countryboy223 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 this past season i had some serious trouble hitting 20 meter plate racks and 25 meter poppers. i find myself looking more at the target than the sights after i miss more than once. what are some drills to fix this and rebuild some confidence? i really need to improve my handgun skills over all. and tips for a beginner pistol shooter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 While I suck at following this advice it really works. Slow down and focus on the front sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy223 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 i definitely need to work on that i try to transition to quickly. thanks for the tip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksmirk Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 From a guy that his finger works much faster than his brain slow down, get sight picture, SQUEEZE TRIGGER! watch plate fall then repeat until all have fallen :-) I'm starting to figure out that while it's cheaper to just shoot once if you take your time and make each hit your times tend to become faster. There's some saying about slow and smooth is faster but I can't recall the exact phrase. Take this advice for what it's worth, Later, Kirk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmysterious Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Slow down and don't forget to breathe. Look at the top of the front sight, break the shot, and hold the trigger back. Let it out just until it resets. Break the next shot. This is what works for me and I've had a handful of 50 yard steel shots at matches lately. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide45 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Stop watching for the plate to fall. You need to follow through. Work your fundamentals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeMartens Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 move closer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodownzero Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Dry fire. It's your trigger pull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Any trouble hitting plates at 20 meters during practice? Why not try to hit some at 30 meters? Make 20 meters seem close. How well does your gun/ammo group at 25 meters? Could be the gun/ammo?? Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 From a guy that his finger works much faster than his brain slow down, get sight picture, SQUEEZE TRIGGER! watch plate fall then repeat until all have fallen :-) I'm starting to figure out that while it's cheaper to just shoot once if you take your time and make each hit your times tend to become faster. There's some saying about slow and smooth is faster but I can't recall the exact phrase. Take this advice for what it's worth, Later, Kirk Smooth is fast, and fast is smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Front site, front site, front site, bang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksmirk Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Thanks Grumpy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyGlock Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 (edited) this past season i had some serious trouble hitting 20 meter plate racks and 25 meter poppers. i find myself looking more at the target than the sights... great advise all, but if those drills dont work, let go of the irons and shoot open Edited December 18, 2011 by BoyGlock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Prep and pull, yes prep the trigger means take up the slack then do the smooth pull. I can remember when I could't hit a full silhouette target at 15 yards, that was 60,000 rounds ago, now I'm just concered about getting all A's at 50 meters aka 50 yards. It's not as easy as it looks on TV, where the good guy alwasys makes the incrediable shots, while the bad guys miss all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave C Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Align the sights and press the trigger in such a way that you don't disturb the sight alignment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy223 Posted December 18, 2011 Author Share Posted December 18, 2011 Any trouble hitting plates at 20 meters during practice? Why not try to hit some at 30 meters? Make 20 meters seem close. How well does your gun/ammo group at 25 meters? Could be the gun/ammo?? Jack i really havent had to much practice with the pistol at all. i just picked it up because a friend of mine convinced me to try out uspsa and three gun. i will def have to pattern my gun and try to shoot some at 30 meters. most of my practice with the pistol has been on silhouettes this past summer and i do fine on those with almost all A and B hits but when it comes to steel with a handgun my accuracy just drops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizer67 Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 (edited) My issue was watching the plates, not the sights. That and going too fast for my skill level. Edited December 18, 2011 by mizer67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 How well does your gun/ammo group at 25 meters? ack most of my practice has been on silhouettes and i do fine almost all A and B hits but when it comes to steel with a handgun my accuracy just drops Countryboy, the USPSA and IPSC targets are pretty big - probably about 12" x 15" (I haven't actually measured them), but a plate is only about 8" round - that's c. 50 square inches if I remember my studies with Plato/Aristotle, vs 180 Sq Inches for the IPSC target. You can get away with a much faster trigger squeeze on an IPSC target at 20 yds than you can on a plate - have to slow it down, watch the sights and pull the trigger much smoother to hit a plate at 20 yds. Bullet has to hit within 4 inches of the plates' center - with an IPSC target bullet can hit 8 inches low and