shooting left... ideas?

[Guest CK1]

ok, 50rds @ 7yrds, 50rds @ 15yrds, seems 9 times out of 10 my targets end up like this... LEFT of POA.

i shoot using trigger reset and follow through, dry-fire often to smooth out my trigger squeeze/pull, and focus on the front sight... yet most of the time i end up a little left.

what am i missing? what other flaws or habits should i be looking for?

i'm not unhappy with my groups (this one is unusually larger since i put so many through the same target), but as you can tell, i want the nucleus in the center... what gives?

[timcalhoun]

Well, given that your gun is sighted in properly it is a trigger control issue. I would ask you if your trigger finger is laying flat and paralell to the gun (left to right) and are pulling the trigger straight back into the frame? That is usually what causes left/low left hits.

[Guest CK1]

Well, given that your gun is sighted in properly it is a trigger control issue. I would ask you if your trigger finger is laying flat and paralell to the gun (left to right) and are pulling the trigger straight back into the frame? That is usually what causes left/low left hits.

think my trigger control is ok, of course it can always get better... pulling perfectly straight back is something i will focus on and examine next time out, but i'm not sold that's it...

definitely something to check out though...

[Guest Mugster]

I think you need to sight in your pistol.

[timcalhoun]

Here is the best video I know of that explains grip/trigger control that I am aware. The only thing that he doesn't address is to keep your elbows slightly bent. If you look at 3:22 you will see what I'm talking about. The pad of his trigger finger in laying flat and parallel to the gun. This lets you pull straight back into the frame of the gun.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4584332856867071363&hl=en

[Schadenfreude]

I would make sure the sights weren't off before chasing a problem that may not exist That is a damn fine group especially for 100 rounds, groups are typically shot 3 rds at a time, I think you need to shoot less rounds per group if your trying to diagnose something then paste the target

[Guest CK1]

Here is the best video I know of that explains grip/trigger control that I am aware. The only thing that he doesn't address is to keep your elbows slightly bent. If you look at 3:22 you will see what I'm talking about. The pad of his trigger finger in laying flat and parallel to the gun. This lets you pull straight back into the frame of the gun.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4584332856867071363&hl=en

hmmm... seems i've got a couple things to try out. (1) my support hand thumb. i tend to have it going over my strong hand at a 45 degree angle outwards, i'm going to try keeping both thumbs going straight in line with where i'm pointing it. (2) trigger press. it looks like i tend to put more of my finger into the trigger guard than needed... i usually contact the trigger towards the end of my figer tip/pad almost to the distel joint... i'm going to take mr. todd's advice and try using the part of my finger under the nail.

i don't know if i'll be able to adjust to NOT shooting from a weaver stance... but mr. todd seems to make it look like something worth checking out... thanks, very helpful.

[Guest CK1]

I would make sure the sights weren't off before chasing a problem that may not exist That is a damn fine group especially for 100 rounds, groups are typically shot 3 rds at a time, I think you need to shoot less rounds per group if your trying to diagnose something then paste the target

i think my guns ok, it's probably me who's off. and ahhh, you caught me being lazy, and not having enough time to really work like i'd normally do, and not changing targets (usually i'll put 3 - 5 "shoot n' see's" on a target... ran out last time out)... not great for precision yes, but i was trying pretty darn hard to get that group to move over through all those rounds...it didn't move very much, was getting me pretty pissed actually...

[Garufa]

Compensate! Aim right a little bit.

[Guest CK1]

well... shot 50rds this morning, concentrating mainly on aligning my support hand thumb in line with the barrel, pointing where the gun is.

VOILA! seems i'd developed a bad habit with my grip.

maybe a month back i removed the tactical bike tube from my gun (i use them on glocks, and until about a month ago, all my steyrs, this one is my main carry gun and the one i shoot the most, the gun i'm shooting in the pics... steyr m9-a1 w/o the grip tube on it).

most polymer grips are slippery to me, so i usually rock the tactical tube and guess i've come to prefer/rely on 'em... about a month ago, i tried a grip-tape grip on it, and after half a day of it scratching a hole in my side, i took it off, and since have been shooting the gun "naked/stock".

anyways, i ended up changing my grip to try to grip the now more slippery pistol better like i was used to, changing my thumb placement in the process, and appears my grip mechanics went to .

the bike tube grip is back on, my thumb is back to where it's supposed to be, and this morning i made a 50 cent piece sized hole at 7yrds, in the center, where i was aiming. think i'm on my way to recovery...

Edited March 21, 2009 by CK1

[Guest CK1]

Mis-spoke. I was having problems with my strong-hand thumb when I said support-hand thumb... That's why I made no sense!

[Raoul]

Trap sights or 3 dot? Are you cross eyed dominant?