Posted: 11/27/2009 9:05:29 AM EDT
| I shoot low and left with all my pistols. I've tried more and less trigger finger, holding the pistol differently, altering my shooting stance,right vs left eye...I need help.I used to shoot to point of aim no problem but in the last few years I've started this trend of low/left.I dont feel like Im doing anything different from years past. From 7 yards im about an inch or 2 low and left...from 25 yards it's 2 or 3 inches low and left. I shoot mostly 1911's and my groups are fine just low and left. It's not much of an issue just plinking but it causes me to miss bowling pins in pin matches. Trying to compensate by aiming high and right doesn't seem to help either. Any suggestions. |
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1. Get a laser bore sight and put it in your barrel. 2. Set up a target at home. 3. See how much you are flinching.  Very sure it's not a flinching problem and the sights are dead on off a machine rest. Wait, so the gun is mechanically zero'd but not when you're holding it? |
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Quoted: Quoted: 1. Get a laser bore sight and put it in your barrel. 2. Set up a target at home. 3. See how much you are flinching. Very sure it's not a flinching problem and the sights are dead on off a machine rest. You probably better rethink the flinching bit.... Only way I could ever tell I was doing it was by mixing in random snap caps instead of live rounds. That'll show you how bad you're doing it. |
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1. Get a laser bore sight and put it in your barrel. 2. Set up a target at home. 3. See how much you are flinching. Very sure it's not a flinching problem and the sights are dead on off a machine rest. Wait, so the gun is mechanically zero'd but not when you're holding it? we are changing your handle to far-from-ten-ring. more practice! next question. |
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This target analysis is a bit more detailed, but it will tell you damn near everything. http://www.targetshooting.ca/docs/Pistol_Shot_Analysis.pdf |
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we are changing your handle to far-from-ten-ring. more practice! next question. LOL, I may have to mix in some snap caps...I've been shooting since I was 4 and have never had a problem with flinching before. It's also something that has cropped up in the last 18 months-2 years....maybe I'm getting old. It's also far less prevalent with revolvers than my auto's. Some of my revolvers (snubby .38's and magnums) are pretty flinch inducing. |
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1. Get a laser bore sight and put it in your barrel. 2. Set up a target at home. 3. See how much you are flinching. Very sure it's not a flinching problem and the sights are dead on off a machine rest. Wait, so the gun is mechanically zero'd but not when you're holding it? :sigh: You can lead the horse to water................................ 
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:sigh: You can lead the horse to water................................ Hey man...go easy...I'm sure it's not a flinching problem but will look into it. I've been shooting for about 35 years and have never had a flinch in all that time. I think it's odd that one would have cropped up in the last 18 months or so. I also thought it would stand to reason that if I was flinching then the shots would be all over the place and not grouped tightly.Snap caps are on order so I'm giving you're suggestion a try along with others from another website. I'm a national record holder from the 80's with a flintlock. If I didn't flinch with that old smokepole I don't think that's the problem with pistols....but I'm looking into it. |
| You are anticipating the shot, commonly referred to as flinching. I would explain to you how to correct this but it seems many members get upset with helping others to be more accurate and then the monitors lock the thread. Would you like me to explain to you how to prevent this? |
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Quoted: Quoted: :sigh: You can lead the horse to water................................ Hey man...go easy...I'm sure it's not a flinching problem but will look into it. I've been shooting for about 35 years and have never had a flinch in all that time. I think it's odd that one would have cropped up in the last 18 months or so. I also thought it would stand to reason that if I was flinching then the shots would be all over the place and not grouped tightly.Snap caps are on order so I'm giving you're suggestion a try along with others from another website. I'm a national record holder from the 80's with a flintlock. If I didn't flinch with that old smokepole I don't think that's the problem with pistols....but I'm looking into it. Flinching or any kind of grip problem or trigger control problem is much more noticeable with pistols. And trust me, if you flinch or do whatever exactly the same way, you will make nice tight little groups each and every time - just not in the center of the target. If the gun in a bench vice shoots true, then it's not the gun - it's you. I had the same denial process about it, so don't feel too bad. We've all had to deal with some sort of issue like that - that's why those handy dandy charts exist so you can break yourself more easily of what you're doing incorrectly. The snap caps are the best way to see yourself do it and get over the mental barrier of saying to yourself "It's not me". Have someone else load a mag with 2 or 3 snap caps, have them load the gun so you don't know where they are in the mag or if there's one initially chambered, and then have them hand you the gun to shoot at the range. You will notice  |
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I shoot low and left with all my pistols. I've tried more and less trigger finger, holding the pistol differently, altering my shooting stance,right vs left eye...I need help.I used to shoot to point of aim no problem but in the last few years I've started this trend of low/left.I dont feel like Im doing anything different from years past. From 7 yards im about an inch or 2 low and left...from 25 yards it's 2 or 3 inches low and left. I shoot mostly 1911's and my groups are fine just low and left. It's not much of an issue just plinking but it causes me to miss bowling pins in pin matches. Trying to compensate by aiming high and right doesn't seem to help either. Any suggestions. my bet its you, the shooter. most guns will out shoot the shooter and are more CONSISTANT then humans. btw, you dont say how you are holding the gun. one hands, two hands or ? i would bring the targets in closer until you can get some improvemnt. also if you can get some personal instructions or have a good shooter watch what youre doing. chances are its now become a (bad) habbit that you are not aware of what you are doing. |
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Ball and dummy drill with snap caps will help.
