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View Full Version : Need help isolating my mistake - groups consistently to the left



Nephrology
10-02-2011, 01:52 PM
Howdy,

So I am not exactly a high speed low drag megahero of the tacticool world but I do a decent amount of shooting for the little free time that I have- usually shoot some sort of pistol match once a month and try to get out to the range at least once or twice other than that. I can generally hit what I am aiming at and place middle of the pack in my local IDPA/IPSC matches. So I clearly have a lot of room to improve, but I am not making 20" groups at 5 yards either.

That said one thing that I have found to consistently be a problem, across all manner of pistols but particularly Glocks (which are my go-to guns for most everything) is that I pull my shots left by roughly 1" at 7 yards, sometimes low as well. The groups themselves are usually pretty tight (unless I am shooting Wolf which causes them to open up remarkably even at short range, perhaps not surprisingly) but they are always and consistently to the left. at first I thought maybe I had installed my sights incorrectly, but I did it today with a range buddy's 1911 as well - not quite as far to the left and even a little tighter than my glock groups are usually but still, I was disappointed.

What could be causing the problem? I dry fire pretty religiously and dont notice much if any jerking of the trigger but of course I am sure that changes when my heart gets going and I have loud noises going off close to my head. Any tips on how to fix it? I don't want to proceed if I am simply going ot engrain a bad habit that I have not yet identified.

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

edit: Wow, I just saw there was a similar thread right here on the forum already... I can close this if need be, though if it makes a difference I really don't use much finger on the trigger at all.

JV_
10-02-2011, 03:45 PM
The other thread is here: http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?1525-Consistently-shooting-to-the-left-with-new-Gen4-G17

If your problem is not too much trigger finger or poorly adjusted sights, then there is merit to future discussion. It sounds like you need to bench the gun to eliminate some variables.

fixer
10-19-2011, 06:26 AM
Howdy,

That said one thing that I have found to consistently be a problem, across all manner of pistols but particularly Glocks (which are my go-to guns for most everything) is that I pull my shots left by roughly 1" at 7 yards, sometimes low as well. The groups themselves are usually pretty tight



I've had the same issue with glocks. They are my go to pistol for carry. It doesn't matter what glock I'm left no matter if it is full size, mid sized or sub compact, 40 cal or 9mm.

I recently had some success in reigning in the leftward bias. I "canted" my head a bit more to the right. It was dumb luck but this seemed to work. Several magaziens through my g17, g22, and g26. It moved the groups noticeably to the right and I was getting real point of aim hits.

I'm pretty sure that what I am experiencing is lack of proper sight picture.

I had tried all the other suggestions. I dry fire plenty. I focus on front sight. I have tried every single trigger manipulation there is. Nothing worked.

I also shoot berettas often. I learned how to shoot on a beretta with a three dot sight picture. For some reason, they way I'm built, or the way I learned with the berettas, the sights line up perfectly. The glocks...not so much.

This may help you.

Ga Shooter
10-19-2011, 07:28 AM
I had this problem with my Glocks as well. What I did was to apply a SMALL amount of pressure from my left (non dominate) thumb on the frame. What this did for me was to help control the "push" from the recoil so my follow through stayed straight. With a thumbs forward grip my left thumb rests against the recess is loacted.

Caboose
10-19-2011, 02:38 PM
I had this problem with my Glocks as well. What I did was to apply a SMALL amount of pressure from my left (non dominate) thumb on the frame. What this did for me was to help control the "push" from the recoil so my follow through stayed straight. With a thumbs forward grip my left thumb rests against the recess is loacted.

My experience mirrors this exactly. Never had this problem until I started shooting Glocks. During dry practice everything would look and feel right, but during live fire my groups would be left, even during slowfire when I was paying the utmost attention to my trigger press. I changed my grip to what is described above by Ga Shooter and the problem disappeared instantly. This was only after six months of others telling me it was my trigger press so much that it began to have a Pavlov's Dogs effect and my asshole would twitch whenever I heard the word "jerk" or "trigger".

Anyway, hope you get it worked out. Try some ball and dummy if you're still uncertain of whether it's your triggerwork or not.

GJM
10-20-2011, 07:13 AM
It is also possible that you just see the sights differently. I routinely need to make a small left deflection to my rear sight on a long gun, and a right rear deflection on a handgun rear sight. It has been this way for the last 25 years, and across everything from a 1911 to Glock to a DA and SA revolver. When I first get a pistol, I confirm zero with careful shooting on paper, and make any necessary adjustments. Not saying this is your issue, but it is worth considering, especially since another shooter might shoot your pistol and proclaim the sights are dead on.