• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • Training
        • In-Person Training
        • Tactical Training Classes
        • The Journey: Season 1
        • Tactical Hyve's The Journey
        • Training Guides
          • Basics
          • Personal Defense
          • CCW
          • Accuracy
          • Speed
          • Combatives
        • Training Videos
          • Billy's Tips
          • Byron's Tips
          • Coch's Tips
          • Dave's Tips
          • Fred's Tips
          • Greg's Tips
          • Jason's Tips
          • Joe's Tips
          • Matt's Tips
          • Myles's Tips
          • Scott's Tips
          • View All
  • Reviews
        • Class Reviews
        • Class Reviews
        • Gun Reviews
        • Gun Reviews
        • Gear Reviews
        • Tactical Gear Reviews
        • Vetted Directory
        • Tactical Training Directory
  • About
        • Our Story
        • About Tactical Hyve
        • Our Experts
        • Tactical Hyve Subject Matter Experts
  • Shop
        • Online Training
        • Online Firearms Training
        • Tactical Hyve Store
        • Tactical Hyve Apparel
  • Newsletter
  • Hyve Forums

Tactical Hyve

You are here: Home / Training / Accuracy / The Non-Technical Sight Picture: Hard Target Focus

The Non-Technical Sight Picture: Hard Target Focus

by Scott Satterlee 4 Comments

The non-technical sight picture: hard target focus.

Editor's Note: This topic is hot and heavy right now on the Internet. The information Scott shares is valuable, but if you're a beginner, please keep in mind that you must learn the rules first before you can break them. We highly recommend starting to learn using a traditional, hard front sight focus. As you gain more experience, Scott's article will make even more sense.

Some folks call it “point shooting” or “instinctive shooting,” which couldn’t be further from the truth.

Having a target dominated sight picture is very simple and critical to learning.

In a high-stress environment where fractions of a second really matter and your ability to identify your threat and assess where to put the bullet are critical, you will naturally opt to a non-technical sight picture.

So, let’s train it and start using our sights at the subconscious level. The old adage of “accuracy is final” is very true, but if the accuracy is delivered too slow, then that could be equally as final.

Accuracy

Accuracy is achieving desired effects on your intended target.

In the competition world that could be anything from a small group, A Zone, X Ring or a simple steel ring.

In the defensive or combat world, it’s as simple as reducing the threat. 

Sight Alignment 

When we speak of sight alignment, we have 4 items to line up: The target, front sight, rear sight, and our dominant eye.

The front sight post should be aligned evenly in between the rear sight notch. The top of the post should be even with the top of the notch, and both the front and rear sights should be lined up directly in front of your dominant eye.

Proper pistol sight alignment

Sight Picture 

When it comes to sight picture, superimpose your aligned post and notch over where you desire the round to go, typically either a combat hold, center/standard hold or a 6 o’clock (popsicle) hold.

Different sight picture holds

The real work comes in deciding where to place your focal plane.

There are three different areas of focus: hard sight focus, hard target focus, and somewhere in between.  Here, we'll be discussing hard sight focus and hard target focus.

Hard Sight Focus

Hard sight focus is the traditional sight focus we are all used to. This is where the target is blurry and the front sight is crystal clear.

Hard front sight focus

This sight picture will give you the most accurate shot and should be used for harder targets, either small or far away.

The disadvantage to using this is that it takes longer to acquire and you lose situational awareness of what’s around you. This occurs because your Focal plane is only 18” in front of your face.

Hard Target Focus

Hard target focus is the opposite of hard sight focus. With this sight picture, your focal plane is on the target and you disrupt your line of sight with the sights.

Hard target focus

We are still using a post in notch technique, but both sights remain blurry.

This is very fast and effective for closer shots and transitioning from target to target because you don’t have to keep shifting your focus back and forth between target and sights.

Simply interrupt your vision of the intended target with your sights.

It also helps you maintain peripheral vision and situational awareness on the threat and your surroundings. When target ID is more important than pure accuracy, and engagement speed has to be high, use the target dominated sight picture.

