Calling your shot ....

How important is it to be able to call your shot? I'd say its so important that you could bet your life on it. 

We all  know the (5) fundamentals of shooting a handgun to be:

• Stance
• Grip
• Sight Alignment
• Sight Picture
• Trigger Control

For this segment, lets take a look at Sight Picture. When I look at a shooter's accuracy, I break it down into two parts, Sight Picture and Trigger Control. If those two things are right, then the shot will go where you are aiming it. The other key elements don't play into that "one" shot hitting accurately. When multiple shots are taken, then more of the fundamentals are applied to stay accurate.  

So we know Sight Alignment to be equal light on both sides, flat across the top.

For me, the amount of sight picture changes based on distance. Up close I use less sight picture and the further away from the target I get, the more focus I have on the front sight. I don't like the term "Point Shooting" and don't teach it, because I've seen too many people, including myself, point a weapon at a target and shoot without hitting anything. Remember, you MUST have some sort of sight picture to know where your gun is pointed. 

So how does "Shot Calling" come into play? Shot Calling gives us an instant read on the shot before we see any reaction from the target i.e. Threat drops, steel target falls. During your acquisition of the front sight post, you MUST see it through the cycle of fire and watch the sight lift from the target. Based on where it lifts from you can get a gauge of where the shot is going to be on the target. 

Competition, tactical, and recreational hunting all call for some type of this skill to be used. In competition, being able to call your shot allows you to leave a target faster. Knowing you hit the target based on where the sight lifted from is much faster, than looking for the holes or waiting to see the steel fall. You will find your transition times will be faster the sooner you can leave one target to get to the next. In a match, I'm looking for the sight to be in the middle of the target. If the sight moves before the shot breaks or is over to one side or the other, I'm pulling trigger again. In a tactical application, we can not afford to miss our threat. First off, every round fired hits something. So we want to make sure innocent people do not become part of the engagement. Front sight focus is a must. Second, if I'm watching the front sight lift from the center mass of the threat repetitively, then this tells me I have to aim somewhere else to be effective in stopping him. 

So how do we practice this skill? Here is what I do to isolate this skill set.

1. Setup a target 20 yards away
2. Cover the target with a t-shirt
3. Have the exact same target with you at the 20 yard line
4. Take a slow deliberate shot and focus on the lift of the front sight
5. As soon as you break the shot, mark on your target where you think the shot hit
6. Call (6) rounds and then go check

Start off slow, then you can do it off the draw or after a reload with some pressure of a timer.

Try this drill the next time your at the range and watch as you gain confidence in your ability. Please post your results to this feed if you try it. If social media is easier to get to, post to my Instagram or Facebook ... See you on the range !!