Sin-ster

I was hoping chbrow would weigh in on this for you. His youngest is a beast with that SS, and shoots Alphas all day-- like he'd been doing it for years. I have personally discovered that trying to accomodate small hands with a small grip is not always the best course of action. By all rights, I should HATE the fat feel of a Glock, but find I prefer it over the skinny little competitors. I pick up a standard 1911 and have to fiddle with it a bit to get it "comfortable"-- but hand me one with an arched mainspring and some built up grips, and I'm in Heaven. My hands are on the small-ish side of the equation, so take that for what it's worth. Obviously, it will be different for a 10 year old-- but the concept may still apply. Remember, there are a lot of different aspects to a grip and different people (regardless of hand size) will have different preferences. Overall circumference is a minor consideration when you take into account the grips profile. How much of that size is front-to-back, or side-to-side? Finger groves, palm swells, the ever important grip angle-- all vastly more specific to the actual feel of the pistol. Most 10 year olds aren't that great about articulating the nitty gritty details-- you may need to try out as many options as possible and let him decide based on feel.

There's your answer, for sure. To add some more detail-- Try simply dragging the fingers of your strong hand across the front strap, which shouldn't be a problem as your trigger finger is indexed on the frame and you're starting to slightly roll the pistol outward so that you don't really need much grip to support the pistol. Try it in small increments and see when you can hit the mag release effectively every time. Then practice, practice, practice! Hooking the index finger of your support hand can be helpful, but I naturally got rid of that practice when I discovered just how little movement is necessary. I'll also say this for the M&P-- the necessary amount of "meat on the button" can be very deceptive. If you give it a good, firm press (like you will under stress), what feels like an inadequate thumb placement will turn out to be plenty. It may take some getting used to, but again-- repetitions will make it feel like second nature. That takes care of the strong hand. The support hand is all about rolling your hand into place as you're fully seating the new mag, and it's hard to describe the mechanics. That one sort of happened for me by feel.

I'm not a firearms instructor, or even the best shot in the world. But I've really studied the mechanics lately, and I slept at a Holiday Inn Express a few times in my life. It's going to be impossible to correctly diagnose your situation on the Interwebz without some video, or seriously detailed input. Frustrating, I know-- but a simple matter of fact. That said, we can probably offer some insight and you can turn around and figure it out by applying the new knowledge! Win-win, I'd say. So I'll run down your list and give you my thoughts, and you can see if any of them make sense for you. 1) The effects of eye dominance is not something I'm very well versed in, as I was blessed to be righty/righty. A few discussions from people "in the know" reveal that for handguns, POI shifts are negligible to non-existent in this regard. Simply put-- if the sights are lined up and stay that way until the shot breaks, the round is going to strike POA/POI. HOWEVER, there is a chance that your perception of holding on the center of the target is somehow skewed. You might very well be hitting exactly where you're aiming-- but you're not aiming exactly where you mean to hit! I run into this problem from time to time, but typically as a result of too much tension shifting my index, or not seeing what I need to in order to properly mount the gun on a target-- plate racks at speed being the WORST. 2) Your grip might indeed be the problem, but not so much how you set it up as how it works as the shot is breaking. Many shooters who don't practice strong or weak hand shooting find they are better with the support side than the weapon side. I definitely fall into this category. By using this knowledge, I was able to diagnose the cause of my own "left push"-- milking the grip and/or thumbing the frame. Without the support hand on the pistol, my natural tendency was to go a bit crazy with the strong hand-- which for me, meant locking down on it in the process of pressing the trigger. 3) Trigger control could be the cause, or at least a contributing factor. Too little finger can easily result in pushing the gun off to the left. It's especially likely on a Glock, which even expert shooters can pick up for the first time and have problems. It's also very easy to drag the frame with your trigger finger. I got over these issues by putting a bit more finger on the trigger (still the middle of the pad) and really focusing on pulling straight back. For me, visualizing a downward motion helped out a lot. You might also try holding low enough on the trigger to drag the insider of the guard a bit as you break each shot. I've got calluses from it, as do several excellent Glock shooters I know. 4) I wouldn't rule out anticipation or flinch, but it tends to result in more erratic behavior than you are reporting. "Due left" is also unlikely, but not impossible. If you're shooting super tight groups that are simply not centered, my bet would be that this is not the cause of your woes. 5) "Lucky" isn't a terrible term for it. Brian's book calls it the "Trick of the Day". Conceptually, by trying something completely new and completely out of whack from your normal shooting, you take your mind out of the equation and let your body work out the problem. This would seem especially pertinent for you, as you've come to expect the left push when you shoot right handed. With the mind set that it will eventually happen shooting left handed, my bet would be that you'll fulfill that prophesy! How to fix it: Well, obviously, you need to figure out the problem first! And the best way to start is to begin calling your shots. There are several great threads on the subject around here-- search 'em out and learn. If you can eliminate movement of the front sight as a symptom of your malady, you can eliminate the VAST majority of the potential causes at the same time. Also, keep in mind that it's highly likely you are suffering from a collection of small problems and not a single overwhelming one. It took me a long time to grasp that concept, most of which was spent in frustration as nothing seemed to work! That said, take it one step at a time and improve your technique in one area before moving on to the next. Trying to focus on 50 things at once will seriously degrade your learning curve. Good luck, and stick with it!

