wanting to shoot my handguns better

[snarlingdog]

Is there any place in the area that does classes for handguns? I would love to put a hole mag in the black on a target. I am a member at Johnson creek gun club and go once a week and it seems I never really improve. So I any suggestions? thanks

Read More

 

[Joe13]

Go more often and shoot more.

Buy a .22lr target pistol and that will help with any flinching your doing - then move up.

If your finger is on the trigger where it should be, your sights are sighted in correctly and you squeeze and don't jerk then there isn't a whole lot more too it.

Dry practice at home a lot - not with the .22 though.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Here's a little trick.
Turn your paper around so that the black is the off side.
You'll now be able to clearly see your front sight. Focus on the front sight only and carefully release each shot.
I'll bet that'll be the best group you've ever done when you turn the target around and look.

 

[oknow]

Do a mental checklist before each shot. sight alignment sight picture breath in let out and press the trigger.
do this over and over, like joe13 said dry fire is just as good as live fire focus on each and every shot

 

[Alexx1401]

What are you shooting? If it is with something large, have you tried a .22? If not try one. I have over the years helped many shooters get MUCH better this way. Often someone learns with a large caliber and don't realize they are flinching and pulling their shots. Get them in the black with a nice .22 then go back and all of a sudden they are a LOT better.
Another thing that can help is an air gun. You can practice in the house. What you learn there helps at the range.

 

[snarlingdog]

I am mostly shooting my Sig 9 or my Glock 23. But I'll have to go and try my mark iii and do some 22 practice that's a good idea. I don't need to be a marksman but my shots are all over the targets. I'm guessing I am flinching.

 

[Alexx1401]

I am mostly shooting my Sig 9 or my Glock 23. But I'll have to go and try my mark iii and do some 22 practice that's a good idea. I don't need to be a marksman but my shots are all over the targets. I'm guessing I am flinching.

I very much doubt anything is wrong with the guns, so it's all about getting used to them. Another thing to try is some kind of rest. Take something with you, simple tripod can even work. Once you get on the paper then you can work on it better. It does amazing things for your accuracy once you start to see improvements. Keep up the effort, it will be well worth it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I am mostly shooting my Sig 9 or my Glock 23. But I'll have to go and try my mark iii and do some 22 practice that's a good idea. I don't need to be a marksman but my shots are all over the targets. I'm guessing I am flinching.

Like others have said, dry fire. You should be able to "call your shots" with an empty or loaded gun.

 

[coupeowner]

Here is a good exercise for the evil flinch:

 

[snarlingdog]

I knew there was nothing wrong with the guns lol. It is all on me. It also doesn't help that my range only lets me shoot at 50' so I can't try to get better at closer range then go out.

 

[No_Regerts]

Once I began to think of shooting mechanics in an athletic point of view rather than as simply operating a tool, I began shooting a lot better. Just like how a pitcher works on their mechanics to develop a feel for the ball and how to command the pitch. You need to learn the proper mechanics of a shot and use repetition of good habits to develop a feel for what a good shot feels like. Once you can duplicate mechanics, you can worry about adjusting your point of impact.

 

[uscsoldier]

Go shooting with different people and soak in all the info you can, then practice what works best and is most natural for you

 

[Kristina]

Here's a little trick.
Turn your paper around so that the black is the off side.
You'll now be able to clearly see your front sight. Focus on the front sight only and carefully release each shot.
I'll bet that'll be the best group you've ever done when you turn the target around and look.

+1 on this. You focus on the basic stuff without getting caught up in bullseye fixation. No lie, the best shooting I have done was a few weeks ago shooting at the blank side of a target with a new pistol. Just start with trying to get all your shots on the paper. Once you do that, or if you already can, shrink your zone to the general center area. Shoot, shrink, repeat. Just don't rush it. Again, the point is to focus on the fundamentals without that pesky bullseye mocking you.

The ball and dummy drill is also a good one for working on a flinch. You need some dummy rounds and, ideally, a partner to load mags for you.

 

[Larrabee]

A little something that has helped me immensely over the years: The Pistol Shooter's Treasury by Gil Hebard.

Great reading about practical pistol shooting old school style. I particularly like the chapter titled "Area Aiming" (page 40). I read this whenever I have trouble hitting the x ring. I've read it literally hundreds of times and it always helps.

 

[Medic!]

Find a mentor and work with them.
Doesn't take as long to get good at something when you submit to somebody's teachings.

''The Master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried''.

Or just keep beating your head against the wall?

 

[DB is Here]

If you post a pic of your target here, a lot can be disseminated from shot placement and corrective actions that can be taken.

Just going shooting without working on something is often fun but won't help you improve your skill sets.

 

[Larrabee]

A little something that has helped me immensely over the years: The Pistol Shooter's Treasury by Gil Hebard.

Great reading about practical pistol shooting old school style. I particularly like the chapter titled "Area Aiming" (page 40). I read this whenever I have trouble hitting the x ring. I've read it literally hundreds of times and it always helps.

Sadly, this book is no longer available.

 

[Kristina]

Sadly, this book is no longer available.
View attachment 323266

Low-left and I are well acquainted

 

[Medic!]

I would comment I'm Center High.

But that sounds kind of perverted.

 

[Alexx1401]

I would comment I'm Center High.

But that sounds kind of perverted.

LOL, reminds me of when I bought my Mac in .45 (Class III) and took a buddy to shoot it. He was trying it in semi with stock folded. Trying to shoot it as a large handgun. That heavy bolt falling would make him pull and hit wayyyy high. After a few shots he said "how the hell do you hit anything with this". I put it on full auto and said "try it now". The grin on his face from ear to ear was hilarious.