once I was super fast and extremely accurate. Now much older disabled, hands stiff as bricks. still can hold my own .hitting what I want no problem just slower .papa enjoys your videos.😊

FSP, Focus Shooting, Instinctive Shooting, to me, are all birds of a feather. Back in the 60s, as a kid, I got to attend a demonstration instructural event at a USAF range given by Lucky McDaniel. I've used his methods for years to do my quick shots, both with pistols and rifles. In the 70's I used White-out on the front sight and as soon as it came into view of the target I was looking at, I pressed the trigger. Nowadays I use the green Glow-on paint on my blued firearms and the Orange on my Stainless. For me, it works about as well as a red dot.

Morning HR. I'm gonna comment first without watching. Now at 75, I've been training for many decades and have found that the key to hitting my target is to first Focus on that target. With constant, repetitive practice the body will follow what it is taught and my shot will impactive the target. With that being said, any action will bring it's own dynamic and the key to survival is to follow your training. Whatever discipline you follow, stay with it and it will serve you well. Now, I'm gonna watch the video. Stay safe.🙂

Target focus shooting does not require abandonment of the sights. You adjust your level of sight refinement based on the precision required. It's about using the sights efficiently based on the level of confirmation required to make an accurate hit. It's not throw the gun out and hope for the best.

Trying to "find the dot" on the optic at three yards, when, all you have time for, is to move off the X, point and shoot, seems very hard to do. I think Col. Cooper was right. The front sight flash picture works very well. Target focus at three yards or less, is pretty good.

Not going to lie. Seeing the thumbnail I thought those were fetterman targets. I was like oh wow spicy.

Hey HR, I have watched your video and found it instructive. The "Target Focus" technique taught by the Israeli's I think is quite similar to Col. Coopers method. First acquire your target, then draw your weapon and present in such a manner as you have practiced etc. Of course, all this has to be completed in as short a time as possible and than fire on your target. One problem as I see it is a lot of guys and gals practice for competition and there is not someone shooting back at them. So two disciplines are necessary if one wants to compete and utilize training for personal protection. Therein may lie a problem. When one faces a rapidly escalating personal protection challenge which of the two disciplines will automatically come to the fore? Practicing for competition has great benefits and can be fun but practicing to save your life might just be more beneficial. I know drills are necessary but the mind control required in a real life scenario is much more difficult to master IMHO

Thanks for the insight, sir! What I've heard is that target focus is best at handshake distances (inside 3yds), and your demonstration bears that out.

Nicely done sir. 👍 Throughout my 28 year career as a peace officer, I trained every day with my S&W M28. Either on the range, or in my garage with Speer primer fired plastic cartridges. From an early age, I shot barebow with a recurve. I would concentrate on a spot that I intended to hit, and shoot. I would hit where I looked. If I looked off from the spot I would miss. Utilizing the same technique of concentration on the target, I incorporated this towards pistol shooting. 0 to 10 feet, from the hip. 10 to 25 feet, nearly eye level, but sights were never used. Strictly point shooting. One afternoon, years ago. I responded to a robbery in progress at a little store/cafe. As I approached the store, both armed suspects stepped out on to the sidewalk. They were 20 feet away. As they raised their 9mm's at the "gangster tilt", I fired one round at each. My point shooting paid off. Had I not trained daily, and with the point shooting methods in this training, I wouldn't be here to tell about it. Regardless of the name used to describe this shooting method, it does work.

Much appreciate the editing work to bring us side by side shooting views. Really puts the time differences into reality.

Reps matter and as an instinctive archer, I’ve incorporated some of the same target focus into my defensive handgun shooting. One sees the bow hand and arrow head in the sight picture it’s relationship to the target is noted even though the focus is on the target. Some of my pistols make very precise hits easier than others, but since an encounter usually means one’s situational awareness has lapsed and the attacker is very close with no warning, the luxury of any sight picture is out of the question. The flash sight picture is valuable and should be practiced for the occasion when one has the time and distance

Here’s a technique nobody teaches anymore. Hold the pistol or revolver directly in front of you ( not in front of your dominant eye) focus on the threat( you’re probably going to have a hard time not focusing on the threat anyway) your right eye is looking down the right side of the barrel, your left eye is looking down the left side of the barrel, press trigger smoothly. Give it a try, you might be surprised. Especially with a small gun with less than ideal sights( like an LCP or a j frame with trough sights) .

