pistol accuracy question

[the1kidd03]

Ill give that a try. many years ago I was told to keep my elbows bent to use my arms as shock absorbers.

thanks

Just like rifle stances, the key is eliminating muscle movement and trying to build a solid support. Typically, in free hand positions you must create bone structure support. If your elbows are bent, you're relying on muscles to control the position of the gun (and its sights) rather than building bone structure support (such as having elbows locked out).

It can be a bit of an adjustment for people used to shooting another method, but typically if they keep at it they improve. I remember when I first started with pistols I couldn't hit from any form of the weaver stance (elbows bent). I can now, but not nearly as easily/accurately. Good luck, glad to help.

 

[42769vette]

Sound close. I work today and we have some at the station if you want me to measure

you dont have to, I was just looking for a ballpark

 

[Leo]

I can reliably hold the 8 ring on a B-16 target at 50 feet with about any pistol I own. That ring is 3-3/4 inches. With my better tuned pistols having good target sights and good triggers, I can reliably score the 9 ring which is 2-1/2 inches, with a strong favor to the center. I hold modified Isosceles, that is my right arm straight, body angled and left arm bent. The 10 ring on that target is 1-1/2 inches, And I have seen real bullseye shooters clean that target over 1/2 the time with a one handed regulation hold. I never was able to achieve that level. It is very difficult, but those competitors are very disciplined.

 

[gregkl]

Cross eye dominant?

I am. How will that affect shooting and how should one compensate for it. I am right handed, left eye dominant.

And Alan, I shoot groups about like you(maybe not as good) so you are not alone.

 

[the1kidd03]

I am. How will that affect shooting and how should one compensate for it. I am right handed, left eye dominant.

And Alan, I shoot groups about like you(maybe not as good) so you are not alone.

I'm not, so my experience in being able to help will be more limited than others. My wife is, and I must work with her quite a bit to get her where she wants to be but just as anything, you're limited in knowledge without true experience.

Anyhow, typically it involves a slight rotation or tilt of the head to align your dominant eye with the sights depending on the shooting position you're doing. If isoceles, slightly turn the head to align the proper eye. If weaver, slightly tilt the head.

 

[ryan3030]

I get 6-8" groups at 17 yards for normal shooting usually, I know I suck. If I take my time with my 1911 I can get 3" groups at that range.

I'll have to test my 10 yard groups this weekend. I'd guess probably 3-4" for me.

Those figures are with WWB ammo. With reloads that my handgun likes, from a rest, it'll do less than 1" groups at 17 yards. You can see where the weak link is in this chain (hint: shooter)

 

[gregkl]

I'm not, so my experience in being able to help will be more limited than others. My wife is, and I must work with her quite a bit to get her where she wants to be but just as anything, you're limited in knowledge without true experience.

Anyhow, typically it involves a slight rotation or tilt of the head to align your dominant eye with the sights depending on the shooting position you're doing. If isoceles, slightly turn the head to align the proper eye. If weaver, slightly tilt the head.

Thanks. Do you think it would help if I put a piece of cellophane tape over my right lens?

 

[the1kidd03]

Thanks. Do you think it would help if I put a piece of cellophane tape over my right lens?

Yes and no. Depends on the shooter. Won't hurt to try.

I've actually heard people who've tried it two different ways. One, to cover your dominant eye and attempt to "re-train" your brain. The other, was to cover the non-dominant eye obviously.

My wife utilized it for a bit, but if you're a squinter/single eye user it won't matter too much because you'll be closing the eye you're not using anyhow. Different people recommend different things in regards to single eye or both eyes open. Different things work better in different contexts and for different people. For me, I find myself to be squinting the non-dominant eye mostly, perhaps partially open. Then again, I'm not cross eye dominant either.

Your body uses one eye for alignment purposes. The use of two eyes is to have two points of reference so that your brain can judge distance, so it's not entirely necessary to have both eyes open for just plinking at paper. Closing one does narrow your vision however, so it's not always recommended if your clearing a building or something similar.

 

[Bigtanker]

Probability the best advice you can get on any forum, find a good instructor to see what you're doing wrong and how to correct it. Back to the basics. That should help.

And maybe you can somehow find somebody to help you with some better sights on you gun. That might help too! (Purple implied)

 

[42769vette]

Probability the best advice you can get on any forum, find a good instructor to see what you're doing wrong and how to correct it. Back to the basics. That should help.

And maybe you can somehow find somebody to help you with some better sights on you gun. That might help too!

That is probably the best bet. Just get a expert and do it right. On my pistols I have trijicon night sights on a couple, and williams taget sights on another.

 

[the1kidd03]

That is probably the best bet. Just get a expert and do it right. On my pistols I have trijicon night sights on a couple, and williams taget sights on another.

What defines "expert?"

 

[the1kidd03]

Probability the best advice you can get on any forum, find a good instructor to see what you're doing wrong and how to correct it. Back to the basics. That should help.

And maybe you can somehow find somebody to help you with some better sights on you gun. That might help too!

How does one know who or what a "good" instructor is?

 

[gregkl]

Probability the best advice you can get on any forum, find a good instructor to see what you're doing wrong and how to correct it. Back to the basics. That should help.

And maybe you can somehow find somebody to help you with some better sights on you gun. That might help too!

How does one know who or what a "good" instructor is?-Ditto this from above!

This is right on. I am going back and working on fundamentals; stance, grip, sight picture, etc.

I am also going to put a FO front sight on my pistol. I just can't pick up the night sight that came on the pistol. The FO sight on my Ruger MKII is night and day difference!

 

[Leo]

Some of pistol skills can be done at home without ammo. Those hardcore bullseye guys would spend massive amounts of time, every week dry firing into snap caps in front of a mirror. They would hold that pistol in sighting position until their arms would ache. Tying extra weight to ones wrist was popular.

Sight alignment
target picture
breath control
trigger control
and recoil control. The first 4 can all be learned with dryfiring.

Good Luck

 

[iChokePeople]

How does one know who or what a "good" instructor is?

Youtube. Sheesh, you new around here?

 

[the1kidd03]

Youtube. Sheesh, you new around here?

 

[BE Mike]

Of course you said polymer pistol, but I don't usually shoot any pistol at much less than 25 yards or 50 feet when shooting indoors. At ten meters, I shot this target with my air pistol, the other day. Oh, yeah, it was with one hand. Don't get me wrong, there are other shooters who can shoot a lot better than me. I'm just trying to show what can be expected with proper sight alignment and trigger control.

 

[concrete dog]

Mine usually all land in the state of Indiana.

I will also have to go with this. Maybe a few stray into Michigan, cause I don't get to shoot much...

 

[Leo]

BEMike, nice job. People laughed at me when I bought a Feinwerkbau air rifle. They laughed at me when I bought a IMZH 46M air pistol. Training daily with that rifle got my highpower rifle offhand scores up to pretty respectable levels. The air pistol got my handgun skills up. Of course, air guns are just toys for kids right?

 

[rockhopper46038]

I just placed an order for an airsoft 1911 copy just to keep working on those sight acquisition and trigger press skills...