Just joined this forum last week, been really enjoying all the information I've found.

 

Please indulge a newbie question. After session at the range today with (admittedly still new) Sig 226 I'm wondering how you all evaluate your targets and what you see when you're done with a practice round.

 

Specifically - Today, shooting 10 rounds per magazine,30 rounds per target, was consistently between 26-28 of 30 shots dead center w/ Winchester WB ammo. For the first time, I loaded 10 Hornaday defensive rounds as I've never

fired those before. All 10 were left of target, spread in almost a straight line from 12 to 6 oclock position on the target - about 1 or 2 inches left of center. I immediately popped in 2nd clip of regular WWB 9mm rounds and put 9 of 10 right on center right after firing the defensive rounds. All shots from 7 yards.

 

So, is it me, or the ammo? How do you really tell? Understanding I'm not at looking for olympic shooting level here, but seeing a noticeable difference in the performance of that one session with those rounds today.

 

Curious as to thoughts, or how you use your results to improve your performance, or determine that you do/don't like a specific brand of ammunition.

 

Tom

Its both. Some ammo will have a different point of impact... but... in all honesty, it is you, pull the trigger. The defensive ammo is loaded alot hotter than regular winchester white box. What distance was this at?

 

Focus on the fundamentals.

Figured probably me. Thought though if I was off in stance, or grip, or trigger pull or some other, that I'd see that more consistently throughout the entire round today....reason to keep going and keep improving I guess.

 

All shots were from from 7 yards.

at 7 yards, its most likely you and not the ammo unless something is horribly wrong with the ammo

Like the others said it's a bit of both, but more the shooter than the ammo.

I'm the same way. With my light reloads I am much more accurate than shooting

factory ammo since factory ammo tends to be on the hotter side. I heard

defensive ammo is even stronger.

 

However, a skilled shooter would be able to have just about the same accuracy

with either.

Its you but maybe the ammo a bit as Maks said. After 30 rds and being a newbie your concentration was stretched a bit. No offense at all, most of us have been through this whether we want to admit it or not. Try starting with your SD ammo and see how you do. If you're ever in a SD scenario you don't have time to warm up.

Take a look at the NJGF targets up on this site. They will generally point you in the right direction! I am fairly concious off my randomly *off* shots and the targets (in my case the left handed ones) identified it as a tightening of fingers eight before the trigger break. Once you are aware of the problem it helps a ton.

Maybe you are manipulating the gun slightly differently because you know it's a different round. Try randomly mixing both ammo in a mag and see if your groupings change. If you don't know what ammo will be fired, you can focus on your fundamentals.

Thanks all - I appreciate the suggestions and thoughts you've made. Definitely hadn't thought about starting with SD since I won't be warmed up at home, as well as mixing in SD and regular rounds. Will give those both a try.

More than likely trigger control.

 

Take alook at this, you can even find targets online and print them up, this and many many others.

 

 

top is old yellow box remington UMC. bottom is USAAMMO reloads. both are from the same rest, same sight picture, same grip, at a measured 20 feet. its NOT always the shooter

 

top is old yellow box remington UMC. bottom is USAAMMO reloads. both are from the same rest, same sight picture, same grip, at a measured 20 feet. its NOT always the shooter

 

Try shooting offhand. Don't see a huge difference between the two groups really. =) one has a few more flyers.

 

handguns, easier for me to shoot offhand, especially at 20 feet.

 

Will say though, USAA is reloads, so variations in press can make the difference.

 

what gun?

 

This thread really does give me the motivation to go shoot for groups with various reloads.

you dont see a difference.......you dont see the top grouping is 3in low, while the bottom grouping is dead on..........

Sorry, still new to this so I hope you all shall excuse this question . I can see how ammo effects the vertical drop due to velocity and what have you but not the horizontal drift the OP is experiencing. What would cause this if not the shooter?

 

Edit- Just to clarify I am not knocking the OP's skill level, just using a generic 'shooter' in my scenario.

groups have nothing to do with placement. you can shoot a wicked group thats 6 feet off the bullseye or shoot a terrible group that has 2 out of 10 rounds directly on the bullseye.

I'll be back at SS this weekend with a box or two of home defense ammo and see if I have same issue or am more accurate. I'm happy to acknowledge I'm likely not the most consistent shooter, but I just found it strange that I was 0/10 2 inches left with that load, then dropped the magazine and loaded a new one of WWB and was 9/10 dead center, without changing stance, taking a break, etc. Guess that just means more time @ the range, oh darn

Any reason to shoot more is good imo