How To Improve At Pistol Shooting?

I would definitely second the "get trained" advice...

I am not a huge fan of the .22 approach although there is some stuff you can learn from it. Some people find it carries over well; some don't. I don't find it all that useful as trigger press and sight picture/alignment can be dealt with during dry fire, and the remaining fundamental is really just recoil control, which you don't get from .22s anyway.

Some people are convinced it's a critical step; I'm of the opinion that it's really just a way to keep people lining up sights and pulling the trigger. I think there's very little difference between 5000 dry fires and a case of .22, but that's just me. If you enjoy it and it keeps you working the trigger with purpose, it's worthwhile. If you just wing shots out there at random with the rimfire it's not going to teach you anything other than how to stuff bullets in the mags.

Getting a trainer to run you through the process will give you a huge headstart. I think a basic pistol course and 1000 rounds is better than no course and 10,000 rounds, personally.
 
Yup, here is the one for left handed (south paw) shooters...
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Thats some funny chit right there...lol
 
Diligent practice and a mind clear of excuses. Those are the only constants.

No worries there, I fully admit to being HORRIBLE at shooting everything I lay hands on. I didn't get into this hobby to inflate my ego, I did it because it's hard, so threads like this are very helpful. Thanks to everyone for the insights. I have a few questions now, though.

The biggest thing is 'dry fire practice'. People keep saying this but I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing. As I've said, right now I balance snap caps on the front of the frame and see if I can keep it from tipping. As I complete cycles of trigger pulls (usually four 'cylinders' of six shots), I progressively increase the size of the cap, which makes it more prone to falling. I can keep the .22 and 9mm caps on there almost indefinitely now, at least until my hands get tired (I'm practicing mostly with my 686, just because it's my favourite gun and I like holding it). Otherwise, I honestly don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I have searched online, but they're mostly IPSC drills that are WAY more advanced than a scrub like my can handle. I don't want to learn to shoot crazy drills yet, I want to learn how to shoot, period.

Also I agree that training would be great but it's not all that easy to come by, and the courses tend to be spread out. I will definitely be taking one carbine, pistol and shotgun class this year each if possible. Regarding the Bullseye league, as far as I know my club only has action shooting types of stuff. I'll try the bullseye discipline-type shooting by myself I suppose.

Thanks again for the help everyone.
 
The dry fire drill you are doing will help you develop a good smooth trigger press.

It's also worth spending some time lining up the sights, and pressing the trigger while focusing on the front sight.

Whenever you dry fire, make sure you are using the correct grip; you want to train your hands to wrap around the gun correctly every time.

If you google "thumbs-forward grip" you should get plenty of info on the proper grip to use.



Once you are satisfied that you are getting a good smooth trigger press and you are happy with your sight alignment while dry firing, I would move on to putting 1 or 2 snap caps in a couple of mags, and doing dry reloads from slide lock. Dump the empty, replace it with the fresh one, drop the slide.

Also: spend a lot of time ingraining proper decocking/safety discipline. When the gun comes off the target (unless you're planning on transitioning to a nearby target which we'll assume is not the case) either decock or safety the gun. Burn that in to your hands.

Honestly if you get to doing all that, shooting's pretty easy.
 
The biggest thing is 'dry fire practice'. People keep saying this but I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing. As I've said, right now I balance snap caps on the front of the frame and see if I can keep it from tipping. As I complete cycles of trigger pulls (usually four 'cylinders' of six shots), I progressively increase the size of the cap, which makes it more prone to falling. I can keep the .22 and 9mm caps on there almost indefinitely now, at least until my hands get tired (I'm practicing mostly with my 686, just because it's my favourite gun and I like holding it). Otherwise, I honestly don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I have searched online, but they're mostly IPSC drills that are WAY more advanced than a scrub like my can handle. I don't want to learn to shoot crazy drills yet, I want to learn how to shoot, period.

Most of the drills I was taught were as much about building muscle memory for sight alignment as they were for the trigger press.

Put a sticker or piece of tape on the wall (if you've got tacky floral wallpaper like myself you can skip that step).

1) Practice bringing the sights up from low ready or from holster. Your goal here is perfect sight alignment- stare at the front sight. If you haven't taken a holster course, I'd probably recommend doing this from a low ready position rather than build a bad habit that might put a hole in your leg.

2) Maintain sights on target- just see how long you can maintain an accurate sight picture.

