Shooting low - Help a noobie!

[photoshooter]

Fourth trip out with my Buckmark .22

DANG! I've got a decent grouping for only being a first year shooter with pistols.

Problem is, I'm 3 inches below the target.

Last trip to the range, I was low and to the left about 3 inches each direction.

Today, about 50 rounds through at 15 yds - factory sights - no adjustments made and I'm still low.

Today, I concentrated on working to correct the left drift.
- pad of the finger on the trigger
- breathe, pause, squeeze

I've noticed that I tend to shoot low at 15 yards no matter which gun I'm using: Ruger SB9, Taurus PT709 or Buckmark.

With the Buckmark .22 I'm about an extra inch lower than with the 9s. But, I didn't think to bring a 9mm today to see if it was about the same across the pistols

What do I need to be watching for?

 

[Dashman010]

Fair guess, you are flinching just before you pull the trigger anticipating the recoil. Now, with a .22, there shouldn't be much if any, but still, at the very last second, you're likely pushing the gun just a touch downward, making you shoot low. Keep your off hand grip strong, and work with dry firing the gun with a quarter on top of the slide(may have to use your 9). The quarter shouldn't fall off. My

 

[Biohazard]

Are you directly at 6 o'clock?

If so, are you able to see where the hole is as soon as you fire? In other words, do you shoot then immediately see that you are grouped at 6 o'clock?

 

[photoshooter]

Are you directly at 6 o'clock?

If so, are you able to see where the hole is as soon as you fire? In other words, do you shoot then immediately see that you are grouped at 6 o'clock?

Immediately???? not sure
Very soon - yes.

I was working on Left/Right, so I was paying attention to each result. I not sure how much was a conscious effort to find the hole vs doing something wrong.

 

[Biohazard]

Are you directly at 6 o'clock?

?

ETA:
If you are directly at 6 o'clock, the cause 98% of the time is that the shooter is looking to see where the shot went. In other words, the shooter shoots, then immediately wants to see where the shot went. The issue is that when this happens, the pistol actually drops while the bullet is traveling down and exiting the barrel resulting in shots grouping at 6. The cure is to focus on the front sight, fire, then immediately focus on the front sight again trusting the bullet and pistol to do their job. You should not be able to see the hole until you come to a low ready and actually look at the target.

Without actually being there to see what's happening, diagnosing online is almost impossible. All you can do is go by what the majority of peoples' problem is for that particular situation.

Hope this helps.

 

[mk2ja]

In addition to the suggestions about anticipation or trying to check your shot too soon, it might also be your sight picture that needs adjusting. Check the manual that came with your weapon; my XD's manual had a note about what the sight picture should look like and where, vertically, you should aim depending on the distance. Can't hurt to check that out, too.

 

[AllenM]

three words, Dry Fire Practice

 

[mk2ja]

three words, Dry Fire Practice

That was 5 words.

 

[AllenM]

three words after the two words

 

[sloughfoot]

The most important 3 words in all of shootingdom.

Rep on the way AllenM....

 

[Jack Ryan]

Fourth trip out with my Buckmark .22

DANG! I've got a decent grouping for only being a first year shooter with pistols.

Problem is, I'm 3 inches below the target.

Shoot a 10 shot group off a rest at the same distance, same sight picture.

If it's still 3 inches low adjust your sights. If it's not... every thing they said.

 

[thompal]

Fourth trip out with my Buckmark .22

DANG! I've got a decent grouping for only being a first year shooter with pistols.

Problem is, I'm 3 inches below the target.

Last trip to the range, I was low and to the left about 3 inches each direction.

Today, about 50 rounds through at 15 yds - factory sights - no adjustments made and I'm still low.

Today, I concentrated on working to correct the left drift.
- pad of the finger on the trigger
- breathe, pause, squeeze

I've noticed that I tend to shoot low at 15 yards no matter which gun I'm using: Ruger SB9, Taurus PT709 or Buckmark.

With the Buckmark .22 I'm about an extra inch lower than with the 9s. But, I didn't think to bring a 9mm today to see if it was about the same across the pistols

What do I need to be watching for?

It could be a few things.

Since it happens with all of your pistols, it has to be either your grip/trigger pull, or your sight picture.

