New w/Handguns

[Chickenman]

New With Handguns

I am 56 yrs old and have not had a lot of experience shooting handguns with the exception of some plinking on occasion. I wear glasses and have trouble w/the front sight. I would like to carry but I would also like to be more proficient before giving this any real serious thought.

I own a Kimber .45 and have fired approximately 250 rounds and am able to consistently keep 5" group at 10 yds on a 25yd. target w/left or right hand. This is not instinctive or rapid and I don't feel it would work in a real defensive situation Consistently shoot low . My questions follow:

1: I took out an old .25 Beretta Jetfire and found at 7 yds shot more accurately/rapidly. Could this be because of the shorter sight radius on the non-existant sights? Or is it possible that the angle of the barrel in relation to the grip allows for more instinctive alignment.

2: Given my old eyeballs any ideas for sights that are more easily acquired for my Kimber?

3: Are there handguns with less angle between grip and barrel than 1911's if in fact less angle allows for better/faster target acquisition

[txinvestigator]

New With Handguns

I am 56 yrs old and have not had a lot of experience shooting handguns with the exception of some plinking on occasion. I wear glasses and have trouble w/the front sight. I would like to carry but I would also like to be more proficient before giving this any real serious thought.

I own a Kimber .45 and have fired approximately 250 rounds and am able to consistently keep 5" group at 10 yds on a 25yd. target w/left or right hand. This is not instinctive or rapid and I don't feel it would work in a real defensive situation Consistently shoot low . My questions follow:

1: I took out an old .25 Beretta Jetfire and found at 7 yds shot more accurately/rapidly. Could this be because of the shorter sight radius on the non-existant sights? Or is it possible that the angle of the barrel in relation to the grip allows for more instinctive alignment.

The .25 has so much less recoil that you don't jerk the trigger in anticipation of the recoil; which is the biggest correction new shooters need. A longer sight radius actually gives you better accuracy.

2: Given my old eyeballs any ideas for sights that are more easily acquired for my Kimber?

Are you wearing glasses for nearsightedness, farsighted, bifoculs? Where are you focusing? Target or front sight?

3: Are there handguns with less angle between grip and barrel than 1911's if in fact less angle allows for better/faster target acquisition

1911's have just about the ideal grip angle. That said, you should be able to shoot any handgun accuratly if you have the fundamentals down.

[seamusTX]

I'm in the same boat with regard to vision. I have a contact lens in my right (dominant) eye that focuses around 30 inches. My optometrist cooperated in this effort. (Obviously he's sympathetic.)

You can also get progressive bifocals that will focus on the front sight in a particular head position.

Have you considered getting some coaching? A coach can detect and help you with problems like flinching and pulling. Pulling, as you may know, is tilting the handgun down when you press the trigger, and it results in shooting low.

I'm nowhere near Austin, so I can't recommend anyone; but I know you have shooting schools there.

[Later] I should have mentioned, you might want to check out a laser. The topic is controversial. Like anything electrical, the batteries can run down and they can suffer other failures. But many experienced people swear by them.

- Jim

[nuparadigm]

1: I took out an old .25 Beretta Jetfire and found at 7 yds shot more accurately/rapidly. Could this be because of the shorter sight radius on the non-existant sights? Or is it possible that the angle of the barrel in relation to the grip allows for more instinctive alignment.

2: Given my old eyeballs any ideas for sights that are more easily acquired for my Kimber?

3: Are there handguns with less angle between grip and barrel than 1911's if in fact less angle allows for better/faster target acquisition

Welcome Chickenman!

1. your accuracy with the .25 (beating that with the 1911) hasn't got anything to do with the shorter barrel. Without having seen you shoot, I'm guessing that you get better accuracy with .25 because you aren't flinching or milking as much with it because of the reduced recoil. Very few folks get really good with " 'ol slabsides" until we've gotten a lot of handgun time under our belts. 5" groups @ 10 yards is very acceptable for a new handgunner.

