Sights issue, vision issue?

[mongoose33]

Got my new XD-9 today, and it's awesome.

Took it to the range for some dialing in, and while I was very happy generally with the way it performed, there's either a sight issue or a vision issue. Or both.

[Let me note: I had no experience w/ a semi before last week, so I'm the newest of newbies on that. But I can shoot and in fact the guy at the range seemed impressed by the groups I could produce at about 8 yards. I put 5 out of 5 in the torso on a small silhouette target at 50 feet, and had several groups at 25 feet you could cover with a 3-inch circle.]

But shots tended to be left on the 25-foot bullseye targets. Just a couple inches, but almost always left.

At first I thought I was just jerking the trigger too hard and pulling them left that way, but while there were a few wildish ones I produced with that flaw, most weren't that way, especially after I settled down. The groups just drifted left.

The guy at the range said it had to be a sight problem--the shots weren't wild, just grouping left. He tried moving the sights, but as apparently is always the case, they must be welded in there or something. He managed to budge one a tiny bit, then I tried the gun again. A bit better, but then I latched on to something.

I tried closing my left eye, and suddenly the groups pretty much centered. So I'm not sure whether I have a sight problem, or a vision issue.

Here's a newbie question: how should one look down the sight line? Do you use one eye or the other, or is there another trick? I have progressive lenses in my eyeglasses but I'm wondering if there's a dominant eye thing going on or what.

And what's surprising (and possibly related) is that I was right on target on the 50-foot silhouette. No pulling left at all there, but then, the sight picture is different, isn't it?

Any sources you could point me to would be gratefully received, or if you can shed any light on this, I'd appreciate it.

[mhillsing23]

You can use this to figure out which eye is your dominant eye, that could be the issue. As far as the sights, do they look like they are aligned and centered?

[rgeliske]

Originally Posted by mhillsing23

You can use this to figure out which eye is your dominant eye, that could be the issue. As far as the sights, do they look like they are aligned and centered?

Don't assume that you know which eye is dominate. I have been right handed and right eye dominate all my life (that's a long time) and 4 years ago while showing a new shooter how to check, I discovered mine had changed. I asked my eye doctor about this and he said it happens more often that people realized. It usually occurs when a person's non-dominate eye becomes stronger due to injury or age. It doesn't hurt to check once in a while.

Most defensive training and competition shooting tell you to use both eyes open to not impede your peripheral vision. If you have a cross dominate eye you may find this more difficult though it can be done.

Try bench resting your gun to get a better idea of where the gun is shooting. Also check and make sure you have onle the pad of your forefinger on the trigger. Having to much finger in the trigger guard will tend to through the shots off.

[figment]

Originally Posted by mongoose33

Got my new XD-9 today, and it's awesome.

... had several groups at 25 feet you could cover with a 3-inch circle.]

But shots tended to be left on the 25-foot bullseye targets. Just a couple inches, but almost always left.

...

That's pretty darn good shooting anyway.

[mongoose33]

Originally Posted by mhillsing23

You can use this to figure out which eye is your dominant eye, that could be the issue. As far as the sights, do they look like they are aligned and centered?

This makes sense. It shows I'm right-eye dominant, and when I closed my left eye when shooting, I did much better. I suspect I wasn't allowing the right eye to take over.

I need to go back to the range and work on this to determine just how I should be looking down the sight-line.

Thanks for the help.

M.

[mongoose33]

Originally Posted by rgeliske

Try bench resting your gun to get a better idea of where the gun is shooting. Also check and make sure you have onle the pad of your forefinger on the trigger. Having to much finger in the trigger guard will tend to through the shots off.

I did do that, and still the shots grouped left. Oddly, though, on the longer-range stuff I wasn't having that problem.

Right now, I'm thinking there are dominant-eye issues with this, that I need to find a way to be looking primarily with the right eye.

I did, also, pay some attention to using just the pad of the forefinger on shots, but perhaps I was too close to the first joint. I'll check that.

Thanks for the help.

M.

[mongoose33]

Originally Posted by figment

That's pretty darn good shooting anyway.

Thanks. I was surprised--but I have to give much of the credit to the XD. It is just so comfortable and easy to aim. It's an overused cliche, but it feels like an extension of my arm.

M.