Why do I pull my shots slightly left?

[anonymouscuban]

OK fellas. This is something that isn't a huge issue for the type of shooting we do in competition but its something I definitely would like to fix or at least understand.

 

The last few times I've worked on shooting groups in training I noticed that almost all are fall just left of my POA. I forgot to take a picture of the actual spent target but I marked this one up to show exactly where all my groups land. The last couple of times, there was a large hole in this shape at the end of my session.

 

This is at 10-20 yards. No matter if I slow fire or I shoot at a comfortable pace. Results are same. Just slightly left. I don't think it's the pistol or sights. Haven't ruled either out but I think it's me.

 

Anything you can suggest I hone in on as the culprit?

 

Any tips on how I can diagnose the issue?

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

 

[DKorn]

Have someone else shoot it, and shoot it off of a rest. That’ll at least tell you if it’s something you are doing or something with the gun. 

[George16]

If it’s not the sights, then you’re pulling your shots. It’s typical for right handed shooters. It happened to me when I was just starting.

 

What I did was do the Stoeger drill on a white wall and just concentrating on not moving the dot and squeezing the trigger to the rear. Make sure your trigger finger’s position is also optimal. 

[Rnlinebacker]

OK fellas. This is something that isn't a huge issue for the type of shooting we do in competition but its something I definitely would like to fix or at least understand.
 
The last few times I've worked on shooting groups in training I noticed that almost all are fall just left of my POA. I forgot to take a picture of the actual spent target but I marked this one up to show exactly where all my groups land. The last couple of times, there was a large hole in this shape at the end of my session.
 
This is at 10-20 yards. No matter if I slow fire or I shoot at a comfortable pace. Results are same. Just slightly left. I don't think it's the pistol or sights. Haven't ruled either out but I think it's me.
 
Anything you can suggest I hone in on as the culprit?
 
Any tips on how I can diagnose the issue?
 
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
 

sent you pm

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Gary1911A1]

Try this: 

 

[lstange]

22 minutes ago, anonymouscuban said:

The last few times I've worked on shooting groups in training I noticed that almost all are fall just left of my POA.

Try switching hands. If you normally shoot right-handed, do it left-handed, and vice versa, still using both hands. If groups end up on the other side of the target, you'll know it's not the gun.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I wonder why you think it's NOT the sights  …  ???

 

If I fire a nice tight group, slowly, and the shots group to the left,

I adjust the sights.      

[Steve RA]

+1

[anonymouscuban]

Thanks for the advice guys.

@ hi-power jack - no reason it can't be the sights. I just assume it's me and not the gear. But good point. I plan on running some drills at the outdoor range on Sunday morning. I will shoot my pistol from a rest to see if its pulling left. Man. I hope so. Makes things a helluva lot easier.

By the way, I had another match this past Sunday. I totally mucked up the classifier but over I saw much improvement in all my other stages. There is still low hanging fruit so got a lot to train.

One big thing I noticed is my shooting has moved to the subconscious. I no longer seem focused on the actual act of shooting, reloads, etc. More focused on movement through the stage as I planned. Still got lots to develop though.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Avedis]

First, obviously, check to make sure the gun is zeroed properly.

 

One of the things I often see when working with my patrol guys is, "my Glock shoots left"

 

Often time it's easily fixed with:

1. articulating trigger finger at different joint

2. more grip pressure (both hands)

 

I'm sure some great shooters here will chime in with their thoughts. Honestly though, with a group like that at 20 yards, you shouldn't be too concerned. 

 

Voigt does a great job at explaining it in this video:

 

Edited May 4, 2019 by Avedis

[scroadkill]

the palmswells have a hump on right side at the top.. pushes your finger out some.. so you push the shots. many folks file the top down top be more like the hennings. easy peasy.

 

Edited May 4, 2019 by scroadkill

[MemphisMechanic]

Grip harder with the offhand - which all new shooters need to do anyway. It should be crushing the gun hard enough someone who was a victim of your handshake would be uncomfortable.

 

Firm weak hand grip (experiment with a little pressure on the frame with your thumb too!) won’t let your strong hand push the gun laterally so easily.

 

Understand there are two fundamental causes of this:

 

1) Your trigger finger is pushing the gun as you stroke it rearward.

 

Or

 

2) Your other stronghand fingers are tightening subconsciously as your trigger finger tightens to move the trigger.

 

#2 is helped by gripping the gun more firmly; if you begin gripping with double the pressure then your hand is not going to tense up as much - it’s already there.

 

In general gripping hard is great for our form of shooting. It’s possible to easily get to B class with a comfortable grip. When pushing beyond that is when people begin to learn to clamp down on the gun so it stays flat and the sights return faster... so you might as well learn this right off the bat.

