Hopeless with the .45

[Shrinkmd]

I took my SW auto out again, and I am jerking the trigger again. Almost all of the shots are low and to the left. Funny thing is, I shoot a 9 which is almost identical to the .45 (although double stack, a little thicker) which feels better in my hand. Anyway, I actually caught myself blinking or closing my eyes right before the trigger breaks. I tried dryfiring with snapcaps at the range, and everything seemed fine, but once I knew a live round was chambered, *flinch* *jerk*

I don't want to give up. Any suggestions for exercises I can do to cure myself of this. I already have the hogue rubber grips, but it still feels narrow to me and I'm not gripping it comfortably. Who knows.

 

[Eightball]

Mix blanks with the "real stuff"? Works on revolvers for people with a similar situation.

 

[Black Majik]

Dryfire AT THE RANGE. Sometimes after extended shooting with my 1911s, I'll develope some flinching.

When I start to notice my groupings getting bigger, I'll do some dryfire practice to get myself back into controlling by breathing and slowly squeezing the trigger. Ususally my shots tighten back up after a few dry fire runs. I do it often... towards the end of the day I'll dry fire a few times between every 3 or so magazines.

You're definitely anticipating the recoil, thus developing the flinch. Dryfiring at the range helps me a lot.... Good luck

 

[Mike Sr.]

What part of your finger are you shooting the auto with....should just be the first joint to the tip of the finger...ie., 2nd , 3rd, shot etc. 2nd joint to pull the first round after that just the finger tip..{to the first joint}

 

[psyopspec]

After extended range sessions, I'll take the time on my shots to visualize my finger pulling straight back with follow through, completely steady. I get into position, then focul on my hand moving straight back toward my chest. Let us know if you find something that works.

 

[10-Ring]

There is no substitute for quality practice. Personally, I would suggest a DA wheelgun...master proper sight acquisition & trigger pull and when you get back to your 1911, it should all fall bakc into place.

 

[PO2Hammer]

One thing that helped me a great deal was holding my eyes wide open, like I had seen a ghost.
It seems like this would ruin your sight picture, but it doesn't for me. I look for the sparks that exit the barrel. This makes you think about something other than the recoil.
Use ear muffs and plugs, that helps too.

 

[Big Gay Al]

If you've tried everyone else's suggestions, and you're still hopeless with the .45, go back to the 9mm. Any hit with a 9, is infinitely better than a miss with a .45.

 

[MrZ]

Check your trigger squeeze. Dry fire and see if you can tell if your barrel moves when the hammer falls. If you are pushing on the trigger, your barrel will move to the left, like wise if you are pulling on it, it will move right. Using the very tip of your finger is fine, but you may have to move your finger in further if it takes you too much effort depending on your trigger weight. You should be able to take up slack, and pull the trigger straight back.

Dry fire, and talk yourself through the fundamentals while you do.

Steady position, check...
Grip, check...
Sight alignment and sight picture, check...
breathing, check...
Take up slack and slowly squeezed straight back...
Follow through...

I was having a bear of a time doing 25M bull shooting with a beretta 92F (blah!), as that style of shooting is NOT my forte lol!! What helped drag my scores up out of the gutter was focused dry fire.

Dry fire five times, than fire one round. Rinse and repeat. Train your mind as well as your body, concentrate and focus. Use your dry fire to get you into the mental "zone".

If you have a training partner, incorporate dry fire with a dummy magazine drill. Dry fire 5 times, than have your partner load a magazine in your weapon that may or may not have a round in it, aim at your target, go through your sequence and fire. If you flinch even though there was no round in the mag, take a break, refocus, and dry fire again. Concentrate and dry fire until you can fire without flinching when your partner gives you an empty mag, and your round lands where it should when he gives you a loaded mag.

Look at the targetry you are using.

Do grouping drills using the smallest possible target size. I use black bullet pasties on white paper, or white pasties on black out to 10 meters, and adjust accordingly as distance is increased. Smaller targets require finer aiming, and a more disciplined application of the fundamentals. The smaller the target, the tighter the group.

