Difficult time shooting Glock 19 accurately.. tips?

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andrewshogun

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Of all the guns I own, I can shoot all of them decently well (especially the CZ's) with the exception of the Glock 19. I'm not one that is quick to blame the gun, because I know it is probably more user error (me) than the gun itself. So I wanted to get the feedback of other Glock 19 owners. Do you also find that this particular gun or Glocks in general are more difficult to shoot accurately with? Requires more practice? I'm best shooting 1911's, CZs, and even XDs. But for the life in me, I cannot shoot the Glock 19. I'll shoot a few rounds decently, but out of 10 rds I'll have at least a few fliers. My grouping is just horrible with this gun. Anyone else experience similarly? I really want to like this gun... but it's hard when you can't shoot it nearly as well as the rest of what you own! Not about to give up on it .. yet.
 
Slow fire you can get close to a SA trigger if you stack the trigger to the last couple OZ's of pressure left before it fires. This should improve your shooting. Then there's all the other things, squeeze (not pull) the trigger, sight alignment, pistol grip alignment, look at the sights and not the target, follow through, squeeze straight back on the trigger, use of the front pad of the finger, keeping a consistent grip pressure (neither increasing or decreasing during trigger squeeze).
 
What sights do you have on it? I find that I can't shoot Glocks well at all with the stock plastic sights. Just not enough daylight on the sides of the front sight. Only other sights I've tried were Trijicons and I was much more accurate with those.
 
Lots of dry fire practice! For what its worth, my G23 groups alot better than my G19 ever did:) A 3.5 connector also helps.
 
Never could shoot my G19 the way I wanted to. Trigger was not to my liking (terrible), grip angle was faunky, and there was a opening at the bottom of the grip in the front that was sharp and painful (for me).

Most of all the trigger.

I no longer have it.
 
No problems with mine, and at least one poll I've seen (don't remember if it was here or on another forum) indicates that the G19 is the most beloved Glock model there is. So, it fits and works for a lot of people; but that doesn't mean you have to like yours.

Standard 'tips' would be to make sure you're using the trigger reset correctly (not slapping the trigger or making yourself take up all the pretravel for every shot); not putting too much finger in the trigger (use the tip, out past the thick portion of the pad, not the bit near the distal joint); and trying, if you don't already use it, a 'both-thumbs-up' grip.

And, I agree about the stock sights; they suck. Try good black-on-black like 10-8's sights or, if you want night sights (and you do, right?) Heinie Straight-eight Slant-Pro sights.
 
The GLOCK trigger is hard for some people to learn, I would say it is the trigger/finger relation.
I have to put more finger on my GLOCK trigger than any other handgun I have owned or fired and sometimes I mess up on getting enough on it or on it the same way everytime.
 
Front sight , front sight, front sight. Start practicing trigger pull close, about 6 feet. Aim using the front sight and slowly pull the trigger. Keep watching the front sight until the gun goes off and reacquire the front sight. Aiming dots should be little more than a quarter in diameter. Repeat until you can keep all shots in the dot, aiming at the top of the dot. Do this while having a solid, good purchase on the gun. Left hand should wrap around the gun and clamp side to side while the right hand provides the front to back clamping and stability. Left hand fills in the spot on the left hand side of the grip where the right hand is not and the fingers should wrap over the right hand.
 
I didn't shoot my Glocks well until a guy at a gun store taught me to grip the pistol with the palm of my support hand completely against the grip and my trigger hand thumb stacked on top of my support hand thumb (I started off shooting with my thumbs side by side) giving me greater support. My pistol shooting skills with all handguns took off from that point. He also told me to bend my wrists slightly forward with Glocks to keep my point of impact lower.
 
I've admitted to this particular problem myself. I can group well with it, I just hit consistently about 1-3 inches to the left. Every time. I don't do it with my Sigs, Smiths, or 1911's. I don't even do it with the g26 and 27, but the 19 and 17 hit consistently to the left, every time.

I had to resort to drifting my sights on those guns.
 
I don't shoot my G19 particularly well either. I like the gun, I just can't hit worth a darn with it.
I shoot well with my Series 70 Colt and my Smith Model 10 so it must just be something about the Glock that doesn't agree with me.
 
I've got a police surplus Glock 19 which I find very easy to shoot well.

1. What kind of trigger/connector do you have in yours? My Glock 22 had the "New York" trigger in it when I bought it. It was simply gruesome. I had a smith take it out (not knowing back then how easy Glocks were to work on). Both my 19 and 22 have 3.5lb. Ghost, Inc. connectors in them now. They're safe, but MUCH easier to shoot.