Note: When we talk about picking a target it should be relatively small. I like the A Zone in an IPSC target, 6” dots or 10” steel. Unless I’m working on speed, then I use A/B zone steel.

Drills to Work On Hard Target Focus

Now that you understand the differences between a hard target focus sight picture versus a hard front sight focus, let's talk about some drills to help you improve your target focused shooting.

Sight Picture Transition Drill

This can be a dry fire or live-fire drill. I recommend doing both at a wide range of distances in order to assess where your accuracy degrades to an unacceptable level. 

  1. Pick your target and maintain your focus on your intended target.
  2. Draw and interrupt your vision to the target with your sights.
  3. Alternate between target focus and front sight focus in order to get used to the difference. 
  4. Live fire the drill with the first shot target focused, and watch the round impact, then take the second shoot with a hard front sight focus.
  5. Holster and repeat.

Walk It Out and Back Drill

  1. Place targets at 5, 10 and 15 yards
  2. Draw and work your way from 5 to 15 yards and back using a target-focused sight picture.
  3. Alternate between a front sight focused and target focused sight picture for the entire iteration.

As we get used to this drill we can set another target at 20 yards and use multiple techniques, i.e. 5 and 10-yard target dominated, 15 intermediate and 20-yard front sight dominated.

Threat ID

You will need a buddy for this drill, and we will need to shoot a standard El Prez as a qualifier and get an average par time. 

  1. Set up three IPSC targets, 1 yard apart at 10 yards
  2. Shooter starts with his or her back to the targets. On the buzzer, the shooter will turn and engage the three targets with two rounds each. We need the shooter to go as fast as they can but maintain the A zone. This will be your par time.

Once a par time has been established, we’ll modify the drill to include non-threat targets. 

I like to use five cartoon targets, but you can use anything. The traditional white-side, non-threat target will not get the job done, though. What we’re looking for is a lethal threat. 

Print some knives and guns that you can tape or spray glue to whichever target you have.

Then, have your buddy randomize the threat and non-threat targets after each run. Consider employing:

  • 0 to 5 threats
  • Multiple distances
  • Threat prioritization (Knife vs. Shotgun or 3 yards v 20 yards)

This drill has endless possibilities.

The key is to learn to use your eyes and enforce the par time, especially for the first shot.

Filed Under: Accuracy, Speed Tagged With: target vs front sight focus

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. dave says

    at

    good info thank you

    Reply
    • Myles says

      at

      Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  2. Bham says

    at

    Will do.

    Reply
  3. Eros Calzolari says

    at

    ery nice article.. will love to do a class in italy using your method .. thanks

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

FOLLOW US

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
4 Rules of Gun Safety

Popular Posts

Tactical Hyve: "The Journey" - Episode 1 with Retired Navy SEAL Coch

“The Journey” Episode #1: Intro to Combat Pistol with Retired Navy SEAL Mark Cochiolo

Yousef Badou

“The Journey” Ep 10: Situational Awareness 101 with Yousef Badou

"The Journey" Episode 2: Intro to Carbine with Retired Navy SEAL Mark Cochiolo

“The Journey” Episode #2: Intro to Carbine with Retired Navy SEAL Mark Cochiolo

4 TRIGGER MANIPULATIONS 🔫⁣ Check out our late 4 TRIGGER MANIPULATIONS 🔫⁣
Check out our latest video (link in bio) to learn about four different trigger manipulations you can use when shooting.
First it was the mini-canon, now there is this.... First it was the mini-canon, now there is this....need to find this ASAP. 

Credit: @santlbc
SHOOT MULTIPLE TARGETS FASTER ⚡🔥💥⁣ In ou SHOOT MULTIPLE TARGETS FASTER ⚡🔥💥⁣
In our latest video, learn some tips to engage multiple targets faster. (Link in bio.)
SAN DIEGO, PHOENIX, & THE CHICAGOLAND 🔫🇺🇸 SAN DIEGO, PHOENIX, & THE CHICAGOLAND 🔫🇺🇸⚔️
Get trained! Check out our upcoming classes on our site. Head to "Training" then "In-Person Training” to see our current class offerings.

