Can someone diagnose my shooting

[Howard 538]

I just recently got the bug and have filed to get my FID. As a kid I was very good with a .22 bolt action rifle, but have not touched a gun in about 40 years. I have been learning pistol skills by watching videos online and by practicing at the range. I'm getting better and my groups are getting tighter. One thing I have noticed is that with a Glock G17 and G23 my shots tend to be center to left and down a little. Today I tried a .22 cal pistol and they too were center to left, but tended to be up a little. None of them were really badly off, i.e. the bad guy would not be leaving my bedroom. I shoot right handed and am right-eyed. I have been using a Weaver approach. So, my question is what am I doing that constantly causes me to be off to the left. Also I don't understand if it was me, or the .22 that these shots were consistently up while with the higher caliber they were consistently down. Any advice (if possible with what I have provided) would be greatly appreciated.

[alec.mc 180]

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

That's a good practice target.

 

I do the same thing, low left. ALL the TIME.

 

Dry fire drills are your friend.

[67gtonut 847]

If you see Marc at RTSP.... he is the RSO that is usually there. Awesome guy, he will have no issues giving you some tips....

 

or

 

Feel free to let me know when you are going there..... I am usually there Sunday morning, but I can be there most evenings if you want to meet and I can work with you....

[reduck 0]

there's an app for that too:

Group Therapy.

[70gto 142]

Low left on the handgun if the sights are right on is some anticipation of the shot (causing low) and jerking the trigger or too much or too little in the trigger (causing left). Let somebody else shoot your same gun / check the sights as far as right and left go. The solution believe it or not is some dry fire/ to practice trigger control. Shooting is a perishable skill/ use it or loose it. Thats as far diagnosis I can do without seeing you shoot. I know I told you nothing your chart doesnt say, but your issue is way common in the majority of shooters. Practice, draw and dry fire slow rack the slide do it again. Make sure you have a good slid grip n the backstrap without white knucking the gun. This is info is based on my experience with Glocks and teaching hundreds of students with the same issue.

 

 

One more thing shoot the stance you are most comfortable with/ but I always recommend being square to the target. Strong leg slightly back , knees bent lean into the target.

[Howard 538]

Wow this forum is awesome. I can’t believe I got a few quality responses this quick. Alec I have seen that target with the explanations before, but I am not certain being fairly new to handguns that I understand certain terminology. What does too little trigger finger mean? Also what does no follow through mean, I understand that as it relates to swinging a golf club or baseball bat but don’t get the concept as it relates to firing a pistol.

 

Kingsoverqueens, when you say dry fire drills are you talking about placing an empty casing on top of the barrel? What else do I look for to see if I am doing it right or wrong? Also I will have to wait till I get permits and can actually buy my own pistol to do that I guess.

 

67gtonut, I would love to take you up on that offer. I will see if I can figure out how to message you off-line.

 

70gto, someone else shooting “my” gun won’t help as I don’t have one yet and have been using the rentals at RTSP. You are the second to mention dry fire – what is it that I actually try to measure when I do that, so that I am not just reinforcing bad habits. When you say square to the target I assume you are suggesting Isosceles rather than Weaver? I find I am more comfortable with my right arm straight and left slightly bent (Weaver) but that has me un-square to the target.

[70gto 142]

http://commonwealthcriminaljusticeacademy.com/articles/FundamentalofHandgun.pdf

 

This seems to be a good beginners guide, sometimes it better to shoot with somebody, especially if they are more experienced. I used to take an empty shell casing and put it on the slide behind the front sight, practice dry firing without the casing moving or falling at all, when you squeeze the trigger it should be smooth and when the gun goes bang at the range, it should be a surprise to u, if you have good trigger dicipline.

 

WARNING PLEASE MAKE SURE THE GUN IS SAFE AND UNLOADED AND CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE ANY DRY FIRING PLEASE. I know its common sense but you would be surprised

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Nice PDF file.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Howard 538]

Thanks, I just printed that out and will study it. Your warning is a good one, and while I am always very careful to be sure the weapon is clear, it always is worth repeating it!!!

