Newbies' scanned targets, can anyone offer any shooting advice?

[AbNo]

So, went to the range last Friday (as mentioned in another thread, range trip 4), and after some discussion with my range buddy Shayne, I've decided to solicit advice from any experience shooters out there, if anyone feels like sharing their wisdom.

All firing was done at about 15 yards, with a stock XD-40 Service, using WWB 165gr. We were having some magazine problems at the time, but the next day I found and fixed the problem. I shoot lefty, Shayne shoots right, so Jcobb and speedracer are indeed correct.

Here's my two, with two mags of ten each (yes, there's four and three missed shots on the pages). All four magazines, I fired a couple of measured shots, then a few quick shots, then another set of shtos, at an in-between speed.


And here's my buddy Shayne's. He only fired 5 rounds into the second target.


As I said, any advice would be quite helpful.
And I apologize in advance for any errors and omissions, I've been dealing with the VA DMV for the last two hours, AFTER working overnight...

[Jcobb]

Are you left handed by any chance?

Very hard to diagnose without being there....could be a couple things. On the first target, you werent by any change dropping the weapon prematurely to see where the round went were you? Ive seen great shooters drop rounds low when they get in a funk and try to see where they are hitting after each shot.

The second target, if you are left handed you have too much finger on the trigger and you are pushing with that finger rather than pulling.

You said your pal only fired 5 rounds at the first target right? I counted 8 possibly 9 hits to that target. How close to that target were you when you shot?

[speedracer211]

I am going with he is left handed and too little trigger finger. Someone has to post the target with the different problem things on it.

[AbNo]

Yep, you're both right, I'm shooting southpaw.

I'm using the joint top joint of my index finger to pull, perhaps I should try using the... in between the joints section (name?) of my finger instead, perhaps?

I'll come back to this again tomorrow. I got to watch a drive-by a couple of hours ago, and my roommate's been freaking out like no one's business ever since.

[Jcobb]

Heres the chart referenced.

Be sure to reverse it for left handedness.

An excellent training aid for those new to handgun shooting.

[AbNo]

Ah, all right.

I printed off two others, as well, and I couldn't remember which was the righty and which was the lefty.

And I found another set of targets, maybe there should be a sticky for free ones...

http://www.makarov.com/funstuff.html

[dave_in_delaware]

Those are my correction targets that you're using. What you're doing "wrong" is printed directly ON those targets, so all you need to do is read inside the area where your shot went.

My website has targets like this for both righties and LEFTIES, so be sure you downloaded and printed the correct ones for you:

Righties: Target 01 or 02

Lefties: Target 03 or 04

It's nice to see someone is actually using my targets.

Get them all here: http://home.comcast.net/~dave_in_delaware/Designs.htm

[AbNo]

Originally Posted by dave_in_delaware

Those are my correction targets that you're using. What you're doing "wrong" is printed directly ON those targets, so all you need to do is read inside the area where your shot went.

My website has targets like this for both righties and LEFTIES, so be sure you downloaded and printed the correct ones for you:

Ah, thank you for the targets, Dave!

I see that it says on the targets, but I don't know what "Breaking Wrist Down" means, and I've only heard a passing explantion for "Thumbing".

That, and I can't tell the lefty targets from the righty ones. Guess I need to mark them when I print them.

I guess I need help interpretting the results. My lingo's not quite up to snuff yet, but I'm working on it.

[Alsworld]

Dave, I don't want to hijack this thread but just say thanks! My problem was not "following through". Had to think about that in pistol shooting. Did that and wow a huge difference. Charts were a great help! Now back to this thread...

[Novadesigns]

Just another observation... usually when your shots are all over the target like that. you are regripping the gun. In other words changing your grip between shots. That can cause you to do random things to throw your shots and make it really hard to "diagnose"

I recommend getting a grip that you're comfortable with (of course, one that is technically correct to begin with) and try very much not to re-grip or adjust your grip. Try to make every shot go to the same place, even if its off somewhere from the bullseye.

Once you can do that you'll establish that your grip is consistent and you can focus on other things like trigger control, sight picture and recoil management.

Until you're consistently putting your shots down... that other pradctice target isn't going to be much help.