Help! Poi Change

[Husker95]

I am shooting a full-size springfield loaded .45 with 230 LRN. Over the last couple shooting sessions, I have noticed that my point of impact has shifted about 3 to 4 inches higher than normal. I am shooting indoors and at the 25 yard mark, I normally hold at the 6 o'clock position on the bull. While this used to give me good results, I am now high and have destroyed my last 3 target sticks! Here are my questions:

1) I have recently changed from 3.7 gr Clays to 3.5 gr Clays (3.5 is min load). Could this make me go high at 25 yards? I would think it would make my POI lower......

2) I have recently switched from the OEM spring to a 18.5 lb recoil spring. Could this affect POI? I didnt think so, but it is a variable that has changed....

3) Could there be anything else that typically causes this that I am missing??

Thanks guys. I am hoping to cut down my troubleshooting time as much as possible. Before I tinker with loads, I am going to get some factory ammo and see how that shoots, but any and all ideas are welcome.

Husker

[Matt Cheely]

Many people think less powder = less velocity = low POI.

The first part it true. The bullet isn't going as fast so it will hit lower at distance. But at 25 yards that difference is going to be small. More importantly is how far the gun recoils before the round is out of the barrel.

Since the bullet is leaving the barrel later, the gun has had more time to rise in recoil, thus a higher POI. I used to shoot PPC with very soft loads in a S&W 686. I switched from a 2.7gr. load to 2.2gr. POI was about 2 inches higher at 50ft. Though you only changed .2 grains, it will still make some of a difference.

Changing the recoil spring will also change how fast the slide is moving and how fast energy from the slide is transfered to the rest of the gun / your hand. If more energy is transfered before the bullet has left the barrel, gun recoils up sooner, your POI shifts up.

A combination of these two things you changed can certainly change your POI. Have you changed your shooting position at all? When I would get more comfortable, I noticed that my group would shift because I could see the sights better.

As far as I know...

[Ross Carter]

I would think it would take more than what you've done to change the poi that much if at all. Have a look at the crown on your barrel and make sure it's not damaged, check your barrel bushing and see if it's loosened up or even cracked. Check the barrel link and make sure it and the barrel feet are ok. Does your gun have Novak fixed sights? They are fairly susceptable to changes in lighting if there has been any changes at the range. If they are adjustable check the elevation screw it may have broken.

Also if you are a fairly new shooter you may just be controlling the trigger better than you used to so now the gun is not being dipped down when you release the trigger. Or on the other hand you may be getting sloppy with your grip and helping the gun recoil as the shot breaks. How are your groups before and now?

To troubleshoot the ammo, shoot your old load not factory. Shooting factory now would just add another variable unless you've checked the gun before with factory ammo.

[kevin c]

To troubleshoot the ammo, shoot your old load not factory. Shooting factory now would just add another variable unless you've checked the gun before with factory ammo.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You might consider putting back the original recoil spring as well, to go all the way back to the original configuration.

If it then shoots to POA, then change either the ammo or the spring to see if just one of these two variables accounts for the difference.

As pointed out by the others, these are just two possible issues out of many.

Good luck in finding the problem.

[Husker95]

Thanks guys; i appreciate it. Especially the advice about just going back to the previous load. After reading that, it did make more sense to do that than to go buy 50 rounds of white box and see how it shoots. that would be a 3rd factor. I will keep you posted and I may be back for more!

Husker