Here is another way that worked for me. Start shooting with your off hand. Shoot with only one hand. Slowly squeeze the trigger. If you are going to flinch, you see it coming. If you are like most people, you don't have any bad habits with your off hand. Hold the gun with just your thumb and middle finger. Shoot like this, and prove to yourself that the gun isn't going to fly away. After that, shoot groups with the off hand. Then, shoot a group with your strong hand. Your weak hand should win the first few times. The strong hand will catch up as the flinch goes away. |
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You are anticipating the shot, commonly referred to as flinching. I would explain to you how to correct this but it seems many members get upset with helping others to be more accurate and then the monitors lock the thread. Would you like me to explain to you how to prevent this? I will not get upset...I asked for it. I was a competitive shooter for years so if it's me I'll figure it out sooner or later. I don't feel like I'm flinching but some snap caps are on the way with some gun parts I ordered so I will get to the bottom of it one way or another. It's also a little unusual in that today I was hitting very small reactive targets (think playing card size) as well as tin cans from the same distance. I should have been missing them with the shot patterns I was getting. I always liked shooting reactive targets better than paper anyway. I appreciate everyones help. |
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Haven't read what others have posted but it's your trigger finger.
You say you've tried some things, but make sure the trigger is hitting the middle of the first pad of your finger. Slow everything down until you get a consistent trigger press...straight back. If you have a laser, you can practice with dry fire at home. After a few hundred perfect slow tries....then start with live ammo. Again perfect slow presses is best, you can speed things up later. Rhino |
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You're just jerking the trigger. It's nothing to be embarrased of. Everyone does it from time to time and even Master class shooters admit to it. Even if you've been shooting for x years, it can still pop up from time to time.
I'm sure you've already figured this out, but again: take several mags. load mags with a dummy round mixed in somewhere. fire the magazines making sure you don't remember exactly which shot will be the dummy (mix the mags up it the easiest way). every time a dummy chambers, you will pull the trigger and see what's happening. even the slightest amount of movement will translate to a shift in POI downrange. Every time you think your jerking the trigger, throw some dummy rounds in the mix and correct yourself until you stop doing it. That's what the pro's have taught me. Don't feel bad if you do, I've seen trigger jerk so bad that I'm surprised that the shooter didn't nutcheck themselves with the pistol 
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I love that target as it helps me self diagnose problems at the range.
Mildly related I recently was practicing draw shoot, transition, shoot, and forgot to load and make ready first. I was happy when the gun didn't move when the hammer fell even if I felt like a moron for forgetting to prep for fire.
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we are changing your handle to far-from-ten-ring. more practice! next question. LOL, I may have to mix in some snap caps...I've been shooting since I was 4 and have never had a problem with flinching before. It's also something that has cropped up in the last 18 months-2 years....maybe I'm getting old. It's also far less prevalent with revolvers than my auto's. Some of my revolvers (snubby .38's and magnums) are pretty flinch inducing. I'd been shooting for about 20 years when my flinch manifested. |
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I'm 45, been shooting since 8. Recently took a scope to the eye bone when collapseable stock did! Could not hit a water jug at 100yds with iron sights afterword. I was flinching (pushing forward).
My son helped me to identify the problem. About 3 range trips and 2000 dry fires later, I still think about that pain.(and dressing the locking pin and beating the butt on the floor to make sure it wouldnt happen again) |
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Can someone explain the 9'oclock position to me?? |
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Can someone explain the 9'oclock position to me?? Using the tip of the trigger finger can result in the trigger being pushed slightly left as it comes back, pushing the gun - and ultimately the shot - left. |
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I'm 45, been shooting since 8. Recently took a scope to the eye bone when collapseable stock did! Could not hit a water jug at 100yds with iron sights afterword. I was flinching (pushing forward). My son helped me to identify the problem. About 3 range trips and 2000 dry fires later, I still think about that pain.(and dressing the locking pin and beating the butt on the floor to make sure it wouldnt happen again) Getting scoped will make you seriously gun shy.
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Quoted: Quoted: I'm 45, been shooting since 8. Recently took a scope to the eye bone when collapseable stock did! Could not hit a water jug at 100yds with iron sights afterword. I was flinching (pushing forward). My son helped me to identify the problem. About 3 range trips and 2000 dry fires later, I still think about that pain.(and dressing the locking pin and beating the butt on the floor to make sure it wouldnt happen again) Getting scoped will make you seriously gun shy. Had one of my buddies scope himself with a massive Nightforce scope on top of his brand new bolt action .50 ... he was using old surplus ammo and was getting weak primer strikes. Would take a few attempts to fire this stuff and he kept creeping closer to the scope and each time *click* .... finally got it to go off, but wound up cracking his eye socket by the impact  |