Shooting to the left

[mpd]

Just got back from the range. Much of my shooting is hitting to the left. According to various other online search I have seen the issue being too little trigger pull. How do you fix that issue? Pulling the trigger faster?

 

[BrewerGeorge]

Too little trigger pull? I'd typically describe that as too much finger on the trigger.

 

[JeepArn]

What Brewer said... At least that's been my personal experience.

 

[actaeon277]

Too little trigger pull? I'd typically describe that as too much finger on the trigger.

You have to be careful with those charts that say where you're hitting and what you're doing wrong.

First, make sure your sights are lined up, and not drifting over side to side.
Next, make sure you are squeezing the trigger backward, and not yanking it to one side or the other.

 

[actaeon277]

This is the chart you're probably looking at. (For Right Handers)

This is the one I prefer.

You also have to make sure you aren't moving your torso or your hand is moving at the wrist.

 

[ccuney]

Ha ha that chart is great you just suck! Different techniques work for different guns the most part it depends on your the grip size and how your finger is drawing back on the trigger. As long as it's not a rimfire or a old spur hammer. Aim at a spot on the wall and dry fire it you can catch a finger problem easily that way. Also you can drag your finger on the bottom of the trigger guard you may find it fixes the issue. Most of all the trigger finger needs to travel straight rearward.

 

[ccuney]

And be sure your using the Middle Of the 1st pad of your finger.

 

[mpd]

Too little trigger pull? I'd typically describe that as too much finger on the trigger.

You have to be careful with those charts that say where you're hitting and what you're doing wrong.

First, make sure your sights are lined up, and not drifting over side to side.
Next, make sure you are squeezing the trigger backward, and not yanking it to one side or the other.

This is the chart you're probably looking at. (For Right Handers)

This is the one I prefer.

You also have to make sure you aren't moving your torso or your hand is moving at the wrist.

Yes thats the exactly what I was looking at.

I've looked at a couple videos online -- few mentioned practicing with a dry shot.

 

[BDS JIN]

This is the chart you're probably looking at. (For Right Handers)

This is the one I prefer.

You also have to make sure you aren't moving your torso or your hand is moving at the wrist.

Dam.........this chart is great!!

 

[actaeon277]

Dam.........this chart is great!!

Which one?
And like I said, you have to be careful. It is overly simplified, and may not point to your problem.
And leftys would have to reverse it left-right.

 

[BDS JIN]

Which one?
And like I said, you have to be careful. It is overly simplified, and may not point to your problem.
And leftys would have to reverse it left-right.

Of course the bottom one. It is very true.

 

[rhino]

Just got back from the range. Much of my shooting is hitting to the left. According to various other online search I have seen the issue being too little trigger pull. How do you fix that issue? Pulling the trigger faster?

Ultimately, the problem is that you're not pressing the trigger directly to the rear without disturbing the alignment of the gun until after the bullet exits the barrel.

There are a variety of causes (and fixes), but pulling the trigger faster is not likely to help. In most cases, it's probably going to make it worse. Diagnosing what you're doing would require watching you shoot, but here are some general tips that might help:

• Make sure you have a good sight picture
• As you decide to press the trigger, make sure you visual focus is on the front sight (not the target), preferably the top edge.
• Touch the trigger with the pad of your trigger finger and press just hard enough to take up an slack/pretravel. If you're shooting a 1911, there won't be much if any. If you're shooting a Glock or other striker fired gun, there will be a significant amount of pretravel until you feel greater resistance when the trigger is about to "break."
• Keep pressing the trigger directly to the rear until it "breaks" (if you're doing live fire, the round will ignite), while at the same time maintaining your visual focus on the front sight.
• Call the shot . . . since you're still looking at the front sight, watch it rise from the rear notch as the gun is in recoil. When you can see the front sight lift directly in front of where you intended your bullet to impact, you know the gun was aligned properly when the bullet exited the barrel and it will hit where you intended (or at least very close to it).
• When you let the trigger reset, do not be in a hurry to chuck your finger off of the trigger. Doing so can actually disturb the alignment of the gun during that brief time between when you press the trigger and when the bullet has actually exited the barrel. If you're shooting a Glock-alike, let the trigger move forward just enough to reset.

Trigger control is the key. Some will assert that "grip doesn't matter" for accuracy, but you may find that adjusting your grip facilitates your ability to press the trigger directly to the rear without disturbing the alignment of the gun. This is especially true if you have small hands and/or short fingers. Try to repeat what Coach showed you about your grip last Saturday.

 

[lovemachine]

I think I solved my shooting to the left problem by changing my grip and what part of my trigger finger touches the trigger.

