The Two Most Important Shooting Fundamentals

Let’s discuss the two most important pistol shooting fundamentals which are sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control. These are the skills that will help you achieve accuracy and consistency with your handgun. I will also give you some tips on how to improve these skills with practice and feedback.

Sight alignment is the relationship between the handgun's front and rear sight. It means that the front sight should be centered in the rear sight notch, and the top of the front sight should be level with the top of the rear sight. Sight alignment is critical for accuracy, because any deviation from the proper alignment will cause the bullet to miss the intended target.

Sight picture is simply a matter of superimposing the aligned sights onto the intended target. It means that you should focus on the front sight, not the target or the rear sight, and place it on the desired point of impact. Sight picture is important for consistency, because it helps you aim at the same spot every time you shoot.

Trigger control refers to the depression of the trigger to the rear until the shot breaks. It means that you should squeeze the trigger straight to the rear in a smooth, continuous manner without disturbing the sight alignment or sight picture. Trigger control is essential for precision, because any jerk, flinch or anticipation of recoil will cause the gun to move and affect your accuracy.

These skills are especially important to practice as a concealed carry holder, because you may face situations where you have to use your handgun for self-defense or to protect others. In such scenarios, you need to be able to shoot quickly and accurately under stress and pressure. You also need to be able to shoot from different positions or angles, such as from a holster, from behind cover or from inside a vehicle. You also need to be aware of your surroundings and avoid hitting innocent bystanders or causing collateral damage.

Here are some tips on how to improve these skills:

- Dry fire practice. This is a safe and effective way to practice your sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control without using live ammunition. You can use a snap cap or an empty chamber to prevent damage to your gun. Make sure you follow all safety rules and check that your gun is unloaded before you start. Aim at a small target on a wall or a paper target at a short distance. Focus on your front sight and squeeze the trigger slowly until you hear a click. Repeat this several times and pay attention to any movement of your sights or your gun. If you see any movement, correct it by adjusting your grip, stance or trigger finger placement.

- Live fire practice. This is where you test your skills with live ammunition at a shooting range. You can use a bullseye target or a silhouette target at a distance that challenges you but also allows you to see your hits. Start with slow fire, where you take your time between each shot and focus on your fundamentals. Then you can progress to rapid fire, where you shoot multiple shots in succession while maintaining your sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control. You can also practice different drills, such as shooting from different distances, positions or angles, or shooting at multiple targets.

- Feedback. This is where you analyze your performance and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can use different tools to get feedback, such as a shooting coach, a video camera, a shot timer or a target analyzer app. You can also use different methods to diagnose your errors, such as looking at your shot groups, using a correction chart or applying the ball and dummy technique. The key is to be honest with yourself and learn from your mistakes.

I hope this blog post has helped you understand the two most important pistol shooting fundamentals which are sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control. These are the skills that will make you a better shooter and help you enjoy this sport more. Remember to practice regularly, get feedback and have fun!