Rav89 0 Posted December 26, 2016 Hi. New to shooting, recently purchased a PPQ. Being new, I haven't formed any bad habits (yet), so I'm trying to avoid them. Any habits that you have that you wish you didn't? Or that you had to unlearn? Things like having to unlearn shooting with one eye closed or improper grip/stance etc. I know all these things are subjective, but curious on personal experience. Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
10X 3,296 Posted December 26, 2016 Being new, I haven't formed any bad habits (yet), so I'm trying to avoid them. Don't develop a flinch, because it's hard to unlearn that. It's one of the many reasons to get proficient with a .22 before moving up to progressively larger calibers, but if a larger caliber is what you have, keep the shooting sessions short at first. They'll naturally get longer as you get used to the gun. Just don't push yourself into shooting until you're tired early on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M1Thumb 30 Posted December 26, 2016 http://www.donath.org/Rants/TheFourRules/ Go here ^ first. All other bad habits are minor compared to making a habit of committing any of the cardinal sins of handling a firearm. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
louu 399 Posted December 27, 2016 I wish I could shoot with both eyes open all the time. Sometimes when I'm really feeling it they both just stay open, I shoot fast, run fast and hit all the targets with one shot. Most of the time I'm concentrating way to hard doing everything slow, running, loading, aiming and closing my left eye. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T Bill 649 Posted December 27, 2016 Overeating..............Find a Bullseye League at a local range. Once you master that everything other discipline is easy. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GRIZ 3,369 Posted December 27, 2016 You can develop a flinch shooting a 22. Several LE agencies tried training new officers with a 22 first and then a centerfire. It was tried with revolvers amd semi autos. They found it didn't make a difference starting with 22s. People who had problems with 22's and there was no benefit to starting with a 22. Shooting with both eyes open takes time. If you shoot more tactical or action shooting games. I think too many people shoot too long or too much thinking it will make them better. 100 rd 3 times a week is better than 300 rds all at once. Quality of practice is more important than quantity. If you're shooting more than 200-300 rds a hour, you're generally just throwing lead down range with no real benefit. It takes 300-500 repetitions to learn a skill and 3000-5000 before it becomes muscle memory. This applies to martial arts, shooting, or any other type of motor skill where hand/eye coordination comes into play. Dry firing, more so with a revolver, let's you practice sight alignment and trigger pull anywhere. BE SURE THE GUN IS UNLOADED AND THERE'S NO AMMO NEARBY. IF YOU STOP FOR SOME REASON AND GO BACK TO IT ENSURE THE GUN IS STILL EMPTY. Dry firing a revolver will smooth the action and develop your muscles that shooting a semi doesn't. You will also realize that a smooth trigger is much more important than light. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BullzeyeNJ 104 Posted December 27, 2016 My advice is that I would take a class from a qualified instructor who can observe how you shoot and correct any problems on site. A good teacher will accelerate your progress faster then anything else as long as you are coachable and willing to practice what you learn. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GRIZ 3,369 Posted December 27, 2016 Till and Bullzeye are correct. Invest a little in some instruction. This way you know what you are doing wrong. I've had the good fortune to get major league instruction at no cost due to my job. Learn to shoot bullseye. All the fundamentals are there. As T Bill said after that everything is easy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leo-польд 35 Posted January 2, 2017 Buying guns is very addictive, getting one pistol will lead to another and another etc. Control yourself and master what you have is what I would suggest. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jm1827 284 Posted January 2, 2017 One word- beer! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mustang69 505 Posted January 3, 2017 Geting six permits every 6 months "just in case" and refusing to let one expire without buying something... Causes unintended backup purchases like spare mags, holsters, bigger safes and dirty looks from the significant other. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyB 4,323 Posted January 3, 2017 Geting six permits every 6 months "just in case" and refusing to let one expire without buying something... Causes unintended backup purchases like spare mags, holsters, bigger safes and dirty looks from the significant other. I agree! I wind up buying more and more handguns just to use up the permits I have! Stupid PRNJ, the very system they setup to hinder us from getting more handguns actually causes more purchases! Stupid state! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Golf battery 1,223 Posted January 3, 2017 Work. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites