Range report: Glock 19 goes to the range

A

Amelia

New member
Another trip to the range. This is about my fourth time shooting my new (new to me, but used) Glock 19. This was the FOP Range in Pleasant Grove, which I'd never tried before. http://www.foprangeinc.com

Nice range! They have memberships but I just paid to shoot for 2 hours on the one "public" range. They have bunches of other ranges.

No one was on the range, i.e. the one range I used near the office, other than me. First, I tacked up a target and did about 100 rounds from 7 and 10 yards.

2001jan31.jpg


Not bad for a newbie, but that was all at pretty close range.

I was shooting at one of three target stands left up from an earlier qualification. So, I decided to use all three targets and the barricades they had left at 25 yards (I moved one to 10 yards) and did some stuff similar to what I had to do (and didn't do very well at all) in the IDPA classifier last weekend.

I'm sure I looked pretty goofy to the range officer who had nothing to do but watch and chuckle, I think. :) I asked him if this was the best entertainment he could come up with and he commented that he gets paid to watch. :p

Observations:

This is a nice range! :cool:

Clearly, anything over 10 yards is not pretty. :(

Clearly, I'm shooting a bit low, particularly at the longer distances. I think it's recoil anticipation? :confused:

Even at the close ranges, I'm shooting left. Maybe the sight needs a slight adjustment? The Lt. in early January shot my 19 and thought it was slightly left then. :confused:

Anyhow, I probably did 300 rounds or so, and I enjoyed myself immensely! What more could a girl ask for?

:D

PS. zero malfunctions today

[Edited by Amelia on 01-31-2001 at 11:16 PM]
 
Amelia,
Good shooting and thanks for keeping us updated! You might be anticipating recoil. Try getting some snap caps and practice lots of dry firing. Once you master trigger control, you'll notice a big difference with the way your groups pattern.

Keep up the good work!
 
Amelia:

Excellent shooting and photos.:D:) Keep going like that and
we'll have to put a gold star on ther walk of fame for you.
After a couple more sessions, I got an idea. You, Tamara,
Ms. Demeanors and any other female should hold a "WOMEN'S
ONLY" postal pistol match.

Your Friend,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
HAHAHAHAHA!

Sure, Dan! Thanks for the unearned compliments! You are too sweet! You should have come to the range today!!

I'd be a distant last in that match, for sure!

:)
 
Good work! About the left-pulling...dry-fire, dry-fire, dry-fire. And remember: PERFECT practice makes perfect! If your dry-fire snaps don't wiggle around too much, then your live firing should start to really score.

Silly suggestion, but it helped me a little bit. Try shooting at longer distances. If and when you get proficient at 15+ yds, the closer stuff falls into place, at least it did with me. I picked up on a couple of really subtle incongruities that made HUGE errors at longer ranges that I would not have seen at <10yds. Stuff like keeping my trigger finger at a 90 degree angle to the trigger v. a more relaxed position. Seems to bring a more consistant trigger pull, and in turn, more consistant shot placement.

My 2 cents.

Regards,
S.
 
Amelia,
Do you shoot left handed? Reason I asked is because a few of my friends are left handed and they tend to pull to the left a little.
But very good shooting though. Wish I can do that with my .45. After 150 or so rds, my shots go all over the place except the target.
ST
 
HKUSP45C, I'm right handed. :)

echo3mike, yes i know... dry fire... *sigh* got to do more of that, clearly!! :)

ArmySon, thanks. :)

_____
A Glock is like the proverbial "little black dress." Every woman needs one.
 
When I got my 19 I shot to the left. Thought it was just me. Then I got a 26 and shot right on! The 19 still shoots to the left. If I "adjust" the sights it looks like I'm holding the gun crooked but I can get centered groups. Haven't had a single problem like that with my 26. I'm starting to think my 19 is a lemon. I'm going to get some different sights as soon as I pay off a few bills. My eyesight ain't what it used to be and there is a slight difference in my sights between the two guns.
 
Truly fine shooting indeed! If a BG ever attacked you, you can bet that group would be twice as large and yet he would still be a goner.

My $.02 on the shooting left thing. Since a good 70% of your shots are near the same spot, some higher some lower, and they are to the left, then I gotta believe it's the gun sights. I find that when folks flinch, or jerk the trigger, or anticipate recoil or any of the myriad of reasons not to shoot straight, their groups don't seem to have a definable center like your group has. The only good way to find out is to sandbag the gun and shoot 5 or so shots very slowly and carefully.
 
I'm a lefty, and I had trouble mashing the trigger. My shots tended to pull low and slightly to the right when I did this. Usually they string, but sometimes they make a round group that is offset. Dryfiring has mostly solved the problem (it still creeps up from time to time).

Lot's of dry firing will help--most likely you are also mashing the trigger. Also, you would probably be less prone to do this with a Kimber or other gun with a crisp trigger.

Also, try shooting at bullseye targets slow fire at longer distances (15 to 30 yards). One handed and two handed (there have been days I've shot better one handed--it tends to get me to really focus on sights and trigger). I like the shoot-n-see targets (5.5" and 8") for this.
 
Thanks Mal... of course, he's got to get within 10 yards but if he does get that close, he's a goner :D

Don, i do need lots of dry firing, for sure. I'm going to work on that this week :)

Amelia
 
looks great and ArmySon is right.

snap caps and dry firing will tighten those groups up.

maybe a dremel-polished 3.5 lbs trigger connector too?

taste real smooth in my g19
 
Snap caps? ArmySon? jtduncan?

Dry firing is a concept I understand. What are snap caps?

_____
Be thick-skinned, not thick-headed.
 
Snap caps are dummy rounds that will protect your firing pin during dry firing practice. Many of today's guns can be dry fired without breaking the firing pin. Personally, I would rather not take the risk since snap caps are very inexpensive.

You can purchase snap caps at just about any gun shop.
 
AH thanks! "dummy rounds" is a term I understand. I actually have some. The Lt. (who taught me how to clean my gun) gave me a safety lesson before he let me use the police range in early January and he gave me some dummy rounds. :)
 
Amelia, that range does look nice. Are you a member, or did you pay a guest fee? If not, any idea of the guest fee? I'll have to give it a try.

Nice shooting by the way, keep it up.
 
The target you posted looks at least as good, and better than most, of the big-city LEO qualification targets I've seen.

That target isn't going to threaten anybody ever again. :D:D:D

Well done, Amelia. :)

LawDog
 
Thanks LawDog and *LOL* I'm only a decent shot at very close range, and I'm still pretty slow. Anyhow, I hope to never get that close to a BG! But, who knows? :)

Mal H: Not yet. I'm in Chicago for a few days. :( Dang it's cold up here! If I'm lucky, maybe Wednesday I can go back to the range. :)

hipwr40: I'm not a member there or anywhere yet. I paid the hourly range fee which is $12 for the first hour and $8 for additional hours. This week I applied to join a different range but I have no idea how long that process will take. Click on "profile" beside my name here and drop me an email. Maybe we can meet at the range sometime. :)

Have a wonderful day!
_________
Constitution of the State of Alabama, 1901, ARTICLE 1 [Declaration of Rights], SECTION 26: Right to bear arms. That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state.
 
Amelia,

Good Shootin'!

I noticed your shots on center mass are slightly to the left. I used to have that problem too.


I used to follow the rule of keeping the slide straight along with my arm. All my shots went slightly to the left. Now, I cant it slightly to the right so the pad on my shooting finger covers the trigger more fully. Now my shots hit point of aim. It may not be correct technique but now I shoot straight.;) So who cares!?

Also, make your trigger pull straight and to the back in one motion. Sort of like a good follow through on a golf or tennis swing. Don't worry about follow up shots, just concentrate on making the trigger pull a single motion to the back as if there was no break in the trigger.


I'm no expert but maybe whats worked for me might work for you.

Keep shooting and stay safe.
 
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