When you practice enough, you subconsciously aim your handgun for lightning fast shots. I shot around 10K rounds thru my Chief’s Special. Now I’m not saying it takes that many rounds to be proficient instinctively, but with practice, aiming becomes natural to you. Just like using sling shots, arrows, rocks and spears. I still depend on sights for long shots or when I have the time. Historically, the first handguns did not have any sights.
As with so many things, Jeff Cooper was way ahead of his time when he articulated his idea about the “flash sight picture”. He didn’t like point shooting (to put it mildly), but realized that a defensive shooting situation also did not allow a leisurely process to acquire a perfect sight picture.
Aside from trick shooters, cowboy action shooters, and others who spend serious time practicing have demonstrated that point shooting “works”, at least under controlled circumstances.
But getting even a crude sight picture at close distances really is the most practical solution. After all, every bullet you fire has your name tattooed on it, and you’re accountable for whatever damage it may do.
Tough to do in these times of shelves and supplies stripped bare.