When to adjust your adjustable sights

[RM]

How does one decide when to adjust adjustable sights? I am a new left handed shooter shooting low and to the right at 25 yards. How do you distinguish between making shooting errors (jerking the gun, flinching, etc.) vs. the need to adjust the gun?

 

[BigG]

I think you should be able to shoot an identifiable group before you move the sights.

 

[motorep]

Zero the gun, with the ammo you're going to use, at 10 or 15 yards from a rest. After you're satisfied with that, then shoot your 25 yard target. Elevation should be the only adjustment you need at that point.

 

[tbeb]

Placing target at 25 yards is too far for a new shooter. If possible, shoot at a target 10-15 yards away. Are you still hitting low and to the right? If so, then move the rear sight up and also move the rear sight to the left.

 

[9mmepiphany]

as everyone else has said, get into the black with a group at 10 yards before moving out to 25 yards...at 7 yds all your shots would touch

i recommend only adjusting in one plane, and getting centered, before adjusting the other plane. make gross ajustment at first and try to bracket your POA before fine tuning into the center. adjust and fire at least a 3 shot group before adjusting again.

 

[Navy joe]

Have an accomplished shooter fire the weapon, if their results mirror yours, that points towards the gun.

Second the identifiable group comment, hitting everywhere in that corner is not enough to go on. Bring it in closer.

As a lefty, I will venture to stab in the dark that your right hand is giving a sympathetic squeeze when you break the shot with your left index finger.

Concentrate on dryfire at home and see if the problem goes away. Try dime drills, placing a dime on the front sight and dryfiring without it falling off.

 

[heritageguy]

If you are holding the gun with your left hand there several things could cause your shots to print at 4:00 or 5:00 o'clock. You could be both pushing the trigger to the right while simultaneously pulling down on the trigger instead of pulling it straight back. You could also be tightening your grip when you pull the trigger which can cause the muzzle to dip right and low for a lefty. Both of these things happened to me.

The best fix is to correct your grip and trigger pull. The *fastest* fix is for you to use your right index finger to apply light sidways pressure to the right side of the trigger guard which will counteract the tendency to dip the muzzle low and right.

I still use the second method when I'm shooting with two hands.

In any event you need to shoot consistent groups on the target before you start adjusting the sights.

Good luck!

 

[BigG]

From your description of "left handed shooting low and to right" it sounds like the mirror image of a righty shooting low and to the left. The military calls that milking the gun, ie, squeezing with your whole hand instead of just using the trigger finger to pull trigger straight back. Correct your shooting technique and I would not be surprised if you find your groups dead center. HTH

 

[10-Ring]

I rarely touch my adjustable sights. Usually when I notice a dramatic change in performance, I blame te machinery 1st and see if I can adjust back to an acceptable level.