3) Incorporate trigger pull into both of the above drills.

You already know the balance-the-casing-on-the-barrel trick.
 
A very, very nice .22 is available from CZ that has the identical frame to your 75B.

Also, the Matt Burkett video series is very good. Maybe he sold out.... the video's used to be available on his web site. Here is a link to where they are presently sold: Matt Burkett DVD's

But I tell you what... If you can wait a few weeks, let me dig out the videos I own... I'm sure I have at least volumes 1-4, and will mail them to you via expresspost here in Canada for simply the cost of shipping. You seem eager to learn, and the Burkett video's won't hurt you. Send me a pm if you want the videos.

I should be able to get them out to you by the end of January at the latest. On holidays, and real busy once I get back home.
 
There is some good info here but also a ton of ego that really isn't necessary.

Good shooting is about proper application of the fundamentals. Every course I've ever been on has offered a strong focus on fundamentals. The platform isn't important, knowing how to consistently apply the basic fundamentals to every platform is.

Police and military units don't use 22's due to logistical reasons and training elite units usually involves access to a ton of factory ammo. For the casual shooter, running a 22 makes sense from an economic standpoint but needs to be balanced with using the full power gun that you also want to learn to shoot well.

Going to the range with a training plan is a good idea too. I usually start every pistol practice session shooting 1" dots from 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 metres then shoot at a 4" patch at 25. This helps me develop consistent grip, stance, sight picture, trigger press and follow through. With carbine or shotgun, I work on fundamentals from 7, 15 and 25 metres then decide if I want to work on longer shots dependent on where I feel I need work.

Even though I run a training company, I can't stress enough the benefits of professional, knowledgeable instruction from a credible instructor. Many folks call themselves instructors but some aren't so hot.

Watch vids is a great idea but, there is a ton of instruction on those courses that aren't captured on video.
 
I second that.
.22 training is beneficial, think of it as dry fire with a tangible result. It's a step above dry fire, and should be part of your learning process but you need to work both with dry fire and live fire with a full caliber gun as well.
If you can manage to dry fire with a coin or dummy round balanced on the front sight, then your trigger stroke is pretty good and likely not the cause of your issues. Most people I've discovered can pull a trigger far better than they think they can, in fact from some of the coaching and teaching I've done trigger press is not where most people have issues. It's usually your brain interfering in the process that blows the shot. It could be as simple as a flinch due to recoil or noise. A LOT of it is from trying to fire a perfect shot and relying on the brain and a conscious decision on when to fire the gun. This usually ends up with you thinking "now" ....and then pulling the trigger. Earls little mantra should clue you in to the proper process. Line the sights up on the aiming point, take up the trigger pressure until the gun fires all the while watching the sights, there should never be a conscious "now" somewhere in the process the gun will fire. Notice I didn't say "slowly take up the pressure" there is no difference in this process if you are taking a precision shot or firing on a large close target. It is not time dependant, just observe the sights all the way through the trigger press until the shot fires. Ideally you'll stay with the sight until it lifts out of the notch though its not necessary for a lot of shots. It is something to strive for to avoid another issue which is lack of follow through, some go as far as goose necking the instant the shot fires to see how they did. You should be able to tell how the shot did by where you saw the sights when the gun fired, this is known as "calling the shot"
 
There is a form of shooting you can do that will teach you as much as rimfire shooting at a lower cost, yet create the confidence you need to get to the next level, with the pistol you already have, and in the comfort of your own home. This means you can get far more practice than if you are restricted to shooting at the range, and improve over a shorter period of time. Dry firing is the answer, lots and lots of dry firing, say 100 repetitions per day, that are slow, deliberate, and technically perfect. The key to getting the full benefit from dry firing is to be absolutely ruthless with your self criticism, so if you're inclined to cheat for personal gain, this isn't for you. In which case, shooting a .22 and actually seeing what happens on paper is then the truth that cannot be ignored.

