Sidearms & Scatterguns Always to the left

[Litshoot]

So im not sure whyI always should to the left of the target, I've actually turned targets upside down and reused them because the new shots were in clean paper.

I've moved my finger all over the trigger, changed backstraps (small and medium) changed guns, glock 17, fnp 45t, cz p07, cz p09, 1911. Tried different grips

They all group from half inch to 2 inches left of bull, used different targets, different grips (hand wise) my last outing put 7 shots an inch left of the bull withing 1 inch of themselves with 1911, then the 2 cz gave me a string of about 3/4 inch wide by 2 inches long string going from 1 to 7 oclock just outside the target dot. I' tempted to adjust all of my sights, but I know I'm the problem. Any help.
seth

 

[smokin.338]

http://aegisacademy.com/pistol-correction-chart/

 

[Litshoot]

I was started with this chart. jokes aside, I went throught that chart because it seems to be a common trend and made the attempts to go from the tip of my finger to the 1st knuckle on the trigger without much change. seems like more range time and practice, if it stays consistent with tight groups I may live with and adjust to this bad habit

 

[Rerun7]

With the pistol unloaded... lightly grip the gun and look down the sights, then put a firm grip on it. Do the sights go to the left or stay on target?

I had had this issue (and still do at times) where I’m not gripping the gun in the proper part of my palm and as I exert more pressure on the grip it pulls left.

 

[Litshoot]

I will try that more intently, although I did not notice any obvious shift from my grip changes, im still trying to learn to grip and manage recoil for a pistol (bad rifle habits of loose trigger hand grip need to be overcome). I tried dry firing and noticed the front sight would occasionally move to the right, again moved my finger in and out of trigger guard, tried single and double hand, loose and tight grip, got it to go away for the most part. the gap on the sides of the front sight would almost completely go away on the right leaving just a sliver of white visible between the right ear of the rear sight and the front blade.
Seth

 

[Wyfox]

Trigger control and trigger reset, master those two things and you'll improve. The other is anticipating the shot which normally results in poor trigger control.

 

[Litshoot]

ive been practicing an all be it stupid sounding drill, load the gun, drop the magazine and fire 2 rounds, half the time on the second round, empty chamber I will catch pushing the gun down. after about 20-40 rounds each outing, it goes away and ill fire a few regular groups then do it again to see. usually fixed for the duration of the range trip.

 

[Wyfox]

Get some dummy rounds and have someone load 3 mags with approx 4 dummies per mag along with live ammo., without you watching. You'll immediately see the issue when you have a FTF, punching the trigger from anticipating recoil. Just master that trigger reset, it will make a huge difference!

 

[Slash0311]

I had the same problem several years ago. On a law enforcement silhouette you could almost draw a line right down the spine and every hit was left. I worked with a firearms instructor for a few weeks before I finally found what worked for me. Two things fixed my issue. 1. Was the very tip of my finger on the trigger (it's literally about 1/4 inch from the end if my finger) 2. Was grip pressure. Pressure/counter-pressure was the bigger thing. I was gripping too hard with my right hand. I mentally tell myself to relax my right and increase my left. This was when I was practicing to become a LEO firearms instructor.

For the record, I'm right handed, shooting a Glock Gen 4 G22.

 

[JW329]

Dry fire with a penny on the front sight. Btw you never "manage recoil" for a pistol, just let it happen. When you get to where you dry fire without the penny falling off you will be a shooter. My 8yr old son does this with his g43 and I did it when I was being taught to shoot, it works! If you can get ahold of a red glock that works best.

 

[steve123]

Buy a decent pellet pistol and practice while concentrating on the fundamentals. There's no recoil or noise to mask wrongdoing of ones form so it's much easier to see the what and why. You'll quickly discover what you are doing wrong.

Right before a precision rifle match that included pistol stages, I was practicing with my PCP Olympic match air pistol to tighten up my form. That was a high point in my pistol shooting because I had practiced the previous two weeks 2-3 times a week. At the match on the practice range some bystanders watched as I put 5 pellets at 15Y into a dime sized group with it. Their varied reactions were funny to see.

