Why am I shooting to the left with my glocks?

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H1500308

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Why do all my glocks shoot to the left of point of aim? From what I've read this seems to be more the shooter than the gun.

I've tried changing my grip, using the 1st digit of my trigger finger....etc but I'm always shooting left with my G19, 17, 21, 34.

What is causing this and how can I remedy it.
 
I believe "low and to the left" is the end-result of flinching due to the anticipation of recoil.

The Glock's trigger stroke can be difficult to master as far as accuracy goes. I would just dry-fire some more and try and get your mind off of anticipating the recoil!
 
Tough to diagnose these things from a computer, but if you are shooting 9 o'clock, then it's probably not flinch. Flinching usually throws it off in a vertical direction as well as horizontal, leaving most righties shooting low and left.

If you are shooting left, but you are ok vertically, then the problem more than likely can be traced to your trigger pull. You are probably not coming straight back with the trigger. You might be mashing it as well. Concentrate on pulling the trigger straight back with even pressure until it breaks. It ought to surprise you when it happens.

Jason
 
What is causing this and how can I remedy it.
Click to expand...

Dry firing is the answer - even without getting into a deep diagnosis of the problem. Practice against a well-lit back drop that let's you see what the sight picture does as you pull the trigger. Practice until it doesn't change through the pull.

Then keep practicing dry firing like this weekly to keep any flinching or bad habits from creeping back. I have read that some top competitors do HUGE amounts of dry firing to keep their trigger pull in top shape sometimes over 50 or 70%.
 
Also look at where you place your finger on the trigger. If you place it too far towards the tip of your finger you will have a tendency to push the weapon to the left when you pull the trigger. Too far away from the tip can have the opposite effect.
 
Over gripping with your firing hand if you're right handed can produce grouping off to the left. And +1 on the trigger manipulation being a possible cause as well.

Like Jason_G said, it's hard to diagnose from a couple sentences of description without seeing your target or your grip and stance.
 
Here's a good diagram:

Target_chart.gif
 
Last edited:
the correction target in post #7 reads "no follow through" at the 10/11 o'clock position.

what is 'follow through" ??
 
Follow through is driving the sights back on target and getting another good sight picture after you fire the round. Kind of the same principle as not popping your head up after firing with a rifle to see where your round went.
 
You have received a lot of good suggestions, with the exception of the ludicrous notion that Glocks are designed to shoot to the left.

The one area that no one has mentioned unless I missed it is your grip. I have helped several folks remedy this very issue just by changing their grip technique. Use the layered thumbs technique and get as much meat on the grip as you can.

Here is a pretty good photo and article.

http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics_training/combatg_100306/index2.html

Try this one for follow through. It's a somewhat complex subject.

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/training.htm
 
Could it be the sights?

If you are consistant, adjust the sights and dont change anything.

The next person to shoot it may very well shoot to the right.
 
Because that is the way Glocks are designed to naturally shoot.

It is not you.
Click to expand...
Uhh??? I hope you are joking.

For the record: Glocks are not designed to shoot to the left. They are designed to shoot POA like any other well-designed gun that is shooting accurately.
 
then why do so many, if not a majority, of people shoot Glocks to the left when they shoot point of aim naturally with almost all other pistols?

Perhaps designed is not the correct way to put it, but how many times have you seen, talked to, heard of shooters having to adjust the way they naturally shoot just to get the Glock to shoot poa?

Or is the OP just off their rocker?
 
Texshooter, I would have to say as a LEO firearms instructor most people start out with an anticipation issue and unless instructed or practiced out of it, they will perpetually shoot low left...its the nature of the beast
 
the todd jarett video linked earlier is pretty much one of the best guides out there.

the bullet going left to right is usually trigger control.

have a friend load your magazines for you with three live rounds and two snap caps, and to put them in a random order. when you run into the snap cap, you'll see in what direction the front sight goes. this drill helped me when i was starting out, and i was able to shake (most of :D) my bad habits.

i use the area about halfway between the tip and the knuckle on my trigger finger.


grip related:
what also pulls the bullet to the left or right, with some shooters, is they put their support hand index finger on the front of the trigger guard, and end up yanking the gun in the direction of their support hand when they pull the trigger. the other 'cup-and-saucer' method, may be attributed to how they cup the bottom of the grip. i don't recommend using either grip...
 
H1500308 said:
using the 1st digit of my trigger finger...
What is causing this and how can I remedy it.
Click to expand...

Trigger control. The Glock -is- a little different.

Trigger goes on the middle of the pad of the last joint of your trigger. However, the movement must be from the NEXT joint, so that the trigger is pulled STRAIGHT back.

Pull back to remove the slack. STOP. Now, continue to squeeze, pulling STRAIGHT back, until it fires. Just move the finger, don't squeeze with the rest of your hand.

This can all be practiced as a DRY FIRE exercise. Check to see gun is unloaded, mag is empty. NO ammo in the room, anywhere. Check again to see that gun/mag is empty. Designate a point to fire at that has enough of a backstop to catch a bullet. Check again to see that gun/mag is empty.

Practice, practice, practice.
 
burning squirrels

if he does that he best order another glock trigger for my bet he is jerking that gun so bad that he will break the trigger if he hits a snap cap. Trust me as you know those puppies will show you your faults really fast. It ain't the glock.

If he is consistent, then also move the site, you can master a bad habit..
 
i would absolutely not move the sight so long as they point exactly where the bullet is going. if you adjust a gun to your bad habits, you'll be screwed the moment you move to a different gun. adjusting sights are a band-aid...

i'm not saying he's jerking the trigger bad: just saying that as long as his grip is correct, he is probably curling his finger in some manner that makes the gun go left just before the striker is let loose. glock triggers have that vertical pattern on them, and it's easy to 'push' the gun to one side or the other as your finger pad moves backwards.

when i shot my XD with the same vertical pattern on it for the first time, i had to adjust my trigger squeeze a little for that left shooting problem that didn't show up on my smooth surfaced triggers on my CZs. i now carry that small change i made across all my guns, so i no longer have that left-problem when i pull the trigger on smooth or vertical textured pattern triggers.
 
A friend had this problem, and I noticed the rear sight seemed to be a bit moved. I corrected it, and gave it back to him. He still shot to the left on the range. Hum.. I gave him a rest to shoot it from, and I watched him at the range. Still shot to the left and a bit low. I said, well hell, let me shoot it. First shot went right through the bullzeye, second shot was just above it. I handed it back and didn't really say anything. To this day he still claims its the gun.
 
I had this same problem with a Kahr CW 40. I would ALWAYS shoot to the left with it no matter what I did and how hard I tried not to. What I did was; got rid of the CW 40 unfortunately as I could not see having to learn how to shoot a gun that just wasn't a good fit for me.

I now have an SA XD9SC that I do not have this problem. I shoot the XD very good imo.
 
Alelks, that's a good chart way back in this thread. I printed it out and threw it in my range bag to help me and others I go with. Thanks.
 
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