MP5 question

[Slavex]

So I was out with a couple cop buddies tonight burning off some steam. They brought two work guns with them that had just been fixed and needed to be zeroed. 9mm MP5 with the side folder, semi and two shot burst. Great guns with great triggers. After a couple hundred rounds I decided to try shooting them like a pistol with the stock folded. First in semi then 2 shot burst. The guns are phenomenally accurate, but strangely I shot better groups holding it like a pistol than I did with the stock deployed when using 2 round burst. At 15yds I was keeping them in the X on a B27 target firing rapid. With the stock the second round always went slightly high to the right. Folded and held like a pistol there was little change in impact. Over 3 mags I burned the center out of the target. I then tried SHO and WHO with only slightly larger groups WHO and that was mainly because my left forearm has something wrong with it and it was hard to stabilize the gun for extended periods. I ran a few more mags through it with the stock deployed and the groups in burst were still bigger. Now I am not formally trained on MP5s, I've played with them lots though but really have little idea on what the he'll I'm doing beyond the basics.
I'm theorizing that the gun returns to POA easier when held like a pistol as it doesn't have my body messing with it. Also at arms length I found I had a better sight picture than when I the drum is right in front of your eye. Anyone got any other ideas?

[fuse]

Have you considered you're just an action film star in real life?

[Caboose]

Without watching you shoot, but making a few logical conclusions based on your country of residence, and the laws there, as well as the presumed shortage of training opportunities like we have in the states; I'm going to guess that it's likely your form and stance while firing a long gun. Do you tend to stand up mostly straight, severely blade your stance, and chicken wing your strong hand arm when you shoot a long gun?

[Slavex]

Definitely not an action movie star. They have better abs.
Shooting position is square to target aggressive lean forward arms in. Likely I can improve the groups I shot as a carbine with more practice, which only happens when I am lucky enough to be there at the same time as them and they've brought the good toys. I'm just curious why with the stock folded and shot like a pistol, it was easy to get tight groups.

[Josh Runkle]

I'm going to say that groups are most likely related to confidence. You most likely felt more confident with a long-gun; felt as if it was "steady" and pulled the trigger quickly. You probably felt less confident shooting it as a pistol, and more hesitantly waited and pulled the trigger after a longer amount of time. You probably jerked the trigger out of overconfidence when it was a "carbine", and had a smooth press from under-confidence when it was a "pistol".

[Slavex]

The trigger was being pulled very slow and smoothly. Both guns had beauty triggers in them, smooth and fairly light over others I've tried. Focus on the front sight was kept during both ways of shooting. On Two shot burst, first shot was always center, stock deployed and in use second shot was usually slightly higher and too the right, out of the 10 ring often. Stock folded and gripped like a pistol, 2 shot bust, first shot center, second shot slightly higher, but not to the right, and not as high stock deployed. So letting the gun do it's thing with less interference from me resulted in tighter groups, throw my shoulder in, and shots open up. Must/need to get more time on MP5 dammit. stupid Canadian laws.

[Al T.]

Rob, when you went to hands only, I suspect you changed the balance point. Shouldered, try to push out with your weak hand and pull back with the strong hand (like you are trying to stretch the gun). That really steadies things up.

Anyway, that's my guess. :D

[Slavex]

Thanks! I will try that the next time I'm out with these guys. I'd had it mentioned to me that folding the stock also changes the balance point a lot and could be the reason the gun seems to return to to zero easier. It would be nice if I could just own one and actually learn on it instead if the quick exposures I get when I'm lucky enough to be at the range when one shows up.