Glad to see you’re using a realistic CCW gun & holster as opposed to those who use high end competition gear to do the same thing. As you know all of my confrontations happened w/my issued revolver, after dark and I only used sights in one case. I believe it’s important for folks w/your stature to show how it might really happen in a street confrontation.

As long as I can get my first round in the head or heart, the bad guy is going to have a very bad day. Unlike most people that carry a 9×19 ,I always carry my 11.43×23 mm. Sounds like a cannon in metric terms doesn't it? I love the look on people's faces when I throw that number out at them. What's even more hilarious is when they start asking questions and I explain to them that it's just the metric designation of the old 45 acp. It drives the 9mm fanatics nuts. But anyone that's had physics 101 knows that a .451" diameter bullet that weighs 200 to 230 grains is going to be more effective on the target than a. 355" bullet that weighs 115 to 124 grains. Any caliber is going to be very effective with a head shot, but a center mass shot requires a larger, heavier bullet to achieve a faster stopping average with less rounds than a smaller caliber. I've been practicing point shooting at 4 yards because in most real world defense situations, the range is going to be close and you'll probably be shooting one handed in a point and pull manner. I've noticed a pattern from watching a great many self defense shootings caught on security cams that the average number of rounds fired is three and the bad guy still has enough steam left to run away, if only for a short distance when shot with a 9mm. A 357 mag,357 Sig, 40 S&W and 45 acp usually takes only one or two rounds to keep the bad guy down. As a former LEO, I'm sure that you have seen similar results. I completely understand that the 9mm is all most of the new shooters can handle in terms of recoil, but with practice a more effective caliber isn't hard to master. I am still puzzled why the 357 Sig isn't more popular. It comes in pistols that are the same size as a 9mm, the recoil isn't much more and the effectiveness is almost the same as the 357 mag. I am a firm believer that the first shot is the most important one. Every shot after the first is a possible legal problem, depending on what state, town etc... you live in. I hope to God that I never have to use any of my guns against another person, but I will do so without hesitation or regret if I have to. I'm a 55 year old partially disabled white man that literally can't run or retreat, so I have to face any threat head on, be it a chipmunk, bear or drug crazed thug. I'll try the target focus technique and see if it works for me. I can't afford to practice as much as I'd like, so any technique or drill that gives me a slight edge is worth trying. I love your videos because you cover a wide range of subjects that apply to us regular folks, from guns to training. Most of the youtubers are the tacticool crowd and my tactical days are long gone. Thanks for putting out content that applies to us older regular folks, especially your love for the 1911 45. Can't wait for the next one.

Three things HR, one another great video, enjoyed it a lot. Two in my experience target focus shooting requires a great deal of practice to get the most out of it. As an example look at demonstration shooters and ask them how much time they spend in a week practicing. It is substantial compared to what the every day individual can or is willing to spend. Lastly, if you are ever given the option of cataract surgery I highly recommend it. Get both eyes done for distance vision and you will be amazed at how much your vision is improved. Not exactly as a 20 or 30 year old but pretty darn close...

Thank you Mr. Funk. I was really on the fence about putting a red dot on my revolver but with my older eyes I see the wisdom of what you have to say. Going to use a red dot and have no regrets!

Damn! You're looking FIT, Marine! 👍 In Defensive pistol matches - at standard "self-defense" ranges, I use my front sight very much like a red dot. Focus on the threat, and shoot when the front sight imposes on it. With practice, it is effective and FAST. Of course, the gold-dot front sight makes this even more effective - even with eyes that are pushing 70 years old.

I do a lot of point and shoot drills from 3-5 yards. Sometimes one handed. But I’m gonna start training with flash sight from 5-7 yards now. Thanks for the video Sr. Hope you have a great weekend! ✌🏼

Point shooting..😮..👉

Excellent - realistic video, Thanks SO much fer sharing VERY realistic info. I believe these examples you presented are very accurate of the 3 different techniques of training, that said, being of old school & older age - as you are, for me - this proves I need to stay with the training I have & continue with that practice - that is the flash-sight-picture & appreciate the drill-reinforcement, atleast with the results I'm getting with the eyesight I am yet retaining. Thanks Again fer sharing.

