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View Full Version : My biggest mistakes while learning to target shoot



StainlessSteel215
10-03-2012, 09:11 AM
Only in the last 2-3 years thanks to YouTube videos and online research....I found out why ALL of my groups no matter what caliber or distance was low and left. Once I realized that I was making at least 3 crucial mistakes...life got better! Again I was 100% self taught, no lessons...but did do a ton of online research to correct myself.

Grip control:
I used to use the infamous rookie grip on my semi auto pistols.....full grip strength in my primary (right) hand including the pinky....support hand was basically just cupping my other hand instead of wrapping it properly. Now, I use a high choke grip as close to the slide as possible.....thumbs facing forward....covering all 4 corners of the grip with equal pressure. Tight but not strangling. No pressure/control on the right hand pinky.

Trigger coverage:
I used to slip my entire index finger up to the 2nd joint inside the trigger guard....and squeeze hard and fast. Now, I keep barely the tip of my index finger on the trigger and squeeze slower and more controlled....the finger joint now work independently of the knuckle which helps maintain stable front sight picture.

My biggest problem: recoil anticipation
I think everyone experiences this one. You are basically waiting for a mini explosion to happen and you know its coming.....so you prepare for it which throws off your entire grip, sight picture, and mental focus. I used to squeeze hard and fast and jerk the gun right before discharge. Now....with a proper stance, grip control, trigger finger placement and proper focus....I am able to acquire my target pretty fast....keep a steady sight picture and keep the front sight locked on the target. Now I Slowly exhale and let the gun surprise me with each round.

Took me about 2 years to perfect these techniques but now instead of low fliers and random paper misses....I am hitting consistent 6" groups from approx 18 yards and getting better each month. Next step is taking SD classes at my local range because they simulate shooting on the run, low light and high stress situations. Looking forward to this

MDS
10-03-2012, 11:09 AM
My biggest mistake was to try to learn to target shoot before taking my first target shooting class. My second biggest mistake was taking my first target shooting class from someone who was very good at teaching decent shooters how to shoot better, but not nearly as good at teaching new shooters how to shoot right from the start. My third biggest mistake was waiting so long to take my second target shooting class, this time I picked a good one (the http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?512-SLG-Pistol-Fundamentals-mini-classSLG mini-class (http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?512-SLG-Pistol-Fundamentals-mini-class).)

I'll stop now, but hopefully you can see the pattern of my mistakes, as I perceive them. Mistakes in technique are less bad because they're fixable with quality instruction.

Finally, my biggest mistake outside of getting quality instruction early and often, is all about practice. I'm a relative n00b, so take this for what it's worth, but IME when I start skipping daily practice (live or dry,) or if I just hustle through it without focused discipline, it has a bigger impact on my performance than if I use a sub-optimal technique.

Good idea for a thread!

Failure2Stop
10-03-2012, 02:50 PM
I would consider looking into someone a bit more "detail oriented" than a local "stress" class. That is, unless you live close to some awesome dudes.

Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.

DocGKR
10-03-2012, 03:21 PM
SS215: Where do you live?

Get the BEST possible initial training you can, followed by ongoing practice.

LittleLebowski
10-03-2012, 04:08 PM
SS215: Where do you live?

Get the BEST possible initial training you can, followed by ongoing practice.

He lives in PA which means that the recommendation is very easy:

http://lowspeed-highdrag.com/

DocGKR
10-03-2012, 04:18 PM
That will be an excellent start!

StainlessSteel215
10-03-2012, 10:50 PM
Yikes - thats literally on the complete opposite end of the state from me (PA is a wiiiiide state) unfortunately and having a 1 year old makes me schedule a little right as-is...which is why I think my best bet is to at least START with training at my local range. The guy is very legit, military experience and the most knowledgable guy Ive ever spoken to about all things firearms. Once I get my feet wet, Ill certainly make the stronger commitment to these type of classes.

Thanks everyone

Odin Bravo One
10-04-2012, 02:00 AM
Yikes - thats literally on the complete opposite end of the state from me (PA is a wiiiiide state) unfortunately and having a 1 year old makes me schedule a little right as-is...which is why I think my best bet is to at least START with training at my local range. The guy is very legit, military experience and the most knowledgable guy Ive ever spoken to about all things firearms. Once I get my feet wet, Ill certainly make the stronger commitment to these type of classes.

Thanks everyone

I drove from Annapolis, MD so my GF could attend training at LSHD. Or rather, I drove from Virginia Beach to Annapolis to pick her up, then drove to Pittsburg for training.

It is worth the trip.

Not saying your local guy is not legit, but you might want to go back and read some of the comments on "what to look for in a class/instructor". Military experience is all well and good, but I don't put a ton of weight on that as a credential. I have a little bit of military experience too, so putting that on a resume or letting it spread via word of mouth is 100% accurate. But I am not the guy you want teaching at your level. I am a terrible instructor of the fundamentals and diagnosis of shooting problems.

.............just sayin.........

