This is something I also always taught, using the analogy that one of the things we do most is write our signature and look how most of those are. Unless you try to improve each time, you will make the same mistakes.txinvestigator wrote:Skip, I agree to an extent; however, practice does not make perfect. PERFECT practice makes perfect. Shooting often with bad habits and improper technique won't make a person better.
Another thing I taught is to build muscle memory, that is, wear your weapon in a similar area all the time (when I first made Detective I bought a "cool" jackass rig. The first time I really needed the gun I went for my 3 o'clock belt area. I was lucky. Under pressure you lose fine motor skills and do what was trained.). With an empty gun, (or a red gun) draw and present, check your sights. Make correction until your front sight is on target and hold it for a while. Practice over and over until you are very close to target without correction. It may take days, weeks, or months (some never get it), but you will be able to get on target fast, with with small flash front sight correction, if needed. Remember, longer distance will need more front sight concentration.
My teaching theory on this is, as a small child the first way to tell someone that you want something is to point at it (those with young children can varify). If you point at something, look down your index finger as if it were the barrel of a gun, and you will see it is very close to "on target". Now, as we all know, we should have our finger outside the trigger guard, and alongside the frame as we draw, and present. If you have a handgun with a "natural point" you should be very close. I love my Sigs, XDs and the 1911 for this reason. Practice, practice, practice. I hadn't carried my P226 and my duty rig in almost 8 years, but when I had to qualify for LEOSA it all came back. I do still practice muscle memory with a P226 redgun, and airsoft.