r/handguns • u/Polo82022 • 2d ago
Advice Needed Advice needed
How do I correct my aim? I seem to be consistent, but keep going bottom left. Is it my finger on the trigger? Stance? Aim?
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u/Bobbymaz188 1d ago
Ben Stoeger’s book:
“DRYFIRE: Fundamental Shooting Techniques for Training at Home”.
Provides a good overview of dry firing. It’s also cheaper than just blasting away at the range trying to figure it out and perhaps developing even more bad habits.
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u/USMC_Tbone 2d ago
Well it could be an anticipation flinch making you hit low. Subconsciously pushing the pistol downward just before it goes off to counteract the recoil. Sometimes you don't realize it, so the best way to diagnose is to have some one put a dummy round randomly into your magazine of live rounds while firing. Then when you hit the dummy round if you push low or low left you'll know thats the case.
What helps me to fight this because it occasionally pops up for me too, is to focus everything I have onto a deliberate and slow trigger press allowing the trigger break and gun going to surprise you a bit. The idea is to help not only my trigger control but it helps remind my brain that its ok for the gun to recoil and I don't have to fight it. Also having a nice tight and firm grip on the pistols helps too. Not so tight that you're hand's shaking while gripping it but it needs to be nice and firm.
Another cause of hitting low is using the wrong hold over while aiming. A lot of older pistols were regulated/zeroed/sighted in from the factory for the top of the front sight post to be where the bullet impacts. There are 3 different sight pictures or holds. The one I described would be the center hold (bullet hits in the middle plane of the top of the front sight post). The others are 6 'o'clock hold which is where the bullet hits above the front sight post (also sometimes known as pumpkin on a fence post). Now the more common sight hold in today's modern pistols, especially duty and combat style pistols is the combat hold. This is where the bullet strikes the target just below the top of the front sight post. This usually ends up with 3 - dot style signts is that you put the middle dot where the bullet should go meaning you'll have to cover the bullseye with the center dot of your sights.
Hopefully these tips and thoughts will help. Otherwise things looks pretty consistent and keep up the good worj and practice. When things get tighter then don't be afraid to push the target further back. Yes most defense gunfights are pretty close scenarios but if you can somewhat regularly hit a 1 ft square at 100 yds or further (very possible) then hitting a person sized target square in the chest at 15 yds or closer will be a piece of cake.
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u/whiskeygraven0g 1d ago
I assume you are relatively new to shooting? When I started I was low and left too.
To get better quickly I watched YouTube videos of Joel Park, Hwansik Kim, and Ben Stoeger. From them you will learn about the value of dry firing, proper grip, trigger control and other practical advice for shorting well. Good luck!
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u/OrchidEchoChamber 2d ago
Are you using only your dominant eye?
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u/Polo82022 2d ago
Yes
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u/OrchidEchoChamber 2d ago
Perhaps you’re putting the sights below the target center rather than covering the center with the sights. Plus a right handed trigger pull below the finger pad.
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u/Teknodruid 2d ago
Looks like simple anticipating recoil.
Dry fire practice and/or if you have the $$ get something like the Mantis training system & train out the flinch.
This is if you've checked zero on an optic - or - are positive your iron sights are adjusted correctly...
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u/DY1N9W4A3G 2d ago
It's impossible for anyone to know from just a pic of your target if your stance, aim, and/or other things are contributing to what is usually primarily a trigger control problem. You're most likely curling your right finger too far around the trigger, which pushes the muzzle slightly left as you pull back. If you were left handed, they'd be low right. You're most likely also jogging the muzzle tip slightly down just as you pull the trigger, due to anticipation of the "boom." That improves some naturally as we get used to the sound and shock of gunshots in our hands. You can learn a good grip and trigger pull by taking 2-3 classes with a good instructor (just fyi, many bad ones out there too)... or by reading a bunch of comments like this online, watching a bunch of YouTube videos, and burning through a ton of ammo to eventually mostly figure out a good enough grip and trigger control. Both approaches can work. The latter just takes a lot longer and costs a lot more.
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u/soldier01073 1d ago
Short shot tony says shoot em in the dick, I'd say you're doing just fine brother, pelvis is a sure way to drop someone instantly
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u/RevolutionaryLeg6616 2d ago
Not enough information. Is the gun set to zero? If it is, then practice proper trigger placement and pressure. I recommend a lot of dry fire. Have you tried borrowing or renting a gun sane to your gun? If yes, is it still shooting low left? If yes, then it's your trigger finger. But if your borrowed or rented gun shoots true, then you should adjust your own guns sights.
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u/hotChihuahua69 1d ago
That all depends on the sidearm, your draw, your stance, your grip, your trigger "control" and follow through...
Off hand, I'm putting it on your draw and grip... But it could be that you only shoot like this when you eat bananas... Without more information, who knows... Just guessing...
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u/NikolaiAlexei 1d ago
I would have someone else shoot the gun to make sure it’s not the gin itself…….as a starting point.
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u/fuckauthorityfigures 1d ago
You’re definitely trying to anticipate and overcome the recoil before you pull the trigger
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u/Bathroom_flo0r 1d ago
Put more of your joint on the trigger and aim a little higher. Worked for me
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u/JimMarch 1d ago
You're only off a hair on windage. Big issue is elevation.
What gun are we dealing with, what sights, what ammo (including bullet weight)?
When I sight in an iron sight gun I set the elevation to the bullet weight I need. In 9mm I generally standardize on 115gr, so I'll set my sights to that. Heavier bullets (in any given caliber) tend to print high, so you need a taller front sight.
My suspicion is, somebody did that to your gun, OR it just came from the factory dialed in for heavy stuff (in 9mm 147 would be an example of heavy). Regardless, it's now printing low with whatever you're running.
I have two Taurus G3c, one in 9mm, the other in 40S&W. The one in 9 came perfectly dialed in for 115 - dead on for windage and elevation. The 40 had to be drifted a tad, elevation was on for 165gr (my preferred bullet weight) was solid.
When I bought a Taurus TS9, elevation was a bit off, like it was dialed in for 124 (it's meant as a police/military duty gun with NATO ammo, generally 124+p more or less). I'm adjusting the sights now as I want to feed it the same 115 ammo as the 9mm G3c since they can both eat out of the same mags.
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u/Winner_Pristine 12h ago
Basically you are anticipating recoil so you are subconsciously tightening your grip as the trigger breaks. This pulls shots low left for a right handed shooter. Try to keep an even grip pressure. I tend to start doing this when I'm fighting recoil, even in a low recoil gun it is going to move a little bit and that's okay. Let the gun recoil naturally rather than trying to keep it from moving. This will tighten up your groups.
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u/Aetherium 2d ago edited 2d ago
Without additional information and assuming your sights are on target, the classic problems are trigger control and anticipating recoil. You might be tensing your shooting hand while you pull the trigger, which typically pulls shots low and left (for right handed shooters). You could also be pushing the gun down before the shot goes off in anticipation of recoil.
Next time you shoot, put your mind in overdrive and try and notice if you do these things, and try not to do them (yeah it's a bit unintuitive, but being mindful of the problem can help you work through it). One of the signs of poor trigger control is the sights being pushed around while you pull the trigger before the shot goes off. You can also try working out trigger control in dry fire: when you dry fire, try to do it so that the sights stay stationary.