First TIme Shooter, needs critisism on my shooting target attached

[BehindTheIronCurtain]

Hi guys, about 2 weeks ago, I shot a handgun fr the first time. It was my Glock 30 I picked up a week prior to my trip to the range. I dont have the targets for that first run, but I do have targets for my shooting with the 357 Colt King Cobra I rented from the range.

It was pretty old and there was a weird thing where the trigger kept getting stuck, but i think the gun was pretty accurate.

Anyway, attached it my target. 50 rounds, the first 6 shots were shot at the X n the center at around 20-25 feet. Most all shots were taken from roughly the same distance with the exception of 12 head shots I took at 50 feet. As you can see I shot a few to the left which is a problem I had shooting the glock too.

The shot on the left side shoulkder was taken at 50 feet as well. I took 6 shots at around 7-10 feet but I only did that once.

Would have done different targets, but my range thinks theyre made of gold and charges $3 per target.

So any tips on improiving? How did I do with my second time shooting? Do I have potential?

 

[BehindTheIronCurtain]

(Thought I'd move this here for a response)

Hi guys, about 2 weeks ago, I shot a handgun for the first time. It was my Glock 30 I picked up a week prior to my trip to the range. I dont have the targets for that first run, but I do have targets for my shooting with the 357 Colt King Cobra I rented from the range.

It was pretty old and there was a weird thing where the trigger kept getting stuck, but i think the gun was pretty accurate.

Anyway, attached it my target. 50 rounds, the first 6 shots were shot at the X n the center at around 20-25 feet, all 6 fired slightly left. Most all shots were taken from roughly the same distance with the exception of 12 shots I took, mostly head shots, I took at 50 feet and I did aim at the center as well. As you can see I shot a few to the left which is a problem I had shooting the glock too.

The shot on the left side shoulder was taken at 50 feet as well. I took 6 shots at around 7-10 feet but I only did that once.

Would have done different targets, but my range thinks theyre made of gold and charges $3 per target.

So any tips on improiving? How did I do with my second time shooting? Do I have potential?

 

[Drail]

If you can obtain a perfect sight picture and not disturb it any while you release the shot then yes, you have potential. Practice dry firing (be safe, absolutely no ammo in the room you're in) at home whenever you can. Pick a small spot on a wall (a light switch works fairly well) and see if you can break the shot without seeing the front sight move off of the target. Any. At. All. In the old days we would make the new guys dry fire their gun with a coin laying on top of the barrel or frame or sight see if they could dry fire the gun without having the coin fall off. Try it. That will teach you trigger control. Also make sure you are pressing the trigger straight back and not putting any pressure on the side of the trigger. Use the same grip every time you pick up the gun. Shooting handguns is not really that hard, but bad habits are SO easy to develop if you're not paying attention and most people don't even know they're doing bad stuff. My wife helped me immensely in my early days by watching me shoot and pointing out things I was doing without being aware that I was doing them. Things like tension in my shoulders and not bringing the gun up to my line of sight (tilting my head down to the gun). The absolute best written reference book I have found is Brian Enos' "Practical Shooting -Beyond Fundamentals." It will teach you to analyze what you're doing (or not doing). The best thing you can do is buy a decent .22 rimfire and shoot brick after brick of ammo through it. Everything you need to learn about shooting a handgun can be learned on a Ruger Mk II pistol. And it won't make a big hole in your pocket.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

OK, I'll criticize our target... it's apparently so small that I can't even see it - oh, and I think it smells kinda funny too.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

Echo on Drail, get a Ruger MKII (if you can find one!) or MKIII and practice practice practice!

 

[9mmepiphany]

Looks like you're anticipating your shot...I cheated and looked at your other thread.

Can you describe your:

1. Sight alignment
2. Grip
3. Trigger finger interface
4. Shooting SA or DA

 

[BehindTheIronCurtain]

Looks like you're anticipating your shot...I cheated and looked at your other thread.

Can you describe your:

1. Sight alignment
2. Grip
3. Trigger finger interface
4. Shooting SA or DA

Sight alignment, not sure, I just lined up the front sight with the groove, not sure what to say here.

Grip is firm

Finger, I think I pull with the space between the tip and the first joint

I shot both sa and da. I found the sa would sometimes send my shots off target look at some of those flyers those were 25 feet with sa, I didn't realize how sensitive the sa trigger was it would take me by surprise a lot.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

For sight alignment concentrate on the front sight. Let the rear sights and target fuzz out. Make sure the front sight stays centered in the rear notch (just look for light on both sides) and top of front sight is same height as rear. Keep it that way all the way through the shot and keep your eyes on it to make sure you aren't looking away--the sight will wonder if your eyes do. It's a lot like golf--keep your eye on the ball.

Pay attention to how your finger is placed on the trigger to ensure you are pulling straight back. Using the wrong portion of your finger can make a straight pull less natural. Using too close to the tip can move your shots to the left (for a right handed shooter) and too much finger can pull it to the right.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Grip - thumbs forward, thumbs up, left thumb over right, right over left, locked down, relaxed? Where is your non-trigger index finger?

Are you pushing both arms straight out, pulling back with one, pulling down with one?

I'm thinking it might be a good idea to get some formal instruction, before you ingrain bad habits

 

[[email protected]]

Target looks pretty good to me.

 

[Driftertank]

I didn't realize how sensitive the sa trigger was it would take me by surprise a lot

That CAN actually be a good thing. When you're not entirely sure when the break is coming, it can help train out flinching.

Nevermind all the grip and finger placement stuff just yet. I have found trigger discipline and flinch control to be the biggest hurdles to consistency. Make sure you don't yank at the trigger. Press into it slowly, and while you do, concentrate only on sight alignment. The break may startle you slightly if you concentrate 95% on the sights, 5% on slowly pulling the trigger. 0% for recoil anticipation. All the minute finger placement details in the world don't help if your grip is uncomfortable for you, and may cause wavering of sight alignment.

The round will impact where the sights are pointed when the bullet leaves the barrel. So concentrate on keeping them pointed at the bullseye right up until that point.

+1 for dryfire practice
+1 for .22 training.

My experience, my opinion.

 

[BCRider]

For a first time with a handgun the target isn't bad at all. There's enough fliers and likely some flinch shots that suggest you aren't born to it. But the main groups are actually groups so you've got potential....

Keep working on it and most of all assume nothing you do is totally right. Think about each aspect and work on trying to perfect a natural hold and mental separation from the aiming and trigger pull and the BANG! that you know is going to come.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

Typically, shooting left-of-target (intended) means you're not positioning your finger properly on the trigger. My wife does the same thing (I used to as well). Basically, you need less finger in the trigger guard. Use the tip of your finger a little more.

I don't think this is a one-size-fits-all solution, just one possibility that comes to my mind.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I'd go with a tighter choke. lolz.

Slow down and focus upon the fundamentals.

 

[BCRider]

Typically, shooting left-of-target (intended) means you're not positioning your finger properly on the trigger. My wife does the same thing (I used to as well). Basically, you need less finger in the trigger guard. Use the tip of your finger a little more.

I suspect you meant to say MORE finger on the trigger. This assumes that the OP is right handed. If he is then pushing the trigger finger through farther so the trigger rests closer or on the fold of the last joint will tend to shift the groups more to the right.

BtIC, another thing is that you want to try to hinge your trigger finger more from the middle joint and maybe less from the knuckle. If most of your pull is from hinging from the knuckle that will also tension the gun to the left so it jumps that way when the sear breaks. You want the pulling motion to be equal from the knuckle and middle joint or even mostly in the middle joint.