Are you focusing on the front sight at all times? Is the top of the front sight blade lined up with the top of the rear sight? Are you aiming at the center of the target?

Do you, by chance, wear glasses? Bifocals perhaps? I started pistol shooting again after a few years break, and was shooting good groups, but consistently low. It was because I had to hold my head at a really odd (and uncomfortable) angle to get the front sight in focus. I bought some cheap reading glasses that allow me to focus at arm's length, and the problem rectified itself.

Are you gently squeezing the trigger, or do you unknowingly 'mash' it. That could cause you to shoot low.

Also, which sights are on your Taurus. Some of the Taurus sights actually have a point of impact that are "behind" the dot on the front sight, rather than a point on top of the front sight blade.

 

[photoshooter]

...
Are you focusing on the front sight at all times? Is the top of the front sight blade lined up with the top of the rear sight? Are you aiming at the center of the target?

Most of the time on the front. I do occasionally catch myself focusing on the back sight.

Do you, by chance, wear glasses? Bifocals perhaps? I started pistol shooting again after a few years break, and was shooting good groups, but consistently low. It was because I had to hold my head at a really odd (and uncomfortable) angle to get the front sight in focus. I bought some cheap reading glasses that allow me to focus at arm's length, and the problem rectified itself.

Yes to bifocals... but I'm also a pro photographer. I've got the focus point for the bifocal part fairly low on my lens. That allows me more room at the top of the lens for seeing through the viewfinder.

Are you gently squeezing the trigger, or do you unknowingly 'mash' it. That could cause you to shoot low.

I've been gently squeezing a camera's shutter release daily for over 20 years. No mash here. I do have to watch my finger position. I tend to put the trigger into the crease. Today I was working on pad on the trigger, keeping the sight centered. I'm noticing when I pull to the left.

Also, which sights are on your Taurus. Some of the Taurus sights actually have a point of impact that are "behind" the dot on the front sight, rather than a point on top of the front sight blade.

It's a PT709 slim with the factory white dot sights. I'm not sure what you're asking.

 

[HandK]

Ball and dummy is the best thing you can do to stop anticipation!! get some good dummy rounds in the caliber that you use have someone else load your mags with a mix of live and dummy rounds, then when you shoot and the gun just go's click instead of boom and the muzzle drops you get instant feedback, works every time!! Hope this helps!!

 

[Bill of Rights]

The advice you've gotten is good. For other shooting problems, this may help, too.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[Bill of Rights]

...
It's a PT709 slim with the factory white dot sights. I'm not sure what you're asking.

I think he's asking if you do a "six o clock hold" or if you hold center of mass on your target. That is, when you get a sight picture, which of these does it look like?

The rightmost is what I think he's saying your sights may be set up to do, but many places will teach you to shoot like the one on the left.

Good luck.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[mk2ja]

I think he's asking if you do a "six o clock hold" or if you hold center of mass on your target. That is, when you get a sight picture, which of these does it look like?

The rightmost is what I think he's saying your sights may be set up to do, but many places will teach you to shoot like the one on the left.

Good luck.

Blessings,
Bill

Yes, that's what we were asking. I was looking for a good pic to demonstrate that, but I couldn't find one. Good find, Bill.

 

[BE Mike]

Anticipating recoil. Fix? Ball and Dummy.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

Shooting low is a matter of flinching. An exercise I use (WITH AN UNLOADED GUN!) is to have the student squeeze the trigger and I tap the gun from underneath making the gun "recoil" I'll do this about 10 times and then I will fake them out. I move as if I am going to tap the gun but stop short. The student of course moves their hands down in ANTICIPATION of my tap. Then they understand their flinch. So we try it some more until they are just moving the trigger finger. It's all about HOLD CONTROL.

As far as shooting low and left, if you are a right handed shooter it shows that you are tightening you WHOLE GRIP as you shoot rather than just moving your trigger finger. Your pinky (I call it the pinky of death!) causes the greatest harm here, but tightening your entire grip twists the gun low and left. HOLD CONTOL HOLD CONTROL HOLD CONTROL! Your arms and hands are solid steel. You don't need a death grip either. Only the trigger finger should move. Give it a try, and good luck!

 

[zebov]

Some good recommendations here! Wish I could rep you all!