Point of aim shift

[George D]

I shoot different revolvers in Service match (Like PPC) and the FIRST stage is 50 yards - 6 shots prone, 6 sitting, 6 RH barricade, 6 LH barricade, in that order. I sight the revolvers, during practice, for 50 yards prone and this also gives 10 ring groups for the 50 sitting and 50 RH barricade. I usually shoot 230-235/240 in this stage.

If I start a match with a cold clean gun I find the groups for the first 12 (approx) tend to be 10 ring sized groups but displaced high-right into the 9. If I come back after the match and check, the POA is back in the 10 ring. Has anyone else had this experience or can anyone suggest why this should occur?

The other thing I have noticed is that I need to aim high-left for my LH barricade (at both 50 and 25) shots to fall into the 10 ring. I have read that this is due to the different weight distribution of the hands on the gun, but other high-grade shooters in our club shoot LH barricade with a dead-on aim.

Any comments or experiences on these subjects would be appreciated.

[Flexmoney]

George,

A quick check would be to never shoot a match with a clean gun...get a dozen fouling shots thru it.

I am one that like to trust the equipment 100% and assume it is me, the shooter.  (It almost always is).  If I had to guess, I think you should look at grip and tension.

(Edited by Flexmoney at 1:29 am on Oct. 11, 2002)

[EricW]

OK, that's one of my little superstitions:  never go to a match with a clean gun.  A dirty bore really gives me confidence about not having to worry about fliers, especially at GSSF events - where it counts.  

(Wow, that sounds really whacked when put into writing.)

E

[DogmaDog]

I've never seen this with pistol, but when I shot lots of highpower rifle, I knew a competitor who had a "spacegun"...his first sighter shot of the day would go into the 6 ring at 6 o'clock, and then he'd be in the X-ring after that.  Really weird, but it happened every time.  

If you can fire the warm up shots before the match, then I'd do that rather than hold an alternate point of aim.

There's a good possibility that your LH barricade position is responsible for the weirdness there.  I would guess the different relation between your head/eyes and the sights, and possibly different tension in your arms could be the culprit(s)

230-235/240 still sounds like you're smoking it pretty well, though!  Keep up the good work

Semper Fi,

DogmaDog

[George D]

DogmaDog

Do you sight dead-on for LH barricade?

Maybe I shoot low-left because I read a "scientific " account of why I should be shooting so and the sub-conscious is taking over.

[lmccrock]

George,

I assume you are right-handed, and that "LH Barricade" is gripping with your left hand doing the shooting, and shooting from the left side of the barricade. I do not shoot PPC, but I have shot a .38 revolver in what is a PPC-like match, albeit at 25 yards. I make no adjustments for aim for left or right hand.

Have you tried shooting LH without the barricade? Just curious.

As for cleaning, I never cleaned the revolver barrel, just the cylinder (often) and action (occasionally). But I was using plated bullets, so leading was never a problem.

For a while, I would always "warm up" before a match by shooting 12 rounds or so. When I was at work until minutes before the match started, it would help me unwind, and get in the mindset. When I had some time to relax before a match, the warmup did not help. So for me, I think it was mindset, rather than a warm gun.

Lee

[gm iprod]

I shoot a lot of service match and I always shoot a minimum of 24 rounds through the 686 before a match.

The left hand barricade is definetely you. You should be shooting with your normal eye, just in case you use the opposite eye for left handed. Practice more with the left hand at 50 and 25.

I have the same trouble. Also because you tend to try and clamp the barrel against the barricade, the revolver will try to jump away from the barricade, so you MAY be squeezing too hard as you draw up the trigger weight and cause the gun to twist.

Another that may help is to sandbag the revolver at 50 and shoot left handed. See what is the difference.

[skeeter]

i think that my glock shots to a differnt poa with a clean barrel. and my .223 shots high with a clean barrel for at least 3 or 4 shots.

[benos]

George,

You shouldn't see a 12 shot point of impact change due to a clean barrel in a pistol. I've noticed, in a match, if I shoot high prone it's because I don't REALLY look at the sight alignment like I do when sighting/shooting groups in practice.

Usually left/right impact shift when changing hands is due to some sort of trigger pulling difference in the weak hand compared to the strong hand. This can be a tough one to fix, and even if you can cure it, it may take quite a bit of training. Sometimes it's easier just  to hold for it. As long as the groups are acceptable (same size as strong hand) and predictable. And then sometimes a left/right shift will just "fix itself" if you stick with it for long enough. (A year or two.) You may simply notice, over time, that you have to hold off less and less.

be

[George D]

Thanks Brian. I'll work on your suggestions.