Practicing with little guns...

[45dotACP]

So I was reading the thread about switching platforms and I had a thought...Yes it is good to stick with the same gun if you want to be very good at your division, but if you are looking to improve on your ability to be a good shooter overall (working on trigger, press, sight alignment, and recoil control) I think there is something to be said for a J-frame revolver. I think if you can manage that heavy long trigger and the relatively snappier recoil of the snubby, you probably have pretty good fundamentals no? Let's hear your thoughts...

[Cd662]

Sounds gimmicky. I encountered this "gear handicap" frequently when doing competitive paintball. As far as I see it, good fundamentals means you can perform well with disadvantageous gear. Practicing with said gear can help you develop good fundamentals but the path is slower and more frustrating. Why not train with the gun you're going to shoot? I don't think shooting revolver or 1911s or whatever inherently makes you better at shooting a plastic gun or a USPSA Limited Setup or an NRA Bianchi Cup gun or whatever.

[ZackJones]

I can see the benefit for revolver shooters as I have a J-frame (model 638), K-frame (model 10) and N-Frame (625 JM) but I don't find shooting revolvers helps me much when shooting my GSG 1911-22 due to the drastic differences in triggers between shooting a revolver in DAO and the single action 1911-style pistol.

[cas]

I've always (only half jokingly) said to get rid of a flinch, shoot something bigger. Kind of like swinging two bats in the on deck circle.

As to not sticking with one gun, I'm not looking to get better, I'm looking to have fun. The last few years my routine was to switch guns/divisions every month. This year I didn't thinking I could improve some. It was by far my least enjoyable, and least enthusiastic year and I started to lose interest. I didn't shoot any better, probably quote the opposite.

Point being, its not set in stone for everyone.

[Nimitz]

I can see nothing to be gained by shooting different platforms to develop better fundamentals ... If this were true than having shooters shoot and learn different guns would be a part of most instructor's lessons. In the classes I've taken I've never had an instructor recommend shooting different platforms as a method to learn better fundamentals.

The fundamentals of being a good marksmanship are (should) be independent of the platform ....

IMHO people who can shoot platform X well but not platform Y so well have issues with some of their fundamentals

[Jshuberg]

Switching between multiple guns will undoubtedly make you a better shooter overall, but most of the additional skills you pick up in doing so will be *wide* as opposed to deep. If you find you're having trigger squeeze issues, work on the drills, exercises, and visualizations that help to improve that one area. Switching guns isn't likely to help very much as most likely what you'll be doing is learning to better apply your current technique to the harder gun, rather than changing or improving your technique overall.

The main area where switching guns can help out is in identifying issues that may go unnoticed on the gun you use most often. If you find a gun that you have problems with, you need to determine if you are simply unfamiliar with the gun and need to learn how to better apply your technique to it, or if your shooting technique doesn't scale to that pistol, requiring you to make fundamental changes to your technique.

Rather than going to a different platform with a heavier trigger, use your current platform with a grip that doesn't mask trigger errors. One good way to do this is to balance the rear of the gun on the web of your thumb, and balance the front of the gun on the top of your support hand index finger, and then very gently close your hands around the grip. Your hands should touch the grip, but there should be no pressure against it. It should wobble freely in your hand, balanced on your two point of contact underneath it. A baby should be able to pick it up and out of your hands.

Only load one round at a time when shooting like this just in case it jumps out of your hands, but as long as your hands are in contact with the grip, it takes surprisingly very little contact to keep the gun from getting away from you. Shooting with a "weak grip" will cause any trigger errors to be greatly magnified to the point where they can be identified and corrected. When using a weak grip, you'll likely find that before you begin the trigger squeeze the gun is all wobbly in your hands, but as soon as you begin the trigger squeeze, the pressure being applied between the trigger and the web of your weapon hand will actually stabilize the pistol, and it will no longer wobble. When performing this exercise the greatest pressure being applied to the gun is not on the grip, but the pressure being applied to the trigger. When you find that you can stabilize the weapon with your trigger squeeze, and press the trigger perfectly rearward and be able to shoot at near your normal accuracy level, then you've got trigger control licked.

The best visualization I've found for trigger squeeze is to visualize a string going from the back of the trigger, through you hands and frame directly to a small winch on the tip of your nose. During the trigger squeeze, visualize that you are not actually pressing the trigger, but that the winch is slowly pulling the trigger directly rearward towards your nose, and that your finger is merely riding the trigger rearward. The clearer you can visualize this, the more you can convince yourself of it, the better you will become at pressing the trigger perfectly rearward. Combine this visualization with the weak grip trigger exercise, and you'll do more for your trigger squeeze that switching between different guns ever could.

[45dotACP]

I like that idea jshuberg! I suppose there are certainly benefits to simply using drills that expose the weak spots in your fundamentals as opposed to buying a gun to do the same thing I guess I was just envious of those people who can shoot those tiny little snubbies well lol. I am definitely not where I want to be with my trigger control, but I'll work on that drill.

[newmexicocrawler]

I regularly shoot my G30 in matches

[LilBunniFuFu]

I second jshuberg's recommendation. This will help you with proper trigger press, on a straight trigger. Do this with a Glock or revolver and it might not work so hot. I personally do what Crawler does and bring out my G26 instead of my G34 out to some matches. Just because it's my carry gun and I have a blast watching peoples faces when I run that tiny thing. No IDPA for me though, I prefer to run and gun.

[45dotACP]

Haha yeah I saw a guy at a match who ran an MP9c. He didn't do so hot at first, but he managed to get it straightened out by the end of the match and was doing pretty good.

[LilBunniFuFu]

Something about that snappy recoil, I liken it to revolver guys using snubbies. Only qualm I would have with that is capacity. But then again, I am crap with a wheel gun.

[Gentleman4561]

I much prefer to practice with the gun I will shoot in matches. However, I still shoot my G19 and G17 regularly.

[motosapiens]

I look at it from a slightly different angle; I figure I need to shoot my carry guns regularly anyway (p01, and beretta nano). The fact that they have greater perceived recoil and muzzle flip gives me an opportunity to spend some extra time on seeing sights as the shot is released, and avoiding flinches or blinking.

I wouldn't do *additional* practice with a little gun, but since I have to do *some* practice with a little gun already, I may as well tailor that practice to achieve specific benefits.

[Flexmoney]

I like a bit of variety, as it exposes different performance criteria. If I can observe that well enough...I can figure out the reasons. Which allows me to better understand what is universally fundamental.

[benos]

I like a bit of variety, as it exposes different performance criteria. If I can observe that well enough...I can figure out the reasons. Which allows me to better understand what is universally fundamental.

See the target, align the sights on the target (point the barrel at the target), and hold them there until the bullet has left the barrel.

[45 Raven]

Brian, you never fail to amaze me with your ability to bring such clarity to things that can at times be made to seem so exceedingly difficult!

[LilBunniFuFu]

I like a bit of variety, as it exposes different performance criteria. If I can observe that well enough...I can figure out the reasons. Which allows me to better understand what is universally fundamental.

See the target, align the sights on the target (point the barrel at the target), and hold them there until the bullet has left the barrel.

Simple, not easy. Incredibly put.

[HardChrome]

It's worth a try. Let us know if it helps.