Low Left

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Radtgaeb

    Plinker
    Rating - 80%
    4   1   0
    Oct 18, 2009
    95
    8
    AKA help me not suck....

    I've been trying to practice with a newly acquired handgun. I keep finding myself pulling low left. I know what is supposed to cause the issue (flinching, improperly tightened fingers) and I've been trying to correct it with dry fire practice. The targets attached are the results of range trip #4. I can't figure out what is going wrong because I sincerely don't catch myself flinching...

    04BV02W.jpg
     

    sht4brnz

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 93.3%
    14   1   0
    Aug 29, 2012
    352
    18
    N.IndNpls
    Do you have a laser or red dot?
    My pistol accuracy improved exponentially once I visually saw what I was doing when pulling the trigger.
     

    Radtgaeb

    Plinker
    Rating - 80%
    4   1   0
    Oct 18, 2009
    95
    8
    Do you have a laser or red dot?
    My pistol accuracy improved exponentially once I visually saw what I was doing when pulling the trigger.

    No but that probably isn't a bad place to start...

    Are you talking laser on the rail or maybe a 9mm bore insert?
     

    Route 45

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    92   0   0
    Dec 5, 2015
    14,884
    113
    Indy
    Is it a Glock? Because if it is, this is common. You can train around it, but many shooters new to Glock find themselves shooting low/left with them. Same fix as the chart posted by 55Fairlane, but requires a bit more concentration to overcome the funky ergonomics.
     

    obijohn

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Mar 24, 2008
    3,504
    63
    Terre Haute
    Try this: Assuming you are right handed, take your right little finger out of your grip. Rather like holding a tea cup with your pinkie extended. Physiologically, this will help with the disconnect between your trigger finger and the rest of your hand. The result should be less "milking" of the grip, or sympathetic flexing of the middle fingers as you press the trigger.
     

    Hexa-Tula

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 12, 2010
    200
    16
    Bluffton
    Those "self-diagnosis" targets are usually about ZERO help.

    I can't diagnose exactly what you are doing, but I can give you some helpful advice.

    Your objective with every trigger press, is to break the shot without disturbing your sight picture. Somehow, you are disturbing your sights.
    Try the ball and dummy drill, it will tell you a lot. Load some snap caps/dummy rounds in the same magazine as live ammo. Try to shoot the best groups you can, and when you land on a dummy round your sights shouldn't move when the shot breaks.
     

    Radtgaeb

    Plinker
    Rating - 80%
    4   1   0
    Oct 18, 2009
    95
    8
    Is it a Glock? Because if it is, this is common. You can train around it, but many shooters new to Glock find themselves shooting low/left with them. Same fix as the chart posted by 55Fairlane, but requires a bit more concentration to overcome the funky ergonomics.

    Funny enough, I think part of the problem is that I'm actually transitioning FROM shooting Glocks almost exclusively. This is shooting with the rather 1911 or BHP like FNX 9. I spent so much time shooting a Glock with a somewhat steep grip angle. It's like I don't know how to hold a handgun other than at a steep tilt.
     

    55fairlane

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 15, 2016
    2,223
    113
    New Haven
    Your objective with every trigger press, is to break the shot without disturbing your sight picture. Somehow, you are disturbing your sights.
    Try the ball and dummy drill, it will tell you a lot. Load some snap caps/dummy rounds in the same magazine as live ammo. Try to shoot the best groups you can, and when you land on a dummy round your sights shouldn't move when the shot breaks.

    +1 I agree ball and dummy drill......
     

    Hop

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    16   0   0
    Jan 21, 2008
    5,084
    83
    Indy
    The 1st thing you do, which I haven't seen mentioned yet, is to take you out of the equation via a rest or another shooter. Does the gun actually shoot low left?
     

    Radtgaeb

    Plinker
    Rating - 80%
    4   1   0
    Oct 18, 2009
    95
    8
    The 1st thing you do, which I haven't seen mentioned yet, is to take you out of the equation via a rest or another shooter. Does the gun actually shoot low left?


    Haven't had anyone else shoot yet. I always try to blame myself before the equipment. Clearly it's capable of grouping in the target, which makes me think it's user error...
     

    Radtgaeb

    Plinker
    Rating - 80%
    4   1   0
    Oct 18, 2009
    95
    8
    Those "self-diagnosis" targets are usually about ZERO help.

    I can't diagnose exactly what you are doing, but I can give you some helpful advice.

    Your objective with every trigger press, is to break the shot without disturbing your sight picture. Somehow, you are disturbing your sights.
    Try the ball and dummy drill, it will tell you a lot. Load some snap caps/dummy rounds in the same magazine as live ammo. Try to shoot the best groups you can, and when you land on a dummy round your sights shouldn't move when the shot breaks.

    Yeah was thinking about doing that this weekend. I'll have the wife load my mags (for extra "surprise" factor) with some snap caps mixed in.
     

    obijohn

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Mar 24, 2008
    3,504
    63
    Terre Haute
    Have your shooting partner observe you shoot. It should be apparent what is happening. The ball and dummy drill is a good diagnostic tool, but observation is key. In my experience, the ball and dummy drill will help find that there is a problem, but won't fully diagnose the issue.
     

    hpclayto

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   1
    Nov 8, 2008
    1,332
    63
    Do the dime drill. Balance a dime on your front sight and perform a trigger press without knocking it off. As you get better you can up it to a penny, knickle etc...cheap and easy.
     

    gglass

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Dec 2, 2008
    2,313
    63
    ELKHART
    I'll give you three free tips, that will help your shooting skills more than anything else...


    1. Dry Fire
    2. Dry Fire
    3. Dry Fire

    Follow each of these tips in that exact order as often as you can at home, and you will be amazed at how your shooting improves on the range.

    With an unloaded handgun, of course, just pick a small spot on the wall at home for aiming. Watch your front sight for movement during the entire trigger pull and take a mental picture right as the trigger breaks. You will be surprised at how much movement happens during the exercise, but you will be amazed at how much control you gain with enough practice.
     

    Radtgaeb

    Plinker
    Rating - 80%
    4   1   0
    Oct 18, 2009
    95
    8
    Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm going to continue to put my snap caps to good use and just acclimate to the trigger press. Hopefully I can tighten these groups up...
     

    rhino

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Mar 18, 2008
    30,906
    113
    Indiana
    Try this: Assuming you are right handed, take your right little finger out of your grip. Rather like holding a tea cup with your pinkie extended. Physiologically, this will help with the disconnect between your trigger finger and the rest of your hand. The result should be less "milking" of the grip, or sympathetic flexing of the middle fingers as you press the trigger.

    Very good suggestion! It also helps when learning to shoot with one hand.


    Have your shooting partner observe you shoot. It should be apparent what is happening. The ball and dummy drill is a good diagnostic tool, but observation is key. In my experience, the ball and dummy drill will help find that there is a problem, but won't fully diagnose the issue.

    Agreed.

    Another thing to try is to hold with your sight aligned with the target and your finger resting lightly on the trigger. Have a partner press on your finger to press the trigger for you. You should not resist, just let the person press on your finger until the gun discharges. Your job is to concentrate on maintaining the alignment of the gun, which you can observe by your sight picture. You will learn what it feels like to maintain that alignment until after the bullet has left the barrel. After that, it's a little easier to make the connection what you need to do while you're also pressing the trigger.
     

    Site Supporter

    INGO Supporter

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    524,489
    Messages
    9,794,215
    Members
    53,638
    Latest member
    Dhlawson
    Top Bottom