Help me shoot better (XD9) - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

semi · 06-08-2005, 12:09 PM

i finally got to shoot my XD9 that i just purchased. I must say, this gun is so comfortable in my hand it's weird. And to be quite honest, the recoil is almost nothing compared to my other 9mm. Don't know why or how since it's lighter but it almost made me think the loads i was using were weak. I was using CCI Blazers which i am sure was normal ammo.

My problem is, i was not accurate with this gun. I know there is a learning curve for any new gun but i couldn't shoot a paper plate at 30 feet more then twice out of 10 bullets. I was aiming properly etc, using the 6 o'clock site but for some reason i couldn't hit the target. I noticed that the trigger could be part of the problem causing the gun to move during fire. But i need some advice from the experts here. Can anyone help me out with some tips to be more accurate with my XD9? i plan to practice a whole lot more, which i know will help, but could this trigger scenerio be true?

astral · 06-08-2005, 12:42 PM

shooting 6 o'clock? why? where were the rounds going in relation to the paper? below it?

semi · 06-08-2005, 12:47 PM

the manual states that the springfield XD9 uses the 6 o'clock position for sighting. front sight just below the bullseye. Yes, the rounds seemed low to the target. Even when i lined up the sights at center instead of 6 o'clock.

therooster · 06-08-2005, 01:12 PM

here is what you need to do....

get a target and set it up at 7 yrds. try to shoot the tightest group you can(5-10 rounds), aiming only at the center of the target or the "bullseye".

post a pic of the target (prefered) or tell us where you were hitting... then we can tell you what your doing wrong and how you can fix it.

o yeah... and your right, the XD requires a 6 O'clock sight picture.

RonS · 06-08-2005, 02:04 PM

If your XD is like mine, it has a good bit of movement in the trigger after it releases, which screws up your follow through. I have to work extra hard to control the trigger on my XD to avoid jerking the gun as the trigger releases. Make sure you are using a good two hand hold, pay careful attention to the trigger as you fire and practice a lot. After you get comfortable with it you may need to send it to SA or a smith for an overtravel reduction trigger job. For what it is worth, I consider the factory trigger as light as I want on a sidearm, so when I have mine done, I plan to specify that the trigger pull not be reduced, just the overtravel removed.

Keep shooting, XDs seem to have excellent accuracy, just takes a little work to get there.

Oh, shoot at a good size piece of paper with an central aiming point and see where the shots group. Low and left is a good indication of trigger jerk. Don't try to compensate for where the shots go, just pick an aiming point and concentrate on holding the same sight picture for about a magazine or so of slow, aimed fire, where the shots go will be a pretty good indication of where the problem lies. Most accuracy problems that I have seen or experienced are trigger related in some way.

NMshooter · 06-08-2005, 08:30 PM

I would suggest dry firing with an unloaded weapon and in a safe area. Pick a very small spot to aim at, and practice squeezing the trigger while holding a good sight picture. I even went as far as trying the old trick of balancing a dime on the front sight as I pulled the trigger. When you can do this while remaing on target and not having the dime fall, I think that you will notice the improvement on the range.

06-08-2005, 12:09 PM	#1
semi XDTalk Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 33	Help me shoot better (XD9) i finally got to shoot my XD9 that i just purchased. I must say, this gun is so comfortable in my hand it's weird. And to be quite honest, the recoil is almost nothing compared to my other 9mm. Don't know why or how since it's lighter but it almost made me think the loads i was using were weak. I was using CCI Blazers which i am sure was normal ammo. My problem is, i was not accurate with this gun. I know there is a learning curve for any new gun but i couldn't shoot a paper plate at 30 feet more then twice out of 10 bullets. I was aiming properly etc, using the 6 o'clock site but for some reason i couldn't hit the target. I noticed that the trigger could be part of the problem causing the gun to move during fire. But i need some advice from the experts here. Can anyone help me out with some tips to be more accurate with my XD9? i plan to practice a whole lot more, which i know will help, but could this trigger scenerio be true?

06-08-2005, 12:42 PM	#2
astral XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 350	shooting 6 o'clock? why? where were the rounds going in relation to the paper? below it? __________________ XD9 Service Taurus 85 Glock 22 Glock 27 Savage 93r17 DPMS AR15 flattop Ruger 10/22 Yugo SKS Egyptian AK47 Charles Daly 12 gauge semi auto Remington 870 express 12ga folding stock

06-08-2005, 08:30 PM	#6
NMshooter XDTalk Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Hobbs, NM Posts: 46	I would suggest dry firing with an unloaded weapon and in a safe area. Pick a very small spot to aim at, and practice squeezing the trigger while holding a good sight picture. I even went as far as trying the old trick of balancing a dime on the front sight as I pulled the trigger. When you can do this while remaing on target and not having the dime fall, I think that you will notice the improvement on the range. __________________ Not all who wander are lost.

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06-08-2005, 12:47 PM	#3
semi XDTalk Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 33	the manual states that the springfield XD9 uses the 6 o'clock position for sighting. front sight just below the bullseye. Yes, the rounds seemed low to the target. Even when i lined up the sights at center instead of 6 o'clock.

06-08-2005, 01:12 PM	#4
therooster XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: houston TX Posts: 1,669	here is what you need to do.... get a target and set it up at 7 yrds. try to shoot the tightest group you can(5-10 rounds), aiming only at the center of the target or the "bullseye". post a pic of the target (prefered) or tell us where you were hitting... then we can tell you what your doing wrong and how you can fix it. o yeah... and your right, the XD requires a 6 O'clock sight picture.

06-08-2005, 02:04 PM	#5
RonS XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 179	If your XD is like mine, it has a good bit of movement in the trigger after it releases, which screws up your follow through. I have to work extra hard to control the trigger on my XD to avoid jerking the gun as the trigger releases. Make sure you are using a good two hand hold, pay careful attention to the trigger as you fire and practice a lot. After you get comfortable with it you may need to send it to SA or a smith for an overtravel reduction trigger job. For what it is worth, I consider the factory trigger as light as I want on a sidearm, so when I have mine done, I plan to specify that the trigger pull not be reduced, just the overtravel removed. Keep shooting, XDs seem to have excellent accuracy, just takes a little work to get there. Oh, shoot at a good size piece of paper with an central aiming point and see where the shots group. Low and left is a good indication of trigger jerk. Don't try to compensate for where the shots go, just pick an aiming point and concentrate on holding the same sight picture for about a magazine or so of slow, aimed fire, where the shots go will be a pretty good indication of where the problem lies. Most accuracy problems that I have seen or experienced are trigger related in some way.