Best Tips You Received to Improve Handgun Accuracy?

[Seeed]

I think another problem I am introducing is working on proficiency with 3 different firearms that are quite different from one another. Perhaps I should just focus on one until I iron out my problem areas.

 

[RustVendor]

I think another problem I am introducing is working on proficiency with 3 different firearms that are quite different from one another. Perhaps I should just focus on one until I iron out my problem areas.

this conversation could be more fruitful if you identified the issues. are you hitting low left? what exactly is happening? most issues are clearly demonstrated on the target

 

[dvoncock]

And what is proper grip from your experience?

I think that’s subjective and depends. The modern “thumbs forward” grip works well for a lot of people shooting semiautos, but not everyone. I started using it for semiautos about a year ago, but am considering going back to the old fashioned “knuckles over” grip. I’ve used the latter for revolvers my whole life and always shoot better with wheel guns.

 

[ikeo1]

Hmmm This is way more technical than I have the ability to do. Will try to stick with more basic approaches I guess if I can for now?

Are you running an optic? If so tape it to see if you're target focused. Main thing is to try to find out how to see those things. If you want to simplify it down when you're shooting, have your camera on your hands and take your shots then call it out. Talk to yourself and review it.

Shot 1 - C low left pulled trigger too hard
Shot 2 - A zone felt comfortable

double tap - A zone - D low center - dipped. Just like the PRS folks.. Just pay attention to each shot and gradually speed it up and work on one element at a time.

After a string of 15-20 rounds take a picture and post it here. We should see a pattern developing.

Then do it again for 2 targets

 

[Seeed]

this conversation could be more fruitful if you identified the issues. are you hitting low left? what exactly is happening? most issues are clearly demonstrated on the target

Low left is the most common miss, yes. I would say I'm about 50% low left, 25% pretty spot on, 25% who knows what happened.

 

[RustVendor]

I think that’s subjective and depends. The modern “thumbs forward” grip works well for a lot of people shooting semiautos, but not everyone. I started using it for semiautos about a year ago, but am considering going back to the old fashioned “knuckles over” grip. I’ve used the latter for revolvers my whole life and always shoot better with wheel guns.

it is very subjective, it's basically "whatever gives you the results you want". there's people that do goofy fingers on the front of the trigger guard that are very successful. no one in their right mind would teach that on purpose but it's not "wrong" if it works.

 

[ikeo1]

Low left is the most common miss, yes. I would say I'm about 50% low left, 25% pretty spot on, 25% who knows what happened.

50% low left i would work on your trigger control getting to the wall and finding it and nuturing it. Learn when it breaks... bak bak bak bak bak wall bak bak wall bang!!!

Two things for that, a little more pressure in your pinky to relieve hand tension in your index/middle fingers

part 2.. Make sure your support hand has most of the pressure and holding securely

 

[RustVendor]

Low left is the most common miss, yes. I would say I'm about 50% low left, 25% pretty spot on, 25% who knows what happened.

Low left is shot anticipation, you are flinching in expectation of the recoil before the shot happens. Next time after you shoot a few shots dry fire and you will almost certainly flinch low left. Dry fire a bunch more times until that goes away. Then shoot some more live rounds and repeat until you are putting less input. the gun should go up and you use the minimum amount of effort to bring it back just to the target and no further. A drill called "one shot return" is just that, let the gun recoil up and experiment with how much effort it takes to bring the gun back to zero. it won't be a lot but it will be some, but overcorrecting is what gives you low left.

 

[Seeed]

Get some Captains of Crush and your grip and accuracy will improve, dry firing is great too.

Cool. Just ordered the 140lb version. I'm a pretty big dude already so hope this is a good middle ground to work with.

 

[ikeo1]

Cool. Just ordered the 140lb version. I'm a pretty big dude already so hope this is a good middle ground to work with.

Most instructors have one common thing the tell me...

Try to suck less every day.... "Mike Hwang", Ben Stoeger, Tom Castro

 

[Seeed]

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[adrkwan]

I think another problem I am introducing is working on proficiency with 3 different firearms that are quite different from one another. Perhaps I should just focus on one until I iron out my problem areas.

Sticking to training with one gun has improved my accuracy significantly at longer ranges, but now I'm terrible with the other guns.

 

[dvoncock]

it is very subjective, it's basically "whatever gives you the results you want". there's people that do goofy fingers on the front of the trigger guard that are very successful. no one in their right mind would teach that on purpose but it's not "wrong" if it works.

Agree 100% with the “whatever works for you” approach. My wife had never even held a gun until I took her to the range a year ago. She shoots decent groups using the super OG “cup” grip, which every YouTube expert says is wrong.

 

[Darqhelmet]

well first things I find opening my eyes works wonders. Second pick a gun and practice with just it. Third:

https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/MCRP%208-10B.3.pdf

 

[Dr.Dre]

Shooting with both eyes open.

 

[Calibreeze]

I'm looking to improve my handgun accuracy and thus form, I guess, maybe like a golf swing? For me, I'm inconsistent, sometimes I do well, sometimes not. I have a feeling it's a combination of trigger pull and grip perhaps. What are some of the most impactful tips you received while trying to improve your consistency outside of just practice? Form? Hands? Angle? Grip? I'm just focused on 7yd not speed and really trying to analyze each action better hoping the sum is a better result and consistent.

Relax, don't be stiff, enjoy yourself and practice - practice - practice and practice!!

 

[Gawernator]

MantisX is pretty cool for dry fire

 

[iLuvLatinas]

As much as I hate the saying slow is smooth, smooth is fast, it does work in applications for newer shooters and pretty much noobs to anything.

Slow down your trigger press and don't let your irons/red dot dip before the gun goes bang. Let the trigger break and surprise you. Once you get a consistent good clean break without disrupting the sights then you can work on speeding up the trigger press

 

[TheAverageShooter]

A tip that helped me a lot and I have done with lots of people I took to the range/shooting is to start a session with a ball and dummy drill. At least 1 mag, but 2 or more if things don’t settle down.

You basically load a mag, chamber a round then drop the mag. Fire a round and them immediately dry fire on the empty chamber. On the dry fire make sure the gun stays steady and you are not anticipating a shot. This teaches your system to not anticipate. Way better than just dry firing, as it is done immediately after a shot so your system gets conditioned to not react before firing.

You can do it with a revolver as well with an empty casing after each live round.

Once you figure that out, you can refine your technique, grip, etc. But as long as your body keeps reacting to shots nothing will give you consistent improvements in accuracy.

 

[GeeQ87]

Send it. Send it fast. I shoot better fast than slow lmao. Shooting fast helped me find my rhythm, I overthink it shooting slow