Range practice

[dcal]

I've been shooting once a week for about 3 months using 200 rounds per trip. My practice regimen has been:

milk bottle targets
50rds - 7yds
50rds - 10yds
50rds - 15yds
50rds - 20yds

I have been getting better progressively, and I don't expect to be expert at this point. As instructed by my NRA Basic Pistol instructor I have been doing low ready, sight picture, raise (while maintaining picture), fire, fire, back to low ready. I concentrate on speed rather than aim, and by now I get 95%-100% in the bottle. A few notes about my average trip.

- My speed is hardly fast (think bang Mississippi bang)
- My second shot is always worse than the first
- All shots hit left of center (I've seen the wheel of misfortune and am trying to correct)
- In order to get good sight picture with both eyes open I have to blink to bring it into focus

Can any of you seasoned shooters recommend some fixes for the noted issues, and perhaps suggest some other training exercises that I could try? Also, should I be concentrating on speed, or do some slow firing to fix the trigger control problem I'm having. I do plan on getting some more training, but I want to hone my current "skill' set first.

Oh I alternate weekly between my M&P 9 and SW1911 to try and save $ (damn .45 is expensive on sale too).

 

[SomeDude]

As with anything new, focus on technique first and foremost. With proper technique, speed will come. You may want to fire your pistol from a vise to see if it still fires left. If it does, adjust the sights, if it doesn't adjust your trigger finger placement. Hope it helps. If not have a good time with it anyway.

 

[dcal]

Sorry, I should have prefaced that when I have tried slowing it down all the shots are on point. My instructor told me that I should shoot as fast as I can while still hitting the target, and not to worry about accuracy. Do you think that's correct and the shots will straighten and groups will tighten? Or do you think I will benefit from slowing down and speeding up as my accuracy gets better?

 

[Landor]

Instructors are people to. Personally a hit anywhere is better than no hit at all BUT shot placement is your friend. One to the chest is better than one to the stomach. So with that said I would say placement over hit. I am sure others will chime in with their views.

 

[icecorps]

Spend more time dry-firing. Save money and really SEE what happens to the front sight when you pull the trigger.

 

[RPCVYemen]

Do you think that's correct and the shots will straighten and groups will tighten? Or do you think I will benefit from slowing down and speeding up as my accuracy gets better?

There is some discussion of this in Brian Enos's book "Practical Shooting". Rob Leatham comments in the introduction that the folks that he shot with before he met Enos believed in the "speed before accuracy" theory. I think Rob Leatham said that at first, they made fun of Brian Enos because he never missed. Then they started to pay attention ...

As I recall Enos's book, he claims that "speed before accuracy" strategy explains why some competition shooter get stuck at a kind of a "glass ceiling" and never advance farther. Her argues pretty strongly for accuracy. That may be competition specific, I don't know.

Enos's book is a trip if you've never read it. It's pretty trippy, but my guess is that he shoots better on a bad day than I ever will shoot in my whole life.

http://www.brianenos.com/

Mike