Posted: 9/13/2009 9:57:21 AM EDT
I'm new to shooting handguns. This was a S&W 908 at 30 feet. It's consistantly high and to the right. Gun is new with fixed sights, so I doubt it's an issue with the sights.
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You are probably milking the gun hard to the right by not isolating your trigger finger from your grip when you are shooting. That, and jerking the trigger.
Shoot a .22 and mix it up. Warm up with the .22, and if your large bore groups open up, go back to the .22. |
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Hits in the upper right area of the target indicate what's called "heeling". This is part of the anticipating, and attemting to eliminate recoil. You're giving the gun a push upward with the heel of your hand to mitigate the recoil. Put a snap cap into one of your magazines, mix them up, and then start shooting. When your get to the snap cap, watch what happens with your weapon. |
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first off, welcome to handguns and remember to have fun.
2nd. before i do any distance shooting or shooting in general with a new to me gun, i ALWAY BENCH/REST the gun and shoot some targets to see where the gun/sights are. 3rd. Then i will adjust the sights to where I want them. and i am consistant with every gun i have. that way i dont have to think about how each gun is sighted in. 4th. someone has posted a troubleshooting target somewhere on here and, you can try that and the other recommendations posted. but to me, i wouldnt even try to do any adjustmenst until i know how the sights are. but thats just me. |
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So it sounds like the most likely things are squeezing the trigger wrong and anticipating recoil.
What's the best way to squeeze a trigger, and to stop anticipating recoil. Quoted:
That's not a group, it's a pattern. You're doing multiple things wrong that aren't going to be properly diagnosed and corrected by opinions on the internet. Seek out and invest in a qualified instructor. I'm working on that. Planning to call S&W Shooting Sports Center on monday to see what they offer. |
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Quoted:
I'm new to shooting handguns. This was a S&W 908 at 30 feet. It's consistantly high and to the right. Gun is new with fixed sights, so I doubt it's an issue with the sights. http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7894/img1678q.jpg You're 20' too close.  
j/k |
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this may or may not help, even a little; seek professional instruction in person
a previous post of mine: "seek professional training/instruction !!!!! that aside, there are several things you can do: 1st, recognize and practice on the fundamentals -sight picture (focus on your front sight, know your sight picture) -sight alingment (line up your sights, keep your focus on the front sight) -trigger control (press the trigger rearwards until the shot breaks) -followthrough (get that next sight picture, do NOT be too quick to see where your previous shot went (actually, dont do that at all)) your goal of getting shots where you want em consistantly and accurately is simple: pressing the trigger in so much that the sights do not sway too far off your POA (point of aim) WHILE and WHEN the trigger breaks trigger control is THE #1 cause of wayward shots...get accustomed to how your trigger works and how you manipulate it (for your DA beretta, i'd suggest you use the 1st joint area for trigger finger placement...remember: press the trigger straight rearward until the shot breaks) pretty much, as you pull the trigger, the sights stay relatively aligned on your target and it has to remain in this area until your followthrough and after the shot has left here are some "pointers" "slow is smooth, smooth is fast"––speed will come with time and perfect practice...get it down slowly first, break it down, then work on speed (this goes for everything, from the draw stroke, to reloads, to getting shots on target) "dont shoot faster than you can HIT"––make EVERY shot seem like its got a purpose, a single target zone its got to hit, do that by making sure you stick to the basics "aim small, miss small"––choose a small section when you are aiming (for example: the actual "X" ring vs the entire center of mass area) and continuously aim for that same spot for each shot in your string of shots, ie: keep the same "point of aim" for the duration of your group of shots THEN check it out and see what you need to work on grip; lock your wrists, high hand, firm grip; some folks "stack thier thumbs" one over the other, others curl em, some do cross over...whatever, simply, get a firm, natural grip and the gun lean your body forward, one of your legs leading, like a boxer's stance; 2 eyes open, w/ the focus on the front sight each shot seems to come at a 'surprise', your focus always on the front sight for this will tell you were your shot will go the snap cap idea is a sure way to test yourself on seeing if you are flinching, having improper trigger problems, as well as other drills dont crowd your learning requirements when you hit the range: for example: if your goal is to get your shots on target, work on that....dont pile everything up, like getting 5 shots on target from the draw in exactly "X" amt of secs, doing a speed reload, and repeating, etc break each step down, do em individually; then, after that, set a goal, work on all of it together when you have it down SMOOTHLY if you cant seem to get tighter groups, move in closer to your target––this will make it easier for you to review your string of shots, reinforcing the basics but not putting a lot of stress on worrying about the distance; since you were shooting at 10yrds on the above target, i'd suggest moving closer, say 5-7 yards and work your way back –every time you go to the range with a certain amt of ammo, allocate the number of rnds to what you want to work on and practice with––dont just blow it all by blazing away... -dry firing (keep all live ammo away! and be safe!) will help––this will help you get the feel for the trigger, how the sights move around, and mechanics of how everything goes together " |
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Quoted:
I'm new to shooting handguns. This was a S&W 908 at 30 feet. It's consistantly high and to the right. Gun is new with fixed sights, so I doubt it's an issue with the sights. http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7894/img1678q.jpg That's actually not a bad group for 30 feet for a new pistol shooter. Pistols are hard as hell to shoot accurately and it takes a lot more practice to become a good shot with a pistol as opposed to a rifle. There are some books published on the subject of pistol marksmanship, many of which can be found on the internet for free. I'd recommend taking a look at the Army Marksmanship manual for handgun shooting, and pay attention to the section on sight alignment. Also, do some dry fire practice to see if you are jerking the gun. |