First Gun! Practice Drills?

[aspree]

Hi, everyone -

I just got my first gun the other day, a Sig P226 9mm. I'm looking for a simple, yet effective way to practice shooting at the range. I've checked out the other threads regarding practice drills (especiallly: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=204400) but I've got some problems with most of the drills. First, I'm only going to be using my gun at an indoor gun range, so shooting while moving side to side and backwards is not allowed. Furthermore, I'm not sure if the range I visit allows drawing and shooting from a holster.

Based upon the above-posted link, I'm trying to develop my own practice drills. However, I would like to hear of everyone's experience with their respective practice drills when visiting the shooting range. Thanks.

 

[AndyC]

Forget drills - it's your first firearm, so stick to the basics. Learn how your firearm so that using it efficiently becomes unconscious, learn how to handle it safely, work on your accuracy.

Once you're satisifed with your accuracy, do it faster - less time between shots at the same level of accuracy.

Walk before you crawl, crawl before you walk, etc. There's no instant gratification when it comes to learning how to use firearms.

 

[Damien45]

Some important things to remember, Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Make that your mantra while you work on your basics. Take it slow and smooth, the more you do the right thing over and over, the faster it gets on it's own.

Front site. Your eye, as is with all humans, can only focus on one thing at a time. We SEE many things, but focus on one. Focus on your front site, SEE the target. From the first round to the last in the magazine, the front site should be the ONLY thing you focus on. Don't break your site picture between shots by looking at your target each time. That will only create a broken site picture and more off shots.

Trigger control. Squeeze, don't pull, slap or rush it. Do not anticipate the boom! Let that be a suprise to you. A good way to train that is with snap caps. Work a couple in at random to your mags. You will know if you are anticipating when the firing pin contacts one because your gun will move as a result of your anticipation.

Most indoor ranges will not allow holster, movement and "rapid fire". How do you work on that then? Easy, at home. While you are watching TV or something, just work on your draw and site alignment. Use the snap caps mentioned to work on your trigger. BUT make sure there is NO ACTIVE AMMO in the room while you do this!

Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent. PERFECT practice makes perfect.

Good luck and enjoy!

Nice gun by the way!

 

[jlbraun]

Huh. Sig 226 was my first gun too.

Enjoy.

 

[SoCalShooter]

Do you want to become a proficient marksman?

http://www.giwera.pl/pliki/pmtg.pdf

This is the United States Army Marksmanship Unit: Advanced Pistol Guide

 

[Damien45]

Do you want to become a proficient marksman?

http://www.giwera.pl/pliki/pmtg.pdf

This is the United States Army Marksmanship Unit: Advanced Pistol Guide

Now that is a useful post! Thanks!