How do I correct my grip?

[Clippers]

A few weeks ago I bought a SP101 in 357 and I've been shooting 158 grain 357's through it with great accuracy. The only problem is that my groups are all 3 to 6 inches high. I never blame the gun, I know its usually user error. I think I've found the problem I just don't understand how to fix it. A couple websites point to " breaking wrist up" or "heeling". The definition of heeling is: applies pressure with the heal of the hand while the pistol fires. I believe that this is my problem but how do I start to correct my grip to keep from heeling? Or from breaking my wrist up? Thanks.
http://www.bullseyepistol.com/training.htm
http://www.targetshooting.ca/

 

[9mmepiphany]

Your going to have to offer more information before anyone can even start to offer suggestions.

Are all your shots high?

How large are the groups you are shooting?
At what range?
Which sight picture are you using?
SA or DA or does it make a difference?

Which grip are you using?...a picture would be most helpful

 

[chuckpro]

The best advice i can give you is to get some instructions from a certified instructor.

I personally try to get as high as a grip as possible and imagine i am trying to push the end of the muzzle into the target. But this is how i have found best for me to control recoil with with quick follow up shots. Different loads will shoot high or low depending on the recoil of the load in a revolver. At least for me with my 44. All of the different loads i developed would shoot high or low depending on recoil. Now i am talking about a change of 4 inches at 25 yards. Hope this help or give some perspective.

 

[Clippers]

Groups are 3 inches and are all high in SA or DA. I aim at the 6'oclock position and have shot high consistently from 5 yards back to 25 yards. I have the factory grips and have tried several different grip positions, one handed, two handed, it all results in the same high groupings. I shoot a 7 1/2 inch barreled 45 Colt just fine but when it comes to this 2 1/4 inch barreled snubby I figure it magnifies my faults so I want to make corrections before they become hard to break bad habits.

 

[chuckpro]

If you 3 inches high from 7 to 25 yards i would look at you sights or sight picture with this particular firearm. Groups left or right eater high or low is usually from poor trigger control(which is usually my problem) but if you are consistently high with a particular load then move the sights. I am not a Ruger guy but it the sights are adjustable then i would adjust them.

Shooting tight groups is the most important. And if you are 3 inches high from 7 to 25 then file the sights or adjust poa. If you are shooting a 3 inch group at 25 yards with 357 then you are doing pretty good. In my book anyway.

It is mostly about recoil in my book, i can shoot 2 moi resting my elbows on the bench with my target 38's in my model 19. But with my hunting 44 loads through a scoped revolver i am good to shoot 4 moa which limits my shot to 75 yards approximately (6 inches) which i am ok with.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I aim at the 6'oclock position and have shot high consistently from 5 yards back to 25 yards.

That's pretty interesting, which load are you using?

What you might try is shooting it off a rest, at 5-7 yards, to remove as much of the human factor as possible and establish a baseline zero

 

[BCRider]

If the loads are full power .357Magnums then try switching to some 124gn ammo. The lighter and faster bullet will print a little lower. I seriously doubt that it'll come down 6 inches. But 3" isn't out of the question.

You might be using too low a grip placement. The web of your strong hand should be curling over the peak of the back strap by a little. Not so much that it gets in the way of the hammer, but close to it. By getting the main support of your grip up higher and closer to the bore axis it'll cut down on the muzzle rise by somewhat.

The other thought is that if you're using some of the smaller grip scales and it prevents you getting a good grip along the entire back strap then the gun is going to pivot within your grip to some extent. Especially if it's a little loose up around the web of your strong hand.

 

[tipoc]

Try dry firing. Keep an eye on the front sight to see what you are doing.

At the range, load four rounds and two spent cases at random. Spin the cylinder and without looking close it. Fire and see what the front sight does. If you're anticipating the shot in some way, likely by gripping the gun harder in preparation for recoil, you may see it.

Let someone else shoot the gun as well. If they aren't shooting 3" high, then you know it's you and not the load or the gun.

tipoc

 

[Clippers]

Thanks for all the info, I think I need to start by learning a better grip, and doing more dry firing. Just to be clear, my groups are a lot bigger than 3 inches at 25 yards. That was more in reference to the 7 to 10 yard range.

 

[Sav .250]

Some time it`s just to much weapon. J s/n.

 

[Clippers]

Possible, but they seem mild compared to my 45 Colt Ruger Only Loads.

 

[Fremmer]

Maybe you need an aftermarket grip that fits you better, but I agree with using sandbags first to see baseline results

 

[mesinge2]

 

[Clippers]

That graph is what one of my links in the first post referred to. I seriously think my whole problem has been my grip and trigger control. I've changed my grip, by getting it higher up on the backstrap, and have been practicing it while dry firing alot today. I'll continue for a few more days and then fire some rounds to see if it helped.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Don't take that Correction Chart too seriously, it isn['t especially applicable to two handed shooting. For example, tightening your grip ( 8'oclock position on chart) will cause your shots, when shooting two handed, to fall into the 6 o'clock position.

You really need to shoot your gun off a rest to see where it prints. It is pretty hard to tell much when you are shooting 3" groups at 7 yards.

 

[Clippers]

Like someone mentioned, would there be anything wrong with loading a couple empties in with the live rounds, giving it a spin and closing it, to help work on my trigger control?

 

[Clippers]

Thanks, when shooting off a rest, do I rest the gun on a sand bag or just my hands to help stabilize?

 

[9mmepiphany]

Not you hands, because you want the butt to move downward as the muzzle moves upward.

You want your wrist supported (behind your hands) and the frame supported (behind the barrel, in front of your hands)

1. Do not break your grip between shots
2. Do not look at the target
3. Do not adjust your POA between shots

Shoot at a 1" dot and have it sitting just atop your aligned front blade (6 o'clock hold); Shoot 3 shots on 3 separate 1" dots

 

[MartinS]

Try leaving a chamber empty, spin the cylinder without looking, close it, keep looking at your sights as you fire and see what happens when you get to the click and no bang.

 

[Deer_Freak]

I have had the exact same problem all my life with pushing the stock of the pistol in anticipation of recoil. Once I start pushing the stock I stop shooting for that given day. Then I have a couple sessions with my 22 revolver. After about 100 rounds with the 22 I am confident enough to go back to the magnum pistol. Dry firing is very helpful. When I dry fire I aim at one of the screws in a door knob. I keep going until the sight picture is the same after I squeeze the trigger as it was when I was aiming.

Everyone has certain amount of sensitivity to recoil. I don't know what causes me to fall out of form but recognizing that you have fallen out of form is a valuable skill.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Try 140's or even 125's, 110's. It'll print lower. Most all 158's are too heavily constructed for defense anyway.