Add target transitions to your practice
In a real world defensive scenario, you may be faced with more than one threat. However, many shooters never take their training and practice beyond shooting at one target on a static range. Which means they may not be prepared to effectively engage multiple targets with fast, efficient transitions and accurate shot placement.
Understanding target transitions is not inherently difficult. You look where you want your rounds to go, the gun follows, then press the trigger when you get the sight confirmation you need. However, the execution becomes much more challenging as you add complexity, like an extended course of fire engaging multiple targets at various distances, moving and shooting, and time constraints. In fact, each layer of complexity will probably expose some weaknesses in your fundamentals. Which is exactly why you want to train this. Expose the weaknesses so you can fix them.
Vary Your Target Transition Practice to Uncover Weaknesses
Simple target transitions — for instance, working on one target, on a static range, engaging chest and head — is a good place to start to learn how to train your eyes to lead, not lead with the gun. But, because the transition distance between targets is so small, deficiencies can be masked. An outdoor range with 180° of firing mobility allows for multiple targets, a greater range of target distances and angles and more movement. This provides a much more realistic training experience.
Using multiple targets, add wide to close transitions, vary the distances, include movement, and add no-shoot or hard cover targets to test your ability to find a small spot on your target, stay laser focused, move the gun smoothly, acquire your target quickly and efficiently press off shots applying the levels of confirmation you need to get accurate hits, all while managing complex variables. This will introduce stress, exposing deficiencies so that you get an accurate assessment of your skill level. Think of your target as a diagnostic that informs your practice. You’ll see where you need improvement.
Working a bunch of skills, including a consistent index on target, transitions and movement, with no time to waste. It’s critical to find a small focal point on targets through transitions, moving my eyes ahead of the gun.
It’s Not Just About Trigger Speed
Shooting fast transitions is not about spraying the targets and hoping your rounds hit. Shooting fast transitions is about combining efficiency, speed and accuracy. The shooting itself — how you grip the gun and shoot — is not where you want to be putting your mental energy. You must have strong fundamentals so that the shooting itself is happening on autopilot while you focus on managing the other variables that you don’t get to dictate, like the size and distance of the targets, the risk associated with a target, and from what position you’ll need to engage a target.
Building Vision Speed and Faster Target Acquisition
By moving my eyes to the target quickly, getting the gun over quickly, acquiring the target quickly, I can take the shot sooner. After I break the shot, I move my eyes to the next target, the gun follows, as soon as I get the confirmation I need from my sights, I take the shot. By cutting down the time when I’m not shooting, I can engage targets sooner. I’m not focused on shooting the pistol faster.
I can practice target transitions in dry fire, and I can also practice this when walking around. Training my eyes to find small spots. Like my eyes have a zoom lens. I find an object, and keep looking for smaller and smaller spots to focus on. Try this: Look out your window. See houses, sky, roads, trees, cars. Home in on a car. Home in on a side view mirror. Can you find a smaller spot to look at? Keep going smaller. Train your eyes to hunt for small spots.
Where my eyes go, my gun follows. And, ultimately, rounds go where I’m looking.
Effective training, clear objectives, well-structured content, real-world application.