1911 More Accurate Shooting

MarkA

MarkA

New member
What is the best route for someone that wants to shoot pistols accurately. I am 56, darn it, not 26. Like many ‘Boomers’ my arms are not long enough to see well at close distance anymore. Glasses are required, usually just Wally World cheaters. I am trying very hard to learn to shoot 1911 style pistols. I read that to shoot accurately you have to focus and concentrate on the front sight. To do this, focus on front sight, I have to wear my reading glasses. Although the target gets fuzzy, I can see the sight and am more accurate.

Question: Is it OK to wear my glasses this way?

Questin: My 1911 (SA 1911-A1 FL) has just plain black sights, are there better sights? If so type and brand please.
 
Mark,
There are some basic's such as stance, grip, sight alinement, trigger control, and breathing control. More than a simple post could relate. There are books and long video's on the subject. A good experienced shooter who has some teaching/coaching skills could help.

I can't help with the vision and eye glass question.

Good high visability plain black sights are the preferred choice of actual target shooters. Does your Springfield have adjustable target sights or the carry style Novak sight? either should do well enough for your purposes unless you intend to get into some heavy competition. BTW, did you understand the overtravel "adjustable" trigger reply I made regarding your pistol's trigger question you posted awhile back??
 
You are correct about the focus on the front sight being the way to go. The problem with using the 'cheater' classes is that target identification could be a problem. This may be of little importance if you are shooting cans or bullseyes (unless there are multiple bulleyes down range), but could be of extreme importance if shooting at game or for self defense purposes.

It may be time to get 'real' glasses. I am 56 and finally had to take the plunge a few years ago. I got progress lenses, so a simple tilt of the head will change my focus from the front sight to the target (or anything at any distance, for that matter). I shoot handguns competitively (IDPA), and nothing beats the progressive lens, IMHO.
 
Thanks All and Yes Sir bhk did understand your meaning. Lots to get used to on these critters. My sights are the fully adjustable ones. Hope to try it out tonight on some West Texas Jacks, and I am gonna break down and go to eye doc (going to the doc sucks)!
 
This may be of some assistance as well.

correctionchartlogosmall8tl.jpg
 
See a good optometrist or opthomalogist who is familiar with shooting sports (call your state licencing board for names). Proper glasses designed with shooting in mind will improve your abilities tremendously and keep you in the game.

Good shooting.

Leon
 
Front sight? There's a front sight????

Ha! Yes, it can be a problem. Tritium sights won't help, but a fiber optic front sight might, a little, but its not the best answer.

Here ya go:

Decot Hy-Wyd in Phoenix. 800-955-1901

www.sportglasses.com

These are real shooting glasses for us geezers. They are inverted progressive prescription glasses of very high quality. I read an artical about these several issues ago in Front Sight (USPSA's journal). They will pretty much eliminate the need to "position" your head and eyes while attempting to find the part of your lenses that lets you see the sights. You just hold your head naturally and you can see 'em fine.
 
You may want to try one of the ghost ring rear sights and this will let you focus on the front sight and target. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
If you can get your lenses such that the front sight appears very sharp, and the target is not too blurry, that is what you want. If you can accomplish a focus shift from your target back to your sight by eye focus without having to use different parts of the lense, that would work best. I'm not familiar with what can be done with glasses in that regard, but try your best.
 
HD, nice reference chart. One Question. would the results of everything but the top center and bottom center be reversed for a left hand shooter
 
I can't remember which shooting mag, but it was within the last couple months, mentioned a device you put on the lens of your glasses. It's something like a peep sight that I believe is supposed to help in such cases. I'll see if I can dig the magazine out of my footlocker. I'm still "grounded" for the next couple of weeks (pending medical appointments) so I'm not hurting for time.
 
Lastly, of course, you can always get one of those "red dot" electro-optical sights mounted on your pistol. This will eliminate the sight alignment problem and allow you to work on pure marksmanship (placing bullet on target).