Very good demonstration and evaluation. I practice target focus all the time.

Good drill Howard, personally I think everyone who carries a firearm, whether civilian or LEOs should try out. Especially since all shots need to be on the "target", for obvious reasons. This is a vital training tool to determine one's ability and maximum affective distance under short time frames. We were taught flash sight picture for close encounters (under 10 yards) when I served in the 1970s; but obviously we didn't have RDS. Adrenaline will also be a factor in these types of encounters, so prior to each string, physical activity to increase the heart rate will be beneficial.

HR, you have just convinced me that I need to explore getting a red dot for one of my pistols. I've been resisting that, mainly because I really don't have any experience with them and old dogs are slow to learn new tricks. Very good, informative video. Thank you, Sir!

Excellent video! Thank you.

Yes target focus does work with a lot of practice. Long time ago I shot rabbits doing that. The way I practice was with a small like a 3 inch target with a larger background target to know were you are hitting .it doesn't take long before you learn. Practice makes perfect. 004.Ironman in Alabama 73s.

This was a great video. Definitely as realistic style as you can practice on the range for evaluation of one's own preference. Thanks for presenting.

Another outstanding video Chief, thank you! Your results appear to validate my personal experiences as I become more proficient with a red dot. Plus, I look alot cooler to the younger crowd w/a red dot vs. my RX glasses and we all know how important that is! 😉

Great video as always! At one time, I was very keen on adding a red dot to my EDC. I now believe that, in the context of the typical self defense situation, it has little value for me personally.. I've spent some time "hunting for the dot" on my bullseye pistol ... which, in a self defense situation would be a non-starter. I do practice target focus at times at very close distances just in case I didn't have time to engage the sights. (here in the country we call it "point shooting" ;) I am unfamiliar with flash sight picture, I'll have to look it up!

Mr Hrfunk, thank you for this video and all of your content. It is great! I would like to make some defense of the focus shooting (or what I have learned as point shooting) method. I have been using it for years as part of my training. (I also train this method largely with one-handed shooting for additional speed.) At this point, using an IPSC A-C-D target, I can hit the A zone nearly 100% of the time with shots from concealment ranging around 1.4-1.5 seconds at 7 yds. The same goes for strings of fire (6 shots under 3 seconds). The reason I am able to do that is that I have fired thousands of rounds downrange with meticulous practice. I don't need a sight picture because I am dialed in with how my body and gun need to be positioned relative to a threat. I can literally feel if I am on target or not. That said, using a similar technique (i.e., body positioning), 10 yds and beyond, I do need a front sight quick picture to maintain accuracy. (I do not need to line up the rear sight because I can feel where the gun is horizontally because of my draw.) At 25 yds and beyond, then I have to line up with rear sights. It is very clear that you are an awesome shooter using the flash sight picture, but I will bet that with several thousand rounds of practice and proper coaching on body positioning and body platform, given your skills, you could get to 1 second draws with one hand and with perfect accuracy. That's half of where you were, and that can make a difference. Just my $0.02.

Very nice realistic comparison. I use my carry gear for every class I take & it makes a difference. I'm wondering if you've ever considered XS Big dots? I used my Hellcat in a class with the factory sights & did fine. Afterwards I noticed the lume ring had come out(tritium & white outline stayed) & I decided to go with an orange big dot rather than replace the factory sights since I use the big dots on my Glocks anyway(yellow on them). I already had another class scheduled so I used the Hellcat & was getting better time & accuracy. For me, the big dot allows me to focus on the target & it still forces its way into my peripheral enough for a flash picture at least to 7 yards. I also find I can use them without glasses since im mildly nearsighted. May not work for everyone but I get good results & most of the people I've taught take to them well too.

I have also seem a presentation on what was called seeing what you need to see. My take away was that basically it was a matter of focusing on the rear sight instead of the front sight and then on the target. It is because of how the eyes work. Example was when you are driving you are not normally looking at the wind shield. You are looking past it to the things beyond it. I thought it was an interesting idea.

