difficulty transitioning from 1911 to Glock

[fourdeuce82d]

Wonder if anyone else has had this problem- I'm pretty well dialed in with my 1911s, but when I went to shoot my glock the other day (first time in over a year) I noticed that even when I concentrate, I'm pulling everything to the left about 2" @ 7 yards. I've noticed a similar effect with other glocks, and when I traded in the 19 for a 23 (reason I'd shot the 19 in the first place was to burn up some 9mm before trading the gun in) I'm doing the same thing with the 23.

I'm trying to shoot with the tip/mid pad of my trigger finger- tried shooting with the groove of the last knuckle, and seemed to get better results.

I'm not slamming the Glocks- a lot of people win with them, and they're reliable as all get out. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, but whatever it is I don't do it w/my 1911s.


I guess if the shooting from the crease in the knuckle works, I should just shoot the gun that way. I was under the impression, however, that the pad/tip of the finger gave better control for rapid/accurate fire, and should be used for all single action pistols.

Thoughts?

 

[SGT109FA]

Keep working at it. Glocks are amoungst the finist pistols on the market today.

 

[C.R.Sam]

The few Glocks I have tried did not point well for me.
Took too long to get a good sight picture.
Functional and accurate enough, just slow in my hands.
Soooo, I don't bother.

Sam, guns are more personal than skivvies..

 

[rock jock]

Actually, I had the exact opposite problem when I first started shooting a 1911. With the higher bore axis of the govt model, I kept looking into the hammer.

 

[HSMITH]

Having recently aquired a Glock after a 6 or 8 year hiatus I know exactly what you are going through. I had been shooting tuned 1911's and 22LR's primarily in the meantime since I sold a Glock that I shot very extensively and got quite good with. What I have re-learned is that you must "stroke" the trigger on the Glock for quick accurate fire, just stroke it right through trigger break and the bang will come somewhere in the overtravel. Stroking it through keeps the tension on the trigger building and it stays more on target. For subsequent shots let the trigger reset and then stroke through all of the "sproingyness" again. To make it short and sweet you need to shoot it with the same technique as a double action revolver. Think double action revolver.......

If you take up the slack and then break the trigger over like you would a military two stage rifle trigger the followthrough must be PERFECT. You must focus sharply on followthrough until the bullet has impacted, otherwise the large amount of overtravel will bite you. Slow deliberate fire in this manner can be quite accurate but as soon as you relax a tiny bit you will throw a shot out several inches at 15 yards.

Hope this helps. My Glocking is getting a TON better recently with the above techniques. If you put a thousand rounds through a Glock with the intention of learning to shoot it I find it is hard to dislike the dang things............

 

[Navy joe]

"beware the man with only one gun" or somesuch.

Put the 1911 away for a while and concentrate on the Glock. I have left my 1911s sit for 6 months now and use the same 2 Glocks for carry and competition. When I take a 1911 on a casual range trip I find that I point them funny, I can't rapid fire well and I pull shots due to too much trigger finger.

When I decide it's 1911 time again I will shoot them exclusively and relegate the glocks to occasional range guns for at least six months.

 

[garrettwc]

I think HSmith is right on the money. I am a 1911 shooter, but will occasionally try my buddies Glock. You have to stroke/roll straight through like a DAO or a revolver.

If you take the slack out, then try for that light break you are used to the trigger will stack up on you and you will jerk the shot. When I roll through cleanly I can shoot a pretty tight group with a couple of holes touching on the target. If I try to shoot it like my 1911 it looks like I'm patterning a shotgun.

 

[Dave T]

I was under the impression, however, that the pad/tip of the finger gave better control for rapid/accurate fire, and should be used for all single action pistols.

The problem may be that the Glock isn't really a SA. It is a goofy kind of half-double action. Think of it as a light, short DA revolver trigger pull and you will have better luck.

After 20 years of carrying various 1911s I switched to the Glock. I shot about 15000 rounds through a G21 and G30 getting used to them. It eventually worked but it sure was hard. Last November I decided to go back to the 1911. It took about a week. Face it, the 1911 is just easier for most people to shoot...might be that short, crisp trigger.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

I had become so used to the short, quick break of a single action trigger, that when I shoot a Glock, I expect the same thing and pull the gun the first couple rounds until my muscles remember how to operate it correctly. Just takes some time. And when it works, it works well.

 

[Tamara]

I'm pretty well dialed in with my 1911s, but when I went to shoot my glock the other day (first time in over a year) I noticed that even when I concentrate, I'm pulling everything to the left about 2" @ 7 yards.

Sounds like you've been re-infected with a case of newglockitis. The crunchy sorta-double-action-only-not trigger on Glocks can cause this syndrome in folks who're more used to standard SA or DA triggers.

 

[Gerald McDonald]

Thats the reason I sold my G34, great gun, shot well and was accurate. But when I bought a Kimber it became an exercise in frustration trying to transistion between the two. When I added a Hi Power to the mix it became easier to sell the Glock and buy another Hi Power so that all of my autos are single action.
G

 

[10-Ring]

I've got a couple shooting buddies that shoot 1911's 99% of the time. Anytime they try a Glock, they shoot low. I keep thinking it's just a matter of shooting a few more rounds & adjusting their grip and getting use to the trigger.

 

[Soap]

I use mainly 1911s and G19s for defensive purposes. I would just recommend dryfiring or simply settling on one system. I settled on the 1911, but the Glock is a great choice.

 

[boing]

My G19 tends to index slightly left in my hand during rapid fire. It's just the way the blocky corners of the grip want to fit into the nooks and crannies of my hand.

Slow fire, it's fine.

 

[Blueduck]

Deja Vu! (or however you spell that )

Same thing here. I found that at least for me finger position on the trigger and how I gripped the gun made a much bigger difference in point of impact than any other gun I'd ever tried. Worked out well practicing with it because the results of small mistakes were so easy to see. When I got consistent with the Glock it eventually helped my shooting with other guns.

For me at least I found out that using the pad of my finger for the pull combined with a 40/60 grip (60% strength grip on the support hand) got me centered and gave the best results. YMMV.

Of course playing around shooting a lot of rounds through a Glock is not a bad way to spend an afternoon anyway

 

[fourdeuce82d]

Thanks all-

spent some more time at the range, couple hundred rounds, and it's getting better. I think part of the problem may be the way the gun fits in my hand- I think there's not enough reach between the backstrap and the trigger for me.

When I have a good firing grip (high, in line with my forearm) and my finger in the triggerguard, it extends almost to the second joint- to place the pad on the trigger requireds contorting waaaay back.

Anyway, guess I'll just have to shoot a whole lot more (darn the bad luck!) It will be interesting to see what effect, if any this has on my 1911 shooting.

thanks again for the helpful suggestions.

 

[chris93473]

same here

i currently own and been shooting 1911's for a year now and pretty much stuck with that type of gun. now that i've been looking for a new gun i'm greatly considering getting a Glock 21 (actually i'm really getting it). the problem i have with the glock is the pointability. the natural position when i hold the Glock points it high so i have to actually aim lower a little. but since i heard alot of great things about the Glock 21 it's been put on lay-away.