How much does the quality of the ammo affect accuracy in a handgun @15 yards?

[PolsVoice]

I'm curious as to how much ammo quality affect accuracy at 15 yards. I'm a little new to handguns in general and have put a total of 2000 rounds through my XD so far.

I bought a 1500 rounds of dirt cheap (read $7.49/50rd) Monarch ammo last month and have been using it for plinking at the range all month. After shooting through it all, I've found that I'm still making an 8"-10" grouping at 15 yards. I'd like to get to a 2"-4" grouping at that distance but I'm unsure how much of the problem is me and how much is the ammo or the gun itself (stock XD9 4").

I'm trying to be consistent with my grip, arm and hand tension, sight picture, breathing and trigger squeeze. I'm also paying attention to my stance and how my weight is distributed on my feet.

Is it me, the ammo, or the gun?

[primeduck]

Start out at 3yds, then 5, then 10, then 15, & see how you do. Get the aim/sight picture up close, then see if you need to adjust as you get further out. If you can get tight groups at the closer yardages, as you increase you should still be able to with practice.

[Centerfire]

I got my XD40 Service beginning of January, been shooting a few times per month since then, total of about 2k rounds through it now. All ammo has been either WWB or Blazer Brass (the cheapest stuff I can find).

When I started, I was happy to get a 9" grouping at 7 yards (10 shots at a time...) Then 5"...

Went to the range yesterday and shot 70 rounds (10 at a time) at 9yards. got 9 out of 10 in a 3" group on each magazine (i.e., about one flier per magazine - my fault, not the gun or ammo...). For the hell of it, decided to shoot my 3" orange stickers at 15 yards. Was getting 8 out of 10 on the sticker consistently (3-4 magazines).

I'm happy with 3" groups at 15 yards with cheap ammo. I too am interested in what kind of accuracy increase I'll see with better ammo - but unless I'm shooting from a bench, I'm not sure I'll be able to conclude that any improvement on a 3" group at 15 yards is due to the ammo...

~ Centerfire

[GunnBugg]

You need a good control group to answer your question. It's hard to say what part of the variance is skill, or lack of skill, and what part of the variance is due to the ammo. Get a few different kinds of HQ ammo and give it a try.....or get a really good shooter ( I usually rely on USMC0802 for this) that you know has high skill levels and see what he does with that ammo vice his normal load.

Sorry, it's just not a question you can definitively answer off hand, so to speak. Yes ammo can make a large difference, but it's hard to tell which of the variables is causing the variance.

[invssgt]

Next to none. Marbles shot through a waterpipe with black powder will stay 3" or so inches at 15 yards, if the charges & patching are consistent and the pipe is locked in a vise. Same for a smoothbore BB gun

My suggestion is to work from the bench for awhile and concentrate on marksmanship basics. You'll be able to tell when it all comes together...then all you have to do is learn how to master it while standing on your hind legs at 2-3 times that distance.

That my friend is what keeps this shooting stuff interesting.

[Centerfire]

Originally Posted by invssgt

...then all you have to do is learn how to master it while standing on your hind legs

As opposed to standing on your front legs...?

[Edubya]

Originally Posted by PolsVoice

I'm curious as to how much ammo quality affect accuracy at 15 yards. I'm a little new to handguns in general and have put a total of 2000 rounds through my XD so far.

I bought a 1500 rounds of dirt cheap (read $7.49/50rd) Monarch ammo last month and have been using it for plinking at the range all month. After shooting through it all, I've found that I'm still making an 8"-10" grouping at 15 yards. I'd like to get to a 2"-4" grouping at that distance but I'm unsure how much of the problem is me and how much is the ammo or the gun itself (stock XD9 4").

I'm trying to be consistent with my grip, arm and hand tension, sight picture, breathing and trigger squeeze. I'm also paying attention to my stance and how my weight is distributed on my feet.

Is it me, the ammo, or the gun?

Do all of those preliminaries, as well as trigger pull in dry-fire practice 1500 more times, keep both eyes open throughout your practice.

Go back to the range and impress yourself, everyone else is there to do the same. Don't be worrying about what the other guy thinks of your shooting skill. It's a mental game too. If your mind even flashes a thought of, "what will he think", your muscles will react in a manner that is not conducive to smooth, trained action. Call it "Zen of shooting" or call it "hogwash", but you'll find yourself shooting best when you're all alone away from any possible spectators and no one to report your skills to.

Sometimes the most simple is the most accurate idea.

[fredj338]

Originally Posted by invssgt

Next to none. Marbles shot through a waterpipe with black powder will stay 3" or so inches at 15 yards, if the charges & patching are consistent and the pipe is locked in a vise. Same for a smoothbore BB gun
That my friend is what keeps this shooting stuff interesting.

I'll have to respectfully disagree. Bad ammo can shoot very poorly. Even 8"-10". Good ammo can certainly turn in sub 1" groups @ 15yds in a good pistol w/ a good shooter. Example, not that 155grWWSTHP is bad ammo, but my USP40 will not print them much tighter than 3" @ 15yds benched. I can get under 1 1/2" offhand w/ Rem 165grGS. So while ammo can make a diff. it's mostly the shooter & pistol.
So PV, how were you shooting before you started w/ the Monarch? What were you shooting before & how were you shooting? There is little reason for you to be shooting @ 15yds or farther until you have mastered the basic of sights/grip & trigger. Do all your shooting at 7yds. When you can put them all under 2", then move off to 15yds. Shoot slow, you are learning. Speed & multiple shots can come later when you have the basics down. Your goal of 3"-4" is certainly attainable.

[rickett]

A good dry fire drill for grip/sight/trigger practice is to hold your muzzle about an inch or two off the wall (preferably textured surface) and with your eyes on the front sight, slowly squeeze the trigger, taking care to hold the sight picture throughout the range of the trigger pull. Standing so close to the wall, you'll be able to see the slightest muzzle movement while you squeeze the trigger. The more you do this, the less likely you are to jerk or move the gun when you're actually shooting.

[PolsVoice]

Originally Posted by fredj338

So PV, how were you shooting before you started w/ the Monarch? What were you shooting before & how were you shooting?.

Well, I wasn't shooting much at all, so there is no real comparison, unfortunately.