NRA .45cal pistol shooters use the red-dot sights at Camp Perry and USPSA "Open" Division shooters typically use some type of red-dot sight. It is a simple thing to get one of these mounted and zeroed. No big deal. The enhancement in your ability to hit the target is incredible. Maybe give it a go.

For field use, a red-dot sight would be superior to the iron sights on your pistol. All you have to do is place the "dot" (or aiming reticle) in the correct location in reference to target and distance and then press the trigger and follow through, to get your hits.

In my youth, I have hit small birds at 50 yards with my accurized .45s but now I would not attempt it without special lens shooting glasses (that I have).

Hope this helps,
 
Here is a drill I used to do all the time, it works. Some think it wont work, just try it you if you feel like it.

Make a tiny dot on the center of a 4" square of white paper, with a sharp pencil. Make sure your gun is totally empty of ammo.
Holding your handgun in one hand, "muzzle load" the pencil down the barrel,hold it about 3-6 inches from the target, set that tiny dot on the perfect center of the front sight. shoot, the hammer blow will launch the "Pencil" bullet. DO NOT LOOK at the target until you "click" 5 times. Look at your target
Did you hit the same spot, evertime?
Assuming you are in a correct stance, move your rear foot, pivot on the front foot, for left and right correction.
Once you are aligned(left /right)move the target to the proper height for you( by using the distance you shoot high or low.
You can do this a 100 times easy in a few minutes (once you do it once) no noise/ no cost. In a 1911 I do not think you are hurting anything by dry fire, if it bugs you geta snap cap. Nice side is on 1911 you just pull the hammer back, no reloading the mag and snap cap.
Anyhooooooo, works for me.
Carl
You will improve! Hey try it a few times
 
Last edited:
BRONCO

BOTH LYMAN AND MERIT PRODUCE THE PRODUCT YOU ARE REFERIMG TO. BOTH ARE AVAILABLE FROM BROWNELLS. www.brownells.com.

MERITS IS CALLED THE SIGHT SAVER. I KNOW SILHOUETTE SHOOTERS THAT HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR YEARS. IT ALSO PROMOTES BOTH EYES OPEN SHOOTING WHICH IS THE CORRECT WAY AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. LET THE FLAMES BEGIN.LOL HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED LATHAM AND KOENIG AT THE LINE, NO ONE EYED CRAP THERE. MERELY COVERING THE NON DOMINANT EYE BUT KEEPING IT OPEN WILL HELP YOUR SHOOTING. IT KEEPS THE SIGHTS CLEARER. BUT MY FIRST STEP WOULD BE TO SHOOT WITH BOTH EYES OPEN. IF THAT DOESN'T WORK TRY THE SIGHT SAVER NEXT.

I HAVE THE OLD EYE SYNDROME ALONG WITH GLAUCOMA SO I'VE TRIED EVERY CRUTCH IN THE WORLD. ALONG WITH INTENSIVE PRACTICE AND TRAINING I'M A BETTER SHOOTER NOW THAN WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, AND I'M PUSHING 70.
 
MarkA:

Just to add, you might want to stroll over to BE's forums (www.brianenos.com/forums) as there are a number of pistoleros there that can also help with suggestions. I did see a similar question about aging eyes and difficulty with sights.

Worst case scenario, it's pretty easy to have a red-dot/optical sight mounted to a 1911. Pretty common addition considering nearly all of the USPSA Open class shooters run 1911 style platforms with optics.

Edit to add:
Here are a couple threads that may help:
http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7655
http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18742
 
Last edited:
BRONCO

THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP ON THE ENOS WEBSITE, LOTS OF INTERESTING INFO THERE.

BY THE WAY, I HOPE MR. LEATHAM EXCUSES MY SPELLING MISTAKE ON HIS NAME. OOOOPS!

THANX AGAIN.
 
Quote:

BY THE WAY, I HOPE MR. LEATHAM EXCUSES MY SPELLING MISTAKE ON HIS NAME.



I find it easier simply to refer to him as TGO, The Great One. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Back
Top