But lets go through a dry fire drill to give you an idea. Acquire a firm handshake grip on the stock of the gun. Your grip should be as high as you can make it, with the web of your hand tight to the tang or beavertail. The pistol should form as straight a line a possible inline with your forearm, provided you can reach the trigger. Your trigger finger should extend along the frame, but should not yet enter the trigger guard. If you have an empty chamber and rounds in your magazine, woe be to you, it won't be long until there's a hole in the wall and some pointed questions coming your way . . . that might be difficult to hear. All ammo must be in a different room from where the pistol is dry fired. If your pistol has a useless magazine safety, the magazine must be in the gun in order to dry fire it, otherwise it can be in another room as well. Each and every time you dry fire, that is for each shot, get in the habit of easing the slide back and looking into the loading port and chamber to ensure the gun is unloaded. At the range you should do the same thing prior to shooting each string to ensure the gun is in fact loaded. Anyway, back to the shot. You've got a high grip on the stock of the gun, you are holding the gun with a firm handshake grip, and you now wrap your support hand over your shooting hand, keeping the thumbs of both hands pointed vertically. The gun is in the low read position, that is held in front of you, angled slightly forward, about midway between vertical and horizontal. Thus the gun is not pointed at your feet, and nothing obscures your view of the target. Now your specific technique will cause you to proceed a little differently at this stage.

If you shoot isosceles, you face the target squarely with your feet roughly shoulder width apart and your knees unlocked, but not bent in any dramatic fashion which can cause muscle strain and trembling. While looking at the target, you bring the gun up smoothly with both arms fully extended in front of you until the sights enter your vision. If you shoot Weaver, you take a boxer's stance towards the target, again with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees unlocked. Apply opposing pressure between your shooting hand (pushing) and your support hand (pulling), and with the elbow of your support hand forced directly under the gun. Bring the gun up smoothly until the sights enter your vision. Now check your natural point of aim. This means that if you close your eyes and relax, that when you open them the gun should not have swung off target. If it has, adjust your position in small increments until it is correct, and can repeatedly check it without any undue movement off target. Once you gain the feel for your natural point of aim, you will have a great advantage.

If your pistol is a SA, or SA/DA, it should now be cocked, which can be done as the pistol rises to meet your vision. Use the support thumb without disturbing your grip on the gun, just move the thumb to engage the hammer, #### it, then return your thumb to its former position. If your pistol is DA only or a Glock style you might prefer to use the second pad of your trigger finger to engage the trigger to gain greater leverage to overcome the heavier pull weight if your finger is not strong enough to make the long pull. Another option with the Glock is to set the trigger using the long pull, then manually cycle the slide to mimic shooting and dry fire with the trigger set.

Once you have established your sight picture (SA pistol) the first pad, and only the first pad of your trigger finger engages the trigger, and without conscious thought you begin to increase pressure gradually on the trigger until it breaks. When it breaks it should surprise, but not startle you. Your sights are aligned with the center of your target, and the front blade is even with the top of the rear sight, and there is an equal amount of light on each side of the blade, between it and the notch of the rear sight. At this point your focus shifts to the front sight, and you loose focus on the target and the rear sight which begin to blur. If the front sight is serrated, or if it has a colored insert, concentrate until that detail is in sharp focus. You should be breathing normally up to this point, the idea is that you fire at a natural respiratory pause, not with your lungs forced empty, or full, just at the natural pause between inhaling and exhaling. Thus nothing is forced, and you have enough oxygen to ensure that your focus won't blur for the few seconds it takes to make the shot. Be sure to breath for each shot, and not rush through a number of shots on a single breath.

You should be able to break the shot within 5 seconds of contacting the trigger, then with practice, you can decrease the time it takes to do this. If you feel yourself begin to tremble or shake, or gasp for breath, stop and start over. So, you have a solid position, the proper grip on the gun, the gun comes up smoothly, you have a clear sight picture, your lungs are not stressed, your finger contacts the trigger, pressure is gradually applied, and the hammer drops with a click. Now, where is your front sight? Without moving, determine the position of the front sight. The muscle memory developed from this part of the exercise becomes the follow through that is so important to good marksmanship. What the front sight covers when the hammer drops, is where the bullet went had the shot been live fire. If the front sight drops low in the notch of the rear sight, the shot is low, if it raises above the line of the rear sight, it is high, if it jumps left or right, the shot is wide. But with no recoil or blast, you can see your mistake and work to correct it in a careful and methodical manner. If you train yourself to do it wrong, you will never be a competent pistol shot. But if you take it step by step, work slowly and carefully while paying attention to each individual step, and with practice develop a continuous, smooth, firing stroke, you'll be on the right road.

When you go to the range, and shoot live fire, give equal attention to each step, and watch those groups tighten up.
 
