Pocket Pistol Accuracy

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wmg1299

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I have received a good amount of firearms training courtesy of the government, and have always been proficient with a pistol. I usually carry a PX4 Compact 9mm or Glock 19, and have carried a Taurus 709 Slim in the past. I picked up Taurus 738 TCP for a good price, and took it to the range the other day. While I can keep it in the 5 ring at 25 yards with a full size or compact semi-auto, my target with the 738 from 10 yards looked like I was firing buckshot. While I plan to keep practicing, the initial results were somewhat demoralizing. Is this type of first experience with a pocket pistol normal for an experienced shooter, or do I really need to address a deficiency when it comes to handling a smaller gun?
 
IT could be the gun or the shooter, or the interface between: there are a couple of YouTube videos that show the disparity, I'll try to look them up when I get back from work. The first shows shooting great Jerry Miculek hitting a (100 ?) yard target with a sub compact. The second shows a benched sub compact's pattern looking like a shotgun's spray.
 
I don't think it's a matter of accuracy so much as some smaller guns are difficult to shoot due to size, grip, sight radius and recoil.

I shoot my Glock G27/26 better than I do my G19/23 size guns. So in my opinion it is usually a matter of the shooter.

We usually see a lot flinching, even for experienced shooters, when trying to qualify a class with the sub compact / "pocket" pistols.

Of course if you picked up your gun used at a deal price that could be indicative of a problem, but even a Taurus is usually accurate, or at least more so than most shooters.
 
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I view little 380 BUG's as quick point n shoot weapons for very close range--inside 10 yds. A 95 gr xpb is about as good as it gets for stopping power--I don't see much point in training for use beyond it's defensive potential.
 
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I agree with TXAZ - the groups you are shooting are most likely caused by inexperience with that particular pistol. Before getting demoralized, wmg, consider this: did you shoot 1" groups at 25 yards with every brand new pistol, right out of the box? Or, did accuracy tighten with practice and familiarity? My guess is the second. Your groups will most likely tighten with each range session.

The barrel length of the TCP (2.84") is close to that of the 709 slim (3"). And, I am guessing that external dimensions, fit, feel, and action are similar between the two also. I would expect your performance with the TCP to mirror that of your 709 with an equivalent amount of practice.

Hope this helps.
 
Yes, it could be that your gun is not accurate.
That said, typically, the small pocket pistols are no less mechanically accurate than any other pistol. They are just much harder to shoot accurately due to their small size. This is "practical accuracy".
You'd have to bench it to establish whether it is the gun or you just needing more practice with it.
 
Using all of my remaining skills I am able to shoot three inch groups at twenty five yards, super slow fire, with my Sig P238. That certainly is not what the pistol was designed for and if I shoot rapid fire at five yards I can duplicate the groups. Under duress at close range (God forbid it should ever happen) the pistol will do it's job if I have the mental preparedness to do so. I carry for personal protection and train for it, not routinely seeing how small a group I can shoot. Try combat drills using "double tap" and multiple targets to see your abilities with the pistol. Twenty five yards is pretty far out for " defensive" shooting unless the bad guy has a RPG.
 
I've found that my Taurus 738 is a pretty good shooter. Likely it's because I have to concentrate on every aspect of the shot because it's so small and the sights are tiny, but I am always amazed at how well I'm able to shoot it.
 
It is not the size of the gun, though it might be THE gun. I have a .32 Walther PP that will shoot postage stamp size groups at 10 yards, off hand, so pocket pistols can be accurate.

Jim
 
Those old Walthers were the gold standard for pocket pistol accuracy for decades. Still are except for the recent rip-off Umarex ones.

I always liked Walthers 2 dot sights. I don't know why 2 dot isn't used as much as 3 dots these days which are slow and less precise in my opinion. I used to go rabbit hunting with a (real) Walther PPK/S .22.
 
I picked up a LC9 when the public was slowing down from the buying craze. It is the only small pistol I own and I bought it for a little over $200 when the gun demand fell off. It is very easy to carry and okay accurate. Here are 8 shots @ 10 yards which I think is a reasonable distance for a pistol like this. I am satisfied with it and it is very reliable. YMMV

RugerLP9-Tgt-1_zps3e83b960.jpg
 
After a second trip to the range, my groups with the 738 tightened up a bit. There is still plenty of room for improvement, but the thing is a blast to shoot. I put about 100 rounds through a Glock 42 while I was there, and had significantly tighter groups. The pocket pistols are more fun than I thought they would be. Plinking with .380 might become my new hobby.
 
I was taught that if you can shoot quickly, "free-handed", and put all of your shots onto a paper plate at 20 feet, you are on the right track.

If you can do it while you are moving and the target is moving, then you are properly prepared.
 
In my limited experience, pocket pistols are considerably more difficult to shoot with high accuracy. But then, they aren't intended to be target pieces. They're suitably accurate for their designed purpose, which is close up self defense. At 5 yards and under, mine have been pretty decent.
 
It took about 500 rounds thru my LCP before I was shooting where I was comfortable at 30'. At first I thought it was the gun. I will say that it got a lot better once I put a grip sleeve on it. The felt recoil was cut in half as well. I dialed it in a bit more with the mag finger extension, as I have XL hands.

 
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