2. Sights: check out a Hi-Viz front sight for your Kimber. It'll aid your old eyes in front sight location. I have one on a Glock and wish I could put one on my Kahr. Also, I echo SeamusTX's suggestion that you investigate progressive bifocals. They work well for me.

3. Go to a gun store near you and check out the grip angles on Glocks, Sigs, Kahrs and Smiths. You'll probably find one that you feel is friendly to you.

[Venus Pax]

Welcome to the board!

[MoJo]

Chickenman, welcome!

I agree on the Fiber optic sights I have a set of TruGlo TFO sights on my XD and love them, on my STI Spartan I have a green Dawson Fiber optic front. The bright fiber optic sights makes the front sight really stand out to these old eyes!

I'm almost 61 and use progressive bifocals.

[pbandjelly]

2: Given my old eyeballs any ideas for sights that are more easily acquired for my Kimber?

Crimson Trace Laser Grips
that's what I'd recommend.

[Skiprr]

Welcome!

First, 56 ain't old. "Old" is always a minimum of 20 years beyond your current age.

Second, you may want to browse this Topic: http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... php?t=5544

If your prescription calls for bifocals or trifocals, fiber-optic sights (and Tritium at night) will help acquire a combat-adequate sight picture more quickly. But those darned sights will still be blurry unless you practice hours and hours to instantly tilt your head back at the precise angle that allows your progressive lenses find that sub-millimeter band that brings the front sight crisply into view.

Read to the end of that above link to see the simple and innovative solution our fearless leader, Charles C., settled on. Which I may still try.

In my case, I practice about a third of the time with my day-to-day progressive lenses, because that's what I'll have on in an "event." (I do some dry-firing with the glasses off, for practice; the front sight ain't bad, but COM is about the best I could hope to aim for at the well-blurred target.)

I had a pair of shooting glasses made with two different, single-vision lenses. The right lens, my dominant eye, focuses at the distance of my front sight (on a 1911; ahem); the left lens is my distance vision prescription. It's a relatively inexpensive solution (two single-vision lenses are way cheaper than two bifocal or progressive lenses). There's a parallax effect to get used to with this solution, but I've found that simply means putting the glasses on about 10 minutes before I plan to shoot, and understanding that it'll take a couple of minutes to readapt to the normal progressive lenses for every hour I've worn the shooting glasses.

Good luck with your search!

[govnor]

Welcome!

It seems like most gun defense happens at pretty close range anyway. Sometimes point blank from some of the stories I've heard. A lot of CHL people can't shoot that great anyway. I'm one of them because I don't practice enough (though that's about to change). I can hit the target, but that ain't good enough in my book.

You might even think about getting that lasik surgery for your eyes. If that's an option, of course. They've got it down to about a grand now. One of my friends got it when it first came out. He went from "coke bottle" glasses to 20/20 and still has great vision. I'm sure you've thought of this already, but thought I'd suggest it anyway...

[txinvestigator]

Chickenman, welcome!

I agree on the Fiber optic sights I have a set of TruGlo TFO sights on my XD and love them, on my STI Spartan I have a green Dawson Fiber optic front. The bright fiber optic sights makes the front sight really stand out to these old eyes!

I'm almost 61 and use progressive bifocals.

Mojo, what is your affiliation with Golden Triangle? I had a level three security class there last Friday to do firearms qualifications.

***Please pardon the temporary hijack*****

[Flatland2D]

If you don't mind plastics, I believe the Setyr M9 (and M9-A1) have more angled grips than normal. I carry one almost every day.

[Venus Pax]

Mojo, what is your affiliation with Golden Triangle? I had a level three security class there last Friday to do firearms qualifications.

***Please pardon the temporary hijack*****

My dad has been a member of this gun club for many years. (I went there with him when I was a young child.) The fees are very reasonable and it's clean. They also have various matches.