Gave these techniques a shot yesterday and definitely saw some improvement. I've got to get a different bag set up as my current one is making my eyes cross, but that's another story! What I do to prove the accuracy of the pistol and increase my confidence in it (and my own abilities) is to shoot random junk when I'm alone in the sand pit. People have been leaving stuff out there for years, so there's always a plastic bottle or tin can floating around somewhere. (Plus I take the junk I shoot with me, so I'm contributing to clean up as well!) I find that with no pressure and instant feedback, it's amazingly easy to make great shots. You get to the point where you're saying, "Now this one is a stretch..." and just keep getting the hits, which is a real boost to your morale.

Good points, on both accounts. I suffer from both shortcomings. I found that shooting one match a month early on kept me in the "get the hits, be safe" mind set for a long time. It took several sessions of pushing the breaking point to teach my body to "get to the shooting as fast as possible", which is better done in practice than at a match of course. There's a TON to be said for being relaxed and just letting things happen, but it's possible to get so comfortable after the buzzer that you just lolligag through the CoF. There's a VERY fine line between forcing speed and training your body to naturally create it.

You will probably go through a period where you make up good hits because you noticed something wonky-- whether it's actually calling the shot, feeling something go wrong, or noticing the gun didn't track as normal. That was my first step down the "right path" anyway. Most of the time, it's a good make up-- but you'll find 3 Alphas on a target every now and again. Even now that I only base it off of the movement of the front post as/before the shot breaks, I still misjudge how bad the shot was from time to time. Made one up on Sunday that I swore must be in the C/D zone low left (at 12 yards), but it was still in the corner of the A. It just takes some experience to figure out how poorly aligned your sights have to be at any given range to result in a bad hit.

I think you've hit the nail on the head, Matt. I approach every little thing like a puzzle to be solved, and when it comes to something like shooting with "do, don't try", the brain can get in the way! Last Sunday was something of a revelation, as I basically just got up there and shot, open to whatever I saw and whatever happened. It's like that throughout most of any USPSA match, but anything static (including the plates) tends to illicit a different response. I'm just going to let go! I had some problems with sticky mags at the match, but I'm 90% sure I found a fix. ProGrip + Plastic = stick, but Plexus + ProGrip + Plastic (should) = no problem. Thanks for the kind words, and I'll definitely ponder the CZ. I've always wanted one...

It's definitely a different grip angle, for sure. I've got small-ish hands, which I guess usually have a problem with the Glock, but I guess something about my wrists makes it a natural pointer? I also prefer an arched mainspring on a 1911, which shocked the heck out of me because I've ALWAYS heard it was for bigger hands-- although there was a thread around here a few months ago about using one when transitioning from a Glock because it simulates the same grip angle. Definitely to each their own! I really like the M&P's grip a lot, and having fondled an XDm 5.25" recently, I was impressed by its natural feel as well. Now Sigs, Berettas and (to some extent) CZs are a different story...

