Need To Improve Accuracy

Robmyaing · Jun 27, 2017

Took a bullseye shooting class at TMGN and I was told that my trigger control was poor due to recoil anticipation. Was shooting a SIG P225 9mm.

My question.

If I practiced (dry fire) and shot with a 380 pistol, which I believe has less recoil than a 9mm, will I anticipate the recoil less and improve trigger control and accuracy?

All responses are appreciated.

dwsjr · Jun 27, 2017

Just keep shooting and i feel you will improve naturally. If the recoil is in fact too stout then deal with that in time after giving 9mm an honest test drive. Bow long have you been shooting it?

davsco · Jun 27, 2017

my opinion is that 380 and 9mm are close enough recoil-wise to not make a diff.

first, suggest you double up on hearing protection - plugs and then muffs over them, especially indoors.

2nd i think you need to ask yourself if you have a valid reason for flinching. are you getting hurt by the gun during recoil, is it flying out of your hands, etc. if you're not getting hurt (and most likely you are not) then it's just a mental thing that you have to get around. nothing bad is going to happen when the shot breaks so you don't need to brace or proactively prepare for that.

dry fire can and will help. very gently take up the trigger slack and then give it the soft pull necessary to break the 'shot.' your sights should remain aligned with the target after the hammer falls. if you happen to have a light/laser you can attach, it's real easy to see if the laser 'dot' is moving or not after your shot.

davsco · Jun 27, 2017

just to expand on my 2nd point above, long time ago i got a S&W 629 .44 Magnum. dirty harry, right... in any event, i hated it and flinched when shooting it. but then i realized it really wasn't hurting me in any way, and i embraced the recoil and enjoyed shooting it after that.

Benjamin · Jun 27, 2017

Take more classes, pay for 1 on 1 instruction. Every guy has an ego, myself included, and we figure we will just figure things out. You already took one class so you're clearly open to learning and improvement. I know classes and instruction are expensive, but so is throwing ammo all over the target.

Biggfoot44 · Jun 27, 2017

Dry fire.

jimbobborg · Jun 27, 2017

dwsjr said:
Just keep shooting and i feel you will improve naturally.

No, just no.

Robmyaing, if they make a .22 conversion kit for that Sig, I suggest you get that instead of trying 380. And Perfect Practice makes Perfect Performance. For dry fire, read this book https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QLK3A6Y/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Uncle Duke · Jun 27, 2017

"Trigger control poor due to recoil anticipation".

OP, if you're so inclined, I'd be real curious to know just exactly what you think that terminology means.

Robmyaing · Jun 27, 2017

I have owned two pistols (a revolver and semi automatic) since the mid 90s but rarely shot. They were just there for home defense. Did not know anything about sights, etc until I took the NRA basic pistol class a few months ago. Now I shoot at a range aiming at a bullseye target and really want to have more of my rounds end up in the black area of the target from 20 feet. Right now about 62% end up there

iH8DemLibz · Jun 27, 2017

If you own a revolver, take three rounds and randomly place them in the cylinder. Close your eyes, spin the cylinder, and close the cylinder. No peeking as to where the cartridges are.

Cock the hammer. Take aim. And pull the trigger. You'll notice your flinch real fast when the hammer drops and there's no Ka-Boom.

Keep practicing this way until you are no longer flinching. May not be for everyone, but it helped me with some really stout .45 Long Colt hand loads.

Good luck. Cuzz a bad flinch is a real be-atch.

Robmyaing · Jun 27, 2017

Thanks for all the input. Bought the Ben Stoeger book on Amazon. Will continue dry firing and then get back to a 1 on 1 training with an instructor.

gorgeman · Jun 27, 2017

Dry firing is good practice. but you know the gun is empty, which the anticipation will or should stop {you know the gun will not recoil} do like some suggested get and mix training rounds in the magazine. practice practice

iH8DemLibz · Jun 27, 2017

gorgeman said:
Dry firing is good practice. but you know the gun is empty, which the anticipation will or should stop {you know the gun will not recoil} do like some suggested get and mix training rounds in the magazine. practice practice

I couldn't agree more.

Dry firing will help with sight alignment/trigger pull/familiarity.

Won't do a thing for recoil anticipation. Only way to get over a flinch is to conquer it.

And I like the idea of sticking dummy rounds in the magazine.

