Shooting Low Center

[Nik the Greek]

So, I took my new USP 40 with Heinies out shooting last weekend, and I clearly have a lot of work to do. The sights are fine: they were installed by GGI, and with a rest, I shoot poa/poi.

I'm using modern isosceles, head vultured down, knees bent, back straight, elbows slightly bent and out to either side with palms exerting pressure on either side of the gun, with a dave sevigny/brian enos style grip (at least, I think I'm doing it correctly).My initial shots on a target tended to end up low and center, even at 7 yards.

I still plan on getting some professional training, but in the meantime - what am I probably doing wrong, and how do I correct it?

edit: I'm using sight picture #2 according to Todd's blog: http://pistol-training.com/archives/1361

[DonovanM]

So, I took my new USP 40 with Heinies out shooting last weekend, and I clearly have a lot of work to do. The sights are fine: they were installed by GGI, and with a rest, I shoot poa/poi.

I'm using modern isosceles, head vultured down, knees bent, back straight, elbows slightly bent and out to either side with palms exerting pressure on either side of the gun, with a dave sevigny/brian enos style grip (at least, I think I'm doing it correctly).My initial shots on a target tended to end up low and center, even at 7 yards.

I still plan on getting some professional training, but in the meantime - what am I probably doing wrong, and how do I correct it?

edit: I'm using sight picture #2 according to Todd's blog: http://pistol-training.com/archives/1361

How low at 7 yards? Your problem sounds like a textbook pre-ignition push. Either a flinch if it's more than a few inches low, or just a timing issue if it's only a couple inches at that distance. What you need to do is learn to call your shots. Make an effort to see the sights not only at the moment of ignition, but as they lift off of the target. Next time you go to the range, double plug and make an effort to see something you've never seen before.

This vid explains it better than I can.

[Nik the Greek]

4-7 inches... but only sometimes. Some of my groups were very tight: 1.5 inches with overlapping bullet holes in the paper. Others were as large as 5-7 inches , scattered below the point of aim. I did best when I fired an initial shot, then shot the remaining shots as soon as my sights realigned while allowing my trigger out only enough to reset.

[seabiscuit]

4-7 inches... but only sometimes. Some of my groups were very tight: 1.5 inches with overlapping bullet holes in the paper. Others were as large as 5-7 inches.

Sounds like what I was doing at first... flinching. Just watch the front sight. If you're flinching, you'll see it dive. If not, it'll rise with recoil.

[DonovanM]

4-7 inches... but only sometimes. Some of my groups were very tight: 1.5 inches with overlapping bullet holes in the paper. Others were as large as 5-7 inches , scattered below the point of aim. I did best when I fired an initial shot, then shot the remaining shots as soon as my sights realigned while allowing my trigger out only enough to reset.

Sounds like a flinch. I did it too when I first started out, and it creeps back up again when I slow fire at a square range. It's never a problem for me while rapid firing. Try the ball and dummy drill. Buy some snap caps, or load some dummy rounds (no primer/powder) if you reload, and intersperse them with live rounds in a magazine. Run through the mag and watch what happens, you can't really do anything about it before seeing exactly what happens. And do it more than once. Anytime you see the sights dip before ignition, do ten perfect trigger pulls dry before moving on. Wash, rinse, repeat as necessary.

The most important thing to do is relax. Don't let your ego intrude and make you angry at your performance, that will only hamper your ability to learn. Just relax and watch what happens without judgment or expectations.

Good luck!