Diminishing skill...

[shootnlead]

I'll declare, if things continue the way they have been going, I will soon have to carry a shotgun for concealed carry. I was just out shooting and it was reiterated to me, through demonstrated performance...that my ability to shoot small revolvers is steadily marching backward. I have a .357 LCR that I used to could shoot acceptably well...nothing outstanding, but I would not embarrass myself. Today, the way that I was shooting, with .38sp and light magnum loads, if someone had decided to jump me...I would have had to run toward them to shoot, for them to have been in any danger. It used to not be this way.

 

[Brad]

Reality has a nasty habit of reminding us we aren't as young as we used to be.
While I would love to be 10 years young I would hate to lose those 10 years of accumulated wisdom and knowledge.

 

[Cherokee]

I can still punch out a 10-ring at 7 yd with mostly X's, but I once could do that at 25 yd.

 

[shootnlead]

I can still punch out a 10-ring at 7 yd with mostly X's, but I once could do that at 25 yd.

I can do it too...7 or 25yds...with this 3.5" .44 Special...but not the LCR. That double action trigger and short barrel...gang up on me.

 

[smokeywolf]

Both my boys out-shoot me with a pistol now.

Bein' an old guy with teenage boys, I've learned that although I was once fairly proud of what I could do with a pistol, I'm now quite proud of what my teenage boys can do.

It's not a bad trade.

 

[shootnlead]

Both my boys out-shoot me with a pistol now.

Bein' an old guy with teenage boys, I've learned that although I was once fairly proud of what I could do with a pistol, I'm now quite proud of what my teenage boys can do.

It's not a bad trade.

I agree...my son really is better shot than I ever was...of course, he has shot a lot more than I had, at his age. I really enjoy watching him shoot...makes it look so easy. He was going with me and shooting steel challenge matches when he was in 9th grade...all of that shooting really helped him develop into a top notch shooter.

 

[JWFilips]

shootnlead,
That isn't a problem at all ! Anytime the situation arises SERIOUSLY.... CHARGE the assailant! (Which throws his whole plan out of wack) and take him at 5 to 7 yards. 3 shots mid torso
I as well as my wife practice doing this! It is either that or run away zig zag! I rather not run That is what they expect you will do

 

[fiver]

it is real hard to shoot behind yourself.
moving left or right not so bad.
but one handing it twisted around makes it almost impossible to hit a target.

I tried shooting with my reading glasses on today.
the sights are a lot clearer but the target is waay more fuzzy.

 

[JWFilips]

I tried shooting with my reading glasses on today.
the sights are a lot clearer but the target is waay more fuzzy.

fiver,
I have tried shooting 20 yds with reading glasses my wife gave me . I put these on over my regular glasses
Yes the front pistol sight was clear .... the 20yd bull was not ......but I did shoot it better then having the front sight blurry and the target sharp!
Not sure why?
Jim

 

[RicinYakima]

The angular dispersion between the front and rear sight are magnitudes larger than a fuzzy target!

 

[JWFilips]

The angular dispersion between the front and rear sight are magnitudes larger than a fuzzy target!

Ric,
Common man's English?

 

[freebullet]

I use my left eye for handguns. It's focus is set about arms length. Right eye set for distance. I'm doing better than when I had cataracts but, not being able to change the focal point of yer eye sucks. I used to shoot the gp100 @50yds with open sights well enough to kill a deer every single shot. Now it's about 15-20yd but, still improving.

I'm not old enough to be this old.

 

[fiver]

he is saying more daylight on the right or left side of the front sight causes more aiming error.

 

[Ian]

Same reason I have trouble getting under 2-3" at 50 yards with a rear aperture and glinty brass front bead. The indistinct front bead makes it really hard to "aim small" since tiny variations in position against the target bull are difficult to distinguish.

 

[RicinYakima]

JW, a .02" error in your sight picture is 3 inches at 50 yards. Even with my old eyes, I can hold in the same relative blur of the Bullseye within 3 inches at 50 yards. Being able to center the front post into the square notch of the rear sight is more important than being able to see the exact edge of the Bullseye.

 

[Intheshop]

I shoot bows(traditional) with a multi time national champion.He's over 70 and I'm almost 60.We both are not that far from the top of our games....a little,but not a lot.

Practice is a funny thing.I believe the trick is finding your "natural frequency".It sounds easy,and maybe to some it is.For me it's a moving target....with my recurve,give me two days on,two days off.

Handguns....it's been years since taking it serious.Eyesight somewhat aside,I'd need a cpl/3 weeks a month(every day),then twice a week to keep at it.The difference for me is the desire.Handgun practice takes more outta me on the mental side....insert self defamatory joke here...

So,practice like you're on a mission.Which "may" explain in part,the trends in handguning over the last cpl decades(tactical approach).

 

[Winelover]

Best fix for old eyes, IMO, are progressive lenses. Corrected my vision to near what I was at 20 years old. I took to them like a duck to water....Rick, not so much.

Want to shoot tight groups with a belly gun. Get a set of Crimson Trace laser Grips. Have them on all my CC revolvers, including a 357 LCR.



I shot this group, yesterday, testing a couple different loads for my 44 Special CA 2 1/2" Bulldog (DAO)

Ten yards sitting, using CT laser grips, from waist level. Using Lab Radar unit atop a block of cedar. Didn't want to cart a tripod out to the backyard berm. Wasn't interested in tiny groups, more interested in velocity.

Load was 13 grains of 2400, WLP primer, 250 Lyman RNPF and 265 NOE RNFP. Velocity was an average of 818 and 828 fps, respectively. Not a comfortable load, by any stretch of the imagination, in a 21 ounce revolver.

 

[Richinsd]

A stick on or clip aperture on the glasses does wonders at the target line. Course one might not have time to call a time out in a serious social exchange.

 

[popper]

If I can see a single front sight for pistol I'm happy. Does eye lens replacement help any? For a perp - if you have time to aim, probably shouldn't shoot. Point & click @ close range - single handed, either hand, no glasses.