Keep Your Head On - Consistency

Why Consistency Matters in Handgun Training

Consistency is the foundation of effective pistol shooting—especially for defensive handgun training and concealed carry preparedness. While speed, movement, and advanced techniques all matter, none of them work without a repeatable, reliable shooting process.

At Cajun Arms, we believe students must first master aimed fire with a handgun before moving on to point shooting, lasers, optics, or other alternative engagement methods. If you cannot consistently place rounds where you intend under moderate stress, adding complexity will only magnify existing problems.

This is where head position, posture, and visual consistency become critical.

Aimed Fire Comes First

Before students explore:

• Point shooting at close distance

• Visible lasers

• Red dot pistol optics

• One-handed or compromised shooting

They must demonstrate control and consistency with iron sights and aimed fire.

Aimed fire teaches:

• Visual discipline

• Trigger accountability

• Recoil management

• Shot calling

These fundamentals carry forward into every other shooting method.

Train Under Stress, Not Just Comfort

Why Practice Doesn’t Match Performance

Under stress—whether in defensive pistol training, competition shooting, or force-on-force scenarios—the human body reacts predictably:

• Shoulders rise and roll forward

• The head drops slightly

• The neck compresses

• Muscles tense

This posture is very different from the upright, relaxed stance many shooters use during slow practice. That mismatch is often why students hit high on target during classes or matches.

At Cajun Arms, we emphasize training the way you will actually shoot, not how you wish you would shoot.

A Real-World Example from Instructor Development

During instructor certification, I was repeatedly questioned about my crouched stance, forward shoulders, aggressive punch-out, and brisk shooting pace. I was told I had “plenty of time” and could slow down to improve my score.

That was true — I did not score the highest.

But I was one of the fastest shooters in the class and finished in the top ten percent overall. More importantly, I was shooting the way I train defensive students to shoot.

Target shooting and defensive shooting are not the same exercise.

Understanding Point of Impact Issues

If your shots are:

• Consistent

• Grouped tightly

• But off center

That’s good news.

It means your trigger control and visual focus are working. Now we simply need to adjust point of impact, not rebuild fundamentals from scratch.

Front Sight Focus — and the Rear Sight Matters Too

The Most Common Sight Picture Error

We correctly teach shooters to focus on the front sight for accuracy. What often gets forgotten is that the rear sight must still be present, even if only briefly.

Under stress, shooters tend to:

• Lift the front sight above the rear notch

• “Float” the front sight to see it better

• Ignore rear sight alignment

This causes rounds to impact high.

The Fix

• Nestle the front sight into the rear notch

• Place the front sight over what you want to hit

• Accept a flash sight picture, not perfection

Improving Sight Visibility for Defensive Shooting

Rear Sight Width Matters

Many factory pistol sights have rear notches that are too narrow. This makes it harder for the eyes to center the front sight quickly.

Solutions include:

• Installing a rear sight with a wider notch

• Lightly filing the rear notch wider

• Creating approximately .020 inches of extra width

Your eyes will automatically center the front sight, improving:

• Speed

• Accuracy

• Low-light performance

• Aging-eye visibility

High-Contrast Sight Colors

Another proven improvement is visual contrast between front and rear sights.

Effective combinations include:

• Black rear sight

• Orange or yellow front sight

Three identical dots often confuse the eye under stress. High contrast allows the front sight to “pop” instantly.

Even factory Glock sights, while unpopular, get one thing right: visual distinction between front and rear.

Use Stress, Don’t Fight It

Accept the Natural Shooting Posture

When the clock starts or stress increases:

• Your head will lower

• Your shoulders will roll forward

• Your stance will compress

Don’t fight this — train it.

Whether you are:

• A concealed carrier

• Law enforcement

• A competitive shooter

• A defensive pistol student

Your training must reflect how your body actually performs under pressure.

Build Repeatable Mechanics

Consistency comes from repeating the same mechanics every time:

• Smooth, refined draw from concealment

• Same crouch depth

• Same foot width

• Shoulders forward

• Punch out from position three to full extension the same way

This is how consistency shows up during:

• Large group classes

• Matches

• Stressful defensive scenarios

This methodology is reinforced throughout our Defensive Carry Level 1–6 programs, private instruction, and low-light training courses at Cajun Arms.

Train with Purpose

If your goal is defensive pistol proficiency, train accordingly. Slow fire has its place—but it should not be confused with defensive shooting.

Consistency under stress saves lives.

If you want help diagnosing point of impact issues, refining mechanics, or advancing your defensive shooting skills, explore our Defensive Carry training, private lessons, or low-light courses at Cajun Arms.

See you on the range.

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