Second shot low and left?

[ChrisMcCracken]

While burning through some ammo to test drive the new sights and trigger on my 1911, I noticed that I consistently get the first shot on target and the second shot low-left. Its enough to hit either 2 A's up close or 1 A and 1 C at 10 to 15 yards.

Short of video taping my technique to diagnose what I'm doing, are there any suggestions for why that second shot is where it is and how to fix it?

Thanks,

Chris

[JThompson]

While burning through some ammo to test drive the new sights and trigger on my 1911, I noticed that I consistently get the first shot on target and the second shot low-left. Its enough to hit either 2 A's up close or 1 A and 1 C at 10 to 15 yards.

Short of video taping my technique to diagnose what I'm doing, are there any suggestions for why that second shot is where it is and how to fix it?

Thanks,

Chris

You're prob double tapping instead of aiming the second shot... see the sight.

[Merlin Orr]

If you figure it out.. Tell me. Actually I asked the same question a couple of weeks ago and one of the things I was told is to try inserting my finger in a little deeper. The trigger finger that is. Seems to help me shoot faster without the pulled low left shots. Of course what JThompson says is surely the REAL answer.....

[AikiDale]

Do you prep the trigger before each shot?

[ChrisMcCracken]

Do you prep the trigger before each shot?

How does one prep the trigger?

[ChrisMcCracken]

You're prob double tapping instead of aiming the second shot... see the sight.

You are most probably correct. I've been working on watching for the sight to lift. I still can't claim to call my shots. I will see the sight... every shot... no matter how long it takes.

Thanks.

[JThompson]

If you figure it out.. Tell me. Actually I asked the same question a couple of weeks ago and one of the things I was told is to try inserting my finger in a little deeper. The trigger finger that is. Seems to help me shoot faster without the pulled low left shots. Of course what JThompson says is surely the REAL answer.....

What the hell do I know Merlin... I use a dot.

[AikiDale]

Do you prep the trigger before each shot?

How does one prep the trigger?

Accurate shooting, they tell me, is all about trigger control. Pay attention to your trigger finger. Take all the slack, or, pre-travel, out of your trigger, confirm your sight picture, then press for each shot. It may seem slower at first, but the increase in accuracy may improve your score.

Do a search on prep and you will find many pages of discussion.

[ChrisMcCracken]

Accurate shooting, they tell me, is all about trigger control. Pay attention to your trigger finger. Take all the slack, or, pre-travel, out of your trigger, confirm your sight picture, then press for each shot. It may seem slower at first, but the increase in accuracy may improve your score.

I've gone back and done some dry fire to get a better feel of exactly how the trigger feels with regard to pre-travel and execution of the shot. Because I'm on target for the first shot, I think I'm doing ok though never perfect there. My concern, now, is how to best execute that second trigger pull. For my own mental exercise, let's start as the first bullet has left the barrel. The slide cycles, ejects the shell, cocks the hammer, and loads the next bullet. My finger is still on the trigger, pressed all the way to the rear.

Should I now keep that pressed back until I line up the sights for shot two or do I release the trigger and "re-prep"? Given the forces and movement of recoil, should I count on being able to maintain that pressure until ready to fire again?

The pull is set somewhere between 2# and 2.5#. I forget what exact reading Bob got and haven't measures myself. Either way, it's light. If I press the trigger until ready to fire, it only takes the slightest release, and then it doesn't even feel like it requires the full 2.5# to fire again.

Edited November 14, 2007 by Erucolindon

[G-ManBart]

Problems like this are almost definitely trigger control issues. Don't think of it as a first shot and a second shot. Each shot is the first shot....make them all the same and the problem should go away.

There are a couple of things you can try to work it out. Buy or make some dummy rounds and randomly put them in the magazine. Shoot fast pairs of shots and when you get a dummy on the second shot, you'll see what you're doing wrong. It's better if you can get someone else to load the mag so you have no idea when it's coming. If you know it's a dummy, the drill won't work.

Second drill is even simpler. Shoot three shots instead of two shots. You'll have to follow through on the second shot to make the third shot and you may find the third shot is now low and left. Along with this, do some bill drills....6 aimed shots as fast as you can shoot A's.