Good advice from all. My chrono is a CED, and I've been very careful with the lighting conditions and use of the screens. It's put out exactly what I've expected at every turn, if not a bit on the low side (which is a good safety net). The bullets are MG 124 JHPs, so very consistent. I've weighed several and they're always within the SD of the scale at 124. I'll definitely keep my eye on what they're getting at the match! The powder is the boring ol' N320, which is about as consistent as it gets from situation to situation. The match is also less than 200 miles from where I chrono, so I'm not too concerned with anything else. The PF is 130 on the button, and I'll obsessively chrono a few dozen rounds (at random) from the "for tournament" lot across the week before the match, just to feel good about myself.

Good, that makes me feel better. Anyone ever run into real problems with the match chrony?

What type of deviation in FPS can you expect when comparing your personal chrony to one you'll find at a Major Match? Have you ever been really surprised in this situation, and can't write it off to environmental conditions (i.e. temperature, elevation, etc.)?

I didn't kill my CED, but I did cut a groove into the rear sensor. (It still works perfectly fine-- just missing a tiny little scoop of plastic!) I was loading up 5 rounds at a time, shooting on my makeshift sandbags across the hood of my car and into the berm. It was brutally hot, and I was starting to lose the ideal lighting conditions, so I upped the ante to 15 rounds at a time. Going too fast, and for some reason holding very low to the sensors, I called a trigger jerk and didn't think any thing of it. The next shot registered at 3000 FPS, with a "rear sensor" error. Made the gun safe, went down range to look and saw the scoop. It had pushed the sensor back about 1/4", but didn't occlude the sensor or do any other damage. Pretty lucky, and I definitely don't rush the process anymore!

We shot a stage yesterday that was a ton of fun and had the shooter seated at all times. There was an old office chair with a metal post welded underneath, extending to a mount that housed a tray (for the gun to start in) and a port comprised out of standard garden lattice work with a large hole cut in the middle. 3 arrays, all steel, mandatory reload between each array. The chair swiveled freely and comfortably, but wasn't so loose as to be a PITA to keep steady. Gun loaded and in the tray at start. All ammo had to start on the belt, but some competitors chose to grab their rearmost mags and leave them in the tray before getting to the shooting. Array 1-- 4 little poppers, 3 big and a forward falling piece of steel. Array 2-- 2 tiny "pivot plates" on either side of a Texas Star. Array 3-- PPR. We unofficially dubbed it the "TIE Fighter" stage, and several people hummed the "Empire Theme" before the buzzer. It was a blast, and many folks quipped we should just shoot that stage 4 times, then the Classifier and call it a day. I thought it was going to be a nightmare, not so much from a difficulty perspective but a logistical one. As it turned out, it was my favorite of the day-- and lots of other people shared my sentiments. In my mind, when executed properly, these concepts can make for a fine addition to a match. And since the chair itself definitely took some work to put together, I look forward to the next stage that we shoot from it.

It's very difficult to give an answer without seeing the stage "in person". That said, your first order of business when putting together a plan is to figure out what targets you can see from any given position. This is especially important for lower capacity Divisions, as you may be able to save a reload or two by approaching the stage as a whole as opposed to a series of target arrays. Try not to perform standing reloads and avoid covering the same ground twice if possible. Based on the diagram, it seems as if you did both of these things during your run. There are of course a lot of little nuances, but to start out with, you should try to stick to the main concepts and let all of the little tricks come to you through experience. Welcome to the addiction!

