Shooting high and way left. Help!!

[TargetTerror]

I have a Ruger P89 that I put some Hogue grips on. I am now consistantly shooting a little high and waaaay to the left. i would say ~ 6 inches left at ~10-12 yards.

I've tried a whole slew of grips, single and double handed. None has any real effect. I've tried gripping very hard, not so hard, even limp-wristing hardcore. I've tried chaning the points of contact of my left (non-dominant) hand, and squeezing more sideways and front/back.

It did this tonight will all different brands of ammo, so its not an ammo problem.

I don't recall it doing this quite as bad before I put the Hogue grips on, but I don't remember how many times I've taken her out since then. Regardless, I don't see how the grips would make me shoot so far to the left so consistently.

Any suggestions on how to grip the pistol in general, or more specifically to the P89?

One other thing, the rear sight is adjustable for windage (or so that manual says, but it looks like I literally need to take a mallet to the sight to get it to move). Plus, I'd have to push the sight waaay over to the right and then part of it would be hanging off of the side of the frame. Not ideal. That said, anyone ever adjusted the windage on a P89?

 

[phoglund]

Make sure you are using the first pad of your trigger finger to press straight back on the trigger. If you curl the finger around the trigger you will tend to pull your shots to the left.

 

[CountGlockula]

I tried different configurations of gripping and found the right one after hitting 2" groupings. It takes practice.

Maybe hire a trainer?

 

[CajunBass]

Does this help?



http://makarov.com/funstuff.html

 

[TargetTerror]

I had seen that analysis wheel, but was wondering, does that apply to a two handed grip too, or just a single handed grip?

Also, it appears that I suffer from "either too much or too little trigger finger," according to that diagram. I have been using the first joint as I can't get a comfortable grip and have the pad of my finger be in a suitable position. But, I have tried to apply a very steady and smooth pressure rearward. Is it how you apply the force rearward if you have too much/little trigger finger that causes the problem, or simply that you are using too much that makes the gun recoil funny?

 

[universal]

I think that wheel is backwards. For example, shooting low and to the left is generally a sign of anticipating the recoil. The shooter will "dip" the gun. this should not cause one to shoot high.

Do you have very large hands? If so, it could indeed be the grip causing you some of the trouble. It could also be that you are holding your support elbow out. Try tucking it down.

 

[CountGlockula]

Do you flinch after every bang? Or anticipate the bang by flinching?

 

[DawgFvr]

Fix: aim low to the right. Actually, it sounds like basic trigger jerk or too much trigger finger on the trigger. Use just the tip of the index finger...foucs on steady position (two handed?) and remember your breathing drill.

 

[Oldnamvet]

If you have a friend fire the pistol, do they get the same results?

If shooting from a bench rest, do you get the same offset?

When shooting two handed, a trick an old Army buddy showed me to check the trigger finger was to put your left finger loosely on the trigger, and then press it back using your right trigger finger. That is provided you have enough room in the trigger guard. It helped me with a flinch once, maybe it would have some effect here as well. Idea was that the weak hand trigger finger did not pull. only acted as a cushion on the trigger so any flinching would be more noticeable.

 

[laloremus]

Check sights and sight picture.

First check if benchrest and fired by another person the gun place the shots in the same place as you, that will prove that what is wrong is the windage of the rear sight, if so you have to move it to the right witha a bronce punch and a light hammer.
If you hit high maybe you are taking to much front sight over the rear notch, just align the rear sight top with the front sight top.
As other members recomend the way you pull the triger is important.
A good way to see if you are flinching and correct the problem is by dry firing the gun. Concentrate in the sight picture you see when the hammer falls, you will easy notice what are you doing wrong. If you don´t have snap caps for your handgun just take the primer out of a fired case and replace with a piece of a rubber ereaser of a pencil, that will serve as cushion for your firing pin and is cheap to replace.
Good luck.

 

[TargetTerror]

I tried all sorts of different grips, positions, ammo, and I finally decided that it was the gun and not me So today I drifted the rear sight the right and the problem is gone (though I think I moved it a little too far). Shooting high seems to be related to me and/or distance.

Moving the rear sight was an intersting endeavor. the P89 uses a dovetail, so even after I removed the locking screw the sight still wouldn't budge. I tried pushing it, using a rubber mallet on it, and using the rubber mallet on a drift punch on the sight (all while the slide was tight in a vice). All to no avail. I finally figured out the technique though: an air hammer. About 1/2 a second of air hammer action and that sight came right off It just makes fine adjustments a bit of a challenge.

 

[waynedm]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4584332856867071363&q=jarrett&hl=en

Just had to post this in another thread as well . . .

 

[Sunray]

"...drifted the rear sight the right and the problem is gone..." There's nothing like adjusting the sights to cure an inconsistency.