Why Can't I Find a 9mm I Shoot Well

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If I read the OP's first post right, 20 rounds averaging 2", 7 yards, in ~20 seconds is shooting very well.
There's nothing to see here. Time to move on.
If someone wants to tighten the group even further, slow down for awhile; keep practicing; pick-up one's speed later &/or increase the distance.
Choose one handgun and don't be looking for a hardware "cure" right now.

I mean striving to be better is a good goal, but it sounds as if the 180 point score on a 3" diameter over 20 rounds at a fast pace is already a good score for that drill. Look at it another way; that's 18 rounds all in 1", with two flyers.

Everyone misses. That wasn't the point. They were catastrophic misses. Not even in the same zip code. Of a category I didn't see with other calibers and I wasn't really getting what I felt was helpful advice from local instructors.

I'll be honest I think most of my normal shooting issues (vertical stringing enlarging groups) is caused by visual acuity (sight alignment variation due to clarity). My groups are usually twice as tall as wide. I guess it's time to see if the optometrist can manage to help me with that. I think the real fix is that fountain DeSoto was looking for.
 
Revolvers tend to point well ; I figure it’s the exposed barrel. Many semi automatic handguns are difficult for me to aim and shoot well. They don’t point naturally for me , and I seem to be sensitive to that. Then there’s ergonomics- does the gun sit easily in the hand. Factor in recoil - mid sized alloy frames tend to be snappy, polymer can be downright harsh.
Your real fix might be a High Power. That design points like a dream , sits naturally in the hand , and recoil is very manageable.
 
Or a 1911. I had given up on 9mm until I got a 1911 in 9mm.

9mm 1911s are sweet shooters for sure.

I'm still kinda rocked by folks saying 9mm is snappy with .40 in the conversation.

Also, seriously try 147 grain 9mm, definitely more ".45" feeling than 115 or 124
 
9mm 1911s are sweet shooters for sure.

I'm still kinda rocked by folks saying 9mm is snappy with .40 in the conversation.

Also, seriously try 147 grain 9mm, definitely more ".45" feeling than 115 or 124

9mm is a Jab.
.40 is a bit more of a Thump.
Admittedly I don't own any large 9mm pistols (except a SW9VE I discovered I still had).

Also depends on application. I don't think S&B 9mm NATO 124 gr at 1160 fps out of a 17 oz Sig P365 is as comfortable as S&B .45 ACP 230 FMJ at 820 fps out of a 23 oz Shield .45. The .45 has more total recoil but the 9mm has more velocity.


I think the result in feel is somewhat like the difference between shooting a 870 Pump and a 1100 Semi-Auto Shotgun. Even though total recoil is the same the Semi-Auto feels like more of a push (lower peak with longer duration) and the pump has a higher peak and shorter duration so we interpret the pump as kicking harder even though that's not technically true.

Regardless I think I have the issue ironed out now.
 
Just finished reading this whole thread and I hope you can work out your solution.

Guess my suggestion is a heavier gun to pad the recoil. I have a Taurus PT92C which is a metal frame and is slightly smaller than the full size 92 Beretta or Taurus. Next would be either the CZ 75 or the Tanfoglio Witness Compact with the metal frame. I have smaller hands and both fit my hand very well and the extra weight does help.

Next, I just inherited a larger collection of handguns from a relative. Last trip to the range I took a good number of them with After shooting a few I thought to myself "Boy am I having a horrible day". Then it hit me that some of that was probably due to changing guns after just a couple magazines and not really becoming familiar with any of them. Next time I will only take one or two and spend more time with it.
 
Also depends on application. I don't think S&B 9mm NATO 124 gr at 1160 fps out of a 17 oz Sig P365 is as comfortable as S&B .45 ACP 230 FMJ at 820 fps out of a 23 oz Shield .45. The .45 has more total recoil but the 9mm has more velocity.

Amusingly I feel the exact opposite, though I'd agree through a 938 or something, I found the 365 a pretty pleasant shooter with my handloads (124 FMJ @ about 1150) and a real smooth shooter with 147 grain @ 950, though those were chrono'd from my 4.25" 1911.

But that does make sense, I don't tend to shoot anything smaller than a Glock 19 very much, which does knock down recoil impulse a good bit.
 
You need to rent some different platforms, I am betting that an all metal platform will improve your shooting over polymer platforms. Sometimes heft has its advantages. My 10-6 3" sq butt lets me shoot circles around those scandium framed wrist breakers, for example. You just gotta keep searching for what works for you.
 
I find it odd how some days I have off reactions to caliber. Like occasionally I'll shoot a .45 and have issues staying fast on the recoil (.3+ splits) and other days with the same gun I'll cut that to sub .2.

One day I had brought my favorite 9mms to the range and was shooting ALL of them 1" high at 10 yards consistently, no idea why. Broke out my .45 and dead center, other days it's the opposite.

Some days my groups will open up with either 9mm or .45 and be nice and tight with the other, on the same day.

All the guns are accurate, the loads are tested and true, just the software isn't doing its job.

I've also turned to always bringing a rifle to the range even if I'm not planning on shooting it. For whatever reason if I'm having a bad pistol day I almost always have a GREAT rifle day, shoot some of my best 100 yard groups fresh off being pissed at my pistol work that day.

The consistent solution is, of course, more practice.
 
After reading this thread I have come to the conclusion that your problem is more patriotic than anything else.
It's a proven fact that an American shooting a cartridge measured in sillymeters develops what's known as the "Euro_flinch" and "puss arm"
generated by the 9mm punybellum. There is no known cure, although a steady diet of 45's will make you forget you have them.
My advise, get a 38Super and say a prayer for John Moses to forgive you.:rofl:
 
After reading this thread I have come to the conclusion that your problem is more patriotic than anything else.
It's a proven fact that an American shooting a cartridge measured in sillymeters develops what's known as the "Euro_flinch" and "puss arm"
generated by the 9mm punybellum. There is no known cure, although a steady diet of 45's will make you forget you have them.
My advise, get a 38Super and say a prayer for John Moses to forgive you.:rofl:

Most well reasoned and factual post yet, I have nothing I can add.
 
Most well reasoned and factual post yet, I have nothing I can add.

The first carry pistol I ever owned was a LW Commander in .38 Super. It never caused any problems. Do you suppose it could be misapplication? Use of 9mm Parabellum when not at war.
 
I believe the OP identified the problem as shooter fatigue in post #69 and was able to shoot 200 rounds without the 10" deviation flyer on target expressed in the OP - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-9mm-i-shoot-well.859702/page-3#post-11327796
I got it figured out.

The recommendation to shoot shorter strings until I came to terms with the recoil impulse by members of this board panned out ... I simply did that until the sensation of a jab (compared to the thump I'm used to) went away.

The fact that I was getting frustrated likely wasn't helping. I shot 200 rounds (without timeouts other than to load magazInes) with the smallest lightest 9mm I have without doing it once.
 
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