Shooting the P38

[Waveski]

After much anticipation , reading , and soliciting internet input , I went out and acquired a P38. I decided I wanted a shooter ; what I got is a Mauser upper /Walther lower in respectable condition. Off to the range I went , all excited!

I couldn't hit a thing. I scattered 100 rounds all over several targets.

Maybe it was the anticipation. I doubt it is the gun. (In golf it is rarely the club ; it's generally the guy on the grips...)

Attached is a target from 2 weeks ago - Colt Official Police , 4" bbl. , open rear sights , free standing at 12 yards. I shot 12 rounds ; 7 of them make up that 1 ragged hole. (I included that target in this post to illustrate that I am reasonably able to put rounds on target.) I choose to not show today's targets ; suffice to say that they looked like they had been blasted with a no choke shotgun loaded with 115 grain shot.

Someone please give me advise and technique relative to shooting the P38. Tell me it will all get better. Help.

 

[MikeJackmin]

The easiest thing to do is to find a good shot at your local range and let him or her give it a try. If it's the gun, you'll know, and it will save you some time. However, unless the rear sight is loose or the barrel is completely shot out, this is unlikely.

But if it's you, that's great! You'll have a chance to be a better shot soon. Get a few 9mm snap caps and do some regular dry-fire practice, watching to see that the sights don't move as the hammer falls. Take as long as you need.

Once you have that down, have a friend load your magazines for you - and have him put one or two snap caps among the live rounds. If you are flinching, it'll be obvious whenever there is a click instead of a bang.

 

[Fremmer]

Same exact thing happened to me the first time. I had to key in on using the tip of my finger to pull the trigger straight back; doing that the 2nd time at the range (and being more familiar with the pistol in general) vastly improved my accuracy. Iirc, mine likes sellier & bellot fmj, and wasn't very accurate with WWB.

 

[Waveski]

9mm snap caps - that's a good idea. I do not have that caliber in caps , but that's easy to fix.

Finger position on trigger - I will check that. As to ammo , I was running some older American Eagle 115 gr fmj. I will go through my stash and switch to something else. I have lots of options there.

Sure is a confidence rattler...

 

[Fremmer]

After being unable to even hit paper the first range trip, I was so freaked out that I had a buddy come with me on the 2nd range visit so he could try it; he shot it pretty well, and I tried using the tip of my finger on the trigger because my big hand/long finger was pulling the pistol off target. It was like a switch went on and I was shooting a lot better, even bulls.

 

[Onward Allusion]

P38'a and the like (P1, P4) takes a bit to get used to if you are not accustomed to shooting the design. The design is inherently off balanced with a tendency for muzzle flip especially if you grip too tightly or not used to the trigger. I had a couple of 'em and got rid of mine 'cause I couldn't group for crap with them. I usually do about 1" to 2" groups CoM from 10 yards with full lug revolvers and "normal" semi's (Glock, Sigmas, 59xx's, 1911's).

 

[Waveski]

Since my last post I went down into the Bat Cave and put the P38 in my hand - It is quite possible that I had my finger on the trigger at the first knuckle , perhaps even a bit beyond. That gives me something to work on tomorrow , thanks.

It does cause a bit of a panic when you can barely hit the paper , eh?

I wonder : does the P38 have a short "pull" , to borrow a long gun term?

 

[M2Pilot]

I'm not a good shot.
I can hit things with my P38 better than with most of my other handguns.
Like I said, I'm not a good shot.

 

[shootr]

Wow. My P1 points naturally and is very accurate. One of my favs to shoot.

 

[bannockburn]

My Manurhin P1 has always been somewhat fussy, accuracy-wise, with just about all 115 gr. ammo. Does much better with both 124 gr. and 147 gr. ammo.

 

[NuJudge]

What ammo were you shooting? My P38 experience is solely with Post-WWII pistols. Using the WWII surplus I used in my childhood, I could not hit anything. Recent commercial shoots well. Using cast bullet loads with bullets large enough to fit the groove diameter (almost .358"), I get very small groups.