[03RangerXLT]

Ok, I am getting to be a pretty good shot at 15 yards. But I can't hit the paper plates I use for target practice at 25 yards (so no grouping to tell you about). I thought it was me, and it could still be me but...

My deputy friend takes me out to the range one day and my gun gernades and became un-firable, so I end up putting my rounds through his duty piece. He says that he sees an improvement when I am shooting his GLOCK. I didn't think anything of it cause he is one of those "only carries a GLOCK" people (well that and a S&W Tactical) and he wanted to talk **** about a cheaper XD.

Then last week, my friend hands me his HK chambered in .45 and I notice I am hitting what I am aiming for. So then I decide to try his SA 1911 (a very pretty gun!). And again, I hit the paper plates! So out of curiosity I pick up my roomates HighPoint C9, and I hit the plate again!

So I ask the kid with the .45s what he thinks is up and after he looks at the gun, he says he thinks that my front site is too small and causes me to drift it.

By the way, at 10 and 15 yards, if I aim at the center fo the paper plate, I end up hitting lower left and landing my shots on the cardboard box I tape my targets too. I compensate by aiming a little high right. What should I be doing to correct for this?

Does anybody here have pictures of their sites (both stock and aftermarket)?

 

[03RangerXLT]

bump

 

[C.H.Luke]

The easiest and quickest thing to do is have someone else shoot your pistol for groups.
If same thing happens then something's up with the pistol, otherwise......

Also if mashing &/or yanking the trigger may be the problem, it's helpfull to shoot the gun off sandbags or some type of rest at a proper target.

Using 3-dot sights is not precise enough for smaller 15 & 25 yd. targets, should be using the top of the post and rear sight with equal amouts of light on both sides of sight post.

Leaning to call your shots and a consistant dry-practice regimine can work wonders too.

 

[flttster]

Sounds like you might be anticipating the shot. Just my two.

 

[BeardXXXd]

99.9999% u can take ur "unaccurate" gun and shoot from a rest and looky there... 1 inch group!

i suggest:
first shoot from a rest to prove to urself its not the gun..

shooting low and left is ur antcipating the recoil.. some blanks or rubber bullets or a laser will clearly show this.

smooth trigger and shoot the gun like u mean it.. dont yank the trigger but smoothly and strongly pull the trigger back in one motion

it always seems easier to shoot someone elses gun because u have nothing to prove

last make sure u have a solid stance and grip.
practice lesson one with leatham
http://americanshooter.com/Features/RL1/rl1.html

 

[03RangerXLT]

appreciate teh tips guys! Wish I had read this before I went to teh range today. Will try next time though.

 

[Captain Ray]

It sounds to me like your sights may need adjusting. There should be no reason why your shooting would change that much between yours, and your friends gun.

I spent the last two days sighting in a Bushnell sight.. you would think the things would be pretty close to accurate from the factory!! NOT! I wonder if the problem you are having could be the same. My XD shoots pretty straight... down and left, but I think that is my problem, not the pistol.

Raymond

 

[Whitedogone]

Maybe this will help. WDO

http://outcast.homeunix.org/uploads/correction_chart.gif

 

[ReloaderFred]

If you're shooting low and left, and you're shooting right handed, my guess is you're tightening your whole hand as you fire the shot, rather than just pulling the trigger finger straight back. You should start with a firm grip, and then when you're ready to fire the shot, only the trigger finger should move.

Also concentrate on that front sight, because wherever that sight is when the round leaves the barrel, that's where the bullet is going, no matter what you're looking at with your eyes.

One reason you're shooting the other guns better is the difference in trigger pull. The others are single action, with a very short, and probably light, trigger pull. The XD has a longer and mushier trigger pull, and takes some getting used to, but once you do, the gun is quite accurate. I could send you some 10 shot, 1" group targets from 15 yards, out of my 357 Sig XD. Those were fired from the bench, off sandbags, so I know the gun will shoot. Just don't expect that from a standing position, unless you're willing to put years into practicing, along with thousands of rounds down range.

With proper grip, trigger control and sight picture, you won't have any trouble hitting targets at 25 yards with the XD.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Lee Bell]

It sounds to me like your sights may need adjusting. There should be no reason why your shooting would change that much between yours, and your friends gun.

I spent the last two days sighting in a Bushnell sight.. you would think the things would be pretty close to accurate from the factory!! NOT! I wonder if the problem you are having could be the same. My XD shoots pretty straight... down and left, but I think that is my problem, not the pistol.

Raymond

Actually, the difference in triggers will significantly change point of impact. When I put my Kimber 1911 .40 down and picked up my XD9 SC, I was off the paper low and left by a few inches. As I got used to the trigger, etc., my group tigntened and moved closer to the center of the target. My gun is not even broken in yet, and I'm putting all my shots in the black at 15 yards. It would be interesting to see what it would do at 25 yards, but with a 3 inch barrel, that's not what the gun was made for.

Lee

 

[agalindo]

Actually, the difference in triggers will significantly change point of impact... As I got used to the trigger, etc., my group tigntened and moved closer to the center of the target.
Lee

Being lefthanded I was low and right the first few range trips and as I got used to the grip and trigger I started to hit dead on.

 

[GlockConvert]

When you say you are getting good groups at 15, what kind of groups are you getting. Remeber between 15 and 25, your group will almost double, all things being equal.

D

 

[rgeliske]

With the exception of the Glock the other guns have totally different triggers than the XD and I would be curious if your friend had a trigger change on his Glock. I agree about letting someone else shoot your XD if there is something wrong with the gun it should show up with another shooter as well. Once you have proven it's not the gun and you do some bench shooting to determine where you gun is shooting. It's OK to adjust the sights so the gun shoots where you want. You should determine what bullets works best in your gun or what bullets you will always be shooting when you bench the gun. Some bullets work much more consistantly than others.

 

[propellerhead]

Google the Todd Jarrett video. Listen to what he says.

 

[hatingthesuck]

My stock sights on my sc9 were not zero out of the box, i had to drift them left.

I shot my 9mm and 45service at the same time, and i would constantly get groups center and right with my 9mm. i shot about 100 rounds like this from 3-7yds and got same results... found the front sights to be off to the right.... you can easily check this because there are 2 hash marks where the sight should be center on.... before drifting them, make sure that it is in fact the sights are indeed causing your shots to miss.

 

[GrovenSpringer]

Here's one for you. I shot my XD9SC for the first time yesterday and here is what happened. From about 10 yards I drew and shot one shot. After about five draw and fire shots, I saw an unmistakeable pattern. All my shots were low. Centered well, just low. I tried to adjust my sight picture and no good. I tried to take a little more time and no good. After a while I was simply disgusted with my performance and decided to just rattle off the rest of my rounds to break the gun in a little. So, I go back to the 25 yard line and resting on the side of one of the range cover posts I print a nice little slow-fire 5" group right in the black. Hmmm! Slow, carefully aimed shots group well at 25 yards but "easy" 10 yard shots string low? In my case it is my trigger pull and grip. Sounds like I gotta go through the same thing I went through when I got my Glock 21.:???: They seem to have similar mushy "finger pumped full of Novacaine" triggers.