Speed Shooting That Works

One of the most frequently asked questions in defensive pistolcraft concerns speed and accuracy. It is fashionable today to suggest that marksmanship is the enemy of speed. Actually, marksmanship allows speed by putting shots on the mark quicker than point shooting will accomplish, particularly when greater distances are involved (which is why Gun Gurus offering their own schools most often avoid having students shoot beyond 10 yards).  The marksmanship process is abridged in defensive speed shooting, but still observed. This method is simple. The shooter aligns the body with the target, forming a triangle between feet and target. Natural body alignment prevents muscular tension from pulling the weapon off target. The weight of the body is forward of the hips reudicng felt recoil and its effect on shot-to-shot speed. The sight picture is a perfectly clear front sight between the out of focus rear sight blades; however,  the shooter does not regulate the vertical positioniong of the sights. This will, at distances where speed is most important, allow centered shots delivered quickly. Remember, even this technique can be reduced by half the time through proper control of trigger travel (discussed in our last blog). Natural body alignment, muscular tension, speed shooting and weight distribution are covered in The Perfect Pistol Shot.