Questions: How to shoot correctly

Frank Ettin said:
Of course the gun will wobble a bit on the target. It is just not possible to hold the gun absolutely steady. Because you are alive, there will always be a slight movement caused by all the tiny movement associated with being alive: your heart beating; tiny muscular movements necessary to maintain your balance, etc. Try not to worry about the wobble and don’t worry about trying to keep the sight aligned on a single point. Just let the front sight be somewhere in a small, imaginary box in the center of the target. And of course, properly using some form of rest will also help minimize wobble.
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"Aim small, miss small."

Muscles are funny animals. If your muscles are too lax, your aim will wander in wide sweeps. If your muscles are too tight, your hands and maybe your arms will tire and begin to tremble very quickly. One of the reasons for taking a deep breath and then letting it partially out before finalizing your aim and pressing the trigger is that you want to oxygenate those muscles, so the trembling won't start before the shot goes off. If you find that "surprise break" to be elusive and it doesn't happen before your muscles start acting up, don't be shy about relaxing, taking your eyes off the sights, and taking a couple of breaths before trying again.

As Frank correctly noted, with practice the entire "surprise break" process will be compressed into a very short time. When you're just starting, it may seem to take forever -- especially if the gun has a heavy or long trigger. Don't make it into an exercise on how long you can hold your breath -- that's counter-productive.
 
Great advice here. If you are to the point that you are trying to tighten groups out at 25 yards, you need to get a gun that is capable of one inch groups at 25 yards. Almost no stock semi for $500 or less is capable of that. You will need to be quite selective. Most revolvers over $500 will do that, but you'll need to master the long double action pull.
 
Obtain a "perfect" sight picture. Squeeze trigger straight to the rear without disturbing that sight picture. Observe impact of bullet. If satisfactory, repeat until finished.
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Actually, if you are doing everything correctly you will know, without looking at the target, if your shot was a good one.
"Calling your shot", based on what you see of the sights when the shot breaks, is what you want to achieve.
Especially if you are shooting on the clock, it wastes time to look at the target for feedback.
 
I highly recommend Andy Stanford's Surgical Speed Shooting. It breaks down many of the details of good stance and shooting techniques in a scientific and easy to understand manner.
...Listen more to the people who study something scientifically than those who "just make it work."

There are various methods to achieve satisfactory levels of accuracy and speed. The "Push-pull" method mentioned above is very popular with the Weaver stance, but much less so with those who use Modified Isosceles.

...As always, it is also wise to find a good instructor. Sometimes our mistakes are not what we think they are. Someone able to watch us can spot them.
 
although I can repeat verbatim what the author says--I will refer you to

The perfect pistol shot( blog site and book by albert league(available on amazon)

this book and hi s blog made me a much better shooter. he carefully explains why front sight focus, the proper stance and grip matter and what to expect when you use them and how to achieve them

enjoy the book and then enjoy your shooting even more

happy holidays
 
Thanks everybody for the great advice.

I personally have not read the books yet, but I will definitely look into them.

Nevertheless, I went to the gun range a few times this month just to practice. I shot while keeping the great advice in mind and managed to tighten my groupings a lot!

My shots are varying from left to right much more so than they are up and down, but I'm definitely getting there :)

Great advice here. If you are to the point that you are trying to tighten groups out at 25 yards, you need to get a gun that is capable of one inch groups at 25 yards. Almost no stock semi for $500 or less is capable of that. You will need to be quite selective. Most revolvers over $500 will do that, but you'll need to master the long double action pull.
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Unfortunately, I live in NYC so it's pretty much next to impossible for me to get a license and purchase a firearm. At the moment, all the firearms I am using are stock rentals from this nifty place in Jersey. I've mostly been using 9MM and .40 cals but I have heard that 1911's are great and I am wanting to try out the Colt Commander or Colt Gold Cup, both of which are .45ACP.
 
NYC

"next to impossible to get a license and purchase a firearm"

Not true. I live in NYC. I own a number of handguns and shoot them regularly at a gun club five blocks from my house.
The process is straightforward.
To get a license, you just need to fill out the application properly (it is available online), submit it in person at Police Plaza along with the necessary fees (you will have to be fingerprinted).
Then you wait.....THAT is a PIA. If you are not a felon and have no legal restrictions against you, you WILL be issued a license and a purchase order.
Pete

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/firearms_licensing/handgun_licensing_information.shtml
 
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I'm confused, I thought follow through meant not releasing the trigger until the gun is finished recoiling.
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Also stay focused on the front sight after the gun has fired.

One of the things that really helped me when I first started shooting, was someone telling me never to look at the target after you fire. You try to keep your focus on that front sight while you press and reset the trigger.

In fact, I try not to even look at the target until I'm done firing a string of shots.
 
DMK said:
One of the things that really helped me when I first started shooting, was someone telling me never to look at the target after you fire. You try to keep your focus on that front sight while you press and reset the trigger.

In fact, I try not to even look at the target until I'm done firing a string of shots.
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+1.

Peeking at the target between shots is a real accuracy killer.

I've written it numerous times, but while you're shooting, the target doesn't matter, since it's not one of the fundamentals and therefore can't help you shoot better. Instead, it's merely a recording device that records how well you executed the fundamentals each time you pressed the trigger. Look at it after you're done shooting. It should tell you what you already know, btw.
 
the target doesn't matter...Instead, it's merely a recording device that records how well you executed the fundamentals
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I like that. That's a really good way of of putting it.
 
Also stay focused on the front sight after the gun has fired.

One of the things that really helped me when I first started shooting, was someone telling me never to look at the target after you fire. You try to keep your focus on that front sight while you press and reset the trigger.

In fact, I try not to even look at the target until I'm done firing a string of shots.
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Of course I repeat my sight alignments/picture right?

I'm going to have to look at the target at some point. Unless you mean don't break stance and check your shots.
 
You can read and get advice and practice all you want and you may see some improvements but you need to seek professional training. If you're practicing the wrong things, the you're just forming bad habits that will be harder to break later.

Training and practice are not the same thing. You train so you know what to practice.
 
That's a pretty moot point though,

I go shooting mostly because I like shooting and I just wanna be great at it. Seeking professional advice is going a bit overboard.

That's like me liking basketball and going to basketball camp to better my game. I wouldn't do that for a hobby.
 
Highesthand said:
go shooting mostly because I like shooting and I just wanna be great at it.
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Highesthand said:
Seeking professional advice is going a bit overboard.
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Those are contradictory statements. If one likes something and wants to get really good at it, he will seek out some professional instruction.

I know many guys who really like to drive and want to be good at it. They take classes. The folks I know who want to be good at golf get coaching from a pro on a frequent basis. I know several "hobby" equestrians, and they all have their instructors. The wingshooters and bird hunters I know who care about their performance all get some professional coaching from time to time.
 
If that is your attitude about professional instruction, then you will never be "great" at shooting. I'm sure you will get by and be on par with other shooting friends that don't train, but you will never be great.

I know you said you wanted to do it as a hobby and if that's all you care about shooting for then you probably don't need any instruction. However, if you ever plan to use any of your firearms in a defensive role, you need training, period.

It baffles me that people will drop money and time on a day long CCW class and think they have the skills needed to carry and use a weapon. But those same people then refuse to drop money and time on a day long training session.
 
self

If that is your attitude about professional instruction, then you will never be "great" at shooting. I'm sure you will get by and be on par with other shooting friends that don't train, but you will never be great./QUOTE]

Hmm. I gotta disagree with that. Not that coaches are ineffective but it is entirely possible to learn to shoot well....even to the Master level without seeking professional coaching.
I suppose, though, a lot depends on what you consider great.
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Those are contradictory statements. If one likes something and wants to get really good at it, he will seek out some professional instruction.

I know many guys who really like to drive and want to be good at it. They take classes. The folks I know who want to be good at golf get coaching from a pro on a frequent basis. I know several "hobby" equestrians, and they all have their instructors. The wingshooters and bird hunters I know who care about their performance all get some professional coaching from time to time.
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Okay forget I said great. We both clearly have different definitions of great.

That said,

You can be "great" at something without ever having professional advice. Of course, getting professional advice will get you good quicker, but you can still get to a point where you're considered really good without ever dropping money.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying shouldn't seek out advice, but rather that you can get advice for free. You can get good by being conscious of what you're doing, taking a video and posting that video on forums, asking some really good people you see to give you tips, etc.

Also, not trying to be rude, but personally knowing people who pay for stuff just because they care about their own performance does not prove that to be great/good you need classes.

I personally know many people who have an amazing record boxing records at my gym without ever having paid for a personal training session with the head coach.

If that is your attitude about professional instruction, then you will never be "great" at shooting. I'm sure you will get by and be on par with other shooting friends that don't train, but you will never be great.

I know you said you wanted to do it as a hobby and if that's all you care about shooting for then you probably don't need any instruction. However, if you ever plan to use any of your firearms in a defensive role, you need training, period.

It baffles me that people will drop money and time on a day long CCW class and think they have the skills needed to carry and use a weapon. But those same people then refuse to drop money and time on a day long training session.
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1. If you mean that I'd never be professional, then that is probably true. If you're saying I can't be great because I don't want to get a coach, then I disagree. What do you consider great BTW?

2. Training as in practicing? or training as in getting a coach to train you? If it's the latter, I disagree. You definitely need practice to use it in ANY situation, but a coach is unnecessary.

3. I don't know what you're saying.

Hmm. I gotta disagree with that. Not that coaches are ineffective but it is entirely possible to learn to shoot well....even to the Master level without seeking professional coaching.
I suppose, though, a lot depends on what you consider great.
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Agreed
 
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Having an experienced and knowledgeable teacher is HIGHLY beneficial. Most of the time, those people are called instructors. Some of the best of them make a job out of it.

If you know someone like Mike Pannone,Tom Givens, Paul Howe, or Massad Ayoob, etc., who just happens to give you expert advice for free, great! Most of us don't have casual friends at that level, and thus wind up going to commercially available courses.
 
Those are contradictory statements.
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No they are not, there is a difference between something as a hobby and something as an obsession.

Highesthand, you just keep having fun at it no matter what. And don't let it become an obsession but something you enjoy.

Jim
 
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