Shooting to the left....

View · by **Need4Speed** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:25 pm

I am pretty new to shooting, the first few times and 500 rounds I shot I never really cared what I hit. Just wanted to get used to the gun, how it operates, blast some tin cans, and have some fun.

A few months ago I was at a range with my 40S&W, and ran a couple 100 rounds thru it at a target about 30 feet away, paying more attention to what I was doing. When I pulled the target down it looks like I was shooting more consistently to the left by a few inches. About 60-70% of the shots were to the left of the bullseye.

Didn't know if that was the gun or me.

Went to the range a couple days ago, took both my 40 and 45, and also my 23 year old son. The first 25 rounds or so we did at 15 feet, and I seemed to be fairly consistent and even on the target. After that we shot the next couple hundred rounds at 25-30 feet, and I started to drift off to the left again with both guns. We finished it off by shooting at 15 feet again, and I was still to the left with both guns.

My son shot both guns consistently better than me. Little bastard.

Must be me....What am I doing wrong?

View · by JJ on Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:30 pm

View · by **Need4Speed** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:36 pm

That's a cool little chart.

I must be doing a combo of pushing, finger tipping, and an occasional loose grip. Thanks!

View · by **Sigfan220** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 2:44 pm

I use to pull left and down. It took a long time to get rid of. #1 relax don't over think it, you will shoot worse trying to "fix it". I would go to the range, kind of meditate for a bit then shoot. If I shot good, I would keep shooting. If I shot bad I would pack up and leave. You do not want to keep shooting pooly, it will only make things worse.

Watch the front sight and work on a good(not perfect) clean break. Dry fire at home can help a bit but range time is the best.

View · by **SSBotanyBay** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:19 pm

I have always been in the same boat and am having hard time fixing it. I am on the money with a worked trigger and definitely low left with heavier triggers.

View · by **Countryfried Frank** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:28 pm

Try using a dime with your dry fire practice. Clear you handgun then put a dime on the front sight while you dry fire. Don't let the dime fall. Not easy to do on a DA.

View · by **Le Pistolero** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 4:10 pm

Need4Speed wrote:I am pretty new to shooting, the first few times and 500 rounds I shot I never really cared what I hit. Just wanted to get used to the gun, how it operates, blast some tin cans, and have some fun.

A few months ago I was at a range with my 40S&W, and ran a couple 100 rounds thru it at a target about 30 feet away, paying more attention to what I was doing. When I pulled the target down it looks like I was shooting more consistently to the left by a few inches. About 60-70% of the shots were to the left of the bullseye.

Didn't know if that was the gun or me.

Went to the range a couple days ago, took both my 40 and 45, and also my 23 year old son. The first 25 rounds or so we did at 15 feet, and I seemed to be fairly consistent and even on the target. After that we shot the next couple hundred rounds at 25-30 feet, and I started to drift off to the left again with both guns. We finished it off by shooting at 15 feet again, and I was still to the left with both guns.

My son shot both guns consistently better than me. Little bastard.

Must be me....What am I doing wrong?

You probly left all the time, just notice it more a longer range.

You didn't mention what kind of gun.

That can make a difference in what you maybe do wrong. What kinnd of sites, too.

View · by **SparkyJeff** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 4:30 pm

That correction chart is for a right handed shooter.
A left handed shooter would interpret it flipped from left to right.
Google "left handed pistol correction chart" you'll find a bunch of them.

View · by **Ironbear** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:21 pm

If you have a revolver, load it with a spot empty occasionally. If you have a semi-automatic and a buddy, the buddy can load (or not load) one in the chamber and hand the gun to you. When you drop the hammer on an empty chamber, some problems will become pretty obvious.

View · by **Eric Marleau** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:45 pm

The chart that JJ put up is right on and very useful.
I get those charts from Law Enforcement Targets very cheap and have them available to all of my shooters.

Eric

View · by **Spinner** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:02 pm

Ironbear wrote:If you have a revolver, load it with a spot empty occasionally. If you have a semi-automatic and a buddy, the buddy can load (or not load) one in the chamber and hand the gun to you. When you drop the hammer on an empty chamber, some problems will become pretty obvious.

A variant is to have a buddy load a snap cap in the middle of the mag as well.

Spinner

View · by **Need4Speed** on Fri Mar 08, 2013 7:35 am

Good advice guys, thanks. I purchased both of them with economy in mind. They are both Hipoint pistols. Big and heavy, so neither kicks very much.

So, if I correct this issue with these guns in mind will that same issue come back with other guns at some point? Maybe in a year or so I plan on getting into something along the lines of a magnum revolver and/or a Glock 20 or some kind of 1911.

View · by **ttousi** on Fri Mar 08, 2013 7:55 am

We do have a reference section with plenty of info........check it out

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=33676

View · by **Eric Marleau** on Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:12 pm

I have shot several Hipoint pistols and the trigger pull was very long. So long of a pull that I wasn't sure if the gun was going to fire.
If your gun is like that, it explains your problem, and it will take much practice and concentration to shoot accurate with it.
One good thing though is that if you learn to shoot well with this gun, you will be able to hit the ten ring with any other gun that you shoot.

Eric

View · by **MXGreg** on Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:33 pm

Eric Marleau wrote:I have shot several Hipoint pistols and the trigger pull was very long. So long of a pull that I wasn't sure if the gun was going to fire.
If your gun is like that, it explains your problem, and it will take much practice and concentration to shoot accurate with it.
One good thing though is that if you learn to shoot well with this gun, you will be able to hit the ten ring with any other gun that you shoot.

Eric

I hope your last sentence is correct. I've been watching this thread because I consistantly shoot right (I'm left handed). I'm also shooting a Hi-point C9. It's my first hand gun so I didn't realize the trigger pull was considered long. Thanks for the info.