Why Can't I Shoot Handguns Well?
----------------------------------------------------------------
The title pretty much sums it up. For some reason, I am totally pathetic when it comes to accurately shooting handguns. I own a S&W 586. Can I hit the same place twice, ever? Nope. This is at a range of about 20 yards. I have fired a Ruger P95 with the same results. I can rarely get my CZ-52 even on the paper, and let's not even get into how I do with my Kel-Tec P3AT. My problem isn't just with pistols I own, but also with most any I have tried. My groups at 20 yards look like buckshot patterns. Forget about 50 yard shots. I am lucky if I even hit the backstop at that distance. I have looked at the little circle/pie chart pistol shooting thing people are so fond of here on THR, but it doesnt help me at all. Funny thing is, my rifle shooting is often almost surgical. Surgical with irons or scope. With my Bushmaster or K31, I can usually cut nice 1 hole groups at 50yds with irons. So, whats wrong with me and handguns??? Its driving me crazy!
__________________
50, 20 yards?
I've watched Bob Munden hit kids' balloons at 200 to 300 yards with a .38 snubbie and Elmer Keith once whacked an antelope at 600 yards with a .44 but you need to start in close.
I mentioned Tueller, andd I honestly forget who he was, but it boils down to this:
Tueller figured THIS out: a man standing 7 yards away with a knife can close the distance to a police officer BEFORE the cop can get his service pistol out of the holster, on target, and shoot. Try this sometime, it's called (for obvious reasons) the Tueller drill. Someone stands 21 feet away from you and you use a plastic gun, squirtgun, or pistol FRAME in a holster with your hands occupied elsewhere he runs you down while yelling at you. Your job is to shoot him. You can't do it. I saw film once of an Aikido master disarming MPs in Japan shortly after WW2 from this distance and farther. Impressive.
Something like 90 percent of ALL police and civilian gunfights happen in close range (under 7 yards), they happen FAST (several seconds) and under poor lighting conditions. Few people actually use the sights in close quarters combat as they've trained. But it's worth training that way.
So, CLOSE in targets. Try 3 yards for starters. Of course, you could shoot from 3 INCHES and your groups would be about 0.1"
A second thought occurred to me after rereading your post(s). Find an instructor. NRA.org has links to firearms and personal protection instructors (I think I'm still there somewhere). Buy an hour or four of their time. I mentioned I assisted training 45 women at my club last year; typically I teach 2 to 6 a year in a ten hour course, about five of which are range time with various calibers over at least two days.
Stance, ergonomics, grip, sequence: Both eyes open, front sight, relax, front sight, squeeze, front sight, squeeze, BANG.
Other thing to keep in mind is ergonomics. The pistols you mentioned are fine guns, but the grips between them are radically different in width, length, circumference and front to back distance. Also, I own several CZ52s. That is one HUGE grip and a HOT round. 1600 fps? 9mm is typically around 1000, .45 around 830. I can't shoot a CZ52 for ****, it doesn't fit my hand. It's also why I don't shoot or own a Glock.
My favorite pistol to shoot is a pre-model 29 S&W 44 magnum (I own a couple). Dead accurate at 50 yrds. Powerful. Fun. Second, just for fun, is a CZ75.
When your pistol comes UP to your eye (Olympic .22 pistol shooters are trained to raise the gun slightly above line of sight then lower it to a proper sight picture), the sights should line up the same every time. This is as much a function of the gun's ergonomics as it is your technique. Really.
I've shot just about every model handgun made in the US (and many elsewhere) in the last century since I started shooting them around 1973, and MANY from the 19th century. There's lots of grip/frame differences out there. Go to an indoor range that rents handguns and try a few dozen (sometime other than when a group of security guards or cops are training to shoot badly - lessen your distractions) to see if you shoot one better than the other.
What I shoot the most are the following for this reason: K or N frame S&W revolvers, Colt 1911, Kimber CDP Ultra carry compact, CZ 75B, SIG 220 or 229 and HK P7M8. I've sold just about everything else I once owned for carrying. I keep a Beretta 92FS around because it's the first SA pistol I qualified on in the Army as an officer.
Find an instructor, tell him/her what you've told us and let him/her help you out. You'll be glad you did. Your ammo bill will go up and up and up.
But take it easy on yourself. Have a good time. Try some reactive targets instead of paper (painted steel, soda cans, skeet targets). You'll do okay.
-Norm