shooting left and slightly low when shooting fast?

[RichH]

I was having the same issue. I purchased the SIRT laser training pistol. http://www.nextleveltraining.com/

It's a great dry fire tool. With the dummy weight magazine it's the same weight as a fully loaded GLOCK 17/22. It has two lasers. The red laser is initiated at trigger take-up and a green laser indicates a shot. If you are resetting properly the red laser will not go out. And if you are slapping the trigger you will see the green laser sweep left and low. If the green laser stays on target your trigger mechanics are right on. You also can adjust the trigger to match your actual handgun. Adjustments include

1. Initial Trigger Location

2. Trigger “Over-Travel” Location

3. Trigger Break Location

4. Trigger Take-Up Force (.5 lbs - 10 lbs.)

5. Trigger Break Force

6. Degree Of Sear Engagement

This training aid ain't cheap but the instant feedback and the fact that you can dry fire thousands of rounds building that all important muscle memory will offset the cost of firing a lot of rounds on the range with little feedback on trigger mechanics.

Edited June 4, 2014 by RichH

[glockified]

Those 2 videos are excellent! I need to design some drills like that!

[Just4FunLP]

Same here. I asked an experienced shooter about this and he laughed and said that everyone does that.

For me, I've found that hooking my finger a little and putting a small amount of pressure on the left edge of the trigger seems to help a lot. But I have to concentrate. I'm dealing with pain in my arms, but if I get a tight wrap with my left hand and do a little finger hook my accuracy goes way up.

I've been studying shooting continuously for almost a year now and I've never heard of anyone doing this, so I must be doing something wrong. I've been meaning to ask about this for a long time.

For a while now I e been thinking that if i had to reach a little farther to pull the trigger I could pull straight back and wouldn't be as likely to pull the shot to the left. So today I replaced the medium back strap on my XDM with the large. I tried this once before but didn't like it.

Later i did a bunch of bill drills and it seemed to make a difference. In fact I shot faster than I've ever shot before (don't have a timer). It's a little harder to get my hand up into the back of the gun, but I think I'll try it for a while.

The rest of my practice was ok, but not as accurate as usual. I think I got so wound up on the "high speed shooting" i let it carry over into the rest of the practice. Not good.

[Mthomas0001]

+1 for the Video Recording. You look alot different on film than you think you do.

[Driveshaft]

Glad to see I am not alone! My problem with the low/left shooting is on the way to being cured. Thanks to a great shooter/instructor I found out my left hand is weak when gripping. Once I tightened up that grip my score went right back it where it was a year ago. My problem goes back to an injury sustained in my last motorcycle wreck which left my left arm weak. It had just gotten worse over time and until the Instructor had me shake his hand I didn't know how weak it was. I have to think hard but when I do, I have enough grip to steady the pistol. Btw, Hello Frank!

Edited June 21, 2014 by Driveshaft

[jclap86]

Looking forward to trying out what I learned in videos. Been having same problem

[empire12369]

I feel better knowing that this is a fairly common issue. Looks like way more dry fire is in my future.

[AICS308]

Adjust the sights so the "shooting fast" group is centered and shoot fast all the time.

Steve, when I started shooting many years ago, that is exactly what I had to do. No matter what I tried in was always low left about 4 inches at 15 yards. After a few months I noticed I was starting to shoot high right, and finally got to the point I could where I could set the sights correctly. Never did figure out what I was doing but think I finally corrected a flinch and trigger jerk anticipating the recoil.

[aahunt03]

I had the exact same problem and realized it was my trigger pull. I now try to focus on only using the pad of my finger and pulling it straight back. Hope this helps!

[Sin-ster]

Try this.

Make your gun safe, right now while sitting at the keyboard.

Pick a spot on a blank wall, adopt your grip as if you were about to put a hole there and acquire the sights.

Place your finger on the trigger, lift off as far as you can while still keeping it in the trigger guard, and SMASH that puppy as hard as you can manage *without moving any other part of your hand, arms or wrists*. (Be sure the watch the sights carefully while you do this.)

Did the gun dip notably low-left? Enough to be a C and not an A, on a closer hoser-style target? (Try it a few times to get your answer. HINT-- the sight has to pretty much entirely leave the notch for that to happen, as you describe it.)

The truth is... it's pretty hard to smash the trigger so badly at those stupid-close ranges to jerk one like that. Yes, the further back you move it (more notably, the smaller your target), the more likely that improper trigger control will result in such a hit. But chances are... it's something else contributing just as much, if not more, than the force of your finger on the trigger.

If your index finger is so strong as to move the muzzle of the gun SO much, against the gripping force of your other two hands combined keeping it steady... Then you've got a SUperhero digit, and girly-man hands. LOL.

When you slow down, it's not so much that you're suddenly able to perfectly press the trigger-- it's that you're not SO forceful in trying to slam shots on targets, which if you'll pay attention, effects your ENTIRE body... not just one finger.

Now try the same thing again, only this time, clench down hard with both hands as you press the trigger-- and watch the sight. (Try it with just the strong hand, too.) Where's the sight go? How much?

[HardChrome]

Don't jerk the trigger.