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Thanks, I just printed that out and will study it. Your warning is a good one, and while I am always very careful to be sure the weapon is clear, it always is worth repeating it!!!

 

Very good habit to get into, even if you are handed a gun like it should be, person checking that its clear, you get it and check it again, even if you saw it was clear. Do that's way every time, you won't have problems.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

Kingsoverqueens, when you say dry fire drills are you talking about placing an empty casing on top of the barrel? What else do I look for to see if I am doing it right or wrong? Also I will have to wait till I get permits and can actually buy my own pistol to do that I guess.

That is one drill that works wonders, but only with a flat top frame that accomodate the empty shell caseing. It works on a glock...my Beretta...not so much.

 

You can accomplish dry fire without the empty shell by simply becoming more aware of when the hammer (or pin if striker fired) is going to drop, and not being in anticipation of it. I tend to dry fire with a light switch in my bedroom as the target. I can see if I'm snatching. "Trigger Snatch" is very common, and I know shooters with many thousands of rounds down range who still hickup.

 

BTW, too much trigger finger means you've got too much of the pad of your finger on the trigger. Your finger shouldn't wrap the trigger...only the pad, about 1/2 or so, on the trigger. It's easier to show than to explain in writing.

[Howard 538]

Thanks. I am confused when you say "becoming more aware of when the hammer is going to drop" This seems to be in conflict (as I am reading it) to what someone else said to the effect that it should be a "surprise" as to exactly when the gun will fire. Maybe that is what I am doing wrong. I have found that I start to squeeze the trigger and then feel when it first makes contact and am then very aware of how much more a have to press till it will fire. Do you know of any Youtube or other video on the web that shows the finger position on the trigger that you are saying is easier to see than to describe in writing?

[Sixtytwo327 14]

"Master Handgunning" by Charles Stephens. Good book. Answers all your questions.

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

This seems to be in conflict (as I am reading it) to what someone else said to the effect that it should be a "surprise" as to exactly when the gun will fire.

I don't know that I agree with that premise.

 

You seek to not flinch when the gun fires, or in anticipation of the discharge. So becoming more comfortable with the timeing of the discharge will help you avoid the "surprise" when the gun goes off.

 

I don't quite no how else to articulate my view. I don't want to be surprised when the gun goes off. I want be prepared. I want to know exactly when, so that I am prepared, and so that I know not to flinch...that I've practiced so much that I instinctively won't flinch, or snatch the trigger. I want to be purpose full in my trigger control. I don't want to be surprised.

[70gto 142]

What I meant to say by gun going off is a surprise is , one should not focus all their attention and thought while pulling the trigger on thinking "oh crap the guns gonna shoot now, here it goes, here it comes" You attention should be on the front sight/ target and smooth trigger pull as you are doing it. If your finger is already on the trigger that means its go time, you are ready to go, and we all know to never ever put the finger on the trigger unless you intend to fire.

 

By having a smooth trigger pull which takes tons and tons of practice, I used to make my students say "squeeeeeeeeze" out loud as they take up the slack and pull that trigger, as a mental distraction, because it takes their mind off the "oh crap here it comes" mental anticipation. Its hard to concentrate on two things at once. Sounds complicated but its not.

 

better shown than written

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

better shown than written

Ain't that the truth!

 

That was an excellent article, by the way. I saved it for future reference.

[Howard 538]

Ok, I think I can reconcile what you are both saying about the trigger pull. On the surface they sounded counter to each other but now it makes sense.

[Kingsoverqueens 10]

The bottom line is that it takes practice practice practice.

 

When we go to the range, we go with a game plan of predetermined drills,

 

Targets are set up at 7 yards...USPSA with a 25 yard repair center in the middle.

 

The first thing we do is dry fire.

 

Then we start with 5 rounds, slow fire. If any are outside the black, the gun gets cleared and we commence 5 dry fires.

 

Then another drill. If any shots are outside the black, the gun gets cleared and we and dry fire.

 

It's not inconceivable that we'll dry fire as many or more times than actual shots down range.

 

We rattled off 10 or 15 earlier tonight.

 

Dry fire is your friend.