That's how one shoots with a RDS. Most of the departments in my area use RDS or are about to.

Great presentation, thanks!

Looking fit Chief! It looks like you've been hitting the pushups and situps. You're developing that Kirk Douglas/Burt Lancaster look.

Good stuff SSgt. Semper Fi brother.

I agree with your conclusions 100% and have experienced the same eye issues as I have aged. 1 thing I would add is novice shooters seem to shoot better faster with the MRD’s. From an instructors stand point it is much easier to train focus on your target press trigger when the dot is on target. I see new shooters on target faster than training traditional sight focus as we were trained. Very insightful video! Thank you.

Dressing normal the way the everyday Joe dresses is the way to test. Nobody walks around dressed like they're ready for war or competition. Way more real life accuracy 👍👍

While in the Navy I attended "Shipboard Security Engagement Tactics" ( Team Training). It was taught by 2 retired Marine Corps Majors and an Navy Seal(E-7). Traveling through a ship rapidly in very close quarters and short target distances at a "high ready" using standard govt issue 1911's in various low light conditions. We would be traversing to a specific location on ship. Crew members on the ship during a Security Alert were to stand fast, while the security alert teams moved throughout the ship. It was impossible to use your sights to engage a target and live to tell about it! So we were taught to engage targets using 'target focus" only and were surprised to realize how accurate "target focus is at closer ranges! Very intense! (We used paint pistols of course for safety) Great video HR! I believe "Target Focus" can be used at greater distances for personal protection with much practice! "Instructor Zero" has shown this in quite a few videos on You Tube.

Another great video! Knowing the numbers is very helpful. Your point about context is even more helpful. I will be reflecting on the context of my personal most likely scenario very carefully to help me better understand what the numbers mean. How much does 0.5 seconds matter? I don't know.

My vision has always required corrective lenses, but as I've aged my focus range has gotten worse. The red dot is a big help to counter act that.

I'm about 15 years past my prime vision age. That and an old eye injury from a fishing accident, and my vision isn't even close to where it was in my late 30's. So, like yourself, I'm in the red dot phase of life. But that's not easy either due to a bad astigmatism. But, just have to make the best of what's still there to use. These are the thing's that make getting old stink. Go Steelers

I have to also wonder about this in a high stress environment. With heartbeat elevated, blood pressure up, eyes dilated. In my state now that most agencies are issuing /authorizing optics now we are seeing hit rates of 90% instead of the 30% before. That is a significant difference.

Great video, and I need to re-watch a few times. What really caught my ear was you shooting a Hellcat, and your sight comments. I bought that gun just for those sights, for my sometimes bad eyes at 67. I do have various red dots, on bigger guns, but have not decided about one for the Hellcat. One question is what holsters do you recommend for the Hellcat ? Can you tell me something about your prescription shooting glasses , brand etc ... thank you, Wayne

"Couldn't find the dot." THAT is why I refuse to use a red dot, along with the fact that target acquisition always takes longer, even when you can find it. I had one, actually a "green" dot, and quickly realized they can get you killed. It went right into the trash.

Excellent analysis, and logical conclusions. Training and practice is the key. Mastering point shooting is a skill that improves with practice, and works well under extreme stress ,especially at close range. It has it’s limitations as you pointed out, but I don’t remember completely missing the target when shooting in ideal conditions, that is static scenario, good light, no distraction. The trouble starts when the scenario is chaotic, people are moving fast, innocent targets are mixing with enemy targets, shooter is moving fast, screaming and shooting noise surrounding you. Most likely one will instinctively point and shoot, rather than aim. It would work well especially at close range, if one has good training and practice facilitating good muscle memory. Also, physical and mental fitness are extremely important. Probably, 7 to 10 yards would be the maximum effective range for point shooting. Red dot technology is in my opinion a good option to improve the accuracy of point shooting. On the flip side, commercial optics are fragile, require retraining and practice and add bulk to a pistol that is intended to be concealed.

Thank you for your interesting comparison video and good shooting. I am near 68 years old. Prior to my cataract surgery early last year I owned a sig p320 x5 legion with a Romeo 1 pro red dot. I never was pin point accurate with the dot, always obtained much tighter groups with the irons at 12 yards and closer. Since my cataract surgery I can no longer see my front sight clearly, I need a slight safety glass prescription to obtain a clear front sight picture. I do not own the red dot anymore but without my prescription shooting glasses the dot would most likely be helpful at the present time, but I may not be able to see the dot clearly?

Very Interesting Video. I have Part 2 & Part 3 of Red Dot vs Iron Sights in the can coming out. For you, you probably should train to point shoot/target focus 3 yards & in, you should try Silver Marking Pen the centers of your Red Dots to use as a reference 4-6 yard range (at least on Micro Smaller Window RDS that are harder to find), & Actually look for the Dot only 7yards out based on your times IMO. 5 yards in you are too slow to find dot IMO based on bad guy reaction time 1.75 is a not get shot, 2.25 to first hit is likely you got hit too IMO. Most Civilian/Plainclothes defensive gun use really is 2-5 yards, if it's a situation where your awareness preps you to counter ambush, say 2 robbers at restaurant 7 & 10 yards or one is really near the register clerk...you will know to draw to your dot. Just some thoughts.

Good morning HR. Interesting video today. On the 5 shot string using target focus for speed on the first shot and then using sights on the rest for accuracy sounds better to me. I don't think it would make much difference in time for the string. Technical question from the live chat, how much windage do you apply when shooting the breeze?😂

as a kid I shot archery Years before I ever shot a gun regularly, I always shot archery Target Focus, moving over to pistols I use Target Focus and Under-mount laser, with irons as a back-up, I suppose it has something to do with being cross-dominant too

👍👍interesting video, thanks for some great content.

Bad Breath Distance: Point Shooting (Target Focus) Self Defense Distance: Flash Sight Picture (aka Good Enough Sight Picture) Reach Out and Touch Distance: Front Sight Focus

Very good video.. Im a flash sight picture guy, training for common encounters and it works great for me. Though with the aging eyes Ive added larger and brighter front sights. So, your video gets thought process going! Red dot? Not so sure yet? Im considering some drills similar to yours from off balance and turn and face a target scenarios. My experience with real world scenarios has been with a less than perfect shooting position. So, I train like that frequently. The red dot might not line up so well without the perfect shooting stance? Thanks

I like flash sight picture, of course with the sights on a lot of pistols The Flash part is kind of hard to do 🤣 I really have to hand it to Springfield Armory and Ruger for the very hi-viz sights they've started putting on some of their newer pistols

Good video - Personally, I often have a hard time acquiring a red dot sight. Because of that (for me) I won't use one on any self defense gun. My feeling is it's better to practice with opened sights rather to rely on an electronic and mechanical sighting system. This is what works for me - others may believe differently. At the end of the day, your shots with standard sights were still excellent and would have been effective.

thanks

They used to have us do "point shooting" at 7 yards. I initially thought it was foolish, but found it faster and only slightly less accurate.

HR could you tell us what “cover vest” you like & normally use ? Thanks for all your videos…I enjoy & learn from them!

These are also in good lighting. Tf might do as good as you can do in poor light. And training might help a lot.

For years (decades?) this has been called "Point Shooting". It's how I was trained in the 1980s, in Israel, post my actual IDF service.

Howard, today I came out with CZ P01 vs HK p2000 Best DA/SA CCW carry Part 2 since the P01 I barrowed was actually broken throwing shots first time out. Check it out if you get a chance (I don't know if you mind me linking or not?). I know you didn't love the HK you barrowed, but I think you would like the p2000, and sometime you need to try a light LEM trigger as well.

Catching the replay

Thx HR good information 👍🎯 stay. Safe carry on 🔫 🇺🇲

I have tried using a flash sight picture and for myself i have noticed that about 5 yards is the furthest that I can actually keep the round in the upper chest, if i go further back to say 10 yards I'm all over the place on the target especially low about 4-5 inches. Any suggestions on what could be goung on and how I can practice to get better at it? I've been wanting to go to a red dot on my ccw but I've got an astigmatism and i don't see the dot clearly, it's like a blob in in the center of the window.

Hi Hrfunk, nice shooting! Have you tried stress point index by Mr Ayoob? From close range it's the fastest sighting method I ever tried and works well with windage, less with elevation. Basically, you index the barrel looking from above it and the front sight really stands out for your eyes.

