What's the proper way to do quick and accurate follow up shots? 

 

1) Keep trigger squeezed after your first shot, regain sight picture, release trigger to reset and then squeeze again

 

2) Release trigger after first shot, regain sight picture, and then squeeze again.

 

3) something else?

 

I've been using #2, but i find that my second shot goes all over the place. Browsing the net, I see people recommending #1. Any thoughts on what I should be doing?

When you release the trigger is unimportant, sight tracking and sight picture is what matter. You want to make sure every shot is aimed individually, not one sight picture with two shots.

 

Actually when you release the trigger is important to you, but the is no right way. If you look at top action shooters some are trigger slappers, some ride the reset, some release it early some late. What works for your is what matter, but it is far far secondary to not flinching, tracking the sights (seeing the front sight leave the rear sight notch, do its little loop, and come back) and getting a second sight picture.

You need to get a site picture for every shot. The way I do it is first shot then let trigger out to the reset usually during recoil then get a sight picture and release second shot.

 

Don't think of it as a double tap, shoot controlled pairs and always get a good sight picture. Speed comes with practice and I don't always do it that way but I try to.

I was taught method 1, as it was good follow through. Then of course as you get more comfortable with it you can increase your speed.

Being military,I was taught that anything worth shooting once is worth shooting twice.  Double tap was ingrained into me during training without much thought to "when do you do this/that"...I haven't given it much thought since then but I guess I release the trigger during recoil then quickly regain sight alignment on the target.  My second shot usually tends to be a little high though...gotta work on that.

 

I think that double-tapping is part of the reason that the military usually chooses heavier sidearms (1911, M9) over the lighter weight poly framed ones...less perceived recoil=quicker, more accurate double taps.

 

 

I think that double-tapping is part of the reason that the military usually chooses heavier sidearms (1911, M9) over the lighter weight poly framed ones...less perceived recoil=quicker, more accurate double taps.

 

Sorry but that really isn't true. There are many other dynamics at play in sight rise, probably the most critical is proper grip and bore axis. There are ton of lighter guns that shooter flatter (by which I mean less muzzle rise) then heavier guns. 

What's the proper way to do quick and accurate follow up shots? 

 

1) Keep trigger squeezed after your first shot, regain sight picture, release trigger to reset and then squeeze again

 

2) Release trigger after first shot, regain sight picture, and then squeeze again.

 

3) something else?

 

I've been using #2, but i find that my second shot goes all over the place. Browsing the net, I see people recommending #1. Any thoughts on what I should be doing?

 

You don't want to have to regain the sight picture,  you should track it through recoil.  when you release the trigger doesn't matter, only that you are ready to break the next shot as soon as the front sight is back in the notch

Like the topic about the reset. Since I hear so much about gun reviews and "man what a sweet reset" I always thought deep down I was doing it wrong because I never paid attention to reset.

 

FWIW when I'm bullseye shooting I hold trigger through recoil then full release sighting next one up. But when I'm shooting steel for speed I frankly have no idea when I'm released I'm so focused on the targets.

 

Some day with advanced training I would like to figure the best methods.

Start slow and practice up to a faster level. If you can't put two satisfactory hits on target at a modest pace there's no way you can do it going faster. Work your way up. Chances are as you approach a faster speed you'll find why you're pulling that second shot and can correct the issue. Also consider professional instruction.

Actually the good Sgt makes a very valid point, or comes really close to it.

 

You are not looking to shoot "double taps", you should be looking at shooting single shots accurately and fast.

 

Don't think of the shots as a pair, thing of the as two separate shots in close proximity to each other. In fact, if done right, there would be no difference between 2, 4, 6 or whatever number shots with the same splits between them. Assuming you can make accurate shots to begin with, the effort goes into minimizing the time it takes to recover from one shot, acquire the sights, and shoot the next one, which if you think about it it has nothing to do with the trigger or the shooting, it has everything to do with vision.

Actually the good Sgt makes a very valid point, or comes really close to it.

 

You are not looking to shoot "double taps", you should be looking at shooting single shots accurately and fast.

 

Don't think of the shots as a pair, thing of the as two separate shots in close proximity to each other. In fact, if done right, there would be no difference between 2, 4, 6 or whatever number shots with the same splits between them. Assuming you can make accurate shots to begin with, the effort goes into minimizing the time it takes to recover from one shot, acquire the sights, and shoot the next one, which if you think about it it has nothing to do with the trigger or the shooting, it has everything to do with vision.

 

This is good advice.

 

In IDPA I was taught that to go fast I needed to slow down my splits slightly, but make them even across multiple targets. Rather than bang-bang-----bang-bang-----bang-bang it should be bang--bang--bang--bang--bang--bang. Believe it or not, this is noticably faster overall.

Thanks all for your input. Slowing down and thinking of it as individual shots made a big improvement. I'm still not as fast as I'd like to be, but I'm sure it will take some practice. I think I might be due for some lessons while I'm at it.

Not sure what your grip on the pistol is, but before I was LEO trained, I used the weaver stance/grip. Now I was taught the Thumbs to Threat or Thumbs Forward grip ( I forget the technical term for the grip) and I love it. It helps the recoil come almost straight back into your hands, allowing you to more quickly get your sight picture back because you aren't fighting muzzle rise.

 

Being military,I was taught that anything worth shooting once is worth shooting twice. 

I like this quote.

Not sure what your grip on the pistol is, but before I was LEO trained, I used the weaver stance/grip. Now I was taught the Thumbs to Threat or Thumbs Forward grip ( I forget the technical term for the grip) and I love it. It helps the recoil come almost straight back into your hands, allowing you to more quickly get your sight picture back because you aren't fighting muzzle rise.

 

I like this quote.

 

I do thumbs forward.

 

And Magnawing's quote is exactly why I've been trying to practice "double-taps". If the situation arises where I need to use a gun in defense of myself and my family, I want to account for decreased 9mm stopping power arguments and make for damn sure that a potential threat is neutralized.

I don't get why "double taps" seem so important. I practice 5-6 controlled shots in a 3 inch group, from about 8-10 yards... pretty sure they won't get up after that.

I don't get why "double taps" seem so important. I practice 5-6 controlled shots in a 3 inch group, from about 8-10 yards... pretty sure they won't get up after that.

 

People tend to forget that pistol calibers suck. That's not to say that I recommend people start loading .50AE as their primary HD round, but a person is going to need to be hit several times in vital areas to be incapacitated quickly. Doesn't matter if it's 9mm, .40, or .45. People should be prepared to put as many rounds on target as is necessary and not be committed to predetermined splits.

 

If I had to defend my home I'd call the police, grab my AR, and secure my family while I wait (not necessarily in that order).

I don't get why "double taps" seem so important. I practice 5-6 controlled shots in a 3 inch group, from about 8-10 yards... pretty sure they won't get up after that.

 

If you can't do 2, you're not going to be able to do 5 or 6.  got to start somewhere