 

If your forearms aren’t burning while you’re conducting dryfire practice, you’re selling yourself short when it comes to shooting live ammo. Grip hard.

 

Edited May 4, 2019 by MemphisMechanic

[anonymouscuban]

****UPDATE****
Hit the range today. Confirmed that it is my rear sight that is drifted left. I shot at 25 yards. Shots were all about 3-4" left. Then my friend shot. Same results. Then shot from rest. Same deal.



Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Hi-Power Jack]

[Blackstone45]

On 5/4/2019 at 12:32 PM, MemphisMechanic said:

Grip harder with the offhand - which all new shooters need to do anyway. It should be crushing the gun hard enough someone who was a victim of your handshake would be uncomfortable.

 

Firm weak hand grip (experiment with a little pressure on the frame with your thumb too!) won’t let your strong hand push the gun laterally so easily.

 

Understand there are two fundamental causes of this:

 

1) Your trigger finger is pushing the gun as you stroke it rearward.

 

Or

 

2) Your other stronghand fingers are tightening subconsciously as your trigger finger tightens to move the trigger.

 

#2 is helped by gripping the gun more firmly; if you begin gripping with double the pressure then your hand is not going to tense up as much - it’s already there.

 

In general gripping hard is great for our form of shooting. It’s possible to easily get to B class with a comfortable grip. When pushing beyond that is when people begin to learn to clamp down on the gun so it stays flat and the sights return faster... so you might as well learn this right off the bat.

 

If your forearms aren’t burning while you’re conducting dryfire practice, you’re selling yourself short when it comes to shooting live ammo. Grip hard.

 

Interestingly, I find that when I grip really tightly with my weak (left) hand, it pulls my shots left. I think the heel of my support hand pushes right on the grip, which causes the muzzle to point towards the left. This is obviously a symptom of having too much lateral pressure. Haven't had the chance to go shooting since I started working on a new front-to-back C-clamp grip based on Hwansik's PSTG video and his interview on the Firearms Nation podcase.

[NoJams38]

On 5/4/2019 at 1:32 AM, MemphisMechanic said:

Grip harder with the offhand - which all new shooters need to do anyway. It should be crushing the gun hard enough someone who was a victim of your handshake would be uncomfortable.

 

Firm weak hand grip (experiment with a little pressure on the frame with your thumb too!) won’t let your strong hand push the gun laterally so easily.

 

Understand there are two fundamental causes of this:

 

1) Your trigger finger is pushing the gun as you stroke it rearward.

 

Or

 

2) Your other stronghand fingers are tightening subconsciously as your trigger finger tightens to move the trigger.

 

#2 is helped by gripping the gun more firmly; if you begin gripping with double the pressure then your hand is not going to tense up as much - it’s already there.

 

In general gripping hard is great for our form of shooting. It’s possible to easily get to B class with a comfortable grip. When pushing beyond that is when people begin to learn to clamp down on the gun so it stays flat and the sights return faster... so you might as well learn this right off the bat.

 

If your forearms aren’t burning while you’re conducting dryfire practice, you’re selling yourself short when it comes to shooting live ammo. Grip hard.

 

Extremely Well said about pressure with more on off hand and especially "stronghand fingers are tightening subconsciously as your trigger finger tightens to move the trigger." That is key take away. If you can put enough pressure with your offhand great, if you have trouble putting enough pressure with off hand while simultaneously keeping trigger precise and lose, consider a thumb assist to give you way more leverage with off hand while keeping trigger finger loose. 

[CuttingEdgeAmmo]

Thanks for the suggestions on tightening the grip.  I'm going to need to play around with that next time I'm out.

[mofo1111]

Look into the MantisX training device. It really shows you what the gun is doing before, during, and after your trigger pull. Glad it was only the sights and a easy fix.

[PatJones]

Look into the MantisX training device. It really shows you what the gun is doing before, during, and after your trigger pull.

The sights do this too, and they're included free with your handgun.

My sights do occasionally disappear during the course of fire though.

[anonymouscuban]

The sights do this too, and they're included free with your handgun.

My sights do occasionally disappear during the course of fire though.

I've come very close to buying the Mantisx used a couple of times but I never pull the trigger. Two reasons.

One... what you just said.
Two... the fact that I see them being sold as "only used a couple of times" confirms reason one.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[domino329]

I was having a similar problem years ago. All my shots were going to the right and the culprit was too much trigger finger on the trigger.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Dranoel]

Your pistol is Liberal. Get rid of it.

[Rnlinebacker]

Your pistol is Liberal. Get rid of it.
[emoji14]

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[yigal]

6 hours ago, Dranoel said:

Your pistol is Liberal. Get rid of it.

why pistol?

u can always move the target to the left.

[Dranoel]

2 hours ago, yigal said:

why pistol?

u can always move the target to the left.

 

Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile.