Novice needing some suggestions ..

[hfatboyd]

I am relatively new to the whole handgun range shooting. I have previously owned a Beretta 92fs and Beretta Tomcat. I could shoot the 92fs relatively well after much practice. I was able to site the gun early on.

I have since bought a Walther P99 .40. I took it to the indoor range for the first time over the weekend and shot 150 rounds. I was not able to get the gun sited very well and was all over the place.

Is there some suggestions that someone may offer that can help me? The gun came with 3 additional sites and 2 different grip inserts. I am looking into having someone experienced to give me some training. In the mean time suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[David Park]

Welcome to TFL!

I'm not familiar with the P99, but I can give you some general tips. Does the gun fit your hand? Do you have trouble reaching the trigger or any of the controls? If the grip seems too big (or too small) you might try the other inserts and use the one that feels best. Also check to see how naturally the gun "points": unload it, close your eyes, and point the gun at a spot on the wall. Then open your eyes and see if the sights are lined up or really crooked. You can try this with the different grips.

The best way to check the sights would be to shoot from a bench with a sandbag rest, or have an expert shot try your pistol and see if he or she can hit anything. I always blame myself before the gun, but you never know, it might be defective. If your shots are consistently off in one direction (low left, for example), there may be a specific problem with your technique. The best way to get better is to practice, particularly by dry-firing the unloaded gun while keeping the sights perfectly still.

I've been shooting for a year and I'm still pretty lousy. However, I've been able to see improvement, and I'm trying to visit the range more frequently.

Hope that helps.

 

[hfatboyd]

Thank you for the response.

The gun feels perfect in my hand as it came from the factory. I may try new grips and see if it improves. A buddy of mine shot the gun while I was at the range and he shot much better than I. So, I think the gun is fine?

I have a friend who works with the Sheriff's dept that is going out with me in a week or two. He has the SW99 in 9mm and knows the gun style well. Hopefully he can direct me in the right direction as to what I'm doing incorrectly?

Again, thanks for the reply.