How to improve handgun shooting...

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Drgong

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Ashe Co, NC and Gastonia NC
I am new to handguns and I am trying to find good sites and other resources that will help me learn to shoot better. I want to learn how to do it right before I have bad habits that need correcting. :)

Just as a note, this is my current shooting skill.

One handed 50 shots at 21 feet.

011.jpg
 
BA/UU/R

Buy Ammo
Use Up
Repeat.

(and THINK about what you're doing along the way.)

I know of no other way to improve.

Springmom
 
The first principle of accurate shooting is trigger control: a smooth, press straight back on the trigger with only the trigger finger moving. Maintain your focus on the front sight as you press the trigger, increasing pressure on the trigger until the shot breaks. Don't try to predict exactly when the gun will go off nor try to cause the shot to break at a particular moment. This is what Jeff Cooper called the "surprise break."

BY keeping focus on the front sight and increasing pressure on the trigger until the gun essentially shoots itself, you don’t anticipate the shot breaking. But if you try to make the shot break at that one instant in time when everything seem steady and aligned, you usually wind up jerking the trigger. Of course the gun will wobble some on the target. Try not to worry about the wobble and don’t worry about trying to keep the sight aligned on a single point. Just let the front sight be somewhere in a small, imaginary box in the center of the target.

Also, work on follow through. Be aware of where on the target the front sight is as the shot breaks and watch the front sight lift off that point as the gun recoils – all the time maintaining focus on the front sight.

Also, while practice in very important, remember that practice doesn’t make perfect. It’s “PERFECT practice makes perfect.” More frequent practice shooting fewer rounds, but concentrating hard on what you’re doing, will be more productive than less frequent, higher round count practice.

Practice deliberately, making every shot count, to program good habits and muscle memory. Dry practice is very helpful. You just want to triple check that the gun is not loaded, and there should be no ammunition anywhere around. When engaging in dry practice, religiously follow Rule 2 - Never Let Your Muzzle Cover Anything You Are Not Willing To Destroy." As you dry fire, you want to reach the point where you can't see any movement of the sight as the sear releases and the hammer falls.

Finally, some instruction is always a good idea. I try to take classes from time to time; and I always learn something new.

Think: front sight, press, surprise.
 
I would recommend buying a 22 pistol, like a Smith & Wesson 22A or Ruger MkIII or something of that sort. Whereas most of us can only afford so many centerfire rounds per period (day / week / month, whatever), we can usually afford about 10-20 times MORE 22 rounds. I try to spend at least half my time at the range shooting a 22, whether it be a rifle or a pistol, depending on what I'm shooting that day, to supplement my centerfire weapons.

The 22 helps focus on that perfect sight picture / breathing control / trigger control without all the noise and recoil of a centerfire weapon, and gives you a great deal more trigger time than you would be able to afford otherwise. Even though it's not the same as shooting your defensive pistol, it's definitely better than nothing.

I shoot small groups with my .22 pistol, slow fire, and rapid-fire drills for speed (bill drill, etc.) and everything in between. I think it has really helped me improve my shooting all-around.

Also, if you are shooting in the Weaver stance or one-handed, try the Isosceles stance. I see those shots pulled low and to the left on your target, and I suspect you are anticipating. if you are using the Weaver stance, it's very easy to use your support hand to pull the gun down as you fire in anticipation. If one-handed, you can break your wrist down as you fire. I found that my anticipation decreased dramatically when I switched to the Isosceles stance. Just a suggestion.
 
Read and Reread Fiddletown's post. Print it out and keep it with your shooting stuff. It is very complete. Also, if you can get a real shooting instructor to teach you, it will help a lot.

Here's an article by Ross Seyfried. If you didn't know, Ross was a wold champion combat shooter, a professional hunter in Africa, helped pioneer big bore handguns and their use on large and dangerous game -- just a few of his accomplishments.

The article is a good read, but pay particular attention to the paragraph (about 2/3s of the way down the article) that addresses gripping the gun. Also there are some pictures of the proper grip. It's about the only thing that Fiddletown didn't cover.



http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?tocid=441&magid=31
 
Yes, Fiddletown got it right. It really is that simple: get the sights aligned and then press the trigger without disturbing that alignment, and you will hit.

I stole this pic from another site:

Fuzzy_sight_picture.png

It is what you need to see when the gun discharges. Anything else is luck -- and that includes any shot released while looking at the target, which is the newbie mistake.

Have fun!

<edit> I note in the Seyfried article linked above there is a line reading "If you align the sights properly and then turn the bullet loose while they are aligned, you will hit." Great minds, eh? Lol.
 
excellent idea to start out early trying not to develope bad shooting habits...practice doesn't make pefect, practice makes permanent

2 quick suggestions one is free, the other is a bit more. you can find them both at:

www.GraygunsTraining.com

1. get Bruce Gray's Dry Fire Packet and it will explain trigger control. ping the link and it will e-mail you the packet
2. then take a look at the courses offered and see if they are what you might be looking for in a shooting class. they're going to be in NC next year
 
Hold the gun into the your hand with a firm grip but not to tight. Line up the sights Sweeze the trigger. Slowly. And don't be afraid.
 
here's what i do ,slowly sweeze the trigger when gun go's off throuw it in the air ,run around and sceam like a little girl.:):):)
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48

That is a video of Todd Jarrett. He does a great job of explaining proper grip technique in it.

I'm just learning to shoot handguns too. I've taken mine out twice. I think you're doing better than me. I'm anticipating the recoil and all my shots are going low. I'm working on it though.
 
Trigger pull with tirgger finger has two options:

Single action pull with only that part of the finger where the finger nail is...

Double action pull with the middle part of the finger in the j.

Find out if you are flinching CLOSE EYES: open cylinder, load one round, spin cylinder, return cylinder to firing postiton.

FOCUS ON SIGHT ALIGNMENT not cylinder movement....aim squeeze with proper finger position...

YOU WILL KNOW IMMEDIATELY IF YOU HAVE A FLINCH PROBLEM...

BESIDES this method tests your discipline and concentration....and frankly is fun...


OH AND DON'T FORGET WHAT the gunfighters tell you: Make the first shot count!
 
I have to concur with the "get some training" post. You will get more out of one day with a knowledgable trainer, than you will out of 1000's of rounds on unfocused practice. Skill at arms is not a natural or inherent ability in humans.

Like my Grandpa used to say "you know checkers is pretty easy to play, but if nobody showed you how to do it- you'd probably play it wrong".:neener:
 
Fiddletown is right-on.

My mantra is a little different though....

FrontSite-Press-FRONTSITE

Get back on target immediately. Get the frontsite back on the target/badguy.
 
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