Already having had plenty of experience with combat handguns previously, practicing with the air pistol really helped my accuracy for that match, and I ended up winning the pistol portion of the event.

 

[Unknown]

The human hand is designed to grasp things using the thumb to wrap around the item, and the other four fingers close in unison. It is unnatural for us to squeeze something tightly enough to hold it with middle, ring, and little finger while keeping the trigger finger straight. What happens when a person then tries to use their index finger to pull the trigger, the other three fingers that are already gripping the grip of the pistol close a wee bit, thereby shoving shots to the left for right handed pistol shooters, and to the right for left handed shooters.

To demonstrate this, hold up the first to fingers of your support hand and simulate them being the grip of a pistol, then grasp them tightly as if holding a pistol with your trigger finger extended. Then simulate actuating a trigger by pulling in your trigger finger. The majority of people will feel the tendons in the palm of the hand holding the two fingers of the support hand moving while they "pull the trigger". This is how the hand is supposed to work, and overcoming this very natural tendency takes practice because one is attempting to overcome nature's design.

Essentially, you are trying to overcome the natural tendency to close other fingers in your hand while pulling the trigger.

 

[MATADOR]

Get some dummy rounds and have someone load 3 mags with approx 4 dummies per mag along with live ammo., without you watching. You'll immediately see the issue when you have a FTF, punching the trigger from anticipating recoil. Just master that trigger reset, it will make a huge difference!

Agreed. A retired pistol competition shooter had me do this years ago. You will definitely improve doing this.

 

[Basher]

Is it short and shriveled, too?

Sorry, saw the thread title and couldn't help myself!

 

[JW329]

I put 5 pellets at 15Y into a dime sized group with it.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Heck, I would just adjust all the sights if that's what it takes to get on center target. I mean, maybe you're doing it wrong, but hey, you're also doing it consistently, eh?

I throw rounds out to the left sometimes, too. Handgun marksmanship was never a natural act for me, either. I know my handgun basics need work, but I did adjust my sights in accordance with a dummy cartridge/laser bore sighter; and now, they either group all in the center, or I throw one or more out to the left. I need more practice, I know that.

If, after all the practice, my pattern shifts, I'll readjust the sights to bring them back to center. There's a reason why they make adjustable sights, and I need them because they get me back to center. That's a plenty good enough reason for me.

Greg

 

[steve123]

JW329,

That made me laugh, thanks!

 

[Slash0311]

Adjusting the sights is an option, but in the immortal words of the instructor that helped fix my issue, "why not try and fix your shooting problem rather than adjusting sights to mask the issues you have?"

I guess ultimately both cause your rounds to consistently impact where you want them to, but only one of those days will make you a better shooter in my opinion.

 

[Mute]

Are you perhaps cross dominant (meaning your dominant eye is opposite of your strong side arm)?

 

[Unknown]

Some firearms instructions are as dogmatic as religious leaders. They (trainers) have been teaching to use a certain technique, and want people to use those techniques come hell or high water.

One officer at my agency was right handed, left eye dominant, and wanted to shoot with the firearm in right hand, with right foot forward. The dogmatic instructors on the line during qualification told that officer to stand with left foot forward, and use right eye to shoot. That officer would usually shoot around 60-70% of the required 80% to qualify. I asked the officer to use whatever stance, and eye felt most "normal" and while it looked like a monkey trying to have sex with a foot ball, allowing the officer to stand and shoot in what felt "natural" resulted in qualification scores around 85%..still nothing to write home about, but at least they qualified.

Instructors have to keep an open mind, and try different things as not all suggestions work for everyone else. I am a firm believer in trying techniques other than the ones we are comfortable with. At least try them, I don't have to adopt those techinques permanently, but I should at least try the techniques until I understand them enough to pass them along to someone who might benefit from them. A good example of that is having the thumb of the support hand pointing at the target rather than locking the thumb down to increase grip. I can use either technique, I just prefer locking my thumb down.