Sight picture and sight alignment are crucial aspects of marksmanship and defensive firearms training. These fundamentals, often overshadowed by trigger control and grip, are essential for achieving precision and accuracy. Let’s delve into the details of sight picture and alignment.
What Are Sights?
Sights are those small protrusions atop the firearm slide, and they play a pivotal role in guiding projectiles to their intended targets. Without proper sight management, you will not hit the target, which can be more than disappointing in a self-defense shooting. It would be dangerous.
Front sights can vary in design. On older handguns, the front sight may be a half-moon. A more advanced modern sight is one that gathers ambient light in a fiber optic. There are also simple target sights, such as undercut ramp sights and gold bead front sights. Another sight option is that of a self-luminous with tritium inserts. Rear sights are most often a simple notch, a U-notch or express type.
What Is Sight Alignment?
Regardless of the sight on your concealed carry gun, aiming principles remain the same. Sight alignment means the front and rear sights are properly lined up. Imagine a line drawn across the top of the rear posts and the front posts. When properly aligned, an equal amount of light should be present on each side of the front post in the rear sight notch. Being off even a small fraction can cause you to miss the intended aiming point.
Deviation from the perfect sight picture is amplified by range. The farther away the target, the greater the degree of a miss. Horizontal alignment is achieved by keeping the light equal on each side of the sight. Keeping the top of the posts lined properly will result in vertical alignment.
What Is Sight Picture?
Sight picture is the superimposition of the sights on a target. A common mistake is aiming at the entire target or threat rather than focusing on a specific area. Aim for a clearly defined area of a practice target or center of mass on a threat. Creating an effective sight picture requires focus. First, align the sights as discussed. Then place the sights on the target with the front post just beneath the small area of the target you intend to shoot. Do not focus on the target but on the front sight. The rear sight will be blurred a little, and the target will appear fuzzy. All focus in on the front sight.
In combat scenarios, the front sight should break the plane between your eyes and the target as the handgun is drawn, firing when alignment and picture seamlessly agree. Visualize an imaginary plane connecting your eye, the rear sight, the front sight and the target. Although sight alignment and sight picture may seem like a single motion, they are distinct stages that need to be mastered for precision shooting.
Optimal Sight Holds
Avoid allowing the front post to become clocked or canted to one side or the other. The usual hold on target is the six o’clock hold. The six o’clock hold is a conventional aiming technique, where the front sight is placed at the six o’clock position on the target. This is common in target guns and most defensive guns.
As an example, the 1911A1 service pistol is usually sighted for the six o’clock load making it fire a bit above the front sight in combat shooting. At 50 yards — combat distance — the pistol would be more or less on target, providing more versatility. However, many modern handguns feature a dead-on hold. Hold the front post on the center of the bullseye and you will get a hit in the center.
Modified Sight Picture and Sight Alignment
In certain scenarios, particularly at close range or in low-light conditions, modifications to sight picture and alignment may be necessary for fast shooting. Aligning the slide or revolver cylinder is common for rapid shooting at close distances, while using only the front sight becomes crucial at six to seven feet. This tactic, focusing on the front sight while aiming at the belt buckle or abdomen area, ensures quick shots even when proper alignment is challenging.
The distance between the front and rear sights, known as sight radius, affects accuracy. Most front sights are .100 to .105 inch wide. At longer ranges, a wide front sight may completely cover the spot you want to hit. A longer sight radius offers better theoretical precision, while a shorter radius may compromise accuracy. Understanding the impact of sight radius on your firearm is crucial, especially when making decisions about modifications or selecting a new firearm.
Mastering the Basics
No component is more critical to marksmanship than sight alignment and sight picture. Dry-fire drills, which do not require pulling the trigger, are valuable for practicing sight alignment. Focus on holding the proper amount of light between the sights and placing the front sight precisely on the target.
Combining dry-fire, live-fire and slow-fire drills will help you master the foundations of marksmanship. As you refine your skills, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to consistently hit your target. Whether you’re focused on self-defense or entering the realm of tactical or competition shooting, a solid grasp of sight alignment and sight picture will be your key to success.
