 ring.  Only 2 rounds made it to the 20 ring the others were offset to the left and down.  This is consistent with bad sight alignment.

Next is sight picture

First we will attempt to see if you are cross dominant or firing side dominant.  Take your firing hand and make an OK signal with the thumb and index finger and put it to the tip of your nose with both eyes open now focus on something in the distance and bring your ok sign out so that the subject of your staring is in the circle.  Now close one eye.  If the object jumps out of the circle that is your dominate eye.  If it doesn't jump that is your weak eye.

Now if it is your right eye and you are right handed or left eye and and are left handed there is no problem.  However if you are right handed and Left eye dominate or left handed and right eye dominate Just ease the weapon to that side when aiming.

We need to look at the sights and keep both eyes open.  If we close the non firing eye we lose about 90 degrees of vision.  That 90 degrees could hold somebody that needs our attention.

If we look at the above picture.  The Front sight blade/post should be crisp, The clear oval is the target This should appear out of focus and might have a fuzzy halo around it.  The two parts of the dove tail should have the same appearance that the target has.  Out of focus and a has Halo around them.  During periods of instruction I can never stress Front Sight enough.  If you stare it down you will hit your target.