So I need some shooting help

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L

Lupinus

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Ok so if you have followed the "Hey I got a new gun!" threads you will already know that I recently finally got my first handgun, a Sig 239 in 40 S&W. Shoots great, haven't had one single hiccup in just over a thousand rounds now, and just feels sexy in the hand. But anyway I am having some trouble. Like I said it's the first handgun we were all there at one point lol.

Most of my shots are going high and to the left. I don't think it's the sights as there are some shots going right where I want them to, others (honestly most) are going either to the left or high and to the left. Groups are on the large side but then again I'm still breaking myself in with handguns so that was sort of expected. And I am focusing on the front sight, not the target.

I've looked at one of those targets that has the different shooting problems on it and according to it the causes for left would be to little trigger finger and for high and left pushing and/or no follow through.

Anyone have some advice on fixing these issues?

Going to a class isn't really on option, the only thing I have found around here is CCW classes and after contacting a few of them not even they know who just offers a plain Jane basic handgun class in the area.
 
Dryfire. A lot. It sounds to me that you are "heeling" a flinch in which you push the base of the grip with the heel of your dominant hand palm. I do it sometime when I get tired. Dryfire at home, dryfire at the range a few times if your shots start to scatter. While .40 is not a hard recoiling round it is pretty sharp feeling/sounding and causes a fair number of flinches. Without a gun another fun thing to practice is to loosely half curl the fingers of your firing hand. Extend your trigger finger and then move it throughout it's range of motion without moving your other fingers. Infuriating isn't it? Once you've dryfired a little try the dime trick, place a dime on the front sight and dryfire without disturbing the dime. The goal of any dry or live fire should be to break the shot without moving the sights.
 
yeah the 40's recoil doesn't both or scare me. But I have noticed on occasion that I am pushing the my right hand into the gun and kind of holding it in place with my left hand. Amd working on that.

What would follow through mean?
 
I noticed that you live in williamston south carolina so i did a search on nra.org for their basic pistol course and it turns out that they have one in Anderson, South Carolina, Which appears to be pretty close to you. So if you wanted to maybe take the course and see if they could help you go here http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/find.asp?State=SC&Type=BPistol and its the number on top:)
 
When you shoot your pistol, there is a period of time between pulling the trigger and when the bullet leaves the barrel. Any motion during that time will send the bullet to a different place than you aimed. Follow through is basically holding your grip, stance, sight picture throughout the shot after you have already pulled the trigger. Easier to explain when shooting say a .22LR rifle, where you shoot your shot, there is no recoil and you basically see the POI on the target through your sights.
 
Mike-
Yeah I saw that to, all he offers is CCW though, already tried him lol.

Thanks for the explination wedge
 
You're probably pushing, anticipating recoil.
http://gunnery.net/
has a circle diagram of shot placement that I used. Worked for me anyway. You'll have to look for the target though. It will show you a blank center with the outside showing different explainations in shooting that part of the target. I don't have a web page so I can link show what it looks like.
 
It's your Grip

...

Hey L,

I have no doubts, it's your improper, inconsistent grip that is your problem.

But that is why your shots go up down left and right when you shoot fast. And I mean slow-fast, like 1 shot per sec.

If, what I explain down below is used, then once you set up for the first, controlled, slow-sure aim, and shoot, and hit COM, then with a controlled slow, but rapid, fire, should result in shots staying within COM areas 9 - 10, and will improve in speed, with practice.

Here we go:

Hard to explain, but I'll give it a short try and example that I hope you can visualize and apply. If not, contact your shooting range. Arrange 1, , 2, whatever it takes, private lessons, as I did, once, to learn how to shoot my Beretta Px4 40cal, with a range officer, one on one, for about 1 hour and 100 rounds.

It sounds like your shooting using what is termed, "the praying grip" meaning,

Both arms are equal, yet not locked, kinda looks like this.. ^ > ()

What you need to concentrate on is your main firing hand/arm, so that it is almost straight, and "locked" for support of your guns recoil.

Your other hand/arm, the support grip, does not need to be equal in length, meaning, not the same parallel position, rather, pretend that you're holding your gun. Put your main arm and hand, and hand in a fist position, straight out but with a slight bend in the elbow, but locked tight. (you should feel your arm muscle tighten, but not a death grip) just firm and comfy.

Now take your support hand, and like in (the old game) rock, paper, scissors, and make paper, and wrap your main shooting hand on the outside, and hold it. (you're now holding your gun but..)

Main arm should be nearly straight, tight, slight bend in elbow, and your supporting arm/hand should be slightly lower, more bent at the elbow.

With your hands together, make like you're washing your hands, move them up and down, opposite each other, and watch where your wrists are.

Find the point, where your wrist are perfectly even..

Now, with the main arm (firing hand) locked, push that arm and hand against the supporting hand and arm, and at the same time, Pull back on the pushing main arm, until you feel equal pressure, and this does not require ALOT of Push/Pull, just enough, comfortably, to balance out both.

That is what you must feel, and look like, to shoot straight, and control the recoil, so that the gun, when it snaps up, comes right back down to where you had it, and all you should have to do is see the front sight, on COM target area 10, but when you do repeat shots, you'll know that your grip is balanced and right (consistent) because all your shots will go into COM areas 9 and 10, at 15ft out, then move the half-man target out to 20ft, and repeat, then 25ft, and on.

This is what, for lack of photo shop, your arms/grip should look like, and feel comfy at the same time, and straight line is main arm, support arm has the bend (and in most cases, lower at the elbow, but wrist are even.

( ] or / ]


Let us know,



LS


PS, as mentioned, practice "both" paper covering rock without gun for push-pull, even pressure, with even wrist, and hold it. Then with "snap-caps" in your gun to dry-fire it, hold the gun, same way, and do smooth trigger pulls, and watch your front sight, until it stops going down, up, sideways, and stays on target thru each pull. Start with a DA pull, then after you have that down, pull your trigger into SA mode and repeat. Practice this ALOT, and then take it all to the range and apply this "learned" grip, which will become a natural feel and habit, in time.

Oh yes, in the paper/rock mode (no gun) watch how your hands twist (IF your wrist are un-even) making the recoil move of up and down. IF they are even, during the up and down (recoil motion) the wrists will flex even, as will your gun return to on target (COM)

IF wrist are NOT even, your hands will twist left or right, as will the gun, and is why your continued shots move left, right, up, down.

Then, with gun in hand, with proper grip, even wrist, do the same test, do it right, and do it wrong, to see "and feel" the effect.

As far as feet placement, that's a personal comfy choice, me, I have one foot ahead of the other for balance.
 
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