I'm not able to get to the range like I used to, and the range I DO use doesn't allow rapid fire. I find in laser dry fire practice, from a distance of 10ish yards I can be fast and accurate by getting the gun up and noticing the front sight and it's relation to the rear, but without really focusing on the sights.

As always a great presentation. I have a question, Do you co-witness your red dot to your irons. or do you use another sighting technic to sight in your red dot? I have seen a few different methods. Thanks!

Seems like flash sight picture is the way to go or at least for someone who it practice and trained at it.

13:26 You nailed it right on the head here. This line of thinking is exactly why I got turned right off from IPSC/USPSA. The sport has gotten way too sporty in both equipment and attitudes and is no longer a viable method of training for defensive scenarios beyond movement and fire. As a reservist soldier, I need a shooting sport who's mindset and equipment more accurately reflects the realities of defensive shooting with zero excessive sportyness. This is why I went to IDPA. Too bad most clubs in Canada strongly prefer IPSC to IDPA.

Thanks, hrfunk. This video made me think of the very brief time I've spent shooting irons, and why irons shooting without reader lens correction was always a headache for me. Instinctively I would target focus much as I would when throwing a baseball, or kicking a soccer ball. But putting the front sight post, resolved reasonably with the rear notch, into the picture made things messy. I know it's possible to keep training through that difficulty, and I know many who still shoot irons proficiently in their 60s and 70s. I just couldn't do it myself without the reader lens, and my normal glasses don't have the reader lens up top on the right eye. Going to RDS may have been the lazy call, fundamentals-wise. But I still prefer target focus as much as possible. As you have worked with red dot sights, have you found yourself going to a more target-focused POV versus how you've spent most of your handgun shooting life?

Going back some months - not sure how many - I commented on one of your previous videos that I found it quickest to pick up the dot in my RD if I focused on the target and brought the sight up between the target and my eyes. I was unaware that there was a name for that method. Interestingly, what is now called "target focus" and "flash sight" techniques seem to be modern versions of techniques pioneered by Col. Rex Applegate during WW2 and called "point shooting". At one time point shooting was widely taught to police I believe, often in conjunction with the isosceles stance. While watching your excellent - as usual - video, I began to wonder if your times and results were influenced by the Masada's trigger? I don't own one but have watched many videos about them, including yours, and often the trigger is described as different. Would you have done better with a Walther or maybe a Canik sub-compact or micro-compact with their excellent triggers? Thoughts?

If I were a bad guy (one or two women in my life might say that I am), I would make sure all the shirts in my closet were red! AHA!!!

HR We would call it point / shoulder

To be honest whichever version works best for you to get consistent shots is good

In almost any shooting contest, or exhibition shooting, missing is considered a no no. A missed shot isn't impressive. An accurate shot is impressive. In an emergency situation, any shot is probably good, as long as it is not an errant shot, which could be also a no no.

👍😊 I’ve had a vision deal and getting old hasn’t helped.

Excellent presentation and valid points made. As a Cooper follower, I still use iron sights. Three yards or less, up close personal bad breath distance, point, and shoot or target focus. With reference to my earlier comment on this date. This is the last of your videos I saved to watch later and until the one you downed this morning, it has been the only one I've seen. I will go to your channel and look for what I've missed as time allows. Keep up the good work.

I do know that when riding a bicycle, if you focus on a rock in the trail, you will run directly over it no matter how you try to go around it.

