Marksmanship Skills: Combat Targeting & Sight Systems
In a fight, the perfect shot rarely exists. At Top Gun Training Centre, we teach you to take the shot you have, not the one you wish for. That means adapting your targeting, sight use, and movement to the environment, the threat, and the moment you must act. This is practical firearms training built for survivability, not competition.
Combat Targeting: Hitting What’s Available
The military “battle sight” covers roughly from chin to waist. We train students to aim for the Center of Visible Mass — the largest exposed portion of the threat, whether that’s a head, shoulder, knee, or a foot behind cover. Don’t wait for an ideal shot. If part of the threat is visible, align your sights and press the trigger.
This approach is deliberately simple because survival events are messy. It accounts for stress effects like tunnel vision and degraded fine-motor control, helping you to stop the threat under pressure.
We use the Three D’s of Defense, a three-round immediate response repeated until the threat stops:
- Distract the attacker’s plan.
- Disrupt their ability to react.
- Destroy their capacity to continue.
Fast, focused, accurate fire wins the timeline of an event.
Sight Systems: Flexibility Wins Fights
No single sight method works in every situation. Under stress, lighting and movement change rapidly, so you must be able to switch sight systems fluidly. We train five practical sight systems and when to use each:
- Your eyes — threat recognition and proximity assessment.
- Subconscious imagery — instincts built from realistic training.
- Pistol or sight silhouette — quick alignment by shape or outline.
- Front-sight only — flash sight picture for close or obstructed shots.
- Front/rear alignment — precision when distance and target size allow.
The key is choosing the system that fits the moment and practicing until it becomes automatic. That automaticity reduces decision time and preserves fine-motor performance when it matters most, reflecting the simplicity emphasized in our K.I.S.S.S. Principle in Combat Training
Target Zoning: Matching System to Situation
Target zoning connects your chosen sight system to three realities: your marksmanship skill, the size of the visible target, and the distance to the threat. Zones aren’t theoretical lines on paper, they’re practiced decision rules. We refine these zones with realistic target sizes and distances so your brain and body learn to adjust instantly as a threat closes or retreats.
The result is consistent accuracy under pressure — not just on the range but when it matters most. For more on refining trigger control and accuracy under stress, see Shooter Discipline: Trigger Control & Situational Safety.
Tactical Skills: Movement That Works Under Fire
Tactics are the principles; techniques are how you apply them. At Top Gun, we focus on nine essential tactical skills and the proven techniques to make them effective:
- Combative Movement
- Evasive Movement
- Dynamic Movement
- OODA Loop
- Situational Awareness & Scanning
- Alternative Shooting Positions
- Cover, Concealment & Obstruction
- Distractions & Deceptions
- Communication
When trained together, these three skills form the Combat Triad, the proven foundation for surviving and winning in high-stress encounters. For a deeper understanding of how mindset and consistency drive performance, read Training Philosophies: Discipline, Consistency & Mindset.
Combative Movement: Up Close and Personal
Sometimes you must make contact before creating distance. Combative movement breaks the attacker’s plan, closes the gap safely, and sets up weapon deployment. We teach short, controlled steps, integrated strikes or shoves where needed, and immediate disengagement to follow up with a defensive response.
Evasive Movement: Get Off the Line
Evasive movement gets you off the attacker’s path and forces them to re-plan. It’s limited to one or two deliberate, exaggerated steps to maintain balance while keeping your weapon ready. The goal is to create time and space for better options.
Dynamic Movement: Shooting on the Move
Dynamic movement combines accurate fire with deliberate motion when cover isn’t immediately available. It’s purposeful relocation — not sprinting for the sake of motion. Key training points include: bend your knees to absorb terrain, keep both eyes on the threat, fire with both feet planted for stability, and move deliberately toward cover or safety.
When paired with solid scanning, dynamic movement lets you control the tempo of an engagement.
Train Like You Fight
At Top Gun Training Centre, combat targeting, sight systems, and movement are trained as an integrated skill set. You’ll leave better able to adapt, hit what matters, and control the fight from start to finish. Our programs emphasize stress inoculation drills so you learn to perform despite tunnel vision, auditory exclusion, and degraded fine motor skills, not just to shoot targets.
When you’re ready to move beyond the basics and train with purpose, Top Gun Training Centre is here to support your journey. Our certified instructors provide hands-on guidance in an environment built for real-world scenarios. If you’re serious about building confidence, sharpening your skills, and performing under pressure, view our training options or contact us today to schedule your session.