The “Four S” Guide to Practical Shooting

Our Video on Practical Shooting

Practical shooting is shooting with a purpose, another end in mind than just getting hits on target. That end can be surviving a gunfight, winning a competition or putting meat on the table. In any of these practical situations time is just as important as accuracy. Distance, angle and position can vary from moment to moment in practical shooting. There are four principles that I have discovered are the key to success; (1) Safety (2) Stability (3) Sight Picture (4) Squeeze. Practical shooting is a “loop process” in that- as soon as you engage one target you start the loop over again with safety.

I Safety

Guns are dangerous, no doubt and safety comes from a rigid application of Colonel Jeff Cooper's four rules of gun safety. But strictly speaking, firearms safety is not the only concern here. Practical shooting does not happen on a square range. When you think safety you have to think about the positions of the other shooters, your buddies or an enemy. You also have to think about cover and concealment and security.

II Stability

The first step to hitting a target is building a good shooting position, stable but relaxed. It pays to master “traditional shooting positions;” the offhand (standing), kneeling, sitting and prone. Practical shooting rarely happens from these traditional positions, if you have a good position you probably aren't behind cover or moving fast enough. BUT your modified positions should be built off the same principles..

III Sight Picture

Sight picture is hard to discuss, because sighting apparatus varies so much now-a-days. It also varies dramatically with distance. If you are shooting a pistol at a seven yard target the entire square frame of your pistol, superimposed over the center off mass of your target is a good sight picture. Seven yards with a red dot? Your target will fill the sight and this is good enough. Microseconds matter. Obviously this changes as the target is further away... a head-shot with iron sights at 100 yards requires a centered and carefully placed front sight.

IV Squeeze

A lot of people think that shooting fast requires jerking the trigger fast, or when you start timing them, they will start doing just that. When the target is close the effect of this is somewhat hidden, as the target moves away (or the target is obscured) it becomes an issue. It is important that when you manipulate the trigger it is a steady pull backwards, producing a surprise break. For fast shooting you need to understand how your trigger resets.

A loop?

Yes, when you are done engaging a target (you are done when your target is down or disappears) you actions need to be immediately moving to the next target. Safety- engaged, where are your buddies, are you under cover? Stability- do I need to move to a new position- am I in as stable a position as I need? And so forth.

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