Aiming Tips?

AJCrowley

AJCrowley

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So, I've recently started handgun shooting, and while I can reliably get everything on paper, I'd obviously like to be a more consistent and accurate shooter.

Before today, I was focusing on the target, working with unfocused sights. Today, I shifted focus to the front sight, and noticed that it improved my accuracy a fair bit.

Does anyone have any other tips, no matter how basic or common sense you may think they are, to help me (and anyone else who reads this) improve?

Thanks!
 
AJCrowley said:
So, I've recently started handgun shooting, and while I can reliably get everything on paper, I'd obviously like to be a more consistent and accurate shooter.

Before today, I was focusing on the target, working with unfocused sights. Today, I shifted focus to the front sight, and noticed that it improved my accuracy a fair bit.

Does anyone have any other tips, no matter how basic or common sense you may think they are, to help me (and anyone else who reads this) improve?

Thanks!
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That's really all there is to it... Front sight and trigger control. Concentrate on squeezing the trigger with increasing pressure until it breaks. Don't pull it or slap it - just squeeeeeze
 
You've fixed your incorrect focusing issue. Now you just need to work on your grip and steadiness. It's a very "Zen" thing to provide as stable as possible a grip with your hands while only moving the trigger finger in perfect isolation to any other movement or tension alterations.

In addtion to the "just squeeeze" above I'll add that you want to pull the trigger fully back to where it hits the end of the travel. Concentrate on doing that while holding a steady sight picture rather than thinking of the big bang. With practice your squeezing will become faster. Consider that IPSC open class shooters even shooting at machinegun like rates of fire are still squeezing and not snapping at the trigger. They are just squeezing very, very fast... :D

Other valuable freebie online resources for shooting handguns;

An excellent description of the two handed thumbs forward semi auto pistol grip. This write up ties in well with the next link.
http://www.handgunsmag.com/tactics_training/combatg_100306/

Todd Jarret in a trailer for a video on pistol gripping and shooting. Lots of good hints.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48

Revolver handling. Five great vids from the master, Jerry Miculek.
http://www.myoutdoortv.com/pdk/web/smith.html?feedPID=00zG15zm84msK0GbWemanhJ0KNWQYqM4l

And the ever popular self help bullseye target for correcting bad groupings.
http://www.is-lan.com/challenge/images/Pistol-Correction.pdf

And if you just can't seem to get it then buy, borrow or beg a .22 and practice all the princlples outlined in my links and in this thread. The lower recoil of a .22 can magically cure a flinch that you may or may not know you have.
 
BCRider said:
And if you just can't seem to get it then buy, borrow or beg a .22 and practice all the princlples outlined in my links and in this thread. The lower recoil of a .22 can magically cure a flinch that you may or may not know you have.
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X 2, 100%
Dispite what people say, a .22 is the best way to learn!
 
Definetly. I concur 110%. That and they are good fun in their own right if you're not looking to "compensate" for something... :D

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE a good .460 S&W or .44Mag. Not to mention the baser animal side that is attracted to my 12ga shotguns. But there's room in my heart for the lowly .22 as well. So much so that more than 1/3 of my collection of just over 30 guns are .22.
 
Try to be consistent with your body position every time......gentle on the trigger......take a few breaths to relax before you settle in for a shot/shots......avoid coffee before trying to make small groups on paper.

You are now a pro.:p
 
Viper26 said:
That's really all there is to it... Front sight and trigger control. Concentrate on squeezing the trigger with increasing pressure until it breaks. Don't pull it or slap it - just squeeeeeze
Click to expand...
That ^^^squeeze^^^ .....straight back every time!
If you got it all right, except good trigger control, you'll be like me and throw a group, just off to the left of the aiming point! :mad:
(RH shooting) {yanking the trigger}


my bad.......
 
Brutus, I've found that each of my guns requires a slightly different finger placement on the trigger. If you're shooting decent size groups but the centering is off to the left just put your finger a little further through onto the trigger. THis assumes that you're not actually yanking on the trigger.

If you are already reaching to get to the trigger and putting your finger further through isn't practical then it's time to go for a slimmer set of grips or find a gun that you don't need to reach so far to get to the trigger.
 
If you practice enough for a few years you'll learn to focus on target and not the front sight ;)
Untill then, focus on front sight. It'll come natural if it does, target focusing it is, then you know you are enlightened ;)
 
BCRider said:
Brutus, I've found that each of my guns requires a slightly different finger placement on the trigger. If you're shooting decent size groups but the centering is off to the left just put your finger a little further through onto the trigger. THis assumes that you're not actually yanking on the trigger.

If you are already reaching to get to the trigger and putting your finger further through isn't practical then it's time to go for a slimmer set of grips or find a gun that you don't need to reach so far to get to the trigger.
Click to expand...
I will certainly try your advice BCRider.

Thank you!
 
Or, as some competitive shooters do - adjust your rear sight so that you pre-compensate for shooting left or right ;) only if it's consistent :D
 
"Dry fire practice = good", balance a quarter on the end of the barrel and practice your trigger "press" so that the hammer drops and the quarter doesn't.
 
All excellent info, thanks a bunch everyone.

SandRoad said:
Here is one of the best guides for proper technique. It is in fact the standard for coaching from beginners to olympic competitors.

http://www.saveourguns.com/Ar_Marks_Un_Pistol_Train_Guide.pdf
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This is pretty much exactly what I need. Thanks!

Al-Sway said:
If you gave us any idea of where you lived (province?) we might be able to steer you to a place or person to help you out.
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I'm located in NS.
 
w ww.reloadbench.com/pdf/files/TargetRightHanded.pdf
w ww.reloadbench.com/pdf/files/TargetLeftHanded.pdf

Try these targets , i use cause i shoot lefty , I though it helped , let me know what I was doing ...
 
AJCrowley said:
So, I've recently started handgun shooting, and while I can reliably get everything on paper, I'd obviously like to be a more consistent and accurate shooter.

Before today, I was focusing on the target, working with unfocused sights. Today, I shifted focus to the front sight, and noticed that it improved my accuracy a fair bit.

Does anyone have any other tips, no matter how basic or common sense you may think they are, to help me (and anyone else who reads this) improve?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Do exactly that, focus on the front sights, but be aware of your target. Like these fine gentlemen said start by slowly squeezing the trigger until the pistol discharges and keep doing that until it is just a habit!

Keep on shootin stuff!

J
 
Locate a serious bullseye pistol shooter in your area and ask for bit of range coaching. ...Listen well and practice, practice, ......the first 100,000 rounds are the hardest!!
By the time you hit 250,000 you'lll be in a position to coach the next beginner.
 
We often suggest squeezing the trigger, but that is not what we mean to say. We are programed from birth to grasp an object and squeeze it, offer a baby your finger and he will squeeze it. That is not what you need to do with your handgun, and if you do you will find that your rounds hit low and left it you are a right handed shooter. What we mean to say is that you press the trigger. Grasp the stock of the handgun in a firm hand shake grip as high as possible on the gun. The gun should be in a straight line with your forearm. Bring the sights into alignment with the target, then pull your focus back to the front sight. When you've reached your natural pause in your breathing cycle, press the trigger, meaning that you add weight to it until it breaks without changing the pressure of your grip to the rest of the gun. The trigger break should be an open ended surprise. Once you have that down, you can work on compressing the break so that it goes off within the span of a couple of seconds, but it's break is still a surprise.
 
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