[ChrisMcCracken]

Problems like this are almost definitely trigger control issues. Don't think of it as a first shot and a second shot. Each shot is the first shot....make them all the same and the problem should go away.

There are a couple of things you can try to work it out. Buy or make some dummy rounds and randomly put them in the magazine. Shoot fast pairs of shots and when you get a dummy on the second shot, you'll see what you're doing wrong. It's better if you can get someone else to load the mag so you have no idea when it's coming. If you know it's a dummy, the drill won't work.

Second drill is even simpler. Shoot three shots instead of two shots. You'll have to follow through on the second shot to make the third shot and you may find the third shot is now low and left. Along with this, do some bill drills....6 aimed shots as fast as you can shoot A's.

Though I definitely shot in pairs most, when I did multiple shots the first was on and all the others were low left. Thanks for the drill suggestions; I'll work on them.

[DougCarden]

Also, If your shooting grip with your strong hand comes loose on the gun before the second shot......you will be low and left as well......something different to look at.....

Good luck,

DougC

[R.Elliott]

To learn how to prep:

Practice dry fire drawing and pushing the gun out to the full mount while taking up the pre-travel slack in the trigger. Do NOT press through and drop the hammer. What you are looking for is a dialed in "feel" of what it is like to hold gently against the sear without feeling like you are slapping the trigger. When you feel comfortable with this, press through and hold against the frame. Now hold the trigger back as you rack the slide to cock the hammer and disconnect the trigger, then gently relax the muscles of the trigger finger until the trigger spring overcomes your pressure and just pushes the trigger back to reset. You should hear it click when the disconnector resets. Done correctly, your finger will never leave the surface of the trigger between shots and when the trigger resets you will be already prepped against the sear for the next shot.

Now practice feeling the trigger prep and reset in careful slow live fire, and there you have it.

One other thing; make sure your trigger finger isn't contacting the frame when triggering. That will typically push your shots off low left.

[miyamoto]

Well, I am sure he is right handed, shooting low left.

Stay relaxed. Your grip and trigger finger are getting tense after breaking first shot.

Leave your fast pairs alone for a long time and simply press clean shots for thousands of rounds. People add tension by trying to go too fast. I would not "try" for splits anymore anyway.

I would also like to jokingly add: Since your first shot is dead nuts and second shot low left...aim the fourth shot high and right!

[Madcap Magician]

Definitely follow the advice from up top on each shot is the first shot. It is a common problem, because everyone wants to shoot fast, but doesn't understand that you still have to use your sights and have trigger control. The first shot is usually decent, but the second shot is jerked because of wanting to rush the shot, so you get a low left hit for a right handed shooter. For right now, work on some Bill drills or similar setups where you are shooting only as fast as you get a sight picture and perfect trigger pull, to make an A or -0 zone hit. As your brain conditions itself of what to look for, your split times will decrease. Just remember going fast doesn't mean you can sacrifice accuracy.

[KGentry]

Sometimes shooters tend to push down on the gun at the thumb safety area and this can cause the second shot to go low left. Just one likely thing to look at.

[Allgoodhits]

Assuming the gun is sighted in and the first shot actually is "on target" and assuming the grip does not change between the first and second (or any subsequent shots) shot, then the problem is .....

TRIGGER CONTROL, or lack of.

An old term of rushing the shot, ambushing, snatching a quick X. You are making the gun fire, instead of letting it fire. You must let it fire as you apply pressure. This pressure can be very slow, or in some cases quicker (depending on skill and trigger weight/design) but for the shot to be most accurate it must still have an element of surprise.

Edited November 24, 2007 by Allgoodhits

[SRT Driver]

You may be anticipating recoil, not finching, but attemting to return the sights physically and not letting the pistol do the work..your timing my be a little off. This combined with the shot being off to the left may be a combo of yanking the trigger and pushing the gun.

Have someone else put a snap cap in the mag somewhere where you don't know where it is and fire some pairs. If the pistol dips when you pull the trigger..