I always wanted a G17, whether or not it would be a competition gun. I found one that was basically brand new and for a steal of a price, right about the time I was planning on shooting my first USPSA match. It sort of came together that way. It wasn't my first Glock, however, and I felt pretty confident in my starting abilities with the platform. It never felt uncomfortable in my hands, and I had shot Glocks enough to have a pretty solid NPA already established. I prefer arched mainspring housings on 1911's as well, so I guess it's a quirk of my body type. The ergonomics that most people complain about actually suit me in most cases. I thought the gun was to blame for my problems dropping mags, but I discovered it was my technique that was so faulty. After shooting a few hundred rounds in practice, I got to the point where I could group it as well as my other pistols. At the time, it seemed like a great fit for me. As my technique developed and my skills increased, I found it was indeed starting to lag behind. But by then, I was pretty well invested in its use and decided to stick with it. As more time passed, I gave it very careful consideration and looked at the schedule of Major matches I planned to shoot. Knowing full well I couldn't be nearly as comfortable with a new pistol in time, and finding so many positives about the gun, I decided there was no way I was changing in the near future. A good thing, too-- my life got turned upside down a few weeks ago and I haven't had time at all to practice until this past Friday! It took me a long, long time to figure out what I was doing wrong. And in the process of fixing one thing, another would pop up. Unlike many folks, I didn't grow up shooting much of anything-- and never pistols. Simple marksmanship is something I'm still working on, but on some level I believe undertaking that task with a pistol that's difficult to shoot may pay dividends later on in life. I've never had to really alter my grip to work the trigger, but there's definitely a specific technique necessary to keep from upsetting the sights. I'm glad to hear you picked the pistols back up again! I've had a blast since I decided to start taking it a little seriously, and have no doubt that I'll be shooting matches for the rest of my life.

I can think of about a dozen reasons-- most of which actually apply to me. First and foremost, now that I put in the time and the effort, I shoot it better than anything else I've got. It just took some work, which I'm not at all adverse to putting in. Second, it's about the simplest tool for the job. I learned how to work on the thing from the guts outward in less than an hour, and the ease with which you can pull it apart and perform maintenance has come in handy several times. I definitely can't say the same thing about even my M&P, despite the similarities. The only time it ever gave me any problems at all was a result of not balancing out and tuning the collection of new parts. I've got 40k+ through it and it just won't choke. Mags, parts, accessories and all of that jazz are plentiful, cheap, easy to come by and very much "perfected". It's the easiest gun for me to handle out of all of them-- which in our little game, translates to quite a bit of your score. Now that it feels like it's just another part of my hand, almost everything else feels unnatural. Whatever difference it would have made was far from enough to make me a GM shooter. There's still a ton of things to improve in my abilities that an equipment change won't match. When the edges start getting smaller and smaller, I pick up something else. And while it doesn't really apply to me in this regard, money doesn't grow on trees. Not everyone is going to have the cash to put towards a new gun and gear on a whim. There was never anything wrong with the gun-- there was something wrong with the way I shot it. Quite frankly, in many ways, it was the best choice. I just needed some time to get used to the trigger, and still fall into bad habits every now and again. I think the learning curve wouldn't have been so steep with something else, but to be honest, I feel pretty rewarded for all of my efforts. Maybe I'm stubborn, prideful or just really like a challenge. But it was a conscious decision to stick with it, and I tend to make pretty good ones.

A G17, with some mid-level trigger work. Like many folks, it's not easy for me to shoot as well as some other pistols. Although I did very well with it (accuracy wise) yesterday-- 90%+ of the points on every stage. Being a firm believer in the "pick a pistol and learn to shoot it" principle, I've done just that. But any slight break down in technique is magnified, unlike other pistols I've shot that seem to be more forgiving. I didn't want to solve a shooter problem with new equipment, but I'm at the point now where I'm thinking about making it a back up pistol and going with something new. Or perhaps going with a full Vanek, for the sake of the better trigger feel. Right now, it pulls soft (~2.5#), but it's sloppy. But nothing is going to be changed until the end of October, after I shoot the LGC.

It freaks me out, Scooter. So you better tell me if that shooter is in my group tomorrow...