Another option is to use a lighter load. If you reload, load some light weight rounds with low charges to train with, than work up to heavier rounds with a higher charge.

Don't get frustrated. Handguns are very sensitive to fundamental errors we make, and they require consistant training, but you can do it!

 

[280PLUS]

You are anticipating the recoil. Accept your body's innate ability to keep the sights on center, forget about the sights bouncing all over the target and concentrate on a nice slow even trigger SQUEEZE. Sometimes it helps to load and fire only one round at a time. It makes you stop in between shots so you can maybe analyze what you did wrong if the previous shot was bad but more importantly you can analyze what you did RIGHT when you get off a good one. The trigger break MUST be a SURPRISE, that's the key. It's ok to blink, we all do, the trick is to make the blink come just a millisecond AFTER the round leaves the barrel. Another idea is to practice with something light, like a .22 and then try to transfer that practice to the big caliber. The fact that you shoot your 9mm better than the .45 makes me wonder if maybe the gun is breaking funny. For instance, my brother can't shoot any of his Berettas worth a damn ( and neither can I) but put a gun with a decent trigger in his hands and he doesn't do half bad (and neither do I).

Hope this helps

 

[Plink]

I find an easy way to get my focus back is to switch to a .22 pistol for a while. When I'm back to shooting straight, I switch back to the larger gun and I'm good for a while. Keep doing that and sooner or later, you basically train yourself past the flinch.

 

[Shrinkmd]

Thanks

If you've tried everyone else's suggestions, and you're still hopeless with the .45, go back to the 9mm. Any hit with a 9, is infinitely better than a miss with a .45.

I have done some of these things (dry fire at range, but not enough, .22 revolver, some dry fire at home (not enough) but I haven't done the 5 dry, one live or other types of drill to break the flinch/jerk. I will keep rolling, and maybe someday just blame the gun.

It's funny, the only couple of rounds actually in the black was when I was doing DA (its a 4566 traditional double/single action) one at a time, using the decocker to set back up for a DA shot instead of the SA follow up. The trigger probably needs work, since I am used to the DA pull on the 617, which is long and heavy, but smooth. I guess you get used to what you train with the most, and since .22 is so cheap...and fun!

Also, the SA on this gun is lousy compared to the SA on the revolver. Maybe a 1911 would be better in this caliber?

Or just an excuse for "just one more..."

 

[Bosko]

My Mantra

Front Sight - Press; Front Sight - Press; Front Sight - Press. Remember to breathe. (Yes, it's press, not squeeze). Don't get discouraged. You will make it.

 

[tegemu]

My pistol diagnostic chart says that hitting low and left is caused by jerling the trigger, which you are aware of. Often times flinching and/or anticipating the BANG, is caused by a reaction to the unpleasant loud noise. I have seen where this problem has been resolved with better hearing protection. I wear both foam plugs and muffs. My ear Doc says that is a minimum amount of protection. I solved the same problem by MUCH!!!!!!!!! dry firing at home. I concentrated on the front sight and focused my vision on it. The target was slightly out of focus (this is the recommended method of sighting). Doing this allows you to see where the sight is moving when the trigger breaks. In my case - sure enough it was dipping, slightly, down and left. Practice dry firing so that when the trigger breaks, it is a complete surprise to you, and the front sight remains immobile.

 

[Sheldon]

Dry firing really only goes so far as to help your problem. You sound like you need to acclimate yourself to the recoil. The only way, I think, is to slowly increase the recoil level to that of the full power 45 ACP. Easiest way for that is to use lighter loaded reloads. I have shot plenty of light loaded 200 gr LSWC loads over 4.0 gr of Bullseye. It's a very soft shooting load. Once you are able to handle that, you can increase the powder charge till your up to the level of the regular powdered loads.

