Can i get a little coaching please?

[Matt1911]

I shoot revolvers,mainly a Tauras tracker in 357.My first 20 or so shots are good,nice group,but then i start "stringing" verticaly. The more i try to correct this ,the more i string 'em.
Any ideas that i could work on to correct this?

 

[Jim March]

Um...either the gun is heating up and the frame is bending (NOT that uncommon with a TI gun, unusual but not impossible in steel!) or you don't have enough stamina in the muscles behind your finger tendons.

The latter is more likely.

There's an easy way to check: get somebody else to crank 20 rounds through it as fast as they can load and fire it, and then in your hands, see what it does.

If it turns out to be YOU, well, it's not really so bad. In that event, what I'd do is fire 20 rounds at my next range session and then just pause for bit, take a short break, walk around, watch other people shoot, in 10/15 minutes or so pick it up and try again. Don't get frustrated. Remember, your initial accuracy is fine and in a fight or on a hunt, *that's* what'll count!

If you're not practicing often enough at the range to affect your strength, fine, get some snap-caps and do 10 minutes a day of dry-fire drill. You'll get there.

What I suspect is going on is, you're getting tired, groups spread, you get frustrated, try and "overcorrect" and it all goes to heck. That's no good. You need a sort of "Zen calm" when shooting, in my opinion, both range and "for real". If you're not there, no sweat, take some time and adjust your mindset.

 

[El Tejon]

Matt, you're doing great. More likely than not, you're breaking your wrist at the end of the shooting then trying to think too much.

Dry practice will improve your trigger control and wrist/forearm strength. Good shooting.

 

[braindead0]

Part of your problem might be 'trying to correct'. You should 'aim' for the same exact point of aim and sight relationship every shot.

 

[Norton]

Matt,

Sounds about how I was doing with my USP9. I took an NRA basic pistol class last week and the most important thing that I came away with was some help I received from one of the intructors with my grip.

His suggestion was to grab the top of the gun with the week hand and place it into the strong hand grip first at the web between the thumb and forefinger.

This will seat the grip into position, then you place your thumb and forefinger parallel to each other on opposite side of the grip, pointing at the target.

Then, with weak hand, let the trigger guard sit on the space between first and second joint to index finger.

Don't squeeze the grip uneccessarily hard.

On trigger pull, pull slowly and consistently without trying to guess where the trigger will break. Let it be a surprise when the gun shoots. Then be sure to continue aiming after firing, this is your follow through.

My results were immediate and dramatic. I shot a 130 on my first 15 round qualification target at 50 feet: 5 rounds bench rest, 5 rounds two hand standing, 5 rounds one hand standing. I know there's others who would treat this as only average, but it was far ABOVE for me......

 

[cratz2]

Yep... I'd say it sounds like you don't have quite enough either muscle or psychological stamina to keep going much over 20 rounds with 357. Does the same thing happen when you shoot 38 Special?

I know I can't shoot much over about 30 or 40 rounds through my 44 Magnum without it effecting my shot placement and recoil handling. I honestly don't think it's as much the recoil that I start to fail with as much as the sound and muzzle blast. My 44 Magnum is ported and even with hearing protection is much, much louder than the 230 Gr ball I shoot the most of.

 

[TallPine]

His suggestion was to grab the top of the gun with the week hand and place it into the strong hand grip first at the web between the thumb and forefinger.

Great idea, especially if you are defending your life.

What kind of holster did he suggest for that move?

 

[Croyance]

Your problem may also be caused by your breathing. If you fire one shot after exhaling, and one shot after inhaling, you will see a vertical group.

 

[Norton]

TallPine,

I think one of those special tactical forearm holsters would be most appropriate...


In all fairness, this is obviously a training procedure and has no place in the "real" world. It does help with the muscle memory of the grip hand and has been a big help to me.

 

[Standing Wolf]

The more i try to correct this ,the more i string 'em.

I'd suggest fifty dry-fired imaginary shots every evening for a month—with dummy ammunition rather than an empty chamber.

I wiser bullseye shooter than I once suggested shooting blank sheets of paper rather than targets. I thought it was a silly idea until I actually tried it.

 

[Matt1911]

Thanks guys,seems its been a little of "all the above".
A buddy and i started going to the range together,and REALLY watching each other shoot."hey you'r ______"(fill in blank).
We've both started to make improvements now.

 

[jimbo]

Could it be you start looking at the bullet-holes. That could cause your shots to string vertically down if you start looking at the new bullet holes instead of concentrating on your initial point of aim. Just a thought.

 

[Doc]

as for the gun heating up, that is possible but the gun would be awfully hot to the touch

 

[Steve in PA]

Your probably either "heeling" the gun.......causing your shots to go high.............

or your anticipating the shot, "flinching"......and the shots are going low.........

both caused by being tired, new shooter, first time out in awhile..not enough stamina built up, etc........

you'll get better......happens to all of us.