Cripes, if that's true-- tell me where to sign up! My problem has got to be trigger control. I can see and most of the time feel the shot go wrong, but I swear I have a hard time figuring out exactly why. Frankly, I probably picked the wrong pistol-- but as I've said before, I refuse to let it beat me!

I wonder if there are two disciplines of shooters involved with IPSC - 1. ex target shooters, and 2. very fast shooters. I am an ex target shooter, and having great difficulty shooting very fast - I shoot better slowly. I have a feeling that many new shooters never went throught the "bullseye stage" and started out shooting IPSC very fast with a "large target", and they can "shoot better quickly than slower"? Just a thought??? Jack Oh, absolutely. I shoot with several members of the Bullseye group at every local match-- steel, man-on-man plates and IPSC/USPSA alike. I've seen one in particular shoot perfect points across all 5 stages, albeit "deliberately". I'm definitely on the other side of the fence. I didn't grow up shooting much of anything, and only picked up pistols "seriously" about a year and a half ago. I still struggle with the mechanics of accuracy, slow fire or otherwise-- but not the vision. There is of course a third group-- those who excel in both regards, like our esteemed board host and those of his caliber. I think they call them... M and GM's... Although admittedly, even within that group, the "two disciplines" are still present, albeit at far less pronounced levels. I can look at the stages for a local match and tell you generally where each group of shooters is going to finish. I can also look at the results of a match I didn't attend and tell you what strengths the stages favored. That's only possible because of the distinction between the two disciplines-- speed vs. accuracy.

I am the exact same way, and I'm fairly certain it all comes down to tension. Which can easily result from being super deliberate with the entire process-- instead of "just shooting". Under the clock, you don't have that "luxury". Your only concern is to get to the shooting, and let the movement of the sights dictate what happens. While you didn't direct it at me, Jack-- I think I might be able to answer your question. No, I can't shoot a smaller group at 20 yards firing quickly than I can taking my time. I am however far less prone to fliers that result from anticipation-- heeling, jerking the trigger, milking the grip, breaking the wrist up, etc. It's not so much that the breaks are really surprises, only that I don't have time to contemplate the break at all and putz up the process. The only way I've found to (mostly) overcome the phenomenon is to simply focus on watching the sights lift-- as close to a timed/match state of mind that I can manage as of yet. If I focus on accurately calling every shot (instead of just noticing the bad ones on the fly), down to the inch, I find a lot of that anticipation goes away. Although I also discovered that floating the gun in one spot for so long also results in tension, especially as your slow fire session goes on and on.

Crushed walent from the pet store-- lizard bedding, "desert blend". Pretty sure it's a little finer than the standard stuff. I run it a few hours (sans brass) with several spent dryer sheets, to get the initial run of dust out. Then I treat it with Frankford Arsenal Brass Cleaner, following the directions on the bottle to a T. Sit over the thing for a few minutes and manually break up the clumps. Still running the cases for about 2 hours, but I've checked them in as few as 45 minutes and they've been plenty good to reload. They don't come out shiny new, but they're clean as all get out and definitely shine better than using the walnut by itself. With a fair coat of Hornady One Shot, they've never given me problems! Although I did have a freakin' .40 case gum up the works earlier tonight.

It will be slow going at first, but as you start to make improvements, your progression will come a lot more quickly.

Are you 100% positive of your eye dominance? Might seem like a silly question, but I've seen it be a pertinent one more than once. Once in a VERY blue moon, my left (non-dominant) eye will take over-- although it's never happened in a match, and only once for a single shot during a practice session. Typically, I can reproduce the phenomenon by taking a sight picture on a blank (typically white) wall at about 6 feet or closer. For whatever reason, my vision goes haywire. Do you have really good vision, out of curiosity?

Usually when I know I was seeing the sight well, didn't call a miss and still didn't put enough holes on a target-- it's a problem with index, and not sight alignment or trigger press. "I hit where I was aiming, alright! Too bad I wasn't aiming at the target..." I also had to figure out that my POI had shifted with an ammo change recently. THAT one nearly drove me insane.