still be a hit. There's a drill discussed on here six months ago - Dot Torture - see if you can find the website, print the target and try that drill a few times - very good cure for not hitting plates. Good luck, Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 click here ==> Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Texas Granny Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 this past season i had some serious trouble hitting 20 meter plate racks and 25 meter poppers. i find myself looking more at the target than the sights after i miss more than once. what are some drills to fix this and rebuild some confidence? i really need to improve my handgun skills over all. and tips for a beginner pistol shooter? Everybody has there own method. The following method is how I would address the problem. Determine the range can you hit plates and poppers with reliable accuracy. Once you know that range add 3 meters to it and start working from there and when you are proficient move back another 3 meters. Keep that up until you are shooting and hitting your targets from 30 meters or more if you so desire. Once you do that make sure when you practice that you engage targets out to 30 meters and beyond. Always challenge yourself in your practice sessions and matches will be a piece of cake. Aim small. Miss small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Griffin Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Turn off the timer. For plates you have to execute the shot using the sights only, and having speed in your head ruins that. Give yourself a single shot per plate, turn off the timer, and shoot it clean. Assuming you can do that, keep going with the drill watching your sights and noticing what you see right before the break. Try moving the front sight in the rear notch to see how far out of alignment you can be and still hit the plate. After you've processed all that, get back on the timer with a generous par time, and just do the same thing. Keep speeding up until you stop seeing the sight picture, and then FIX IT. Stay on that par until you see the sight picture every time, then speed up again. Finally, go off par and just do a regular timed run. You should be seeing the sight picture every time now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawboy Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) I find that group shooting helps me stay sharp on steel. I use the 50-foot targets with the black, 4-inch center. Start your session at a comfortable distance. Set a goal, say 10 shots within the black rings. Once you can reliable do that 3 times in one session move the target back. If you need to increase the size of your target some as you move it out so that you have an aiming reference of sufficient size, do so, but keep moving the target back until you exceed the maximum distance you will shoot plates at. Obviously, size of the target and the number of shots you decide to make your goal are not too important. The key part is to have a standard of accuracy you will accept. The drill will force you to do two things: 1. learn what you have to do and SEE to meet the accuracy standard you have set at various distances, and 2. Force you to do it EVERY TIME. It teaches both accuracy and precision. When you shoot plates you will know what you need to do and see to make a hit and you will have the discipline to do and see it before you shoot. Eventually, your goal at each session will simply be to see how many shots you can put into the circle without dropping a shot. You will amaze yourself at the accuracy and precision you will develop. Edited December 20, 2011 by lawboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I find that group shooting helps me stay sharp on steel. Eventually, your goal at each session will be to see how many shots you can put into the circle without dropping a shot. +1. Sounds like a great plan. Or see the Dot Torture website. Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn-rgr Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 It seems like a lot of people want to sight in on the target and then start the trigger prep. Better to prep the trigger and then use the front sight. Everything you do to the trigger affects your sights.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimberacp Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 lawboy, is correct! Alot of good posts but to truly achieve accuracy, is really by learning to shoot groups. All shooting begins with the ability to do the "fundentmentals of Markmanship" on DEMAND. Whether your a SWAT guy, a weekend "plicker" or a "hillbillie" shooting at beer bottles on a hillside, it all starts with the "fundentmentals of Markmanship", period. And shooting for groups is an excellent way to learn! But what are the fundentmentals of Markmanship". Search and you will be enlighten. Brians, book is an excellent reference but I think you should search and experiment out on the range. Then read his book, and you will have at least an idea of what he's talking about. Read it over and over and over. "fundentmentals of Markmanship", "fundentmentals of Markmanship", "fundentmentals of Markmanship" is what its all about! You eventually want to be able to shoot a "five shot group" @ 25 yds using a 1"x1" square. Getting the bullet holes as close as posssible as you can. Its something that you never really conqueror, you achieve it but never really conqueror it. As long your shooting, this is something you will always be doing, "shooting groups". One more thing to think about...there is no "slow down or go fast"...only you can detemine "what is an acceptable sight picture" to break that one shot. The better you get at shooting groups, then you will begin to appericate a good set of front and rear sights on your shooting iron. good luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.53c483221c1b60d84bce93d42c5def5a.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.