The Allure of Accuracy

We should teach shooting in four distinct parts: what is important(safety and manual of arms), how to hit the target (accuracy and precision), how much time it takes (speed and efficiency), and what is meaningful (novel or complex context). Unfortunately, many shooters only receive the first two lessons—or choose to ignore the last two—focusing on safety and accuracy while avoiding the tension between time and information. I know the "siren call" of accuracy well: the tighter the group, the better the shooting. However, chasing a tiny group often ignores time pressure and changing environments.There are many reasons to train accuracy to a high level. First, it refines fundamentals—posture, grip, trigger speed, vision, and process—allowing a shooter to know they can hit a target when given sufficient time. Second, it is easily measurable via a tight group at the center of a target. Lastly, there is an abundance of standards and tests that are easy to administer. Accuracy should be trained to a high level, but it must be balanced against speed and integrated into a realistic context.

When a shooter over trains accuracy, they face several compromises. First, they tend to ignore the cost of time, taking too long to steady the sights and be decisive. I teach a movement-based "sight movie" (influenced by Gabe White) where the context defines the visual requirement "Flash, Float, and Focus" (Max Michel) matched with a corresponding trigger speed "Quickly, Carefully, and Precisely" (Tom Givens). If the sights are entering the target, shoot; if they are leaving, correct and shoot; if the environment changes, assess if you should continue to shoot, correct, or stop.

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Second, over training accuracy teaches perfectionism, which is essentially procrastination. Since we are incapable of perfection, we must decisively shoot with "good enough" information. Anything more is wasted time that creates tension and fatigue. Finally, it fosters failure avoidance. In a sterile environment, the shooter performs well, but when time pressure and novelty are added, they may struggle to shoot quickly, and/or apply corrective measures when missing.

The balance of "time versus information" is always a compromise of "good enough" and "soon enough." Context can change completely from moment to moment. Some situations require a shooter to trust their intuition and pattern recognition to shoot predicatively, such as a Bill Drill or a fast-charging threat. Other contexts require reactive shooting—action plus reaction equals response—where misses are unacceptable, and every shot must be "called" in advance, or if you miss the correction must performed immediately. Finally, a shooter may need to shoot deliberately, where the risk of a miss is extreme, such as a hostage-rescue shot or a 50-yard precision engagement with a pistol.

Shooters need a context-driven approach that weighs novelty against risk and reward. By utilizing three speeds of visual processing and trigger control, a shooter learns to be decisive with the least amount of effort. The allure of "accuracy mode" is tempting because its rewards are immediate and easy to see, but it is only one-third of the equation (Accuracy/Precision, Speed/Efficiency, and Performance). Once a shooter over trains accuracy at the expense of speed and context, it is a hard cycle to break.

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If you trust your accuracy, you don't need to micromanage your aiming. By letting go, shooting becomes contextually driven—allowing you to be both fast and accurate.

Brian Hill 
The Complete Combatant
thecompletecombatant.com