Accuracy problem

[bountyhunter]

Trigger control is 99.999999% of accuracy.

Also, you likely have the newbie curse of watching the sights and then yanking the trigger when they are "perfect".

In reality, the sight alignment causes far less accuracy loss than yanking the trigger.

[Puppy]

Look on the internet for targets. You can find some which shows what you might be doing wrong for each segment of the target. If your shots you ow, it's one thing if they bo high right it's something else. I use them and even found one for lefties like me. (Turns out as you might expect just the opposite from right handers.)

Let me know i f you can'tfind them and I will dig out the info for you.

[ChessRat]

I would tend to agree with BH, you are probably jerking the trigger. This will obviously send your bullets everywhere but where you aimed since you are moving the gun away from where you originally started.

The second thing would be that you are probably flinching/anticipating the round being fired. This would explain why your groups got better with the rapid fire... you didn't have the time to flinch or anticipate the next shot. The dummy rounds as suggested will really expose this. You will be amazed at how much you flinch.... don't worry, everyone did/does it.... the key is admitting to it and addressing it as you are now doing.

Keep practicing.

[Paul]

Pull the trigger straight back.

[Mephis]

Originally Posted by Bucc5207

Can anyone offer me some advice to get over a marksmanship plateau?

I started shooting in February, so of course I'm no ace. I shoot a hundred rounds a week or so, but I'm not improving. At 7 yds, I get groups about a foot tall and 4-5" across. I'm shooting a new XD9 Tactical, with the thumbs-forward grip. I use the 'flying thumbs' variation, or else my right thumb interferes with the slide release. I should also note that I am somewhat nearsighted. I shoot without my prescription, so I can clearly see the front sight. At 7yds, I can see the target, but I can't see the bullet holes.

It seems the more carefully I aim, the worse I shoot. Last time out, I thought I'd see how much worse it got if I went real fast. So I emptied a mag, firing each round as soon as the sights realigned. This came out maybe a little faster than 1 rd/sec, but slower than 2 rd/sec. The result was about a 6" group, round rather than elongated. I shot another batch slow, with the same old crappy results. Then I shot another batch fast and got another 6" group.

Has anyone else experienced this faster-is-better phenomenon? What can I learn from it that will help me improve overall?

I shoot maybe twice a year and at 7 yards I shot a dime sized group without trying with my XD40. I wasn't taking any time between shots either.

Your trigger pull must really just be awful or you must have a severely defective weapon. Even at 25 yards I can group better than that.

And faster is easier, sitting and trying to decide when to pull the trigger kills your accuracy, it's much easier if you just press the trigger every time the sights align without hesitating.

[GimmieBoost]

This may help.


http://www.giwera.pl/pliki/pmtg.pdf

[sloopy70]

Originally Posted by Mephis

I shoot maybe twice a year and at 7 yards I shot a dime sized group without trying with my XD40. I wasn't taking any time between shots either.

Your trigger pull must really just be awful or you must have a severely defective weapon. Even at 25 yards I can group better than that.

And faster is easier, sitting and trying to decide when to pull the trigger kills your accuracy, it's much easier if you just press the trigger every time the sights align without hesitating.

I believe you may be exagerating a little bit, OR VERY VERY talented... even at 7 yards shooting a "dime sized group" rapid fire is a Grand Master level skill... also with shooting better than 6" groups at 25 yards with only shooting twice a year is pushing it too... AND faster is not easier... I'm not sure where you get all this, but it goes against alot of what many professionals teach... But if you are as talented as you say you should be competing in the big uspsa matches or at the nationals... Sorry to sorta call BS here, but thats just some fantastical stuff your saying...

[LKB3rd]

Originally Posted by sloopy70

Sounds like you needa do alot of dryfire, to get your trigger control down... thats all I can imagine... also get someone to load some dummy rounds (I've used empty cases before...) somewhere in the mag, then see what happens when you go to fire the dummy round...

I had someone help me because i have been firing low and to the right by around 6 inches or so. I shoot lefty. My groups are pretty decent, but they aren't going where i aim. He loaded a dummy round in my magazine and when i got to it, i pushed down and to the right, anticipating the recoil.
I have started practicing loading 5 or even 3 live rounds, firing them, then dry firing ten times, concentrating on my trigger pull and not pushing down and to the right. I have been improving a lot doing this.

[Bilt4Comfort]

Originally Posted by Mephis

I shoot maybe twice a year and at 7 yards I shot a dime sized group without trying with my XD40. I wasn't taking any time between shots either.

Your trigger pull must really just be awful or you must have a severely defective weapon. Even at 25 yards I can group better than that.

And faster is easier, sitting and trying to decide when to pull the trigger kills your accuracy, it's much easier if you just press the trigger every time the sights align without hesitating.

Originally Posted by sloopy70

I believe you may be exagerating a little bit, OR VERY VERY talented... even at 7 yards shooting a "dime sized group" rapid fire is a Grand Master level skill... also with shooting better than 6" groups at 25 yards with only shooting twice a year is pushing it too... AND faster is not easier... I'm not sure where you get all this, but it goes against alot of what many professionals teach... But if you are as talented as you say you should be competing in the big uspsa matches or at the nationals... Sorry to sorta call BS here, but thats just some fantastical stuff your saying...

Yeah, this was not the first time I've seen a post like this from this member.
I would bet that if you search his recent posts, you may find several more like it. He's either 12 and his daddy doesn't pay enough attention to him or he's got some insecurity issues.

To the OP, the rest of the advice you've gotten in this thread should be helpful. I'm sure you've already figured out what "mephis"??? is about.

Good luck.

[robinsre]

I can shoot a dime sized group with my my 9mm.








Granted, it's a one shot group.....and it's generally somewhere off center of the target.....but still!