Follow the dot?

Look at the dot? Look thru the dot? Look at the target then the dot? I was at a match last week and was told by a shooting buddy to concentrate on the X and lead the dot to it. I have also been told to look the dot onto the X. Which has worked for you? Tried one way and went to another? Thanks for any advise.

My UD's are turned down real low, like around #3 and I also wear vermillion shooting glasses.
I focus on the dot but can actually see the X, kind of like a ghost image if you will.
Found that my concentration was better this way instead of a brighter dot to stare at.
Just need to figure out what works best for you.
It takes time.

Oh, by the way, have we shot together at PRGC ?

Clarence

Focus on the X let the dot come to it. I have my dot turned down real low and set on 2 MOA. On one cloudy day I learned not to turn it down too low when the sun came out in the middle of my string LOL!

- Dave

Look at the target. Also talking with my son, coach of AMU Pistol team his advise is look at the target! I also like to keep the dot low intensity, just enough to quickly pick it up at the short line.

 Frank

optics are the reverse of irons.

optics=X, irons=front sight.

I watch the dot. Too many years of shooting iron sights for anything else to make sense.

I also concentrate my conscious mind on squeezing the trigger, and kinda let the subconscious take care of the sights/dot.

YMMV

I have tried both.  Spent almost 3 years with concentrating on the target versus the dot.  Like John, learned on open sights. 

I decided to go with concentrating on the dot like the front sight and the black like the rear sight.

Unlike John, I seem to perform better when concentrating on the sight (dot or front) and the trigger is taken care of by the subconscious.

Everyone should experiment and see what works best.

The big learning point is being able to see the front sight lift out of the notch or the dot begin to move away from the center when the gun begins to recoil.  Real progress begins when we can see the sights lift.

Dear Kohler:

Think about this....

As you hold your dot up against the target, try and figure out how much time the dot is within each ring of the bull......IE  80 % of the time it is in the 10 ring.   90% of the time it is in the 9 ring or the 10 ring.  95 percent of the time its an 8 or better and 100 percent of the time it is a 7 ring.  Now, with this scenario, you do the math, and you will score a 95 or better on the slow fire target.  Put your own observed percentages in and figure it out for yourself!

What is this telling you?

What it means is that you are holding your firearm pretty good at the target but your trigger squeeze is messing it up cause your not scoring 95 on your slow fires!

Therefore, what you need to do is concentrate on delivering the most perfect trigger squeeze!  Don't worry where the dot is, long as it is close. 

Watch the dot, wait for bang!


Check out a more detailed discussion on my pistol team website. 

Sincerely,
Cranky

Yes one of the most important functions of shooting a good shot is to make the perfect trigger squeeze. Pull length and finger placement is very important. I often discuss the subject with my son. First the grip, then get the trigger pull length adjusted by what ever means required (install the correct length trigger in a 1911, get the solid type it's cheaper and easier to modify) Adjusting the grip to get better trigger finger location is not a good idea.
 Look at the dot or look at the target will get into a Ford/Chevy debate. You can better decide which is better for you but most of the top AMU shooters look at the target.
 At one time I was my son's instructor, coached him to a 2639 Junior Record. However now he is my coach and I get information from him. For a long time I tried to look at the dot but being the both seem to be in focus I wasn't sure where I was looking, now with my son's advise I look at the target.

When I shoot my dot looks like it is in the same plane as my target.   I figure that your supposed to watch the front sight so why not watch the dot. Not saying anyway is correct and I think everyone has to figure out what works best for themselves.  Anyways this last weekend I was practicing and towards the end I noticed I was seeing muzzle blast.  First time I remember seeing it and it was because my eyes switched to the target by accident.  Don't know if my eyes follow the dot and that is why I haven't seen the blast before.  Something to work on and see what is a better way for me.  This is what is so great about this site.  All the ideas......