2. Do (or have done for you) the "$0.25 trigger job". Google that term. You'll find instructions for how to take the trigger mechanism apart and what areas to carefully polish with a mild polishing compound (I used Flitz) and Q-Tips. It doesn't take long and the difference in feel is nothing short of astonishing. If there's any model airplane type "flash" on the trigger or trigger safety, carefully trim or sand it off.

3. Practice. Shooting a "Safe Action" trigger is nothing like shooting an M1911. You have to get used to how it feels, whether you "stage" the trigger or use a constant trigger squeeze.
 
I thank Spirit everyday that I began shooting with a DAO revolver. Ever since those early years, I have found pistols, shotguns and rifles triggers to be simple adjustments.

...with the exception of the DA/SA pistols. If it has a consistent trigger pull...I just adjust to it.
 
I think it's the trigger style you're most likely not used to. Or'd someone change your trigger weight? Or... any change to the gun at ALL, from its original stock platform?

Funny, because my first pistol I shot was a Glock 23 (same platform, different caliber - .40 S&W), and I did fine with it; the .40 is even known to be "more snappy" than the 9mm, as well. I then shot a Sig P229 in .357 SIG, and did fine with that, as well.

Something is up with your pistol, or you just need to become accustomed to the unique Glock trigger pull, since you're probably so used to other trigger pulls.

That, or there was something screwed up with your sights.

Grip angle has nothing to do with it, imo. I was totally fine with the angle, and so are tens of thousands of different sized hand police officers around the country using Glocks. Don't listen to the nitpicking whiners about "grip angle." ;)
 
Ahhh! Glock perfection!
My one Glock had a loose plastic front sight right out of the box.
No way you can shoot good groups with the front sight wiggling around.

We won't even get into the crappy trigger & weird grip angle.

rcmodel
 
Anyone else experience similarly? I really want to like this gun... but it's hard when you can't shoot it nearly as well as the rest of what you own! Not about to give up on it .. yet.

I had a similar experience. After about 1000+ rounds, I got better and in the process learned to be a better shooter on double action triggers. It got to be acceptable but I'd still have a few fliers. I initially had a problem with the grip size, not the grip angle. Glock pistols point pretty naturally for me.

But then I picked up a CZ P-01, and was grouping better with it after 200 rounds than I was with the G19 after 1000, in the same shooting drills. The P-01 trigger isn't even that great as a SA trigger; the Glock is just that mushy. I shoot the CZ in DA almost as well as the G19. From a benched position and carefully aiming, the difference in groups between the two was negligible. But I never shoot that way after I figure out where my POI is relevant to my POA.

I really didn't want to like G19 at first, then really did want to like it when I started shooting the CZ. I sold them both, but ended up buying back CZ from the guy I sold it to. ;)

jm
 
Dry fire. dry fire, dry fire. You cannot afford to buy the amount of ammo you need to become proficient. Glocks are different from most guns and if you are not used to them they can be difficult. When our local police dept. changed to Glocks a few years ago some of the older veteran cops who were excellent shots were really struggling at first. Many of the rookies with little or no experience were out shooting them with Glocks because they were not having to learn a new system.

While I know this is not technically correct I think of my Glocks as a single action pistol with a long take up and a 5 lb. trigger. When I started shooting them that way I got a lot better. There is little difference in accuracy between me and my Glocks and any other guns I own.
 
I've had trouble with my G19 compared to other pistols. It remains my carry gun because the size and weight are so convenient.

I find larger, heavier pistols SO MUCH easier to shoot accurately. I shoot much better with the Beretta 92, Jericho, and my CZ-75 SP-01.
 
What grimjaw and alexd said.

I still have a G17 and shoot it occassionally. However, after getting my CZ SP-01, it was all over. Admittedly, the G17 and SP are very different, but shooting the CZ well is almost to easy, compared to the Glock.
 
I find I have to use a slightly different head position with the G19. I found that if you take up the trigger creep before final squeeze it will tighten up the group. It does take a bit of getting used too. The grip angle doesn't bother me but the grip is much blockier than most of my other pistols.
 
Dry fire like others have said.
Someone once said that Glock and similar built pistols like M&P are purpose built for Combat, You may find like I have that Gripping that thing with your trigger finger as far as it will go on the trigger,while keeping a comfortable grip, groups will get tighter. unlike shooting a 1911 or others where you would use the tip or first joint of your trigger finger.
 
good to hear I am not the only one. thanks for all the feedback. I'm looking into a simple trigger job on the glock 19... not sure how much that will help my shooting though, so maybe not :)
 
It's odd but for some Glock's grip angle can alter bone alignment. Double check and make sure the top of your hand to you wrist to your forearm is straight. See if that is causing you problems.

Regards,
L7
 
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