Natural Point of Aim (NPOA) is a super important in both rifle and pistol crafts. Natural Point of Aim finding that sweet spot where your sights line up with the target naturally and with no hesitation.
Here’s how your check for your Natural Point of Aim: Find a small target on your wall, close your eyes, and run through the Big Six (stance, grip, presentation, sight picture, sight alignment, trigger control, and follow-through). Open your eyes; that’s your Natural Point of Aim.
The Big Six Fundamentals
Before we go deeper into NPOA, let's review the Big Six:
Stance: Get in an athletic stance
Grip: Grip the pistol with your dominant hand while your supporting hand goes up and out of the way
Presentation: Your off-hand grips the pistol and you present out toward the threat line.
Sight Picture and Sight Alignment: Get a good picture of what’s around your target and align the sights
Trigger Control: Finger on the trigger to work through the slack and take a shot
Follow Through: Reset the trigger and reholster if the threat is down.
If you want to learn more about the Bix Six Fundamentals, check out our mini blog and video here.
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Benefits of Natural Point of Aim
Fast Target Acquisition: In a crisis, seconds matter. NPOA ensures your sights are on target pronto.
Red Dot Efficiency: If you’re running red dots, NPOA eliminates the search for that elusive dot, helping you stay on target.
Body Mechanics Mastery: NPOA teaches you to maintain solid wrist control and draw with lightning speed.
Repeatable Accuracy: It's not enough to just shoot; it's about hitting where you aim every single time.
Perfecting Your Natural Point of Aim
As you practice your draw, make sure that your weapon consistently aligns with the target. It should become second nature. Dry fire drills are your secret weapon. Unload your firearm, triple-check that it's empty, and practice drawing and aiming. This builds muscle memory, helping you get to that perfect alignment.
Now let’s go back to that NPOA check from the beginning. If your sights are not properly aligned with the target when you open your eyes, then adjust your body until they do. Start with your feet. If your sights aren't naturally lining up with the target, pivot on your toes until they do. Now check out your torso. Rotate it slightly until the sights naturally fall on the target. Keep your grip in check; make sure your wrists are locked and your grip is firm but not tense. A proper grip plays a crucial role in maintaining sight alignment.
Once you’ve got it down, take your skills to the live fire range. Start slow and gradually increase your speed. The goal is to maintain alignment under different conditions. Adjust as needed for consistency.
Your Natural Point of Aim should become a consistent and reliable part of your shooting routine. It's not something to consciously think about; it should happen instinctively. So, train hard, be precise, and make every shot count.
Concluding Message
This isn’t beginner level stuff right here. This is mid to advanced skills; the finer skill of weapon craft. Natural Point of Aim is something you have to fine tune and you won’t be able to just pick up from just reading an article. It often takes time and practice with an instructor to really dial it in. We suggest you watch the video several times and if you have further questions, register for one of our courses or get connected with an instructor who knows how to tune the NPOA.
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About The Author
Hank Hayes is a Combat Arts Hall of Famer and inventor of the No Lie Blade. He is the founder and CEO of both Intuitive Self Protection and NLB Tactical and creator of the ISP/NLB viscous fighting system. Since 1998, he has trained well over 30,000 Military and Law Enforcement personnel via Government contract mainly at the elite special teams level and continues to train both civilians and MIL/LE how to come home safe.