Neot · Jun 27, 2017

First thing first, you need to learn to press the trigger properly. Close your eyes and dry fire. You should be building trigger pressure gradually. Remember how this part FEELS. After you've done that for a while, then you can move on to the sights. Everyone preaches sights sights sights but a proper trigger press is 90% of it. Start dry firing with your eyes open and then move on to live fire. Start at close distances and get your confidence up. If you are still anticipating the recoil, place a few dummy rounds in the magazine.....better yet, have someone else load it so you don't "game" the drill so to speak. Once you master the trigger press and sights, move back a bit. Once you build up distance and proper technique, then you can finally start building speed. If you try to go too fast too soon, the wheels come off the wagon and the technique suffers. It's important to get in QUALITY reps rather than just reps. 10 quality reps are better than 100 sloppy ones.

Silverlode · Jun 27, 2017

davsco said:
dry fire can and will help... if you happen to have a light/laser you can attach, it's real easy to see if the laser 'dot' is moving or not after your shot.

This can help significantly with your trigger pull regardless of what you are doing wrong.

Biggfoot44 · Jun 27, 2017

The fundamentals of reasonably good marksmanship - Trigger Control, fairly good grasp, Trigger Control, sorta close sight alignment, Trigger Control, somthing sort of resembling a stance, Trigger Control, and some more Trigger Control .

So to improve -

Dry fire, more dry fire, until you can do the trigger thing , without disturbing a coin on top of your slide. SA and DA .

Then practice smoth dry fire while simultaneously aligning the sights.

Then Ball & Dummy drill.

Nottherealfranco · Jun 27, 2017

iH8DemLibz said:
If you own a revolver, take three rounds and randomly place them in the cylinder. Close your eyes, spin the cylinder, and close the cylinder. No peeking as to where the cartridges are.

Cock the hammer. Take aim. And pull the trigger. You'll notice your flinch real fast when the hammer drops and there's no Ka-Boom.

Keep practicing this way until you are no longer flinching. May not be for everyone, but it helped me with some really stout .45 Long Colt hand loads.

Good luck. Cuzz a bad flinch is a real be-atch.

If you have another person, you can do this with a semi-auto too. I'd load 1 round, hand them the pistol, they'd shoot as I watched the muzzle, then I'd either load 1 round again, or feign to load a round without their knowledge, prep the pistol to make it appear loaded, and have them take another "shot". The first non-shot takes them by surprise and they can feel the anticipation as the move during the trigger pull.

ADR · Jun 27, 2017

OP, I'm going to go the opposite route from some here to give you something to think about.

Forget about trying to learn and employ several different things right off the bat with the exception of safe handling.

Go out to an open range with no instructor and run a lot of rounds several times. Your fear/flinch/anticipation will lessen as you get more comfortable. Once you're comfortable and relaxed, then worry about refining and shaping your techniques.

I see it all the time with new and even older people trying to qualify or requalify when they haven't shot a lot. No matter what you concentrate on and try to fix, it will suck until/unless you learn to relax.

Similarly, I know guys who can look like a flat out superstar on paper if you let them just take their time and do their thing. They'll score perfect but they can't draw from a holster, reholster, etc... without falling apart and once you put them under stress, everything they do turns to sh!t.

Just fire the damn gun and keep firing it until it's like taking a breath - then worry about fixing everything else.

good guy 176 · Jun 27, 2017

jimbobborg said:
No, just no.

Robmyaing, if they make a .22 conversion kit for that Sig, I suggest you get that instead of trying 380. And Perfect Practice makes Perfect Performance. For dry fire, read this book https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QLK3A6Y/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

This is perfect advice...follow it and your flinching should go away.
When introducing newbies, especially women of all ages and most young
kids, we always start em out with the .22lr or a piece that will not
intimidate them.

Been involved in the shooting sports since 1952 and still get a kick out
of helping newcomers.

Good luck and fine shooting to ya,

Lew--Ranger63 & Good Guy 176
US Army (Ret--'84)

Erno86 · Jun 27, 2017

Just say: "wait...wait...wait" silently in you're mind, while you're pressing the trigger straight back.

quote: Paul Schoch - The Zen of Shooting

http://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2015/3/23/the-zen-of-shooting

Need To Improve Accuracy

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Member

Ultimate Member

Oddball caliber fan

Ultimate Member

Member

When All Else Fails.

Member

Active Member

When All Else Fails.

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

MD Escapee

Ultimate Member

R.I.P.

Banned

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics