[JThompson]

Any of you Open guys ever just shut your dot off and play? I was at an outdoor range the other day and it wasn't until the second plate I realized I hadn't turned the dot on. The first plate was at 30ft or so. It has me thinking I might not be using the dot on closer targets, esp the first one.

I decided to leave it off and do some shooting. I did pretty well, it took some extra time to trust the index, but I was hitting most every plate. We even had some out at 50yrds. I missed a couple then started hitting those as well. The hits came better when I wasn't "trying" to aim down the barrel or use the reticle. I just looked where i wanted to shoot and hit what I was looking at... kinda cool.

[RobMoore]

Sounds like a good way to know if you're just seeing the sights, or actually using the sights.

I know I was doing the former on a few stages today. I saw where they were, but they had no influence over when I pressed the trigger, or caused a correction in the direction of my gun. I was "point shooting" with an awareness of sight alignment, but with a failure to use the information.

[BritinUSA]

I think you are using the sights. If your grip and stance is consistent then you know where the dot would be in the lens. I think you are putting that invisible point onto the target and hitting it.

[j1b]

Definitly messed around with it back in the day.

Shot a bunch of times without the dot in practice.

Then, one day, at a more major match . . .

I was winning the match. I didn't have it won, but I was winning. The guy I had against me was an arch nemesis. One I felt I should have beat in another match. Regardelss, the last stage is two strings. I shoot string one and life is fine. Transition to string two. Pull gun up, no dot. Nope, in order to save money and battery life I turned that damn dot off. Flip it on, and finish the stage - but it was enough to lose.

Since then I really never cared how I shot without sights. Just seems better to use them.

Jack

[Ron Ankeny]

I haven't practiced shooting with the dot off, but when I first went to the dot I did a lot of shooting with the dot on and a chunk of duct tape over the front of the C'More.

[jasmap]

I should really give this a try in practice. I really try to focus on bringing the dot to my eyes when I practice but in live fire I'd like to see how this works.

[boz1911]

Ron Ankeny, on May 10 2009, 07:41 AM, said:

I haven't practiced shooting with the dot off, but when I first went to the dot I did a lot of shooting with the dot on and a chunk of duct tape over the front of the C'More.

I understand the reason for this, but not for practicing with the dot off.....

[JThompson]

boz1911, on May 10 2009, 06:29 PM, said:

Ron Ankeny, on May 10 2009, 07:41 AM, said:

I haven't practiced shooting with the dot off, but when I first went to the dot I did a lot of shooting with the dot on and a chunk of duct tape over the front of the C'More.

I understand the reason for this, but not for practicing with the dot off.....

It's all about knowing your gun and index. There are guys out there that don't use sights of any kind... rare, but there are some. I've also had a dot die on me in the middle of a stage/match. Kind of nice to know you could still get the job done, albeit more slowly.

I think there is something to be learned every time you shoot... this is no exception.

[Chris Keen]

JThompson, on May 10 2009, 08:11 PM, said:

I think there is something to be learned every time you shoot... this is no exception.

Yeah, it's called don't be a cheapskate and replace that battery more than once a year! Then there will never be a reason to use this new skill you have developed.

[boz1911]

Chris Keen, on May 10 2009, 05:21 PM, said:

JThompson, on May 10 2009, 08:11 PM, said:

I think there is something to be learned every time you shoot... this is no exception.

Yeah, it's called don't be a cheapskate and replace that battery more than once a year! Then there will never be a reason to use this new skill you have developed.

Just got a dozen new ones, I'll use the "no dot" skill only when required.... ....besides I don't see the dot half the time I'm shooting anyway...

[JThompson]

Chris Keen, on May 10 2009, 07:21 PM, said:

JThompson, on May 10 2009, 08:11 PM, said:

I think there is something to be learned every time you shoot... this is no exception.

Yeah, it's called don't be a cheapskate and replace that battery more than once a year! Then there will never be a reason to use this new skill you have developed.

Hey now, I had the C-More itself fail at a major.

[G-ManBart]

I've shot with the dot turned off before...it was a while ago. I don't know how much I learned from it other than that I can index on targets pretty well without a dot/sight.

For training purposes I think I'd be more likely to practice with the dot turned down really low where you almost have to work to see it. That, I think, could be a great training technique.

At the 07 Area-2 match I got to the last stage and on LAMR I noticed my dot had suddenly gotten pretty weak. I was totally ready for the run, had it programmed perfectly and I was geared up to shoot. No way I wanted to step back to change batteries at that point so I just told myself to follow that dimmer dot, shoot lots of A's and all would be well....it was and I shot a solid stage. It was a bit slower than I could have shot it, but I had a lead going into the last stage (I knew it) and won my class.