 

[ccw007]

What I have done with several beginner shooters it to rotate between a 22 and the 45 while at the range. I did this with my wife, who had never shot a pistol before, and she is now able to shoot as well or better than more experienced shooters.

If you do not have a 22 pistol, than the dry firing above would work. However, if you do have a 22 try this.

Start with shooting the 22 until your groups are satisfactory for you. Then switch to the 45 and shoot 3 or 4 magazines through it. Then switch a back to the 22 until your groups are satisfactory for you. Just repeat this until your flinching is gone.

This works and it works well, but when you go long periods with out shooting you may have to repeat this.

 

[dragongoddess]

After trying to hit the target and listening to suggestions I started using the one round at a time method. It helped quite a bit and is a method I would suggest for new shooters like myself.

 

[Shrinkmd]

Start with shooting the 22 until your groups are satisfactory for you. Then switch to the 45 and shoot 3 or 4 magazines through it. Then switch a back to the 22 until your groups are satisfactory for you. Just repeat this until your flinching is gone.

Been there, still doing that! It's upsetting when your .22 DA revolver tells you you're a pretty good shot, only to be reminded your central nervous system is playing games with you the instant you pick up the 45. Hesitation, not pulling the trigger all the way. There was a long article a ways back on "choking" in sports (either new yorker or NYT) which was pretty funny, about how under pressure you can mess up what you've practiced flawlessly a zillion other times.

With the snap cap I was able to do nice, smooth DA pulls, and I didn't anticipate the break, went right through it. As soon as a round was in there, the trigger felt "different" before the let-off. And we all know that a snap cap wouldn't make the trigger pull any different!

I wear both foam plugs and muffs.

Yeah, already there. I want my hearing to stay the way it is. Even when I shoot .22 only and there's no one else around.

I guess I will have to really up the intensity of the dry firing and focusing on that front sight and ignoring the rest of the world. Hopefully my nervous system will get with the program. That, and the mix up the rounds and snap caps and load the mag that way drill.

Someday, someday.

 

[280PLUS]

Practice, practice, practice...

 

[45shooter]

Wear an ear plug and an ear muff over it when shooting.
You'll be surprised how much it helps.

 

[steelhead]

Start shooting the .357 SIG, for awhile, then you will have no problems with the .45 .

 

[Shoney]

Read my post in "Accuracy Problems" in this forum.

 

[Waitone]

Been there done that.

--Make sure you have GOOD ear protection. I recommend doubling up with the highest rated plugs and muffs you can find.

--Make sure you have good eye protection.

--Wear a hat with a brim.

I mention all of the above because you may be flinching because of noise or fear for your sight or hot brass.

Now to the zen of shooting. I had a similar problem until I made two corrections. First, focus on the front sight. Not the rear sight or the target. Get the front sight clear. The rear sight should be fuzzy as should be the target. I find I flinch when I backslide on sighting technique.

Second, isolate your trigger finger. Don't use you trigger finger to hold the handgun. Press your strong hand into the rear of the grip. Wrap you weak hand around the front of the handgun as in a standard shooting stance. Simultaneously use your weak hand fingers to pull the gun frame back into your strong hand. The effect is your strong hand pushes the handgun away from your body (strong arm is in extension) while the weak hand pulls it back toward you (weak arm is in contraction). Net effect is to isolate the trigger finger.

 

[kymarkh]

holes in target

One way I avoid shooting low/left - which I do alot - is stop looking for the holes in the target between shots and concentrate on re-acquiring the front sight between shots. I don't view the target until after the pistol locks back on an empty mag.

Works for me.

 

[Seismic Sam]

Buy a 44 magnum

After you shoot that for a while, your 45 will seem like a 32. My 9mm Browning kicked a lot until I bought a 45, and that kicked a lot until I got a 44 Automag. Got a DE50 about 5 years ago, and a Smith 500 last year. My only problem now is that when I do fire a 45, I have tendency to break up and start giggling because the gun has NO recoil at all. Recoil is ONLY a problem with the most powerful gun you own.