I tell people all the time to " STOP " using the sites on their handguns.... Sites are for killing paper targets... The pistol must become part of your body...
You point and shoot, 3 rounds per target... BODY-HEAD-BODY is what I use... You don't need to shoot as much as you need to learn to point...
Think of it like this... close your eyes and point your finger at something across the room.... Now open your eyes and look where your finger is pointed... It should be right on the center of what you pointing at ... Now put your (unloaded) pistol in your hand... ( ONLY USE A GUN THAT FITS YOUR HAND ) ... Put your trigger finger along side the frame of the gun, Close your eyes and start pointing... You can and should do this as much as you can... Even sitting watching TV... After pointing look down the sites, Is the barrel lined up with the target ? In time the pistol will become a natural part of your hand and the sites will be right were your pointing at... Now go out and shoot with your eyes closed, pointing at the target... Do not use ear plugs or anything you don't have on all the time... You will now be ready for a gunfight... If you can have a friend work with you, have him/her fire a weapon to add noise to the training...
Gunfights happen in a blink of the eye and mostly low light , and at weird angles ... Taking your time to get a site picture and slowly squeeze the trigger will never happen in the real world... And will most likely get you killed....
And remember, If you pull a gun, It should come out smoking...
Jim....
And a added note.... FOR HOME DEFENCE A 12ga shotgun with a 18" barrel firing a 3" magnum number 2 or 0 SHOT.... CAN'T BE BEAT...