Are you anywhere in the greater NYC metro area or on Long Island in NY. if so, I'd be happy to accompany you to a range to help you out. If not, I can point you here for some tips:
http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2007/07/ballseyes-firearms-training-and-tactics_08.html
http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2007/08/ballseyes-firearms-training-tactics.html
As for dry firing at home, I strongly advise against it unless you have a bullet proof backstop into which to aim as you dry fire. Dry firing while watching television is really something that a responsible shooter should not find himself doing. When you dry fire you should have total concentration on what you are doing, and that would be on dry firing. You should not be distracted by zombies or babes in bikinis. I am surprised that anyone suggested dry firing while also do something else at the same time. There is just too much potential for an accident. The other thing about dry firing is that it is fine if you have a double action revolver or pistol. it is nowhere nearly as effective if you are using a safe action pistol like a Glock where you have to rack the slide after every pull of the trigger, or a single action revolver that has to be cocked each time you pull the trigger. The reason it is not as effective is because you are breaking your grip, breaking your stance, breaking your sight picture to action the handgun.
I find one of the best things you can do to discover your problem is this:
Go to a range with a friend who will observe you shooting from behind and to the strong side. While on the firing line, safely load a semi auto pistol magazine with the maximum capacity of rounds. When you do so, make sure to have two dummy rounds in the mix, and load them randomly into the mag. Then load two more magazines the same way. Mix the mags around so there is virtually no chance you will know when a dummy round is coming. Load the gun. Begin to fire at your target at 7 yards, slow fire, two hand hold, unsupported. Aim as you normally aim, grip the gun as you would normally do so, squeeze the trigger as you normally do so - do things the same as usual as long as you are being safe. When you come to the dummy round, any telltale sign of what you are doing wrong will not only be seen, but it will quite possibly be intensified. As a matter of fact, if one of your problems is jerking the trigger, or if it is anticipating recoil, or if it is heeling, you probably will notice it right away when the hammer falls on a dummy round. It also probably will be so obvious as to amaze you. If not, then an observant partner should be able to tell you what went wrong. After that, keep shooting, this time trying to improve.
To improve your shots here is a simple thing to try, but do not try until you have at least squeezed the trigger on two dummy rounds in one mag. You reload a fresh mag. You draw the weapon or pick it up with proper grip - and as you do so you tell yourself how to do it. You actually mentally/quietly tell yourself each step of how to properly grip it. Then you get your sight picture, but this time as you do you mentally talk to yourself, telling yourself each step of what to do to acquire the proper sight picture. Once the sight picture is acquired you immediately begin to say the word squeeeeeeeeeze to yourself very slowly. Don't say it out loud - just imagine you are saying it and saying it slowly. As you begin to say it, you also begin to actually squeeze the trigger with your trigger finger. If you realize that as you are doing so, you begin to do something wrong, such as grip the pistol too tightly (a sign of this is that your hands are shaking) then relax, loosen your grip, get a sight picture, begin to squeeze the trigger - all the while never stopping to silently tell yourself each and every step in your head. You will probably notice that as you say the word squeeze to yourself, and begin to squeeze the trigger, the gun may fire almost as a surprise. If it does, and if your sight picture and grip were correct you can be pretty darned certain that the shot will be dead on target.
Remember that the two other mags you loaded had dummy rounds in them too. If you followed the above instructions and actually got it right, then when the hammer falls on those dummy rounds, you will very likely notice a marked improvement over the earlier hits on the dummies. If you practice this over and over again with a reliably accurate handgun and proper ammunition, your shooting will improve so long as you indeed have the proper grip, have the proper sight picture, and use a proper trigger squeeze.
At 7 yards you can usually get groups as tight or tighter than this if you get it all together:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_qJILF0zyFzU/SDh8H-KpElI/AAAAAAAAAmA/0WHSpgv0Fho/s320/ortgies
All the best,
GB
