Figure 3-52.--Correct sight alignment and sight picture.
Apply these fundamentals of marksmanship! If your
life ever depends on how well and accurately you shoot
the pistol, you can be the one who walks away alive.
Aiming the Pistol
Aiming the pistol consists of combining proper
sight alignment with the correct aiming point to obtain a
correct sight picture.
SIGHT ALIGNMENT. Sight alignment is best
defined as placing the front and rear sights into correct
Figure 3-53.--Standing position (pistol).
alignment with the eye. For a correct sight alignment,
you must center the front sight in the rear sight, bringing
is correct, the bullet will strike the bull's-eye, even if the
the top of the front sight exactly level with the top of the
sight picture is partially off center but still touches the
rear sight (fig. 3-52). Connect sight alignment is
bull's-eye. Since it is physically impossible to hold the
essential for accuracy. It is particularly important with
weapon perfectly still, you must learn to apply trigger
the pistol because of the short sight radius (about 6 1/2
squeeze and to maintain correct sight alignment while
inches). For example, if a 1/10-inch error is made in
the weapon is moving around the bull's-eye. This
aligning the front sight in the rear sight, the bullet will
movement of the pistol is referred to as the "wobble
miss the point of aim by almost 15 inches at 25 yards of
area." You must accept this wobble area, or movement,
range.
and endeavor to keep it to a minimum.
AIMING POINT. The correct aiming point, when
you fire at a bull's-eye target at 25 yards, is a 6 o'clock
Position
sight picture. At 15 yards, bring the aiming point well up
To position yourself properly for firing the pistol,
into the black. When you fire at an "E" type of silhouette
you need to know how to grip the pistol correctly and
target, the aiming point is in the center of the target.
how to position your body in relation to the target. Only
CORRECT SIGHT PICTURE. A sight picture is
the standing position will be covered in this section,
the pattern of the pistol sights in relation to the target as you
because it is the one used in qualification. However, the
aim the pistol. A correct sight picture combines correct
pistol can also be fired accurately from the kneeling,
sight alignment and correct aiming point (fig. 3-52).
crouch, and prone positions. The pistol may be gripped
When you are aiming, your eye cannot focus
with either a one-hand grip or a two-hand grip.
simultaneously on three objects (rear sight, front sight,
and bull's-eye) at different ranges. Therefore, the last
STANDING POSITION ONE-HAND GRIP. To
focus of the eye should always be on the front sight. You
assume the standing position using the one-hand grip
will see the front and rear sights sharp and clear, but the
(fig. 3-53), face the target squarely and then execute an
bull's-eye will appear to be a bit hazy. If sight alignment
3-25
