Revolver shooting help

[actionflies]

I just bought a S&W 686 6" barrel and have shot it twice using my 357 magnum reload (158gr LSWC on Clays 3.4gr. and Titegroup 3.8gr.) and all my shot are hitting left of the target. I know the gun weigh more than my 1911 and grip is different, so give me some pointer for shooting a revolver and maybe my reload is too light.

 

[pinkymingeo]

Try adjusting the rear sight.

 

[Slugless]

Bullseye

Check out Armored Man's target pg 2 on the Model 10 defensive shooting thread. It's a bullseye w/ the reasons for shooting right/left/up/down/whatever marked on it. I shoot low & left w/powerful rounds because I grip too tight, for instance.

There's a bullseye pistol shooting guide on the web, google for it. "The Wheel of Despair" It explains most but not all of these problems. There's also a good Guns & Ammo article that doesn't skip any of the problems.

Also thumb placement on the grip is important.

 

[rcmodel]

Try this:
http://www.reloadbench.com/pdf/files/TargetRightHanded.pdf

If you are getting good groups, but they are left of center, adjust the sights.


rcmodel

 

[Starter52]

Check your stocks (grips). Do they fit you? Sometimes a change in stocks will help move the POA left or right.

 

[Steve C]

First you need to determine if its the gun and ammunition that's shooting left or is it the shooter or a combination of both. Shooting left for a right hander is usually too much finger in the trigger causing pressure on the right side of the gun and pushing it left.

Find a place you can bench the pistol and eliminate as much of the shooter input as possible. Pull the trigger with the first pad of the finger straight back without applying pressure to the side of the pistol. First set a target at maybe 10 to 15 yds with a small mark or dot you can aim at, one of the 1" circle stick ons work well. Fire several rounds and see if they're aligned horizontally to your point of aim or are they still to the left. If needed move your rear sight in the direction you want your hits to move so if they're still shooting left move the sight to the right a couple clicks and shoot for effect, repeat as necessary. Once the shots are aligned horizontally to point of aim. move put a 25yd bullseye target at 25 yds and adjust repeat but for elevation. When you bench the gun rest your wrist, arms and elbows but not the barrel of the gun.

Once you know the gun is shooting center target from a rest then see how you do unsupported. If the shots are not going generally center target then work on shooter correction.

 

[Rexster]

Make sure your trigger finger touches only the trigger, and not the frame, as you pull the trigger.

 

[JoeHatley]

all my shot are hitting left of the target

Adjust your sights for now. As you become more familiar with using a consitant grip and trigger control, both single and double action, your groups will probably shift yet again.

That's the benifit of adjustable sights...

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[Oro]

Another way to diagnose this is by dry firing. Watch carefully, and if you see your front blade dip left and perhaps down, it's a grip/trigger stroke/flinch issue.

I read about this years ago, and then started doing about 2x to 3x as much dry firing as live firing. Since I lived in NYC, this was about all I could do! Boy, did my shooting improve the more dry firing I did.

I had also read this advice from the legendary Buddy Brister about shotgunning, and also read top IPSC shooters do about that ratio for practice.

My shooting has improved dramatically by learning trigger control by dry firing. However, I find it's a constant thing, not a "learn and move on" type skill. When I don't shoot for a while, I revert back to old habits. Perhaps that's why the top competitive shooters keep doing it, even after a few titles.