My NEW problem is that my shots are low. I've found I have to aim above the bullseye just to hit it now.

What am I doing wrong? How can I remedy this?

 

[BE Mike]

I think I solved my shooting to the left problem by changing my grip and what part of my trigger finger touches the trigger.

My NEW problem is that my shots are low. I've found I have to aim above the bullseye just to hit it now.

What am I doing wrong? How can I remedy this?

You are anticipating recoil and leaning into the pistol as you shoot it. Good trigger control will eliminate most problems. By that I mean, you apply steadily increasing pressure on the trigger until the handgun fires. When you apply too much pressure too quickly, you "MAKE" the gun fire, instead of letting it fire. When you do this you anticipate the recoil. Also consider follow through. You need to read up on some basic fundamentals of handgun marksmanship. There are some really good books out there. One, although written quite a while ago, but still is valid is "The Pistol Shooter's Treasury". You should be able to find a copy for about six bucks. The way you are going about this now is blindly shooting and trying to correct incorrect procedures. That way, you can develop bad habits and then later have to break them. It is far easier to learn what you are supposed to do first and then attempt to perform. If you ingrain the proper marksmanship fundamentals, you can learn to shoot accurately at distances that most on here will never dream of shooting. Learning this skill takes some time and effort. Once you have developed the fundamentals of marksmanship, then train for drawing, speed, magazine exchanges and clearing jams.

 

[rhino]

I think I solved my shooting to the left problem by changing my grip and what part of my trigger finger touches the trigger.

My NEW problem is that my shots are low. I've found I have to aim above the bullseye just to hit it now.

What am I doing wrong? How can I remedy this?

What you're doing wrong: you never go to the range with me when talk about it
How you can remedy this: actually go to the range with me and I'll help you

 

[Jeremy1066]

Anytime I am shooting to the left its because I have too much finger on the trigger (usually on Gen3 Glocks where I can't make the grip wider).

 

[Bigtanker]

[video=youtube_share;ebRQY1ts0yE]http://youtu.be/ebRQY1ts0yE[/video]

The reason I posted this is the empty case on the front sight. I was taught to use a penny. If it falls off when you pull the trigger, you are pushing/pulling in the opposite direction the penny fell off of.

 

[lovemachine]

What you're doing wrong: you never go to the range with me when talk about it
How you can remedy this: actually go to the range with me and I'll help you

"Hangs head in shame". I've been a bad boy....

 

[mpd]

Ultimately, the problem is that you're not pressing the trigger directly to the rear without disturbing the alignment of the gun until after the bullet exits the barrel.

There are a variety of causes (and fixes), but pulling the trigger faster is not likely to help. In most cases, it's probably going to make it worse. Diagnosing what you're doing would require watching you shoot, but here are some general tips that might help:

• Make sure you have a good sight picture
• As you decide to press the trigger, make sure you visual focus is on the front sight (not the target), preferably the top edge.
• Touch the trigger with the pad of your trigger finger and press just hard enough to take up an slack/pretravel. If you're shooting a 1911, there won't be much if any. If you're shooting a Glock or other striker fired gun, there will be a significant amount of pretravel until you feel greater resistance when the trigger is about to "break."
• Keep pressing the trigger directly to the rear until it "breaks" (if you're doing live fire, the round will ignite), while at the same time maintaining your visual focus on the front sight.
• Call the shot . . . since you're still looking at the front sight, watch it rise from the rear notch as the gun is in recoil. When you can see the front sight lift directly in front of where you intended your bullet to impact, you know the gun was aligned properly when the bullet exited the barrel and it will hit where you intended (or at least very close to it).
• When you let the trigger reset, do not be in a hurry to chuck your finger off of the trigger. Doing so can actually disturb the alignment of the gun during that brief time between when you press the trigger and when the bullet has actually exited the barrel. If you're shooting a Glock-alike, let the trigger move forward just enough to reset.

Trigger control is the key. Some will assert that "grip doesn't matter" for accuracy, but you may find that adjusting your grip facilitates your ability to press the trigger directly to the rear without disturbing the alignment of the gun. This is especially true if you have small hands and/or short fingers. Try to repeat what Coach showed you about your grip last Saturday.

Thanks for the advice. I plan on going to the range this weekend giving another shot with your advice. I need more practice of calling your shot.

 

[Chance]

Go buy a spring air-soft pistol and practice grip/trigger pull at home. This is an inexpensive way to experiment with grip and trigger and then perfect your hold. I have been doing this and pull the trigger on it 60-100 times most days. Has made a big difference in group sizes.