Natural Point of Aim
Natural Point of Aim… What is it and why is it important?
Long before I decided to start 12thGun and what seems like a hundred years ago now, I went to Marine Corps Boot Camp. During my 13 weeks at MCRD San Diego I would learn the skills to become an “Expert Rifleman”. One of the most important things a Marine learns is “Natural Point of Aim”.
Natural point of aim is a very simple concept. When you take your firearm and aim it at your target are you lined up naturally? That means without having to use any excess muscle exertion are your sights on target?
The best way I have found to test this is the eye close test. As you look down your sights and obtain your sight picture, close your eyes and take a deep breath. When you open your eyes if you are not aimed in perfect then you need to adjust. The adjustment could be opening your stance to lower your aim. It could be closing your stance to aim a bit higher. If you are too far off left or right, then adjust your angle to target.
The important thing to know is you shouldn’t have to force your way on target. Practice this at home and it doesn’t cost a dime.
– UNLOAD YOUR PISTOL!!!! – Always make sure you are following proper safety protocols when practicing.
– Aim in at an object across the room. I use my trusty wooden Indian “Kawliga”.
Poor guy has had more trigger pulls on him than anyone in history.
– Close your eyes and take that deep breath and let it out.
– Adjust as needed until when you open your eyes you are on target.
– Rinse and Repeat! Once you get that spot, practice it until it becomes muscle memory.
OK so why is this important?
Those muscles that you are using to force your sights on target are about to get another challenge. You just pulled the trigger and a small explosion happens in your hand. Those same muscles now have to control the recoil. At that moment, they lose focus on the aim and now have a different job. Accuracy will suffer because of it.
