Point of Impact Changing with Trigger Speed?

[Chris Rhines]

This may be one of those really obvious questions, but it came up today when I was shooting some drills on 3x5 index cards at 7-10 yards. I'm seeing a significant change in my point of impact when I shoot quickly, as opposed to when I shoot slow.

If I shoot with a very slow, careful cadence, slow press, surprise break, etc., my pistol (S&W M&P9 Pro) shoots right at point of aim at 10 yards. But if I get a little more aggressive on the trigger, my groups move down by 2-3 inches.

The overall group size changes very little from slow fire to rapid, so whatever I'm doing, I'm doing it consistently.

So I'm curious - does anyone else notice this? If so, what do you do to correct it? Should I think about zeroing my pistol so that it hits point of aim when shooting fast?

-C

[ToddG]

I'd bet a nickel you're getting more of a midfield focus when you speed up and thus push the gun down a little bit.

[mnealtx]

Midfield focus? Could you explain the term?

[ToddG]

Rather than getting a crisp laser focus on the front sight or a crisp laser focus on the target, your actual focal plane is somewhere in between. It's something that develops fairly naturally over time, but can cause problems (such as low shots which can be mistaken for anticipation) if the soft focus on the front sight becomes casual awareness of the front sight's general existence.

[jetfire]

Holy crap, that just solved an issue I was having as well. I thought it was anticipation.

[mnealtx]

Thanks, Todd - I think that may be what I do without the benefit of the extensive experience....and I get the low shots pretty much any time I'm NOT forcing a hard focus on the front sight.

[MechEng]

Holy crap, that just solved an issue I was having as well. I thought it was anticipation.

My thoughts exactly. I'm going to have reassess my slightly low-left shot pattern at speed.

[Simon]

I'd bet a nickel you're getting more of a midfield focus when you speed up and thus push the gun down a little bit.

I have also seen this with newer shooters when they do not have a good grip and when shooting quickly, they tighten the grip with the with the lower fingers thus pulling the pistol down.

[JV_]

I have also seen this with newer shooters

FWIW: The OP (Chris Rhines) is an accomplished shooter.

[ToddG]

Not to step on any toes and not directed at any particular person...

Most of the time, if it looks like anticipation, it's anticipation. Anticipation tends to be random, whereas other problems like dipping the muzzle tend to be more consistent at least within a given string of fire.

If the gun is shooting off center as well as low, I'd also look at other issues like grip, trigger finger location, and of course trigger manipulation long before I worried about whether I was getting a midfield focus.