help me out ?

[Guest jdavis]

finally got her shooting and she is going to get her permit, but has a small problem that i cant get her to get past, how do i get this fixed? she pulls the trigger all the way through and right before the gun fires her wrist twitches down and at 20 ft she groups 4 inches low i try to tell her what is happening but she doesnt feel it so i dont know how to tell her to correct it, any oppinions? (i think i posted in the right forum if not feel free to move it)

[glockster157]

First, let her get lots of dry fire practice to build some muscle memory.

Second, make sure the gun does not hurt her when she shoots it, I will flinch after a while with a 44 mag and uncomfortable grips. Also, make sure she is wearing good hearing protection, use plugs and muffs if possible.

Third, slip some dummy rounds into the mag or cylinder so that when she yanks the trigger and the gun does not fire she will see what she is doing.

Lastly, check to make sure she is using a proper grip and not just what feels good to her, what feel s right to a novice most often does not work.

[Angus]

First, let her get lots of dry fire practice to build some muscle memory.

Second, make sure the gun does not hurt her when she shoots it, I will flinch after a while with a 44 mag and uncomfortable grips. Also, make sure she is wearing good hearing protection, use plugs and muffs if possible.

Third, slip some dummy rounds into the mag or cylinder so that when she yanks the trigger and the gun does not fire she will see what she is doing.

Lastly, check to make sure she is using a proper grip and not just what feels good to her, what feel s right to a novice most often does not work.

+1...yeppers, great idea

[323ssplt]

First, let her get lots of dry fire practice to build some muscle memory.

Second, make sure the gun does not hurt her when she shoots it, I will flinch after a while with a 44 mag and uncomfortable grips. Also, make sure she is wearing good hearing protection, use plugs and muffs if possible.

Third, slip some dummy rounds into the mag or cylinder so that when she yanks the trigger and the gun does not fire she will see what she is doing.

Lastly, check to make sure she is using a proper grip and not just what feels good to her, what feel s right to a novice most often does not work.

Absolutley spot on. The only additional thing I could recommend would be to add a laser during dry firing, if possible. This will actually show her how much a "tiny" flinch will move the muzzle, and consequently, the strike of the round.

[Chumney]

+1 on the laser

[TGO David]

Cheap, effective, easy to do...

1. Unload the weapon.

2. Store ammo completely away from weapon.

3. Ensure that the weapon is still clear before proceeding.

4. With a clear chamber but the weapon cocked and ready to fire, have her grip the weapon as though she were preparing to fire. Aim, trigger finger placement, etc. all need to be exactly as ready to fire.

5. Balance a coin flatly on the front sight blade.

6. Have her pull the trigger completely through and concentrate on NOT disturbing the coin. It shouldn't fall off until the trigger breaks and the EMPTY gun dry fires.

If the coin falls before she completes the trigger pull, she tries again. She keeps trying until she gets to where she can break the trigger without disturbing the coin. It's a fun game, it teaches good trigger discipline, and costs nothing so long as you make SURE that the weapon is unloaded. Otherwise you may end up needing a new television, wall, dog, door, microwave, kidney, etc.

Did I mention that you need to make sure it's unloaded?

[Guest Bronker]

Cheap, effective, easy to do...

1. Unload the weapon.

2. Store ammo completely away from weapon.

3. Ensure that the weapon is still clear before proceeding.

4. With a clear chamber but the weapon cocked and ready to fire, have her grip the weapon as though she were preparing to fire. Aim, trigger finger placement, etc. all need to be exactly as ready to fire.

5. Balance a coin flatly on the front sight blade.

6. Have her pull the trigger completely through and concentrate on NOT disturbing the coin. It shouldn't fall off until the trigger breaks and the EMPTY gun dry fires.

If the coin falls before she completes the trigger pull, she tries again. She keeps trying until she gets to where she can break the trigger without disturbing the coin. It's a fun game, it teaches good trigger discipline, and costs nothing so long as you make SURE that the weapon is unloaded. Otherwise you may end up needing a new television, wall, dog, door, microwave, kidney, etc.

Did I mention that you need to make sure it's unloaded?

Do you do this with the weapon loaded or unloaded? Couldn't tell by your post. ;-)

[Guest jdavis]

Cheap, effective, easy to do...

1. Unload the weapon.

2. Store ammo completely away from weapon.

3. Ensure that the weapon is still clear before proceeding.

4. With a clear chamber but the weapon cocked and ready to fire, have her grip the weapon as though she were preparing to fire. Aim, trigger finger placement, etc. all need to be exactly as ready to fire.

5. Balance a coin flatly on the front sight blade.

6. Have her pull the trigger completely through and concentrate on NOT disturbing the coin. It shouldn't fall off until the trigger breaks and the EMPTY gun dry fires.

