Bad sights, or poor skills?

E

Enfield303

Inactive
First time posting, and let me say that this is a great site: You are all really knowledgeable about the subject.
I bought a used Taurus .357 4" barrell w/ adjustable sights. (Its my second handgun, my first being a Para P1245 bought 3 months ago.) I've been adjusting the sights using a handgun rest at an indoor range, and have gotten to a point where six shots fall within an 8" area circled around the bullseye.
My question is, is this ok for a beginner, or is my gun inaccurate? These .357's kick like a mule. If I hypothetically, locked the gun tight in a vice, would all the shots hit in the exact place? I've mostly shot rifles up to now.
 
Welcome, Enfield! Good to have you aboard. In answer to your question, I have two comments. First, you do not specify the distance at which you are shooting, but I assume it is either 15 or 25 yards. Your Taurus, barring major problems, should be considerably more accurate than you indicate at either of those distances. This leads me to believe that you may have answered your own question when you stated "These 357s kick like a mule." I would imagine you have developed a significant flinch when you pull the trigger, thus throwing off your point of aim. Try loading only one round into the cylinder, close it where you do not know where the cartridge is located, and proceed to pull the trigger from the same rested position. Pay close attention to any movement at the muzzle end of the barrel when you do this. I would guess you will see that you are somehow jerking the trigger in anticipation of the gun firing. Concentrate on a smooth, deliberate trigger pull. With experience, you will see your groups shrink. You might also consider letting a veteran handgunner at your range shoot the Taurus and see if he or she is able to wring a little more accuracy out of it.

Also, I would suggest using a variety of different cartridge brands and bullet weights. Many times, firearms are more sensitive to one brand than the other. At any rate, good shooting!

Hope you continue to enjoy these forums.

Steve

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The real democratic American idea is, not that everyman shall be on a level with every other, but that every one shall have liberty, without hindrance, to be what God made him . . . H.W. Beecher
 
Get rid of those mag loads in exchange for some nice .38 target loads. Then, you won't be dealing with the flash and blast, which is distracting when trying to shoot groups. Only then can you realistically evaluate your abilities.
 
SG12 makes some excellent comments. At the same time, he has stolen much of my thunder! What little I would add is that .38 special rounds will shoot just fine out of your .357. Try shooting a box of those, as they kick a lot less.
 
If you practice with enough .38 special rounds, I think that you will find that the .357 rounds will become more manageable. Save you some money too.
 
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