.22 EIC lift

Hi 

Any recommendations on on the best method for the lift in.22 EIC? Looking to quickly get the minimum amount of movement for my first shot. I've tried various approaches, keeping the arm stiff as possible, moving quickly and slowing when close to the target, slow smooth movement. The last seems best, but it's not consistent. Sometimes it takes an unacceptable amount of time to steady once on target. 

Thanks in advance. 
Arthur

I recommend dry firing the lift. Start working on understanding the movement required to get centered. Once you have that down, add trigger movement such that the shot breaks once your sights are centered.

An old Soviet training film. It used to have subtitles. Some good graphics to explain the process.

Rapid fire pistol shooting basics by Efim Khaidurov

You don’t need to rush it. Confirm you’re well aligned and gripped properly, then drop smoothly to 45 degrees. When the target begins to turn, lift smoothly until the aligned sights enter your aiming area. Give the sights your complete visual attention, align into the acceptable aiming area as you add trigger pressure, and shoot your normal rhythm. I tend to lift slightly muzzle high just to ensure my front sight grabs my peripheral focus, then I settle it into the rear notch as my lift motion ends.

.22 Rapid can be shot very leisurely, from first to last shot, in seven seconds. These pistols barely recoil. In NRA strings with no lift, there’s ample glassing time. A smooth lift takes two seconds or fewer. One and a half for a lift is not rushing. There is plenty of time.

"Ready on the right"

Sights aligned in the middle of the black

"Ready on the left"

Eyeballs at the bottom of the white, lower the gun to ready position

"Ready on the firing line"

Inhale, exhale, on a 3s timed pace.

*Targets face*

*SNAP* to the bottom of the white; gliiiiide into the black. Positive trigger movement to the rear once the front sight hits the bottom of the white.

Break the first shot; break the remainder of shots as per usual.

Source: About 100,000 repetitions of this movement over my lifetime.

The only thing I could add , which is implied above, is set and lock your stance and position, on target , specifically the head. At the ready holding position, move only your eyes slightly down to catch the sights as they come up in the lift. If you don't have a good position set, you'll struggle to find sights

That was a lot of useful information from people who know. Greatly appreciated!!

My plan is to use irons and lift for the .22 portion of the 2700 matches, 45 with a dot for centerfire and .45, until the end of the end of the 2025 season. My expectation is that this will improve my marksmanship overall, and possibly get the badge. Aim for any sight master 2026. 

Best regards,
Arthur

Hiya,

Here’s what I do, being someone with replacement lenses with fixed focus. 

Most turning target systems over or under travel slightly when they edge, when your target is faced and about to edge, stare at your aiming point on the bull, when it edges, if you can’t see your aiming spot, identify a spot or mark on the frame close to it. This is the point that you need to lift the sights to when they face. As the target starts to turn your eyes will be set to see your aiming point, the gun should arrive just about when the target completes the facing, your sights will be in the correct position and in focus to deliver the shot. You should be able to complete 22 sustained fire strings in under 5 seconds so you can take an extra second or so to align everything for that first break. 

This may not work for you if you have eyes that can focus at different distances. I don’t have to adjust my focus as I have replacement lenses, my focal length is fixed so when the sights arrive at the aiming point, I don’t have that .5 to 1 second delay to pull the focus point back to the front sight from 25 yards. I have a pair of 1.2x glasses that put my front sight in crisp focus so when I look at the target with or without a gun, the aiming point is fuzzy as it is when your younger eyes focus on the front sight. 

Ok, hope it helps someone.
Tom