That First DA Shot--Not So Good

[Bongo Boy]

Well, on several occasions I've told folks that the first DA shot with my DA/SA pistol wasn't really noticeable and didn't create a problem for me. Several hundred rounds at the range yesterday suggests otherwise:

All targets are 1/2 size IDPA targets at 5 yards. All groups represent two consecutive 6-round Bill Drills.

It should be easy to see which two shots on each target are the first shots of the two drills. Is this possibly poor placement of the trigger finger (I'm right-handed) and pushing the gun, or maybe death grip? Why just the first DA shot?

The next target, at left, is a series of draw-and-fire 1 rnd exercises to see what my problem is, and Lo! No apparent problem.

The second target above, at right, and the following targets, represent follow-up drills--again, two 6-rnd BDs on each target. It looks to me like I made some change that didn't actually improve the situation, but simply moved it from lower-left to upper-right, or just spread it around.

I know some of this is a little meaningless without any timing information, but everything was done at about as fast a pace as I think I can do, and I believe I may have drawn at least as fast on the single-shot exercises as I did on the multi-shot BDs.

Any ideas or suggestions (i.e., free coaching) are welcome. Oh...gun is a Sig P220 with SRT trigger.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Bongo Boy

[ChuckS]

Read this: Fear Not, the Double Action Shot

Might help

Later,

Chuck

[Bongo Boy]

Read this: Fear Not, the Double Action Shot Might help

Geeeeezzz...I guess it might, indeed. Like, by paragraph 4. Thanks.

My Target #5 above is all DA singles from the holster. This tells me the DA is NOT really a problem when heart and mind are in the right place. Sure don't get why Brain cares if it's going to be a single or 6 rnds, but I guess this little hobby would be too easy if it were otherwise.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Bongo Boy

[G-ManBart]

Read this: Fear Not, the Double Action Shot Might help

Geeeeezzz...I guess it might, indeed. Like, by paragraph 4. Thanks.

My Target #5 above is all DA singles from the holster. This tells me the DA is NOT really a problem when heart and mind are in the right place. Sure don't get why Brain cares if it's going to be a single or 6 rnds, but I guess this little hobby would be too easy if it were otherwise.

This is the problem people run into with DA/SA guns all the time. We don't realize that our bodies (brains really) can program in a response before something happens, but it's there. You're seeing that on the target....two different trigger presses and it's throwing your brain for a loop. Practice doing the DA to SA transition is about the only way around it. R,

[Duane Thomas]

In my opinion, if you're going to carry a DA/SA auto pistol, at LEAST half your dry fire practice should be focused on mastering the first DA shot and the DA/SA transition.

[G-ManBart]

In my opinion, if you're going to carry a DA/SA auto pistol, at LEAST half your dry fire practice should be focused on mastering the first DA shot and the DA/SA transition.

Yep, when Sigs were our primary issue piece we'd spend a lot of time on that. Draw, two shots, decock, holster, repeat....

[Chills1994]

I am kinda confused at why you are using half sized IDPA targets...at 5 yards ???

If they are truly half sized does that mean that the down zero area is actually now just 4 inches across instead of the typical 8 for a regular, full sized IDPA target.

I'm thinking your hits will look just fine on a regular IDPA target at say 10 yards.

It just takes practice....that's all.

[Bongo Boy]

I am kinda confused at why you are using half sized IDPA targets...at 5 yards ???

Yes, half-sized, 4" circles. I'm using them mostly because I can print them out for free on 11x17 paper. I'm using them at 5 yards because a) shooting at 3 1/2 yards would just look silly , and I figured if I can nail 'em at a 10 yard equivalent, I should be able to hit 'em whenever I need to.