Need help....

Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

I have 3 different guns, a S&W M457 .45, a RIA 1911 in .45, and a Buckmark .22.

No matter what I do, I *always* shoot left, and usually down of where I think I'm aiming.

Case in point, tonight, 80 or so rounds of .45 from both guns, ragged hole in the target maybe 3" across, but still, down and left. Shooting from 10 yards.

The only time I don't hit down and left is if I start chasing the shot trying to compensate by aiming up and right of what I really want to hit, which is the wrong thing to be doing.

It does it if I rest on a bench, or standing freehand. I'm Right handed, I use my Rt eye, front site is in focus, aim point, a bit hazy, centered up in the groove, but still, down and left.

I did some dry firing tonight, actually, not even dry firing, just with the action open, squeezing the trigger, and I see that I am pulling left a bit. So I tried to compensate by pushing against the frame with my left thumb, but it didn't help.

Of course, I could see what could be done about adjusting the sights, but all 3, down and left, they can't all be off. And my W, with her buckmark drills the bullseye, although she stands full frontal to the target, and I am turned to the right 90 degrees.

But she's just target shooting for fun, and I'm ostensibly practicing what I might do in a defensive situation by presenting a smaller target, or be able to use my left hand to push somebody away, etc... (Of course, given the size of my gut, I"m not positive that it actually is a smaller target... :)

THe only way I hit the bullseye is if I rotate my hand around the grip a bit, so that the horn of the 1911 rests more in the base of my thumb, rather than in the webbing between the thumb and forefinger. But after 5 rounds, it's nicely sore and bruised, so that isn't a good long term solution.

I don't think I"m limpwristing, or flinching, the noise and kick doesn't bother me at all, I'm stumped.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Try this. It may help.

You can print it out full size from www.sportshooter.com

Poor trigger control. When shooting you have to squeeze the trigger back, not pull the trigger. What you are doing is pulling the trigger which is using your whole finger. If you point your finger like you are shooting, and pretend you are shooting, you will see your finger go down slightly and to the left. Concentrate on only moving the finger from the 1st knuckle forward. Hope this helps, it is easier to demonstrate than to explain. If you start shooting center and low after you master trigger control you are anticipating the recoil. That is best left another lesson. Buy some snap caps and practice dry firing. Good Luck

If you are shooting right handed and missing low left, yes, it is trigger control. You have to find a way to make yourself gently press the trigger to the rear. Do not anticipate, which may cause you to flinch.

One way to refine your trigger press is to stay with firearms that have the same trigger platform. Changing from one trigger to the next to the next will often induce trigger issues.

If you have not tried it, consider spending 10-15 minutes 2-3 times per week dryfiring at home. Unload your pistol, move the ammo to another room. Verify that the chamber is empty. Have someone else verify the empty chamber.... Once you've taken the safety measures, pick a safe object to aim at and practice your gentle trigger press. What you are looking for is no movement in the muzzle as the trigger breaks. You might set an empty casing on the slide while the trigger breaks. The more times you do a correct trigger press at home, the more likely you will be to do it right on the range.

When you are done dry firing, load your pistol and say out loud, "I'm done dry firing now." It's important to quit decisively - a lot of TVs have been shot by "unloaded" pistols...

Good luck.