Why do i suck with wheelguns?

[mkmckinley]

Thanks for reading. I've been shooting autos for about 10 years but I'm just recently getting into revolvers. I'm an average shooter but perform terribly with the revolvers, what gives? It doesn't matter if I'm shooting single action or double action. It's not a problem with the revolvers either, I have two Smith and Wesson's with 6" barrels and a Colt Python with a 4" in great condition. I've tried different grips and stances but no improvement. I think a clue might be that I have a flinch that I can sort of out run with my auto's. I know it's a bad habit but what's different about the revolvers?

Thanks,

Mark

[jmax]

Grip, position of the finger on the trigger, stocks all play important roles in shooting revolvers well. You need much patients and get advise on the range from revolver shooters

[John Z Sr]

Welcome to the world of the round gun

[AlamoShooter]

The reason the flinch shows up more is that , with most revolvers the hammer falls slower to the strike than with an Auto. = Lock time.

Start with out any time limit = make just one shot and keep the trigger to rear for one full second before you let it reset.

do this for a bit until you Prove to your self that you can make a center hit

Make the decision to ..Like recoil , that will help too. If you don't learn to enjoy recoil you may never know the greatest joy of shooting

[steel1212]

When I was playing with a 4" 625 it took me quite a few rounds to do what Alamoshooter said. Just put the sights on target....now squuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeze.....bang! Don't anticipate anything just do it. I was grouping well after I did that. Hell in a match I did much better as I didn't think about the shooting I just shot.

[Blueridge]

I am guessing that the trigger pull on the revolver is a bit (maybe double or more) than the trigger pull on your autos. When I started shooting a revolver in competition, I went from a 6lb trigget pull on my Beretta (DAO) to a 16lb pull on my Ruger. It caused me trouble keeping the revolver on target through the trigger pull, but once I got used to the heavier pull things improved drastically.

I hope that information helps.

Due to being used to the heavier pull of my revolver I shoot autos better, but I have to be mindful of the lighter trigger pull.

Edited December 16, 2009 by Blueridge

[mkmckinley]

Thanks for everyone who took the time to reply. I think there is some really good advice here. I was really hoping revolver shooting would improve my overall ability. I got into a couple of used .357 with really nice, tuned triggers in both double and single action. I know the guns are capable of some great accuracy too, so between the two there's no place for bad technique to hide. I guess I need to deconstruct my technique and practice follow through. I really value the bit about "liking recoil" too. I'm going to load a bunch of .38 special tomorrow.

[AlamoShooter]

I don't think I would have ever progress with an Auto with-out learning & loving the revolver.

Look at your revolver, to check how much more the trigger moves after the hammer falls. If the gun will shoot SA and double action = that means the trigger has to keep moving more in the DA mode = this extra trigger movement during the hammer falling is what the base root of the problem is.

Also I bet your entire grip on your hand is increasing during trigger pull, It should NOT. only the trigger finger increases pressure not the rest of the hand.

Next trick /tool point your strong hand thumb at your target, so that the thumb nail faces the sky and turns up so that you can see the nail. = this will keep the hand from rolling down as much.

I kNOW! Jerry M. locks his thumb down, your not Jerry M. yet

[LPatterson]

As AlamoShooter the overtravel is probably a lot of the problem at least it was for me. I added a piece of foam between the trigger and frame to stop the sudden movement when the trigger breaks. I also had the gun tuned for double action only with a bobbed hammer. It is still possible to shoot SA but it seems like the pull is heavier.

One tool I use a lot is to point the gun straight up with the grip in the web of your hand and using only your trigger finger on the gun, squeeze only your finger until the gun fires. Continue doing this until the muzzle stops moving with the finger. Tried this with the Beretta 92 last night and could not believe the skill lost from not practicing it.

[AlamoShooter]

One tool I use a lot is to point the gun straight up with the grip in the web of your hand and using only your trigger finger on the gun, squeeze only your finger until the gun fires. Continue doing this until the muzzle stops moving with the finger. Tried this with the Beretta 92 last night and could not believe the skill lost from not practicing it.

on the Way off chance a nimrod read LP's post The straight up in the air is a ...Dri Fire Drill not live fire with the gun pointed straight up.

And non of my competition revolvers will even work single action any more = trigger stop

[Bear23]

I had to do tons of dry fire with revos when i shot them.

[Carmoney]

Start out dry-firing against a solid backstop, hang onto the gun hard, and practice rolling the trigger through smoothly and slowly. When you're first getting started, focus your eyes on the hammer and watch it roll back slowly and then fall with each dry-cycle. Repeat until the roll is smoooooth. Do this a few thousand times.

After you get a feel for that slow roll, find a safe aiming spot, such as a light switch on the wall. Now, focus your vision on the front sight and roll the action through the same way, slowly and smoothly, while hanging onto the gun hard. Watch that front sight and make sure it stays on the light switch while you roll the trigger. Do this another few thousand times.

Now go to the range and do the exact same thing on a small bullseye target with live ammo--watch the front sight, roll the trigger through slowly and smoothly. You will be amazed at how well you are now shooting compared to before!

Shooting at full competition speed is the same process executed over a smaller time duration, with that time duration adjusted as appropriate given the demands of the shot being taken.

[Matt Griffin]

Since it takes a bit more time and a hell of a lot more movement to pull a revolver trigger, you can run into a couple of different bugs in your shooting. The first, and most important, is that your brain timing is now off. You tell your finger "shoot!" and then you have a programmed pause while the body shoots, and you go looking for the next target. It takes a bit longer for the revolver, so you outrun the gun and start transitioning or fighting recoil early. The second is that with a much heavier trigger, you're going to get sympathetic movement from your hand during the trigger pull until you train it out.

The answer to both is to watch your sights. You have to shoot the sights with a revolver moreso than with an auto because of the longer trigger time, the harder pull, and the less opportunity to make up shots without incurring a huge time penalty.

So, fifteen yards and out, you should be able to see a fleck of mud on your front sight, every time. You can perform without doing so, but the crashes are brutal.

H.

[FRANKIE D]

I'm glad I found this topic. I'm so new to handguns that it seems everything's a challenge. I've had my Ruger Security six at the range and found that my shots are all over the target compared to when I shoot an auto. You guys have addressed probably all my issues and offered up lots of ideas for improvement. I got some great help from G-Man too. Looks like all I need now is a year or two of dri-firing!

Thanks to all.

Frank

[benos]

I'd recommend to always shoot double action. And doing this helped me out of flinching the most: Once you begin pulling the trigger, continue pulling it at the same speed until the hammer falls. Do not slow down the trigger as it comes back. For every shot, tell yourself to just "roll it through."

be

[FRANKIE D]

After reading these ideas it's obvious that dri-firing is the way to practice when not on the range. The problem i had at first was that my trigger finger would feel like it was about to cramp up after 8 or 9 pulls on the Ruger security six. So, I took a suggstion from another member about snipping one or one & 1/2 coils off the main/hammer spring. WOW. What a difference. NOw I can practice at home like so many have suggested and not feel like my hand is going to fall off!

Thanks to all for the ideas.

f.