[MilitaryPower]

I went to the range Friday and I shot 200 rounds, and it pissed me off that I CANNOT keep from shooting low left. I tried resting on my range bag for extra support, aiming more to the right, making sure I pulled the trigger nice and smooth, but to no use. I shoot low left with my buddy's XD .40 as well. With my P22 I shoot all over the place but primarly to the low left. What the heck?! My first mag is closest to the center and from there on, it goes downhill.

 

[watsoncb]

Trigger Squeeze

Sorry for the difficulties... I suspect that your troubles might be tracable to how your squeezing (or more likely pulling/jerking) the trigger. You might want to get a dry fire round and practice getting use to your trigger pull and where on the trigger pull the sear breaks. Once you know, go back to the range and try again.



Focus on pulling the trigger smoothly and with the part of your finger between the end of the tip of your finger and the first joint. No other part of the trigger finger should touch the weapon.



Good luck.

 

[MilitaryPower]

I dry fire fairly regularly, and I have over 2,000 rounds through it so far. This could be the problem, but it isn't apparent to me.

 

[Dan Burwell]

If you don't see your sight dip when you are dry firing but you are shootin low left at the range, have a buddy randomly mix some dummy round into your mags, I bet you see your sights dip when you you get to one of those dummy rounds :wink:



Then the next thing to do is absolutly convince yourself that each shot is going to be that dummy round. If you are convinced the bullet will hit right where you are aiming every time. There has been much discussion of how to cure the flinch you may want to run a search over at Brian Enos' forums and do some reading there.

 

[MilitaryPower]

Alright, I guess an order of snap caps is in order.

 

[choochboost]

Could also be your grip. As you pull the trigger, your other fingers on your strong hand may be tightening up around the grip and jerking the gun. Get some snap caps, and watch your front sight take a dive.

 

[killer]

I was having the same problem are using the pad of your finger or your first joint?

 

[MilitaryPower]

I was having the same problem are using the pad of your finger or your first joint?

The first joint. When I dry fire, I have the least amount of movement using the joint.



How much should the sights move when I dry fire? I try to have no movement at all, and suceed sometimes, but I usually have a little jerky movement. Is this what I'm trying to get rid of? Or is that a natural vibration from the firing pin hittting?

 

[Bowie Tactical]

Here is an old trick but it works. The key is to know what good trigger control really feels like. You might need help with this but it is the best way to know your trigger control is good.

Place a penny or nickle on the front sight. Press the trigger. If it stays in place then you did it right. If it falls you flinched, jerked or what ever you want to call it. You must not tighten the entire hand when pressing the trigger. Remember the gun does not need help to fire the round so gripping the frame tighter does nothing but pull the gun low left for right hand shooters. You MUST isolate the trigger finger from the rest of the hand. This can be hard because of your daily life. We grab items and shake hands by gripping our entire hand then all of a sudden with little practice we expect to suddenly only tighten one finger. Not easy for some. You must concentrate on this pactice. Doing it with less than full concentration is a waste of time. If you do not really focus then when you do it right, it will not get logged in the muscle memory very depply.

GOOD LUCK

CHECK 360 David Bowie

 

[Dakotapix]

Re-visiting the two-handed grip

I'm not sure where I first heard about altering my two-handed grip, maybe here or another forum, but I've tried to adjust how I hold the gun. I'm right-handed and have found that by loosening my grip with the right hand and using my left to grip the the gun and trigger hand tighter, I have less tendency to jerk the gun off target to the left when I fire. I've also found that the large grip places the pad of my trigger finger just where it needs to be to avoid jerking the trigger. I've practiced this quite a bit with dry firing and it seems to be working.



Does this make sense to anyone else here?

 

[choochboost]

I am right handed and I hold the gun mostly with my left hand to help isolate the trigger press. It probably works out to 70/30.

 

[Bowie Tactical]

This grip you guys are talking about with the support hand being the primary gripping hand is dead on the money. That is one of the keys. The shooting hand should be a handshake grip at best not a killer one. This leaves the trigger finger more dexterous and allows it to be isolated much better.

CHECK 360 David Bowie

 

[MilitaryPower]

Went to the range again with marked improvement. I used a sandbag most of the time, but still shot unsupported. I loosened my grip with my right hand, paid special attention as to not squeeze it, and convinced myself that every shot was a dry fire. Still shooting left, but I ate out the left side of the bull's eye at fifteen yards :wink: .



With the P22, my groupings were better. Instead of all over the place, they were primarily just left and below the bull's eye. Ate out a nice little spot there. A handful in the eye as well. Over 1,000 rounds through it so far, and I only got it one the 17th of Feb.



Results are good, but not good enough. I am going to keep up dry firing, and going to the range. I'd like an experienced person to help out though. I think Saturday or Monday I'll go to a local indoor range and see if I can get some help there.

 

[Dan Burwell]

Still shooting left

Still using your first joint on the trigger?

 

[Arizona Smithshooter]

I would suggest that you check to see if your front sight is centered on the slide. Then try using a smaller backstrap on the grip. Centering my sight and using the small backstrap made my M&P9 very accurate....and out of the box I was shooting low/left.

 

[MilitaryPower]

[quote name='MilitaryPower']Still shooting left

Still using your first joint on the trigger?[/quote] I think so. Next time I shoot I will pay attention and try it differently. I am now using the small backstrap; for about the first 1500 rounds I used the medium, but for the last 700 I've used the small. I think it just fits better. I don't really notice a difference in accuracy, but I've had good days with the medium size and shot well (still to the left though).

 

[CaesarAugustus72]

Hi guys,



I am having the same problem with my MP40 low and left. MY 1st hand gun I've owned. Obviosly just getting use to it.



Lot of great info I'll be putting to use,before my next trip to the range. Glad I've found this message board. And if anyone else has other tips for a begginer like me please let me know.

 

[MilitaryPower]

Went to the range again today. I am getting much better; I concentrate on each shot, take a deep breath and imagine that I am going to smoothly pull back the trigger and I will hear a quiet click. Seems to be working well. I still shot a little to the left with about half the shots, though. I only used the sandbag for about half the rounds as well.



I am going to see if I can scan some pics onto the computer, but I don't know how to get them onto the Internet so I can post them.



What kind of accuracy is feasible at fifteen yards?

 

[skar]

Re: Trigger Squeeze

Sorry for the difficulties...



Focus on pulling the trigger smoothly and with the part of your finger between the end of the tip of your finger and the first joint. No other part of the trigger finger should touch the weapon.



Good luck.

:wink: yep!

 

[johndoe1027]

I am going to see if I can scan some pics onto the computer, but I don't know how to get them onto the Internet so I can post them.

What kind of accuracy is feasible at fifteen yards?

I take a pic of the target with a digital camera then host it on imageshack or something like it so you can post it here. I know, seems like a lot or work but forums don't have the bandwidth to host all of the images locally.



I think any accuracy at 15 yards is plenty good since 7 yards or less is all that will matter. Remember, at 15 yards you can run away to cover. I usually practice at 7-10 yards then move from 5-15 to check speed then accuracy. In my mind you might need to fire more quickly at closer ranges. I am no kind of expert on the matter though. :roll:



It's good to hear that you are making progress, I am still figuring my M&P out too. I could nail bulls eyes at 15 yards with my 9mm 1911 but I'm still having trouble getting nice groups at 7 yards with the M&P9c. It all about the squeeze for me. My squeeze was really bad at first. I use the last joint on my trigger finger because it feels easier to get a straight pull. I am going to try the pad instead of the joint to see if that makes a difference.