I bought a SR40c to replace a Beretta 96 I had for about 8 years.  The Beretta shot great, but was just too big for CCW.  I loke the size and feel of the SR40c, but I am finding I cannot shoot it the best.  I took it for about its 5th range session this afternoon and I continue to have problems shooting low/left.  I've heard that lost of Ruger SR pistols shoot low/left and I have adjusted the sights.  It looks a little funky, but I get most rounds hitting near the center of the target.  So first of all, should I have to adjust the sight this far off center, or is something else wrong?



The next thing I noticed is that the first shot of each string is still going low and left.  Here is a example:



What am I doing wrong?  I can shoot a fair string for 2-whatever shots.  Even if I just unload and reload the gun, I get the same result.  First shot is always low and left.  I was shooting from 8 yards.  I was not trying to draw from a holster or anything.  Just load the gun and start shooting.  I was shooting Winchester white box and tried both 165 and 180 grain with the same results.

Please help!

You could be anticipating recoil and pushing the gun, or gripping it too hard.

I might believe gripping it too hard.  I will have to try that next time.

You could also be jerking the trigger instead of squeezing.

Handgun Correction Target

I've use these.

Step one, fire from a bench to isolate the problem, you or the gun.

The Rugers I've purchased tend to always need adjusting out of the box.  Just my experience.  As another shooter said, bench shoot it to isolate the problem...you...or the gun.

Edit:  Reread and saw you have adjusted the sights, and your string is just off.  Still bench shoot it, but maybe you're jerking it or holding too tightly in anticipation of the recoil, causing you to pull the shot left.  I noticed if I shoot past 100 rounds or so in anything other than .22, I start to anticipate recoil and overcompensate my grip.  Shots start going off target as I "fatigue".

Those aren't exactly gospel.

Have somebody else watch you while mixing dummy rounds in your mags.   It could be your grip, it could be you're jerking the trigger, it could be a mixture of things.

Dry firing would be good but there's nothing that shows you your own flinch like a click when you're expecting a boom.

In addition to the possibilities above, I have seen low/left shots the result of squeezing the grip with your right hand as you pull the trigger, rotating the gun left slightly as you shoot.  Pay attention that the only part of your hand moving is your trigger finger straight to the rear.
Another option, too much finger on the trigger... Are you pulling with the tip of the pad of your finger or closer to the knuckle?  When the trigger is closer to your knuckle, your pull has much more angle to it, rather than straight front to back... It also tends to rotate the gun left as you are pushing it in effect as you try to pull the trigger.

Wow... That was hard to make somewhat clear... Basically concentrate on a very clean pull, straight to the rear with only your trigger finger moving,  sympathetic movements of other fingers on the hand when one does something is very common.

This is for one handed bullseye type shooting. Does not translate as effectively to practical pistol shooting with combat sights.

+1.  Dummy rounds and this is a good use for a laser on your gun.  It will show right where your problem is.

All good advice

Bench rest it with a slow pull.  dry fire many shots from your bag or rest to make sure you are not
inadvertently yanking it.  Be very meticulous, bench resting a pistol can be very, very tedious.

then take it from there.

Out of the box, I shoot everything low left.  Adjustable sights were made just for me!

good luck and stay with it.

billy boy

That, plus use a better target.  There are plenty of free targets available for download off the internet.

And judging from the target, whatever you are doing, you are not doing it consistently.  IOW, you might be jerking the trigger on one shot, flinching on another, have poor sight alignment on the next, etc.  

Also, if you're using Russian ammo, find something better.  That stuff seems to pattern like buckshot at 25 yards.

You shooting with both eyes open or one eye closed???

If closed then start with both eyes open.

Let the gun go off instead of making it go off.

My brother was doing the same thing. I loaded up my 1911, charged it with a dummy round, told him this was a hot fowty five load and stood off to the side watching him fire. He pulled the trigger, and immediately it became evident exactly what he was doing. He was pushing the pistol an inch or more down and pulling it to the left simultaneously. He looked at me and I said THAT, is why your pistol shots are in the low left area of the target. He was amazed and had no idea he was doing this in an almost muscle memory repetition. He was anticipating recoil before the shot and was compensating for it by pushing the muzzle down and slightly to the left. We started training every mag where I told him there were dummy rounds mixed in and I better not see him do that again, kinda joking and kinda serious. Within 5 mags his accuracy dramatically improved and his groups got much tighter. Then I trained him to just let the hammer drop and let the gun do the work. Treat every shot like you would if you were shooting a squirt gun, with no fear of anticipation of the recoil. Within 2-3 range sessions his groups were great and now he is a solid pistol shooter. You have to train yourself not to fear the recoil every shot; which is hard at first but very doable OP...

Remedy for you:

Dry fire often. Ball and dummy drill.

Excellent story!

This is usually the problem.

danderson, if someone can work with you on ^^^ this ^^^ it will likely help.

From that group you don't have a sight adjustment problem you have a shooting problem. It looks a lot like anticipating recoil with maybe a dash of muscling the trigger for the first shot. Notice that almost EVERY shot is low left?

Cheapest solution is tons of dry fire to build muscle memory and then throw in ball and dummy practice.

If you do some dry fire practice and you don't have a laser dot, put a boresite laser in the barrel, or a Laserlyte cartridge...

It doesn't have to be your aim point, it simply will show you how you wiggle and move from beginning of pull back to follow thru on the break.

You'd be amazed at how much movement having you'll see and be able to correct for...

I have the Laserlyte and in about five minutes I fixed my biggest issue by tightening my pinky on the grip...

Just wanted to come back and say thanks.  I tried some dry fire practice around the house and then finally made it back to the range this weekend.  I was real happy when the first shot hit the center ring and not low/left like I had been seeing.  I made it a point to only place the pad of my finger on the trigger.  I'm still not the world's greatest pistol shooter, but definite improvement was made.  Thanks again!

With certain pistols, the trigger break isn't very smooth. Lots of dry fire will smooth it and build your trigger control. Glad to here things are doing better now.