If the coin falls before she completes the trigger pull, she tries again. She keeps trying until she gets to where she can break the trigger without disturbing the coin. It's a fun game, it teaches good trigger discipline, and costs nothing so long as you make SURE that the weapon is unloaded. Otherwise you may end up needing a new television, wall, dog, door, microwave, kidney, etc.

Did I mention that you need to make sure it's unloaded?

thats a pretty good idea i will try that. thanks for any and all advice i have to get her on target.

[analog_kidd]

Here is a link to a handy target you can print out that tells you what you are doing wrong, based on shot placement...

http://www.reloadbench.com/pdf/files/TargetRightHanded.pdf

[frontier737]

If the reason she has the gun is for self defense is 4 inches at 20 feet a bad thing? I read somewhere (can't find the source) that most gun fights occur within <10 feet.

When she takes an advanced handgun course and learns to fire "elbow over holster" at a target 2-3 feet away (aiming at the pelvic girdle) it won't matter at all.

Of course, that's my opinion.

Here is one source: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/killed/2004/table35.htm

Edited February 5, 2009 by frontier737

[frontier737]

I thought I was going to get flamed for a philosophically flawed post...whew!

[Oh Shoot]

If the reason she has the gun is for self defense is 4 inches at 20 feet a bad thing? I read somewhere (can't find the source) that most gun fights occur within <10 feet.

When she takes an advanced handgun course and learns to fire "elbow over holster" at a target 2-3 feet away (aiming at the pelvic girdle) it won't matter at all.

Of course, that's my opinion.

Here is one source: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/killed/2004/table35.htm

I thought I was going to get flamed for a philosophically flawed post...whew!

Methinks everyone is dumbfounded and helpless to respond within the withering glare of your logic.

- OS

[Garufa]

IMHO, there may be one or more things going on. Is she shooting low as in hole is directly below the bullseye's? Or low and to the left? What's her expericence with guns? Is this something she is interested in or you? Being a half-assed psychologist here but it's a gal, and all are created differently!

There's alot of good advice here but do you think she may be anticipating the big boom? It'll mess you up every time. Depending on her personality and experience, the place you're shooting, the alignment of Mars to Venus or whatever, maybe you just need to find the right environment to begin the lessons. And the right gun.

[Guest jdavis]

IMHO, there may be one or more things going on. Is she shooting low as in hole is directly below the bullseye's? Or low and to the left? What's her expericence with guns? Is this something she is interested in or you? Being a half-assed psychologist here but it's a gal, and all are created differently!

There's alot of good advice here but do you think she may be anticipating the big boom? It'll mess you up every time. Depending on her personality and experience, the place you're shooting, the alignment of Mars to Venus or whatever, maybe you just need to find the right environment to begin the lessons. And the right gun.

she is shooting a glock 23 she wont even talk about shooting any other gun except for my 1911 and im keeping it, she shoots low even with it i think she is anticipating the boom as she pulls the trigger right at the trigger break she flintches down, tried earplugs and muffs at the same time she still does it. is there a chance she will correct this herself with trigger time? she even does it with the little 22 auto. i am going to try some of the reccomendations from here and maybe it will help her.

[Mark@Sea]

Does no one do a ball and dummy drill anymore?

You load the mag. Put 2 or 3 snapcaps (dummy rounds) in it randomly. She loads and shoots - when she pulls on a snapcap it will be very obvious - to her - what is happening.

As she gets better, load fewer snapcaps.

Edited February 8, 2009 by Mark@Sea

[Garufa]

Just me talking but advise she maintain calm, take a breath and squeeze trigger. It's a mental thing. You squeeze all the way until it stops and then release.

A Glock 23 is pretty snappy and big for smaller hands. I've had one for years (2nd Gen), and it's great, not a good gun to start with. The trigger thing gets a bit of getting used to and it does kick.

Short of starting over with something like a .22, where you oughta start with anyway, try a Lone Wolf 9mm barrrel for that 23. That way you can take some of the snap out of the .40 round (and afford to shoot it). May help in the control.

[Guest mcclearypl]

What a group we have here! All good advice delivered in a positive manner.

Way to go people!

[Guest jdavis]

she started with a smith 22lr pistol and shot it quite a bit then shot a smith 380 for a while and wanted the glock 23, i showed her the 19 ,and 17 she shot them but she didnt like them she didnt really start enjoying shooting until she got the g23. she has always had this bad habbit though even with the 22lr i also noticed when she flinches she blinks her eyes. i think the problem has just got worse with the 40cal, and this is also her first glock. i have no doubt that we can get her shooting straight though its just a matter of getting the habbit broken. she is going to take her test next month.