The Front Sight Press (FSP), aiming and shooting technique has been taught by the US Army as part of its marksmanship and combat pistol training. In the shooting community it is often touted as being the one and only way to shoot.

The FSP technique has several requirements that "must be met" to use it successfully. They are described in great detail in the Army's Fundamentals of Pistol Marksmanship (1979), and FM 23-35 Combat Training With Pistols & Revolvers (1988).

If one looks closely at those "must be met" requirements, and considers them in the light of what is known about real life and death pistol gunfights, serious questions come up about the use of FSP in gunfights. Some of the requirements, are patently unrealistic, and plainly impractical for application in gunfights.

The Army's main focus is on training for marksmanship competitions, and to meet qualification courses that call for shooting at long range pistol distances, and within time limits, which have little connection to real armed encounters. The FSP technique is well suited to them.

For example, the marksmanship manual describes a standard course of fire as consisting of three stages. The first stage is ten shots in ten minutes, and fired at 50 yards. The second stage is two strings of five shots each timed fire, with 20 seconds allowed for each string, and fired at 25 yards. And the third stage is two strings of five shots each fired rapid fire, with 10 seconds allowed for each string, and fired at 25 yards for a 30 shot total.

The Military Police Firearms Qualification Course, described in FM 19-10 (1987), calls for 50 shots in 7 min. and 12 sec. The number of rounds allotted and shooting distances are: 10 rounds at 35 meters, 20 rounds at 25 meters, 15 rounds at 15 meters, and 5 rounds at 7 meters.

In the combat pistol standard course, target distances start at 31 meters, and with no more than two targets at 7 meters. Single targets are exposed for 2 or 3 seconds, and multiple targets for 4 or 5 seconds. There also is an alternate combat course in which only single targets are used at 25 meters. Night firing in the alternate course is based on GO/NO-GO with 30 rounds provided. 10 seconds are allowed for each shot, and 5 target hits equals a GO.

On the other hand, the FSP technique is not well suited for use in real gunfights, where according to the literature: "the average hand gun shooting affray takes place at a distance not exceeding 20 feet."

Also, gunfights do not occur in ideal conditions, as is assumed in the marksmanship manual for the use of the FSP technique. They often occur in bad light or at night, and most last only a few seconds as witnessed by police car-cam videos.

In addition, one can expect to experience a greatly accelerated heart rate, binocular vision, loss of fine motor skills which are needed for sight shooting, tunnel vision focusing on the threat, and other effects of our instinctive "Fight or Flight" response, which according to scientists and others, kicks in automatically in life threat situations.

The Army recognizes the problems with using FSP in close quarters and at night. For combat at distances under 15 feet, and when firing at night, the combat manual calls for the use of Point Shooting, not FSP.

However, only one small paragraph is given to Point Shooting. And the information, is more in the order of a footnote or afterthought, than a well thought out and detailed description of the shooting method one would most likely use in close quarters combat.

Some of the must be met requirements of the FSP technique are set out below in condensed form. As you go over them, you decide based on what you know about real gunfights, if they are unrealistic and impractical for application in them.

The FSP Grip.

The Combat Training manual calls for a two-handed grip, and for checking that grip for use of the natural point of aim. To check it, the weapon is griped and sighted properly on a distant target. The eyes are then closed for three to five seconds while maintaining the grip and stance. When the eyes are opened, and the firer checks for a proper sight picture.

If the point of aim is disturbed, the stance should be adjusted by moving only the feet, not the shooting arm. If the sight alignment is disturbed, the grip is adjusted by removing the weapon from the hand, and then reapplying the grip. The process is repeated until the sight alignment and sight placement remain almost the same when the eyes are opened. This enables the firer to determine and use the natural point of aim. (The text does note that during combat, one may not have time to establish a natural point of aim, and that the position may have to be adapted to available cover.)

FSP Aiming.

Aiming is sight alignment and sight placement. Sight alignment is the centering of the front blade in the rear sight notch, and raising or lowering the top of the front sight so it is level with the top of the rear sight. Sight placement is the positioning of the weapon's sights in relation to the target.

Sight alignment is the more important of the two, because if the sight alignment is correct, then even if the sight picture is partly off center, the target will be hit. A correct sight picture consists of correct sight alignment, with the front sight placed center mass of the target.

Maintaining correct sight alignment is difficult because of the way our eyes work. When the sights and the target (threat) are at different distances, it is impossible to clearly see both of them at the same time. That is because we cannot focus on close and far objects at the same time, and that presents the firer with an aiming problem.