Coming up this month and in May:

San Diego:
- April 24: Intro to Force on Force Training (4 spots left)
- April 25: Pistol Skill Development 2 (4 spots left)
- April 24-25: Precision Rifle 1: Mastering the Fundamentals (5 spots left)

Phoenix:
- April 30: Pistol Skill Development 1 (SOLD OUT, but two spots just added)
- May 1-2: Tactical Pistol & Carbine (Day/Night Shoot) (3 spots left)

Chicagoland:
- May 28: Pistol Skill Development 1 (4 spots left)
- May 29-30: Force on Force: Defensive Scenarios 1 (SOLD OUT, but we may add a second class due to the large waitlist. If you are interested, please put yourself on the waitlist.)

#tacticalhyve #tachyve #firearmstraining #tacticaltraining #forceonforce #pistol #rifle #lowlightshooting #precisionrifle #ar15 #ar10 #9mm #pewpew #pewpewlife #gunlife #carbine #longgun #boltgun #training #trainingday #noexcuses #selfdefense #practicalshooting #sheepdog #protect
Sad...Across the globe, it seems like we are seein Sad...Across the globe, it seems like we are seeing more and more muggings.

Please stay alert, and stay safe out there.

#tacticalhyve #tachyve #staysafe #selfdefense #alert #bealert #situationalawareness #robbery #crime #violence
So you think you’re ready? Well, are you ready f So you think you’re ready? Well, are you ready for this 🐒? 🤣🤣🤣
Intro to Force-On-Force Training Class! 🔥💥🔥⁣
We're holding a special 1-day class in San Diego on Saturday, April 24 (link in bio) for those of you who have wanted to dive into the world of force-on-force.⁣
⁣
You'll learn how it feels to be involved in a deadly encounter and you'll learn valuable problem solving and split-second decision making skills.⁣
⁣
This class acts as a primer for our full weekend force-on-force classes.⁣
⁣
You do not need any experience and you will not need any ammo for this class! We will provide the non-lethal marking rounds along with pistols that have been converted to shoot non-lethal rounds.⁣
⁣
Get more info and enroll through the link in our bio.⁣
⁣
Only a few spots left!
Account impersonating Tactical Hyve 🚨🚨🚨 Account impersonating Tactical Hyve 🚨🚨🚨
COMMON SHOTGUN MISTAKES⁣ Do you run a shotgun? J COMMON SHOTGUN MISTAKES⁣
Do you run a shotgun? Joe Farewell (@joe_farewell), former SWAT Member and 3-Gun National Champion, shares a number of common shotgun mistakes in this video (link in bio.)
Connect with us on Instagram!

Footer

Tactical Training

Training Videos

Training Guides

The Journey: Season 1

Tactical Training Classes

FREE New Shooter’s Online Course

Tactical Reviews

Class Reviews

Gun Reviews

Gear Reviews

Vetted Directory

Resources

Hyve Forums

Our Experts

Shop Tactical Hyve Swag

Online Tactical Training

Newsletter

About Tactical Hyve

Contact Us

Disclaimers & Disclosures

Terms of Use

Privacy Policy


235 W. Market Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Email: info@tacticalhyve.com

Copyright © 2021 · Tactical Hyve

This copyrighted material may not be republished without express permission. The information presented here is for general educational and informational purposes only. What you do with the information is your responsibility.

MATERIAL CONNECTION DISCLOSURE: While we will only showcase products and services we believe in and use, you should assume that this website has an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection to the persons or businesses mentioned in or linked to from this page and may receive commissions from purchases you make on subsequent web sites. You should not rely solely on information contained in this website to evaluate the product or service being endorsed. Always exercise due diligence before purchasing any product or service. This website contains advertisements.