BLR
10-04-2012, 06:34 AM
Class: tactics, weapons retention, mindset, and so on
Competition: shooting, grip, stance, stress, and so on

Don't short change the value and experience gained by going head to head w/ like minded, dedicated people. It is also one of the best metrics for personal progress.

Sure, to some it is a game and nothing more, like golf. Others use it as a skill set builder and metric for progress. Some use it for both.

JAD
10-04-2012, 07:34 AM
And some don't use it at all.

TCinVA
10-04-2012, 08:30 AM
I drove from Annapolis, MD so my GF could attend training at LSHD. Or rather, I drove from Virginia Beach to Annapolis to pick her up, then drove to Pittsburg for training.

It is worth the trip.

Not saying your local guy is not legit, but you might want to go back and read some of the comments on "what to look for in a class/instructor". Military experience is all well and good, but I don't put a ton of weight on that as a credential. I have a little bit of military experience too, so putting that on a resume or letting it spread via word of mouth is 100% accurate. But I am not the guy you want teaching at your level. I am a terrible instructor of the fundamentals and diagnosis of shooting problems.

.............just sayin.........

I'd pay really close attention to Mr. M.

If you want to get good, you need a good start. Failing to get that is a guarantee of wasting a bunch of time and money doing things wrong and having to un-learn a whole bunch of bad habits.

I'm not trying to brag, here, but I've taken people who have been shooting for years and with a little bit of good fundamentals instruction their ability to hit what they want to hit went far beyond what they thought was possible. I've taken college coeds who had never shot a handgun before and had them hitting a 1" square at 10 yards with a 9mm Glock. When the fundamentals are taught with reasonable competence and clarity, darn near anybody can learn to be very accurate. Then they can learn how to do it faster.

shooter220
10-04-2012, 10:46 AM
1. Thinking I was really learning to shoot a handgun when I was putting thousands of rounds through a BuckMark. I learned how to squeeze a trigger and align the sights, but a lot of grip/stance/recoil control didn't come until I joined a Police Explorer Pistol Team and had much better instruction - though even that was pretty dated advice at the time.

2. Not telling more people to shove it. I heard a lot of garbage advice as a relatively young shooter - but fortunately a couple folks who were teaching me helped to "cut out the noise" some.

-shooter

gringop
10-04-2012, 11:22 PM
"My biggest mistakes while learning to target shoot "

Not setting goals and not PLANNING...EVERY...SINGLE...PRACTICE...SESSION.

So much wasted time and ammo by just farting around plinking and shooting with goofy dirt shooters. And listening to gunstore commandos. And letting my ego get in the way of learning.

So much improvement by not listening to others who weren't good shooters, by taking time to study, plan, evaluate and motivate my shooting. And by not giving a damn about how I look while shooting, how many new dodads, FO sights, magwells, uber light race triggers, etc, I was able to slap on my gun.

Gringop

rob_s
10-05-2012, 04:54 AM
Yikes - thats literally on the complete opposite end of the state from me (PA is a wiiiiide state) unfortunately and having a 1 year old makes me schedule a little right as-is...which is why I think my best bet is to at least START with training at my local range. The guy is very legit, military experience and the most knowledgable guy Ive ever spoken to about all things firearms. Once I get my feet wet, Ill certainly make the stronger commitment to these type of classes.

Thanks everyone

He seems that way now. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts 5 years and 5-10 classes from now.

Most new shooters starting out automatically assume that cop/military means that they know about guns and shooting, but unless they are involved in some very unique jobs within those entities it probably means the exact opposite. And none of that has anything to do with teaching ability.

LittleLebowski
10-05-2012, 05:13 AM
Speaking as a US Marine infantryman with 8 yrs of honorable service; my weapons proficiency didn't really take off until I started taking civilian training classes. I'll add the caveat that things have changed and the military is getting better training (our very own Failure2Stop (http://www.f2sconsulting.com/) is responsible for many of the positive changes within the US Marine Corps small weapons training programs) but heed what rob_s just alluded to. "Military experience" is not at all a qualifying bullet point on its own. You don't have to be a CQB ninja in order to teach trigger control, sight alignment, sight picture, diagnose errors, and so on. Many (certainly not all) folks who served in the military become dogmatic in their methodology and forget to stop learning, to keep on trying to find a better way.

BLR
10-05-2012, 08:42 AM
LL - that mirrors my thoughts pretty well. But I'd like to go a little further with it.

Langdon is as good as he is, not due to his USMC background, but rather competition. Todd, same thing. I'm not trying to kiss butt here, but to borrow a phrase, there is shooting and there is shooting. The former stresses trigger control, sight alignment, grip, posture, breathing, reloading, drawing technique and so on. The latter stresses entirely different things, like transition from rifle to backup, use of cover/concealment, and so on. The latter without the former is an exercise (IMO) in futility. The former without the latter is an exercise in gaming. Far, far too many forgo the former in lieu of more of the latter. A proper shooting education is incomplete without both.

Just my $0.02.

DocGKR
10-05-2012, 11:05 AM
There are some very good comments here--were I were a nascent shooter, I'd pay VERY close attention to them...