The solution is to always make the last focus on the front sight not the target (threat). If that can be done, the front sight will be seen clearly, the target (threat) and rear sight will appear hazy, and the target (threat) can be kept in the line of fire if all other marksmanship elements are performed as proscribed.

Sight alignment is critical to accuracy because of the short distance between the sights (sight radius). If a 1/10-inch error is made in aligning the sights, the firer's bullet will miss the point of aim by about 15 inches at a range of 25 meters.

Based on the author's calculations and using the radius of the M-9, which is 6.22 inches, if there is a 2/10-inch error in sight alignment, the bullet will miss the point of aim by about 6 inches at 15 feet. As such, if you were shooting at an 11 x 17 inch chest sized target, you would miss.

FSP Breath Control.

It is hard to maintain a steady position and also keep the front sight at a precise aiming point while breathing. As such, the firer should be taught to inhale, then exhale normally until comfortable, hold, and then fire.

FSP Trigger Squeeze.

Trigger squeeze is: the independent movement of the trigger finger in applying increasing and straight to the rear pressure on the trigger without disturbing the sight alignment until the weapon fires. The firer must continue the rearward movement of the finger even after the round has been fired. Releasing the trigger too soon after the round has been fired results in an uncontrolled shot, causing a missed target.

Also, the trigger squeeze of the M9 pistol, when fired in the single-action mode, is 5.50 pounds; 12.33 pounds when fired in double-action mode. The firer must be aware of the mode of firing and compensate for the differences in trigger weight when firing.

Techniques of firing.

A small section of the Combat Training manual deals with techniques of firing. It addresses hand-and-eye coordination, and three different techniques of firing, one of which is Point Shooting.

Hand-and-eye Coordination.

According to the manual, we can instinctively and accurately point at objects or features on them. This ability can be used to rapidly and accurately engage targets. It is called hand-eye-coordination.

When we look at any object, our eyes focus instinctively on the center of it. And when we point at an object, an impulse from the brain causes the arm and hand to stop when the index finger reaches the proper position.

If the eyes are shifted to a new object or feature, the finger, hand, and arm can shift to the new point.

Since pointing the index finger at an object, and extending the weapon toward a target are similar, the combination of the two is a natural.

Quick-Fire Point Shooting.

Quick-Fire Point Shooting is for engaging an enemy at less than 5 yards. It is also useful for night firing.

The weapon should be held in a two-hand grip and brought up close to the body until it reaches chin level. It is then thrust forward until both arms are straight. As the weapon is thrust forward, the trigger is smoothly squeezed to the rear. The arms and body form a triangle which can be aimed as a unit.

Quick-Fire Sighting.

Quick-Fire Sighting is used when engaging an enemy at 5 to 10 yards away.

It is used only when there is no available time to get a full picture. The firing position is the same as for Quick-Fire Point Shooting. The sights are aligned left and right to save time, but not up and down. The firer must determine in practice what the sight picture will look like and where the front sight must be aimed to hit the enemy in the chest.

FSP Flash Sight Picture.

When engaging an enemy at pistol/revolver ranges, the firer usually has little time to ensure a correct sight picture. Also, the quick-kill (or natural point of aim) method does not always ensure a first-round hit. A compromise between a correct sight picture and the quick- kill (or natural point of aim) method is known as a flash sight picture.

As the weapon is raised to eye level, the point of focus is switched from the enemy (threat) to the front sight, to ensure that the front and rear sights are in proper alignment left and right, but not necessarily up and down. Pressure is applied to the trigger as the front sight is being acquired, and the hammer falls as the flash sight picture is confirmed.

The combat manual also states: "In close combat, there is seldom time to precisely apply all of the fundamentals of marksmanship. When a soldier fires a round at the enemy, many times he will not know if he hit his target.

Therefore, two rounds should be fired at the target. This is called a double tap. If the enemy continues to attack, two more shots should be placed in the pelvic area to break the body's support structure, causing the enemy to fall."

Point Shooting.

There are various Point Shooting techniques that allow one to acquire and engage targets at close quarters. They are free of most if not all of the "must be met" requirements that are attached to FSP. And they also can be used as effective platforms for sight shooting.