Howard I really enjoy this sort of video, because as you probably know, I'm a training Geek. I'd like to make a couple of points here. When I trained with Gunsite in the late 80's, my main instructor was the late Jack Furr, although the Colonel did come out to supervise. At that time, Gunsite was advocating the "flash sight picture" on a range limited basis, not for all shots, and as you noted, for defensive shooting on a non-precision basis. Back then I also went to some short term training that advocated point shooting, which we now would call "target focus", and found it to be extremely limited in application with highly variable results. When I was running my large and regular classes, I decided to study sighting methods. At that time micro red dots were not yet a thing, so I was only looking at open sights. I rather quickly found that I was a poor subject for testing myself, because of my background in competion that emphasized accuracy such as PPC and NRA Bullseye, in which all shots are sighted shots (if you want to win) I actually was much slower when trying to fire unsighted because I simply was not used to it. So what I decided to do was use volunteer students at the end of a formal range session. Most, but not all of these students were brand new to handguns and were in an introductory session to get their CCW permits. Each student had experienced a safety briefing, one hour of mandatory structured dry fire training, and then shot a series of exercises ranging from arms' length to 15 yards, with an optional exercise at 25 yards. I then asked for volunteers to stay over, and after a break, shoot a short series of exercises for me. I kept detailed notes, and actually questioned the students after firing who chose to participate. Each volunteer fired the "controlled pair" exercise five times at each distance, which for my "study" were 3 yards, 7 yards, 10 yards and 15 yards. I had them fire at an 8 inch circle on the IDPA target so there would be an objective standard. Shots inside the circle were all scored the same, and the volunteer received no points for anything outside of the circle. We called 90% hits a "pass". Each volunteer was required to use the handgun they brough with them and had just had their lesson with. so we had a mix of firearms. I kept records on approximately 750 students in the course of one year. There was a time limit in place for each drill. Late shots counted as misses. Point fire drills were shot with electrical tape over the sights, flash sight picture was forced by taping over the rear sight only, full iron sights were used for everything else. There was also an "arm's length" exercise where the pairs were shot from a pectoral muscle index retention fire position. Total shots fired were 50 rounds. Here is what I found, distilled down to what became my "training doctrine" in a way that was easily remembered. 1. Point firing, focus on the target worked great for most of the test subjects inside of 10 feet, provided that the gun was brought as close as possible to eye level. Students who tried to bring the gun to a lower position, or attempted hip shooting, did rather poorly. 2. Using a flash sight picture, in which the front sight only was superimposed on the target worked well inside of 10 yards. However, about one third of the shooters did well with the flash sight picture out to 15 yards. Post shooting questioning showed these shooters to have participated significantly in team sports requiring excellent hand/eye coordination. 3. Past 10 yards, a formal sight picture was required for 2/3 of the shooters. Past 15 yards, everyone seemed to require both front and rear sights to do well. We also found (using a different set of students) that shooters we put through sighted fire exercises first did very well on eye-level point firing, but the reverse was not true. Students who had only done point fire were severely handicapped as distances increased. After this we began to teach '10 feet, 10 yards, and more than 10 yards' when selecting a sighting method, and advocated that most practice be done on a sighted basis because it improves point firing success. I wish I still had a large base of students to repeat this with a red dot, but unfortunately I don't. I bet that would be interesting. On an unrelated note, there is a company called "Target Focus Training" that teaches unarmed self defense. It is absolutely excellent for last ditch self defense, with its sole drawback being that many of the techniques taught will severely injure an attacker and can cause permanent disability. I've used some of their techniques and they are excellent, well worth the money

I practice this when I shoot my back-up carry gun, a SW 442 airweight, at about ten yards and in. It works surprisingly well; I just keep my knees, hips, and shoulders square to target and punch out. Fast and pretty hard to not get C zone or better hits with; was surprised how well it worked the first few times; I do this to simulate not having the time to get a sight picture or not having enough light to establish one only with my little snubnose revolver where I envision that could be a more likely scenario for when I carry that instead of my primary gun. Thanks Chief!

Hi one more time, did you ever do a review of the Hellcat ?

There seems to be a trend to disregard public safety. They just empty their magazines,I wonder who's teaching them this.?🤠👉

HR I was busy sawing wood making target stands during the video I had it on but was making a stand. I watched it again so with FSP you don't really align the elevation with rear sight just get the front between the rear and that's it?

HR, do you shoot with both eyes open or one eye closed?

What do you mean by flash sight picture? Thanks

On a one vs one , does the first to fire distract focus from the other and then gain advantage ?

I wonder what technique the Chairman used when his eyes began to age or did he refuse to let them age?

Dose it work? I'm guessing you mean does it work.

If you were a police chief again would you have the Academy teach and issue micro dot optics? Or would you teach New Technique?

Nice food for thought! Not being able to find that red dot guaranteed, every time, is a game changer for me. For self-defense distances I will stick with my iron sights on a handgun.

