10 M AP Centre hold V sub 6

[silvershooter]

Hello

Does anyone use the centre hold for this discipline these days ?
I am going to try it at the next visit to the range. I seem to be stuck at a level at the moment and can not seem to improve my average, my main error is looking at the target at the last moment (using sub 6 sighting).
My rationale is that there is less distance for my eye to move if I make the mistake of looking at the target.

[RobinC]

I don't think anyone at a decent level uses a centre aim.

A couple of suggestions, first glasses. If you use shooting glasses have you got the focus set at the focal length of the foresights? If not this is key to keeping concentration on the sights. A bonus is if like me your vision is predominantly long sighted with the prescription set for the forsight you can only see the target as a fuzzy blur any way!

If you use an iris, Don't! As that helps you get sharper on the aiming mark.

If all above is correct, try a very low aiming point, I, and I know I'm not alone, as many top level shooters also use an aiming point close to the bottom of the card, the 2 or 3 ring. A true area aim. The problem with a direct sub 6 is you are trying to ballance the sight picture just under the aiming mark, and its easy to get sucked into looking at it.
Practice on a blank card, a reversed card, you may find you get tighter groups doing this than with an aiming mark, practice that with a very low aim. Using the very low aim elevation is easier to judge as you can see the bottom of the card if you drop to what would be a 7/8, it just takes a bit of practice and discipline to not be drawn up.
Good Shooting
Robin

[Hemmers]

Yeah, with a centre-hold you will find it very difficult to accurately discern where centre actually is. You will likely get vertical stringing as it will be very difficult to gauge high and low with the sights blocking out half the target. I don't know that's it's used at all at high level competition these days.

If sub-6 doesn't work for you, then go sub-sub-6. There's nothing to say you have to be lining up with the bottom of the black aiming mark (7-ring). Some people aim lower (as far down as the 2/3/4 ring). They feel they can get better consistency out of it and better gauge the distance to the black. As Robin says, a very low aim may stop you getting distracted by the target!

It sounds like you may also be getting into a learnt bad-habit where you start to instinctively flick your eyes to the target as you take the shot, almost because you're expecting to or trying not to! If that's the case, as Robin says, shoot at a blank card and just focus on the shot process, including maintaining your point of focus on the foresight and ensure that you are carrying out a technically perfect shot without worrying about aiming marks. Once that's second nature, then worry about actually putting them in the middle of a target.

[silvershooter]

Robin and Hemmers
Thanks for your advice.Yes I am also long sighted, and cross dominant, (right handed) to make it more complicated. My left eye focusses perfectly on the foresight, my right eye is not good enough. So I am very side on to the target. I don't use glasses at the moment.

I have been told to practice on a blank card before so that's what I must do. At least I needn't waste time on the centre hold.

Robin What did you mean here ? Using the very low aim elevation is easier to judge as you can see the bottom of the card if you drop to what would be a 7/8

[markwarren]

I only ever use centre hold when I shoot 6 yard which is just for a bit of fun. I centre hold to save me having to adjust my sights from my 10m settings. When I do this though I really struggle to see my sight picture due to the black on black and it shows in my results.

Having read the two posts above I will try the sub sub 6 aiming. Currently I aim sub-6 and I do sometimes flick from the foresight to the target and this may help to alleviate that. I do dry fire at home against a plain background which has helps me no end, but there are times when my eye just says 'no I'm going to focus on the target' !! I then have to re-start the shot process again.

[RobinC]

Robin What did you mean here ? Using the very low aim elevation is easier to judge as you can see the bottom of the card if you drop to what would be a 7/8

I should have put a coma in! Using the very low aim, i.e. the low sight picture, it is easier to judge elevation. If the sight picture drops a little on the card, it is very easy to see that it has dropped as your sight picture starts to include the base of the card, so you can reject the shot. With a sub six if that drops, unless you are looking at the aiming mark (catch 22!) its not so easy to notice.
I would also strongly consider using shooting glasses with a prescription at focal length of the foresight, most good opticians will do a test to find that, some (mine does) will let you bring in your air pistol to test the focus. The fore sight is then nice and sharp, and there is a nice fuzzy blur in the general direction of the aiming mark. You don't care as you will use the shape of the white card to align on.
White card practice is great irrespective of any thing else you may do.

PS. The only time I look at the aiming mark is a glance as I lower the sights across it to check that my natural point of aim is correct, i.e. I cross it centrally.
Good shooting
Robin

[zooma]

Lots of good avice here!

With my (assisted) eyesight, focusing on the black is not an option for me (!) so this is not a concern for me to worry about.

I usually area aim about 2 rings below the black and only focus on the front sight. I use shooting glasses that my optician glazed after he measured my focus to the front sight of my P44 when held in the usual shooting position.

The idea of aiming even deeper has crossed my mind many times before, and I think I will give it a try very soon to see if it helps me.

Maybe I will drop down to about 4 rings under the black and see how things go to start with, and consider going even deeper it it works for me.

[RobinC]

I had also considered trying an over 12 hold!! This was the extreme idea to get away from focus being drawn to the aiming mark! At the time I was shooting good scores on the back of the card as practice ( even managed a possible!) so thought, why do I need the aiming mark? Only because the match rules stop me shooting on the back of the card!
Not sure if the sight adjustment on my Steyr would have let me do it, never tried it, as muscular problems in my right arm got there first.
Fun, shooting isn't it!
Robin

[zooma]

[QUOTE=RobinC;5249120]I had also considered trying an over 12 hold!! This was the extreme idea to get away from focus being drawn to the aiming mark! At the time I was shooting good scores on the back of the card as practice ( even managed a possible!) so thought, why do I need the aiming mark? Only because the match rules stop me shooting on the back of the card!
Not sure if the sight adjustment on my Steyr would have let me do it, never tried it, as muscular problems in my right arm got there first.
Fun, shooting isn't it?


Now that does sound like a radically different way of looking at sighting the pistol, and the logic is sound as well.

I might just give that a try to see how I get on.

"nothing ventured - nothing gained" as they say!

[silvershooter]

At the time I was shooting good scores on the back of the card as practice ( even managed a possible!) so thought, why do I need the aiming mark? Only because the match rules stop me shooting on the back of the card!

Hi Robin, Here is the solution to that







http://pistolaneumatica.blogcindario...piddubnyi.html

3. The shot "only" without aim.
The coach has to prepare a piece of paper 5 cm. x 7 cm. so. One side of the paper is to bend at an angle of 90 °, forming an edge from 5 to 6 mm across. This edge will help the coach to put the paper in the correct position. Seeing that the shooter is leveling the gun in the shooting, the coach put the bar up the paper and prevents the rear sight to see the target shooter. The shooter is firing without seeing the target, but he can control all the sights.

[silvershooter]

Here is the result of that exercise:-

[zooma]

Hey is that your shooting with the C25 Silvershooter?

[silvershooter]

Hey is that your shooting with the C25 Silvershooter?

I wish.

This is an excellent site, it's in Spanish, but Google Chrome does a good translation.

http://pistolaneumatica.blogcindario...piddubnyi.html