There is Target Focused shooting that is taught to the CHP. The system relies on hand eye coordination and emphasizes a proper grip that makes the handgun an extension of the arm, hand and index finger. It is similar to the shooting methods of Fairbairn, Sykes, and Applegate, in that the sights are not used in close quarters aiming. However, it differs, in that it does not rely on body indexing to acquire a target. There was an extensive write up of the system in the Oct, 2001 issue of Guns & Weapons For Law Enforcement.

Louis Chiodo is the developer of the method. His site is Gunfighters Ltd.

Another innovative approach to Point Shooting that is gaining acceptance and being adopted by police agencies, is the C.A.R. or the Center Axis  Relock Method of Gunfighting.  
 
C.A.R. is a strong, stable, and flexible platform that allows for quick target acquisition and rapid fire bursts of 4 shots to COM in under 1 second with standard pistols. It also can be used effectively in small spaces and vehicles, and it is applicable to team assault situations. It provides maximum weapon retention, and also serves as a practical and effective base for contact fighting.   

Paul Castle's site is Sabre Inc.

The author wrote an article on the C.A.R. system that was based on the C.A.R. training materials and video tapes. Paul Castle, the developer of the C.A.R. system reviewed it and said he would not change a word.

An article on the C.A.R. system with pics was published in the Summer 2002 issue of The Deputy Sheriff Magazine which is published by the United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association.

The article with pics is also on the author's site.

The author is a fan of AIMED Point Shooting or P&S as he calls it. He has even patented a very simple, cheap, and practical aiming aid that has proven to be very effective in recent test shoots.

Information on test shoots using it, and with pics.

Anyone who wishes to make and add the aiming aid to their own personal firearm/s, is welcome to do so, if done at their own risk and expense and if they accept full responsibility for any and all results. This also applies to police agencies who may wish to make and add them to various agency weapons, and gunsmiths who may be needed to do the work.

To use the aid, one just grabs the gun, points the index finger at a target, and pulls the trigger with the middle or left index finger. That is all there is to it. Just point-n-pull, point-n-pull. No more, no less. It works, and the photos of the targets used in tests, show that to be a fact. One does not need to learn a special technique, grip, stance, or dance.

The key to P&S is the use of instinctive hand-eye-coordination for rapid and accurate pointing and firing. As stated in the Army combat pistol manual, "The eyes focus instinctively on the center of any object observed." And "When a solder points, he instinctively points at the feature on the object on which his eyes are focused. An impulse from the brain causes the arm and hand to stop when the finger reaches the proper position."

With P&S, when the index finger is placed against the aiming aid, which is aligned with the barrel and the sights, the index finger will also line up with them. Then, when the index finger is pointed, the sights and barrel will aim, automatically and accurately, at the center of the object pointed at. Just point-n-pull.

The aid also keeps the index finger away from the slide, and in position while shooting bursts.

Some have said that P&S is a joke or worse, and they have ridiculed both it and the aiming aid. Well, in a recent shoot using a "test" version of the aid on a KAHR K9, 5 of 5 rounds hit one target at 12 feet. And 4 of the 5 hits can be covered by a dollar bill. The next time you have a dollar bill in hand, hold it against your chest, and then look down at it and imagine FOUR 9 mm slugs hitting it and going through it. NOT funny.

The hits were made an old geezer, who seldom shoots (only seven times in forty plus years), who used a rental gun, who did not use the sights, who pulled the trigger with his middle finger, and who shot as fast as he could point his index finger at the target and pull the trigger. No sights, no trigger control, no problem. Just point-n-pull.

Full and extensive details on AIMED Point Shooting or P&S are available on the author's web site for free.

In the recent test shoot, a two handed grip was used some of the time. It reduces recoil, and it keeps the weapon close to the operator for retention, ease of movement, and action. Also, contact distance elbow strikes can be delivered when the gun is close to the body, and the gun can be fired from that position.

As Point Shooting becomes more and more recognized and accepted as the reality based shooting method to use in life and death close quarters situations, then if one has a handgun, it will make life over death sense to use a tool that will insure and improve the effectiveness of the Point Shooting method being used.

The aiming aid which is simple, cheap, and practical, and which helps one shoot fast, instinctively, and accurately, fits that bill. To not have one, could be dangerous to your health.

Both of the training publications are available for free on the web at this time 11/02.

The Pistol Marksmanship guide.

The Combat Training manual.

The author has had several articles on Point shooting and related topics published over the past few years in a variety of Police publications. He is not a professional, or a gunslinger. He just objects to shooting methods that don't work when they should.