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What are the keys to being accurate with the pistol from full size to the compact?
I suck with pistols. With a full size I can probably hit the paper somewhere on it at most 10yds. I cannot be precise and cannot hit exactly where I want to at 10yds though. I am even worse with a compact pistol like the Keltec compact models. I don't think I can even hit the paper at 5yds with a compact.
I cannot figure what I am doing wrong though. I have not taken classes for pistol. I have taken classes for rifle and shotgun. Those are a lot easier to aim. What the keys points for accurate pistol shooting?
-Grip the weapon properly (get someone to help you, this can't be done over the internet any more than I can teach you to properly do a clean and snatch over the internet).
-Learn to pay attention to your sights (Again, see above. This is not as simple as it sounds, yet it is as simple as it sounds. Bruce Lee punch, here).
-Learn how to properly control recoil (You guessed it...)
Honestly? Go sign up for one of Frank Proctor's pistol classes now. It will prevent you from learning a ton of bad habits and set you on a path to righteousness. This is how I got to banging IPSC targets at 100 yards with my M&P9 and hitting pie-pans at 25 yards with this godawful little Ruger LC 380 thing with "get off me sights" that some girl brought to the range, lol.
Ask 5 different people about gbjs a d yol get 5 , totally different ideas and opinions. Sight unseen, there's just to many variables to give you a solid answer as to what's throwing you off, OP. Pistol shooting is a tough art to learn, let alone master. Best.bet, for starting out, get some good, sound instruction, from serious, dedicated shooters. The nice thing about shooting, is its an activity filled with nice people, who are more than willing to help a beginner. Then, take what you learn, find what works for you, and practice practice practice.
Techniques that work for me, may not work for you, so I'm hesitant to say much more than I have. I cut my teeth into pistol shooting very young, and I learned on Bullseye. (Lol...I can feel eyes rolling ) My "sensei" (as good a term as any) had me doing exercises for hours on end that would bore a lot of folks right out of the game. I didn't use a two handed hold till I was into my mid 20s . If I had to state what I see as constants, across the board, for proper pistol shooting, they would be breathing, sight picture, and trigger control. All come with practice, and I would pick proper breathing as number 1.
Ever notice how your heartbeat can cause your sight picture to move? Such a little thing...such a big effect. Proper breathing...very important. Dry fire practice helps a lot in those three , basic areas.
To add to the already great advice, try a gun with a laser on it, it will show you everything you are doing wrong. I put laser grips on my wife's first S&W revolver and she got to practice at home with an empty gun and then at the range she could see immediately if she jerked the trigger or pulled the gun off target. I have also taught a lot of people to correct their issues when I let them shoot one of my laser equipped handguns, then they could see right off what they were doing wrong.
Trigger control, sight alignment, a proper grip and learning not to flinch, are the main keys to accurate shooting.
-Grip the weapon properly (get someone to help you, this can't be done over the internet any more than I can teach you to properly do a clean and snatch over the internet).
-Learn to pay attention to your sights (Again, see above. This is not as simple as it sounds, yet it is as simple as it sounds. Bruce Lee punch, here).
-Learn how to properly control recoil (You guessed it...)
Honestly? Go sign up for one of Frank Proctor's pistol classes now. It will prevent you from learning a ton of bad habits and set you on a path to righteousness. This is how I got to banging IPSC targets at 100 yards with my M&P9 and hitting pie-pans at 25 yards with this godawful little Ruger LC 380 thing with "get off me sights" that some girl brought to the range, lol.
Good grip
Good sight picture, look at front sight, not target.
Slow trigger squeeze, MrsM just went to a Gabby Franco class.....biggest take-away was slow down, slow squeeze and take a breath and hold it during slow squeeze.
Good grip
Good sight picture, look at front sight, not target.
Slow trigger squeeze, MrsM just went to a Gabby Franco class.....biggest take-away was slow down, slow squeeze and take a breath and hold it during slow squeeze.
Indeed. Slow things down. Slow is smooth, with smooth comes speed. The big transition I had to make, going from Bullseye to Action, besides a two handed hold, was to slow up going target to target. Funny thing, I was better in man on man steel shooting one handed. I slowed down and went back to my roots. I can't get anyone to do a challenge , one handed, match with me in club shoots anymore. Lol, just one old Marine will take me up on it these days, and since I'm Navy trained, its a matter of honor. And good fellowship. Neither of us are chasing trophies anymore, so, sometimes we shoot old school against the ISPC youngsters that show up at our shoots for fill in trigger time.
That's a ton of fun, playing the mental game. Psyche out tactics. The game is mostly mental. Conditioning for proper pistol craft will get you Zen better than Karate or Aikido even. I call it "The Zone". And you KNOW when you're in it.
Indeed. Slow things down. Slow is smooth, with smooth comes speed. The big transition I had to make, going from Bullseye to Action, besides a two handed hold, was to slow up going target to target. Funny thing, I was better in man on man steel shooting one handed. I slowed down and went back to my roots. I can't get anyone to do a challenge , one handed, match with me in club shoots anymore. Lol, just one old Marine will take me up on it these days, and since I'm Navy trained, its a matter of honor. And good fellowship. Neither of us are chasing trophies anymore, so, sometimes we shoot old school against the ISPC youngsters that show up at our shoots for fill in trigger time.
That's a ton of fun, playing the mental game. Psyche out tactics. The game is mostly mental. Conditioning for proper pistol craft will get you Zen better than Karate or Aikido even. I call it "The Zone". And you KNOW when you're in it.
Interesting. I drive the gun as hard and fast as I can from target to target.
What are the keys to being accurate with the pistol from full size to the compact?
I suck with pistols. With a full size I can probably hit the paper somewhere on it at most 10yds. I cannot be precise and cannot hit exactly where I want to at 10yds though. I am even worse with a compact pistol like the Keltec compact models. I don't think I can even hit the paper at 5yds with a compact.
I cannot figure what I am doing wrong though. I have not taken classes for pistol. I have taken classes for rifle and shotgun. Those are a lot easier to aim. What the keys points for accurate pistol shooting?
Flinching seems to be the #1 problem with pistol accuracy. You should spend plenty of time dry-firing to train yourself against flinching.
It also helps to practice with a very small caliber pistol like a .22 that has virtually no recoil. You might want to try going down in caliber too... a 9mm is much easier to learn on than a .40 or .45.
After that, it's practice, practice practice. Nobody just picks up a pistol for the first time and starts shooting well with it... there's a definite learning curve.
The chances of me shooting a pistol well when someone is trying to kill me are slim
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Dry fire practice helps a lot in those three , basic areas.
