I've been a semi-avid shooter over the past two years, and no matter how much I practice slow fire, my spreads are probably on par with/worse then that of a shot-gun. That is, when I'm using slow-fire of 1 shot per 2+ seconds. Now here's the odd thing, when I pick up the pace to 1-2 shots/second, my groups shrink by leaps and bounds. I go from a shotgun blast of 6"+ to nearly a nice ragged hole. From all I've read of the "Internet Gun Wisdom" it should be the opposite way. Nice tight groups at slow fire, and them opening up during rapid fire. Yet, here I am punching a single hole at rapid fire, and shooting out the lights and the other guy's target 3 lanes over in slow fire...Anyone else have such interesting experiences/shooting quirks?
Slow-Fire Woes
- Thread starter -v-
- Start date
- Status
Mad Magyar
Member
Actually, I don't think your actions are that unusual...Not sure of your target range, or using 1 or 2-hands....I found late in life I shot better point shooting w/1 hand at ranges within 7 yds on any rapidity of shots...
Possibly, while spending seconds before firing; you're concentrating too much on sight, trigger, recoil, noise, etc...
I suggest that you use a silouhette target with a standard Kill Zone outlined and see how well or bad you are actually shooting.....
Keep us informed....Good shooting...
Possibly, while spending seconds before firing; you're concentrating too much on sight, trigger, recoil, noise, etc...
I suggest that you use a silouhette target with a standard Kill Zone outlined and see how well or bad you are actually shooting.....
Keep us informed....Good shooting...
1SOW
Member
W.A.G. & you'll probably get what you paid for.
I don't know the range of your targets, but there generally tends to be different sighting methods at varying ranges.
At close range 0-6/7 yards, point shooting works nicely. You just point at the target and shoot-Allows fast shooting with good hits.
At intermediate ranges, the front sight becomes the primary for your eyes. Front sight-target-frontsite-shoot.--not quite as fast (with a good grip variances tend to be up or down)
At longer ranges (18-25 yds?), both the front and rear sites need to be carefully aligned to the POA.--a little slower yet.
I suspect your using two different sighting techniques. One of them needs work. There is a lot of practice info out there for ways to practice/improve longer range/slow fire, medium range/front sight (double taps) and short range/point and shoot.
This may be garbage, but it might lead you in the right direction.
I don't know the range of your targets, but there generally tends to be different sighting methods at varying ranges.
At close range 0-6/7 yards, point shooting works nicely. You just point at the target and shoot-Allows fast shooting with good hits.
At intermediate ranges, the front sight becomes the primary for your eyes. Front sight-target-frontsite-shoot.--not quite as fast (with a good grip variances tend to be up or down)
At longer ranges (18-25 yds?), both the front and rear sites need to be carefully aligned to the POA.--a little slower yet.
I suspect your using two different sighting techniques. One of them needs work. There is a lot of practice info out there for ways to practice/improve longer range/slow fire, medium range/front sight (double taps) and short range/point and shoot.
This may be garbage, but it might lead you in the right direction.
The target that I was shooting at was one of those Wally-World Small bore 100-yard targets set up at about 7 yard's distance, using a two-handed grip. The thing that surprises me is that the aiming technique that I used for both slow and fast fire was the same, as best as I could tell. Line up the three dots under the target, and pull the bang-switch. Perhaps the only difference is that during fast fire, I was focusing a little more on the rear sight over the front, as far as alignment went.
What I would agree with is Mad Magyar's assessment (that was echoed by my CCW instructor) that my issue might be that during slow-fire I'm overthinking the shot. I focus so much on aligning the sights and the shot, that I fudge the shot, whereas at fast-fire I don't have time to think, merely align the sights and Boom.
I do however appreciate any input, and will also look into some drills for improving med/long range shooting.
What I would agree with is Mad Magyar's assessment (that was echoed by my CCW instructor) that my issue might be that during slow-fire I'm overthinking the shot. I focus so much on aligning the sights and the shot, that I fudge the shot, whereas at fast-fire I don't have time to think, merely align the sights and Boom.
I do however appreciate any input, and will also look into some drills for improving med/long range shooting.
jr_roosa
Member
I had/still have the same problem. Here's what I found helps:
If you try to focus on sight alignment, shot placement, and trigger squeeze all at the same time, you goof at least one up. I realized this when I tried some drills where I shoot at the blank side of a target. Without anything to aim at, my slow fire groups shrank by at least half.
Try flipping the target around and just focusing on sight alignment and trigger pull. Don't worry about shot placement because somehow your brain puts the sights in the middle of the target witout you trying. When the groups tighten up, flip it back around, but try to ignore the bullseye and just keep focusing on the sights and the trigger.
It's weird...the less I care where the sights are on the target, the more the shots go where they are supposed to.
It still doesn't make sense to me, but somehow it works.
-J.
If you try to focus on sight alignment, shot placement, and trigger squeeze all at the same time, you goof at least one up. I realized this when I tried some drills where I shoot at the blank side of a target. Without anything to aim at, my slow fire groups shrank by at least half.
Try flipping the target around and just focusing on sight alignment and trigger pull. Don't worry about shot placement because somehow your brain puts the sights in the middle of the target witout you trying. When the groups tighten up, flip it back around, but try to ignore the bullseye and just keep focusing on the sights and the trigger.
It's weird...the less I care where the sights are on the target, the more the shots go where they are supposed to.
It still doesn't make sense to me, but somehow it works.
-J.
jr_roosa
Member
Here's a link to the drills I was talking about.
http://www.brianzins.com/downloads.shtml
They're focused on competition and not defense, but I don't suppose the Marines have a pistol team just because they don't have anything better to do.
-J.
http://www.brianzins.com/downloads.shtml
They're focused on competition and not defense, but I don't suppose the Marines have a pistol team just because they don't have anything better to do.
-J.
- Status
