Consistant shooting problem need help

S

Scratch

New member
I shoot left handed and I consistantly shoot to the right of my target. I was shooting about 12-15 yards yesterday and was 3-4 inches to the right. All the bullets went into the same hole! With 14 shots making a 2 inch hole.
This is same same problem I have with all my pistols. I used both an LDA .45 and a long slide glock .40 yesterday with the same effects.
I know it must be my technique but can't figure out the problem.
Thanks for any help
Sscratch:confused:
 
Sounds like you're doing what right handers are doing when they shoot low and to the left.

Don't hold your gun with a death-grip----just relax a little----just not so relaxed that you limp-wrist it.
 
Could be, as suggested, improper grip.

I think its also likely that you're using TOO MUCH FINGER on the trigger -- pushing the gun as you pull the trigger

Check out this website, and go to ERROR CORRECTION AND ANALYSIS, toward the bottom, under the PERFECTING TECHNIQUE section.

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/

Everything you ever wanted to know about pistol marksmanship can be found on this site. And a lot more... <grin>
 
Might this also have something to do with vision? Which is your master eye? Are you cross-dominant (right eyed, left handed)? Are you shooting with both eyes open? In any case, half the battle is won because you are consistent -- kudos for that!
 
Do some dry firing while observing your sight picture all the way through the firing sequence. Something is happening to your aim during the shot. Change sumpin, anything, and see if picture stays stable. Then back to range.

Sam
 
Where do you shoot (hit) when you use a bench? If you put them in the x, then I agree that you probably have a grip OR dominant eye issue, maybe a bit of both.

Since this happens with all your guns, rule out sight issues (loose, etc). Also leans one to the items already mentioned in previous posts.
 
Walt Sherrill is absolutely correct!

I'd be willing to bet that if you move your trigger finger out towards the tip a little further, you would notice a big difference. I sometimes have to remind myself of this, as sometimes I revert back to my old "bad habit".

Pat Brophy
 
Thanks
I'll try loosening up the grip and more tip of the finger.
I need to make some ammo and get back out.
I'll also think the dry firing is a good idea, maybe I'll see the movement off center.
Scratch
 
If you close your left eye when you shoot, and the rounds are hitting the target even with the POA, the problem is cross-eye dominance.
 
Scratch

An easy way to check if you're left or right eye dominant.
Look at something across the room.
With your arm fully extended make a ring around it with your thumb and forfinger.
Bring the "ring" back to your eye keeping the object inside the "ring".
Your hand will come to your dominant eye.
 
Shots off to right

I'm a lefty pistol shooter too. Right now I'm struggling with a bad habit I picked up for some reason.........squeezing my hand as I begin to press the trigger. Sure 'nuf, all such shots go to the five o'clock position. When I relax enough, no problem.

I note that the diagnostic targets referenced above both neglect one key error: looking at the bull. That puts your shots at 6:00.

One trick I learned at Canton-McKinley in OH was to shoot a few targets put up backwards so they are a blank sheet. With no bull to look at, the only thing left is to look at the sights. Amazing the groups you shoot when you do that..........but if it's close enough to see a group begin forming, I begin to aim at the group and the thing falls apart. Works great if you forget your prescription lenses too. My buddy who I can usually whip forgot his last week and had to use plain safety glasses. He shot like a house afire and pinned my ears back.
 
Back straight and perpendicular to the floor

Knees slightly bent as if sitting on a bar stool

Body weight on the balls of the feet and not the heels or toes

Try locking the index finger of the right hand with the pinky of the left hand.

Keep both eyes open

Try using the right hand in reverse order

Did I miss anything?
 
Agree with all. I would try and loosing up on my shooting hand. Your grip (when using both hands) is about 30%/70%. 30% coming from your dominant shooting hand. I would also try tightening up on your none dominant hand. I had the same problem some years back. I adjusted my trigger finger some. It worked for the most part, but not completely. I then loosened up on my dominant hand, and increased my grip with my non- dominant. The difference was night and day-

Semper Fi-
JJC
 
ok, so what if I'm right eye dominate?
I did the ring thing and it may look like I am right eye dominate.
This may explain the trouble I have with the camera.

What is the fix for it?
If it helps I shoot very well with a rifle using my left eye.
Just looking for all the help I can get.
Right now it looks like bad trigger finger placement and maybe a screwed up eye!
Thanks
Scratch
 
Scratch:

If you shoot well with a rifle using your left eye, then it would surprise me if you are cross dominant. Cross dominant is not "screwed up" and doesn't mean you have a "bad eye." Most people who are right handed are right eyed. Most people who are left handed are left eyed. But lots of folks are cross dominant. I don't know of any way to "fix" this since nothing is "broken." You just adapt.

Regarding the eye dominance test, I suggest doing it slightly differently. Hold both your hands out in front of you, with your thumbs away from your fingers in sort of an L-shape. Now overlap the fingers and thumbs of your two hands so that you make a circle between your hands (darn, the picture from the NRA books is a whole lot less confusing than my description...). Look at something across the room and put it in that circle. Now bring your hands back to your face. The circle should come back to your dominant eye. Repeat this several times.

The reason I suggest doing this test with two hands, rather than one, is that using one hand might bias you to coming back to the eye on that side of your body.

If you are shooting your pistol using an isocolese hold, then it doesn't really matter which eye is dominant. You can move your hands slightly one way or the other to line up with either eye. If you use a Chapman or Weaver hold, you might have to tilt your head to line up your right eye with the sights.

If you are shooting one handed with your left hand (and you are sure that you are right eye dominant), then you might want to tilt the top of the gun about 15 degrees to the right to line up the sights with your right eye. Note that if you just push the gun over to the right while keeping it vertical, it will break the alignment of your left wrist and make it difficult to control recoil.

Of course, if you learn point shooting, it won't matter at all ;-)

I suggest that you try to eliminate issues one at a time. First, try shooting the pistol from a bench, with the frame on a rest. Sight the gun in on the target as you normally would. Now close your left eye. Does the image change? Now try closing your right eye. Once you've determined your dominant eye, keep the other one closed and fire some shots while concentrating on your trigger control. Are the shots still going to the right?

Finally, it's also possible that the gun's sights are simply off. Do you know anyone nearby who is a good marksman who could take a few shots from your gun?

M1911
 
Goal, clear sight picture.

Rear sight, front sight n target lined up.

Doesn't matter which eye is used in getting the sight picture.

Sam
 
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