The notch and post system sight picture will only tolerate minimal movement before it gives the appearance that you will miss. But the large front dot and shallow "V" rear system provides a picture that does not seem to be saying you will miss. This helps shooters learn proper trigger control faster and easier.

Hand position is an important aspect of accurate handgun shooting. The web of the shooting hand should be tightly inserted into the web of the grip on a semiautomatic pistol.

This is not a new discovery. When the famous Western gunfighter Bat Masterson ordered two Peacemakers from Colt in 1885 he specifically requested they come with a front sight that was "a little higher and thicker than the ordinary pistol of this kind."

However, if your purpose for a handgun is hunting or precision target work, you will be better served with a more traditional sight. If you are just learning to shoot a handgun, and intend on using a handgun for personal protection or for participation in one of the many practical shooting disciplines, consider the large dot and shallow "V" rear sights.

One very important and often-debated aspect of handgun shooting deals with hand position. The web of your shooting hand should be tightly inserted into the web of the grip on a semiautomatic pistol or as high as comfortable on a revolver.

DOES SPEED MATTER?

Let's face it. A handgun is a defensive gun, which means it is a reactionary gun. For a reaction to be effective it must be fast. The "quickdraw" seemed to die off with the Wild West gunfighters, but to an extent it has a place. Those who look to a handgun for protection should be prepared to employ it swiftly and at a moment's notice. How fast? The answer is as simple as it is complex: As fast as you can. Well-trained police officers can draw their handguns and hit the vital zone of a human target at seven yards in less than three seconds; competition shooters can do it in half that time.

The handgun's barrel should be an extension of--point in the same direction as--your forearm when your wrist is straight. This will help you better control recoil and reach the trigger comfortably. The support hand should wrap around the shooting hand, and your thumbs should be extended or folded comfortably. Many shooters find that extending their thumbs in a relaxed manner makes it easier to manipulate the trigger without jerking.

The support hand should wrap around the shooting hand, and the thumbs should be extended or folded comfortably.

The position most often debated is the position of the body and arms. In general terms the body should be slightly canted forward from the hips, arms fully extended, and the feet shoulder-width apart. Beyond that, it is really personal preference. This was best described by famous exhibition shooter Ed McGivern over 30 years ago in Ed McGivern's Book of Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting. He said, "In my estimation there is no one best position that is suitable for everybody. The main object to be considered is steadiness and comfort, freedom from muscular strain, discomfiture or fatigue."

Regardless of your body position, it all falls back on sight alignment and trigger control. If you can keep the sights aligned and operate the trigger until the handgun fires without disturbing that alignment, you will hit the target even if you are standing on your head or sitting on a stump. Master pistolsmith and top-level IPSC shooter Jerry Dove considers the practice of sight alignment and trigger control essential elements of every range session for a handgunner.

For beginning handgunners dry-fire is the place to start. If you notice during dry-fire that you are having trouble controlling the sights during trigger squeeze, consider installing a Crimson Trace

The two-person trigger drill requires an experienced instructor to demonstrate proper trigger control as he increases pressure on the trigger finger as the student maintains proper sight alignment. It is one technique for developing good trigger control.

Lasergrip or other laser sight. Lasers can greatly enhance trigger control and sight alignment training. Simply pick a spot on the wall as an aiming point and with an unloaded gun (double- and triple-check your gun to be certain it is not loaded), dry-fire at that spot. Watch how the laser moves on the wall as you squeeze the trigger and work toward keeping it as still as possible during the firing stroke.

Dry-fire practice is also the place to learn about trigger reset. Trigger reset is very important any time you are firing more than one shot in succession. Each time a trigger is squeezed it must be reset in order to fire again. When you get a feel for where this rest is, it becomes much easier to properly manipulate the trigger for follow-up shots. To find a trigger's reset position hold the trigger in its most rearward position after it has been squeezed then slowly ease off on trigger pressure. When the trigger reaches reset you can feel, and most often hear, a click. This is the point where you should start the trigger pull for the next shot.

The two-man trigger is another way to develop good habits and can be used in dry-fire or live-fire drills but requires an experienced instructor. It works like this: Hold the handgun normally, with your finger on the trigger. The instructor places his finger over yours and applies pressure to the trigger as you maintain the sight alignment, teaching you what proper trigger control feels like. Don't be surprised if you shoot better when someone else is squeezing the trigger.

HELPFUL HINTS FOR THE HANDGUNNER
1. Dry-fire practice is invaluable. Do it often. 2. Rimfire pistols offer affordable practice. 3. Handguns with longer barrels are easier to shoot. 4. Defensive handgunners must balance accuracy with speed. 5. Lasers are helpful aids in learning trigger control and improving accuracy in low light. 6. Limit practice sessions to

An effective live-fire drill is using the shrinking target. Place a sheet of notebook paper at a distance where you feel confident. (Seven yards is a good starting distance.) The goal is to get five out of five shots in the paper. If you do it with ease the first time, speed up until you only hit four out of five times.

Continue at that speed until you achieve five out of five hits. Fold another sheet of paper in half and repeat. You can keep folding the paper in half as many times as you like. When you increase the distance go back to a full-size piece of paper. Incorporate a shot timer to record an exact measurement of the time it takes you to complete the drill.

Practice often, go easy on the trigger, and remember the front sight. The trigger tells your handgun when to send the bullet, and the front sight tells it where. They must work together with your eyes and your finger to produce hits you can be proud of.