Better to Aim 642 or Point Shoot?

[steelslaver]

It is possible that when she just shoots she isn't over thinking the trigger. Trying a slow double action pull while thinking about your breathing, sight alignment can be difficult. IF your brain knows what to do some times its best to just let it do its own thing without tying to fine control everything.

There is such a thing as trying too hard.

 

[Mulebuk Sam]

@steelslaver,

Good observations. It's good to learn the fundamentals but realize as well that very little if any will ever come into play in a 'defensive situation' unless you have cover and even then if your adrenaline hasn't block out the conscious effort to remember it.

Most of those fundamentals came about because of competitive shooting on the range not from the street encounters. I believe in it but only because it's discipline which is anchored also to gun safety.

The times in my life I have been assaulted, robbed or beat I never had a gun on me but I can tell you from those experiences breathing and trigger control would have been the last thing on my mind, just trying to get it into action would have been a far greater priority.

Even today now that I carry and I carry the moment I step out of the shack the odds are I will never see it coming as I never did before which means I won't even have time to deploy. I carry to help with the odds and if by chance to give myself a fainer chance to survive.

 

[sac-gunslinger]

I suspect that the problem is with the set of grips. Is she using the standard Smith boot grips that come with the gun? These grips do not give the trigger finger adequate leverage to properly pull the trigger; they cause the finger to end up in an odd cramped position at the end of the pull where the shooter needs smooth muscle control the most.

I would suggest trying the Hogue grips with the finger grooves. Pachmayr also makes a couple of nice sets. Pachmayr's soft recoil absorbing grips are especially nice where recoil and flinching have become problems.

With an adequate grip on the gun she should aim her sights. I would never want to go to court and offer that I had not aimed my gun at some intended target but had "just hoped" I would hit it.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Here's a drill I've used for years. Using a standard paper plate post it at 3, 5 and 7 yards. Empty the gun as fast as possible, combat reload and repeat. The objective is to keep all your shots on the plate. I use a flash front sight picture for the first shot and you slow down a bit as distance increases.

I've seen lots of references to flash sight picture since I've been here, and last week I decided to investigate so I could discover exactly what the heck it is.

I read many writers' thoughts, but I couldn't figure it out from their descriptions. Then I found a video. The expert clearly defined the term so I finally got it. I've been practicing with dry fire around the house. I think the combination of my new Hogue Tamer grip and the flash sight picture technique have made a huge difference.

I focus on a target, bring the gun up to the target, find and focus on the front sight till it lines up with the target, and pull. This is an easy drill with my M&P 340.

The fit and feel of the Tamer grip makes the POA seem spot on and oh, so natural. Gad I think I'm getting converted from my beloved wood stocks.

I'm looking forward to trying this on paper plates soon.

 

[jack the toad]

IMO, time and distance is your friend. When allowed, I always go to an aimed firing position. When not allowed, point firing position is taken as soon as possible after unholstering and target is engaged. Basically shooting from the hip but this is mostly within arms reach or a few feet. Practice helps with both accuracy and speed.

 

[franzas]

Point shoot. Even on a nice quiet range, I can't line up the junky J frame sights quickly, much less if someone was trying to kill me.

Second, I have read this and observed it to be true. Women are more instinctual than men, who are more calculating. A man will try to line up the perfect shot, while the woman will pull her pistol and blow the mfer away. I have to work very hard to become proficient at point shooting. I bought my exgf a 642 and told her "point it at the dot and pull the trigger." She was a natural; great groups with little effort. She was the same shooting clays. First time with a shotgun had the instructor in awe. A woman should point shoot a short range SD pistol because, naturally, she's better at it and her instincts tell her to do so.