The 7 Shooting Fundamentals

The seven fundamentals of pistol shooting are grip, stance, sight alignment, sight picture, breath control, trigger control, and follow through. This article attempts to succinctly explain them. Please note that this has been in my archives for a long time. I do not know from whence it came. I did not write it nor do I seek false accreditation. The idea is to get the information out there.

 

The 7 Shooting FundamentalsAuthor Unknown  

If you’re new to shooting, you’ll be learning about the seven fundamentals that make up a good shot. Each of these elements should be followed for every attempt to improve and maintain consistency. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Grip: When it comes to grip, the most important thing to remember is that you want to grip with enough strength to prevent the pistol from moving during the shot but relaxed enough so that your hand doesn’t shake from the pressure. Here are some tips for better gun grip:

• Make a “v” with your dominant hand; your thumb should be on one side and all the other fingers on the other.
• The gun is placed in the center of the v with the middle, ring, and pinky fingers wrapped around the pistol’s grip.
• Place the area between the joint and the tip of the index finger pad on the trigger. Do not over insert the finger; otherwise, it may cause the other fingers to move and interfere with your shot when you squeeze the trigger.

2. Stance:* Stance is the first fundamental for every shot. Stance refers to the position of your feet and body in relation to the target. All other shooting fundamentals are built upon a steady position when firing. Different shots require different stances, including:

• Bullseye – For the bullseye shooter using only one hand on the gun, the stance is at a 45-degree angle to the target with the feet shoulder-width apart. The thumb of the non-firing hand should anchor securely in the pocket to prevent the free arm from swaying and throwing your shot off- balance.
• Weaver – This stance is for the action shooter with both hands on the gun. The feet are at an angle to the target, the strong arm is straight, and the weak arm is bent. The weaver stance helps lock in the upper body and provides tension in the pistol grip for better recoil control.
• Isosceles – The body is facing directly toward the target in this stance. Both hands are on the gun, and arms are straight out in front of the shooter. The upper body leans slightly forward.

3. Sight alignment: Sight alignment refers to the process of lining up the rear and front sights on the gun. For a well-aimed shot, the shooter must pay attention to the rear sight aperture and how it lines up with the front sight, with most of the focus on the front sight post. The actual target will appear blurry if done correctly as the shooter’s attention is focused on the front sight post. Not all guns have sight-aligned requirements for accuracy, such as red dot sights, which emit an illuminated dot, or a prism sight where the sight places target objects in a circle for aim. If there are no sights to align, the shooter then focuses on a sight picture to prepare the shot.

4. Sight picture: Any shooter who wants a well-aimed shot must have the correct sight picture. The sight picture is the image seen when the sights align with the target. This is true for all types of sights when holding a rifle, handgun, or any other firearm. Sight picture does not rely on the natural ability to shoot. Instead, the shooter utilizes a precise system to center objects in preparation for a shot.

Not all guns have sight-aligned requirements for accuracy, such as red dot sights, which emit an illuminated dot, or a prism sight where the sight places target objects in a circle for aim. If there are no sights to align, the shooter then focuses on a sight picture to prepare the shot.

5. Breath control: In any type of shooting, breath control is extremely important. In general, it’s good to keep a calm, regular breath throughout your preparation, aim, and fire. This helps to:

• Oxygenate the blood – Regular breathing adequately oxygenates the blood, which sharpens vision and keeps you alert.
• Relaxes the nerves – Regular breaths help to relax the muscles and nerves for optimal shots.
• Steady movement – Prevent jerky movements and forced breathing that can quickly mess up your shot.

The optimal moment to pull the trigger is when your breathing cycle reaches a natural pause, like at the end of an exhale. Your aiming breath should be calm and consistent, and the ideal shot fits into your breathing rhythm. It’s not a good idea to hold your breath in or force your breath out. This can create unnecessary tension in your chest muscles or make your body feel like it needs to gasp for air. Working with your natural breathing rhythm allows for a more relaxed shot with less tension and movement in the body.

6. Trigger control: Trigger control involves pressing the trigger to complete the shot without upsetting your sight alignment. There are two main issues when it comes to proper trigger control:

• Pulling – Pulling the gun is caused by placing too much finger on the trigger, causing a hooked finger that pulls the gun to the side when the shot is discharged. This causes your shot to hit to the right of the target.
• Pushing – Pushing is caused by too little finger in the gun, which creates a side push of the trigger instead of straight back, producing a shot that will be hitting left of the target.

The ideal trigger control position allows for independent movement of the index finger with trigger contact on the finger’s pad. This part of the finger is most sensitive and allows for accurate control and discharge of the gun.

7. Follow through: Once you’ve discharged the gun, you want to be sure to follow through with each shot. Follow-through is when you end the shot by keeping the trigger finger fully depressed until your gun has completed recoil and the shooter’s sights are back on the target. Once your sights are back on target, then you can release the trigger.

Follow-through is especially important when more than one shot or sustained fire is the goal. With each follow-through, focusing on trigger control, breath, grip, and aim prevents the shooter from abandoning the shot too early, as well as returning to a pre-firing position to prepare for the next shot.

Here's a PDF for your convenience: The 7 Shooting Fundamentals 

* Kilogulf59’s note: I am not terribly impressed with the stance descriptions listed in the above outline. Perhaps a thread on just the stances is in order.

With that said, there is also a variation of the Weaver stance. In this, the shooting arm is fully extended and locked at the elbow. It was developed by Ray Chapman and is known as the Chapman Stance or the Modified Weaver. I prefer the former moniker. I also much prefer the Chapman to the Weaver.

There’s also a variation of the Isosceles Stance. This goes by many names, the most common being the Modern Isosceles. The original Isosceles was an upright stance with the legs straight, the knees unlocked, and feet shoulder width apart and parallel. The so-called Modern Isosceles has the shooter’s upper body leaning into the target, knees are slightly bent, feet shoulder width apart or farther, and the strong side foot is about a half-step behind the off side. Somewhat akin to a boxer’s stance. There’s varying degrees to the lean, knee bend, and foot spacing depending upon which Guru you’re listening to at the time. Try them, pick one that feels the most natural and comfortable, and adjust it to suit your body.

Here’s a mnemonic device I use to remember the steps:

  

Take care and stay safe,
Joe Doakes aka Kilogulf59
Integrated Close Combat Forum

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