If you don’t know whether you’re ready to learn target focused shooting, then you’re probably not. A more quantitative measure would be whether you can consistently keyhole (shooting the same spot such that the bullet holes are touching) a target at 3 to 5 yards and/or reliably hit an 8-inch circle at 15 yards. These are general standards, but a good measure. Only after someone has developed good aiming fundamentals, can they learn to shoot accurately while focusing on the target. You can’t run before you can walk.
The objective of combat marksmanship is to shoot fast and accurately. “Fast” meaning how quickly you can place your first shot on target, and how rapidly you can apply follow-up shots. “Accurately” is relative to distance, threat size, and threat orientation.
CONTEXT IS KING
As with many things, combat accuracy is contextual, and there are circumstances when a shot to an extremity would be effective. To clarify further, there may be instances when taking multiple shots that all contact somewhere on the threat’s body may be better than taking one well-placed shot to the head that may take longer — especially when you can still follow up with the chest or head. Loud noises and putting holes anywhere in a threat can enable you to gain fire superiority, giving you time to take more precise shots.
Sights are merely a tool, and how you use them is situation-dependent (or should be).