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There is a form of shooting you can do that will teach you as much as rimfire shooting at a lower price.......

When you go to the range, and shoot live fire, give equal attention to each step, and watch those groups tighten up.

I just want to thank you for taking the time and effort to write this advice, I appreciate it very much. For me it has served as a much needed reinforcement of proper technique. Roger
 
first thing is to figure out what you are doing wrong, could be one thing or a few. Once you know that then you will know what drills you need to correct it. or you could blame the gun and just buy something new over and over again. we can write novels in this thread but if you don't know whats going on with your shooting then its all a waste of time
 
first thing is to figure out what you are doing wrong, could be one thing or a few. Once you know that then you will know what drills you need to correct it. or you could blame the gun and just buy something new over and over again. we can write novels in this thread but if you don't know whats going on with your shooting then its all a waste of time

That's the nice thing about dry fire drills, you can immediately see what is wrong with your hold, stance, sight picture, trigger control, breathing, and follow through. Only once you have established what's wrong, can you take steps to correct it. The blast and recoil from live fire makes recognizing those mistakes extremely difficult, and the majority of new pistol shooters don't have the access to knowledgeable and dedicated shooting coaches.

A couple of details that I left out of that long diatribe though, was to gain comfort with the sight wobble, its unlikely you will be able to hold a solid sight picture at first, so get in the habit of increasing pressure on the trigger as it moves towards the mark, then hold that pressure as it passes and then add more as it comes back. Don't anticipate the shot. Sometimes you see someone push the gun towards the target as it fires, that is a nasty habit to break, but if you find yourself doing it, work past it. That bullet doesn't need any help getting to the target, and any movement of the gun before it recoils will take you off target.
 
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Seek professional training. You can't self teach with any expectation of success. You don't know what you don't know.

Tdc

Professional training is simply beyond the means of many of those on a fixed income, who can afford a single gun and a hundred rounds a week to put through it. I dare say the majority of pistol shooters are self taught, myself included. Learning to shoot correctly mattered to me, so I sought out the information I needed to become a good shot, and I worked hard at it firing many thousands of rounds of .38 Special (I started handloading when I began handgun shooting) then later did a bit with pistols. As a result, I pretty much consider myself competent in most circles, although I don't engage in competitive shooting. Today, finding the information you need to become a good shot is much easier due to the internet and the various DVDs that are available; the hard part is finding the information that fits the style of shooting you wish to learn, particularly the basics which form the foundation you must build from. Everything today seems to be slanted towards personal defense (which is good) or towards a game (which is okay) but both can be lacking in information that matters to a novice shooter.
 
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Professional training is simply beyond the means of many of those on a fixed income, who can afford a single gun and a hundred rounds a week to put through it. I dare say the majority of pistol shooters are self taught, myself included. Learning to shoot correctly mattered to me, so I sought out the information I needed to become a good shot, and I worked hard at it firing many thousands of rounds of .38 Special (I started handloading when I began handgun shooting) then later did a bit with pistols. As a result, I pretty much consider myself competent in most circles, although I don't engage in competitive shooting. Today, finding the information you need to become a good shot is much easier due to the internet and the various DVDs that are available; the hard part is finding the information that fits the style of shooting you wish to learn, particularly the basics which form the foundation you must build from. Everything today seems to be slanted towards personal defense (which is good) or towards a game (which is okay) but both can be lacking in information that matters to a novice shooter.

Excellent !!!
 
^Good advice Boomer.


Having friends who are awesome at shooting/training is the best possible scenario on a budget.

Videos that talk about fundamentals and show you why things work, and why others don't are a good way to figure out what you don't know.

I am a Magpul fanboy and recommend their pistol dvd: "Tactical Pistol", and also Travis Haley's "Adaptive Handgun"
They break down the fundamentals, and it seems like each time I watched, I picked up a little something that I missed the time before.
 
As usual Boomer's advice is spot on. I consider myself very lucky in that I own a pistol with a mechanism that allows dry firing practice without actually cocking the firing mechanism. Unfortuneately this is a rare addition to most pistols.
 
Phase Line Green Tactical. Getting instruction from a professional instructor will get you better results more quickly and more positively than blowing 5,000 rounds on your own. It'll also teach you what you don't know, which is far more important than what you do know. Good instruction is the best deal (return on investment) in the firearms world - it's also a ton of fun.

Holy mother. This looks awesome.
 
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