AAR - Bob Vogel: World Class Pistol Skills - Salina, KS - Sept 7&8 2013

[Mick-Boy]

So Dan512 and I had an interesting day at the range a few days back. I wanted to get some times on target to target transitions and see how black sights compared to various other colors and a front sight with a tritium insert. Unfortunately the pistol with the Tritium FS cracked an Apex extractor right off the bat so it wasn't included.


Task - Determine fastest sight set up that can be run without sacrificing accuracy.

Conditions - Three targets 1M apart. Shooter on the 10M line firing from the low ready.

Standards - Engage all three targets with two rounds each. Shots must hit "C" zone or better.

Each sight variation was shot five times. Total time was looked at in addition to time from target to target (between the 2nd and 3rd shots and between the 4th and 5th shots). I shot the same pistol and used Sharpie paint pens to paint the front sight. All times are in seconds.

Data (in order shot)-

Black (baseline): Avg time - 3.02, Avg Target to target split - 0.635

Pink: Avg time - 2.69, Avg target to target split - 0.567

Orange: Avg time - 2.32, Avg target to target split - 0.463

Green: Avg time - 2.27, Avg target to target split - 0.467

Black (double check baseline): Avg time - 2.10, Avg target to target split - 0.419



So what conclusions do I draw from this (highly unscientific) test?

STOP LOOKING FOR HARDWARE SOLUTIONS TO TRAINING PROBLEMS

Clearly I got a good deal faster just shooting the drill a number of times... I need to stop worrying about which front sight I'm using and just train more target to target transitions.

An interesting side note to our range day; I also shot a drill I like for training my eyes to hang onto the front sight during a multiple round engagement. The COF is 1 IPSC (or "C" zone steel for more fun), shooter at the 10M line at the low ready. On the buzzer engage the target with 10 rounds as fast as possible keeping everything in the "C" (or on the steel). Par time is 3.5 sec. I can usually shoot it in about 2.8 or 2.9.

I shot that drill with the Orange FS and the Black FS. There was almost no variation in my times at all. But I felt like the Orange painted FS was much easier to hang onto. If my trigger finger ever gets any faster that my be something to look at.

[10mm-man]

Nice write ups! Dom said he thinks he could beat his times..... lol All he could say was WOW. Over and over again! I need to get more rounds down range is all I can say.

[dan512]

10mm I am with you. Every now and then I start to get a little uppity and start thinking I'm a pretty good shooter, then watch someone like Bob Vogel do it and remember how much I suck.