What I came away with was no matter whether you've been shooting target focused or front sight focused with iron sights for years, using an optic can improve accuracy, and speed improvement would come with repetitive use of the optic. Thanks again for the demonstration.

It looks like it worked in Allen, Texas.

Thanks for the great video! It's nice to see different techniques put to the test. I think you've got the most background with Flash sight picture technique and your consistent performance with that technique shows. One of COL Applegate's books like "Bullseye's Don't Shoot Back" might be helpful for your target focused technique. COL Applegate indicates that with the proper application of his technique the average shooter quickly develops the ability to keep shots within 6-8 inches at 7 to 10 yards. You will also develop much higher speeds. Per his books, at some distance you will want to transition to using sights to keep your shots on target. Adding Bill Rogers Flash Sight Picture technique with practice on reactive targets ("Be Fast, Be accurate, Be the best", "Reactive Pistol Shooting") complements really well for quickly engaging longer distance targets. When you develop the look and feel for COL Applegate's and Bill Rogers techniques there is carry over to red dot shooting. If you know the feel of aiming your pistol without using your sights... you will never have to search for the red dot as it will always be there.

all of this is shooting at a non moving target, could shooting at a moving target make a difference ?

🙂👍

Isn't that guy on the target a senator now?

Thank you once again for a very well thought out and informative video. You have demonstrated on e again that what works or what might be acceptable to warfighters versus police or civilian ccw shooters may be vastly different. When I use the term warfighters, I mean any individual serving in there countries uniformed military against an identified enemy. ARMY, NAVY, MARINE, AIRMAN or COAST GUARD. I don't care what uniform they are wearing, myself I am retired from the US ARMY. But interservice rivalries aside, I hold all service members in the highest regard. But it is indisputable that the Rules of Engagement for military, civil police and armed citizens are different. I am not now nor have I ever been a police officer, so any comments about police procedures are based on what I have learned second hand. In combat the warfighter is expected to shoot the known enemy and neutralize that enemy, kill him or put him out of action but remove him from the battlefield. A police officer is expected to preserve life and use deadly force as a last resort. A legally armed civilian will be required to justify why he or she felt that unless they deployed their firearm that they or another innocent person was in immediate danger of death or great bodily harm. A warfighter under certain circumstances may deploy deadly force to protect designated property. It would be almost unheard of for cicil police to do the same. I don't consider DOD Police to be civil police. I don't believe the legally armed civilian would ever be justified in using deadly force to defend property. He was stealing my Corvette won't cut it any more than he was stealing my Yugo. My simple rule is "if something isn't worth dying for it isn't worth killing for" no material object is worth dying for. My bottom line of all this is what works for the military or even for law enforcement MAY NOT work for the legally armed citizen. All knowledge and skills are of value but be prepared to defend your actions and methods in court. And unlike the warfighters who can put their M4s selectors on full auto and dump a magazine on an enemy combatant and have only a modicum of concern about the rounds that miss. You will be called to answer for every single round that leaves the barrel of your gun just as HR pointed out there may be great consequences for any round that doesn't hit your target, because that round did not miss, it hit somewhere.

Target focus is about faith, having faith in the fact your body knows what to do. This is a practice in shooting for a number of other shooting disciplines. Having faith takes practice you have to be able to let your body do what it knows best. It is difficult not to have your mind double check what your body is doing. Many people work on this aspect and never quite get their mind to let go. I myself struggle with it.

For me with my aging eyes and in a scenario that is the most likely... that being someone entering my home in the dead of night? I settled on a SAA (1873 design) on my nightstand. it is a point shooter of the first degree and at home invasion distances? the best possible solution to needing to fire 'fast' without sights. The other solution is my 12 gauge shotgun in the corner but seriously? at point blank range in the dark? it is not a huge advantage over my 44 spl "gunfighter" SAA with 4.75" barrel.

I can't use any optical sight quick enough for self defense. I'm definitely quicker with quality open sights, or an instinctively activated laser. A lot of consistant practice is the key. Even a single second to much, could be fatal.

If Jeff Cooper says it, it is true. I would guess most of your audience has no clue who Cooper was. Which color are you in ?