I’ve been able to get more trigger time in the last few weeks and I’ve been doing rather well with my trigger control. Here lately the last 2 sessions I’ve noticed I’m starting to hit low. I put a few dummy rounds in and noticed that I have developed the tendency to drop right my pistol a little right before the shot. What should I start working on to correct this problem?
Are you loosening your grip right before you pull the trigger?
I don’t think so I keep a good grip but I will shoot this evening or tomorrow to be positive.
Sounds like you are starting to flinch with your trigger pull right before the shot brakes. The old 'snatchola". The three drills below will help you out. The first two used at home, empty pistol and mags, loaded only with one snap cap, & safe background. As an extra precaution, store live ammo, away, in another room, while practicing to prevent a ND.
Wall drill: http://pistol-training.com/archives/118
Case drill: Use the same safety protocols as the wall drill, but balance a spent bullet case behind the front sight, manipulate the trigger without disturbing the spent case.
Ball and dummy drill: Used while on the range with a training partner. http://pistol-training.com/drills/ball-dummy-drill
Thanks , I will start on these drills tonight.
Those are all good drills. You might want to try balancing the spent case on your front sight rather than behind it. It is much harder and doesn’t allow for anything but a smooth press.
Roger is spot on.
You are correct. Balance the case on the top of the front sight. It’s been a while…many years in fact since I did that drill.
Roger is spot on.
Question to the OP:
Have you been doing a lot of dry firing?
You may be “pushing or telegraphing” the shot, particularly if it’s during rapid fire. Over/under concentration and/or too tight grip can produce this as well. This is also a problem with carbine shooting. The coin balance is a good trainer. Personally I don’t normally dry fire, preferring to just run rounds at the range. However, dry firing is a proven tool. I like to practice shooting with a varied grip; everything from a loose “surprise” grip to a focused “tight” grip. It helps me to become accustomed to aim/recoil/follow-up in a non-optimum situation.
One thing you might try is setting up a video (side and behind) of you shooting. It’s much easier to see problems; sort-a like a post gamed review. Just my opinion and some things that I do that helps me. YMMV… Cheers… Ron
Yep, dry fire practice is your friend. As for snap caps, ANY firearm that won’t hold up to THOUSANDS of dry fires without snap caps is not one you want to own…O.L.
Peeking or milking the grip will cause what you are seeing. Peeking indicates no follow through on the front sight during the shot sequence and milking indicates tightening the grip while pressing the trigger to the rear. Grip pressure should be applied to the front and rear of the grip, not the sides. Once you start to press the trigger to the rear, your grip pressure should not change. Running dime drills will help.
Dime Drill:
- Make certain the pistol is unloaded
- Make darn certain the pistol is unloaded
- Allow the slide to close on an empty chamber
- Place a dime on top of the front sight
- Present the pistol toward an aiming point
- Focus on the dime
- Press the trigger to the rear without the dime jumping off the front sight
- Repeat the drill until you can complete it several times without the dime jumping off the front sight
This drill does two things. It forces you to focus on the front sight, which is underneath the dime, and to manipulate the trigger without disturbing your sight picture.
Good luck.
Anticipating the shot, people say let the shot surprise you but to be honest you wanna know when the trigger will break and let the gun do it’s thing.
Breath and break the shot on the bottom of your breath. Relax, don’t be afraid of the recoil and have a good grip on the gun as well as a forward leaning stance. Smooth, deliberate squeeze of the trigger until…POP!!!
It just comes with good deliberate practice, not wasted rounds with bad technique.
And the dime drill helps too but after you master the dime switch to a spent brass casing. If you get that you’re gtg.
I don’t believe he is probably wanting to shoot slowly enough to use the respiratory pause method.
OP - Years ago we found the penny and the dime drills very useful for teaching double-action shooting. With the single-action pistol most find it just as useful to focus on the front sight during dry-fire. You should be able to see what your front sight does during the press and as the ‘shot’ breaks.
As for live fire, a couple years ago I had the opportunity to train with Bill Rogers and crew. Rogers advocates practicing ‘ball and dummy’ exercises with the shooter knowing where the dummy rounds are located, rather than randomly placing them in the magazine.
I switched to that method and find it does help refine my press. I load the mags with a dummy round, then a live round. I usually prep five mags. So I know it is going to be a live round, then a click. I work from the holster, deliberately, focusing on a proper draw and press out. The shots are fired at speed with the first shot breaking as I reach full extension. My goal is to have the front sight motionless during the click. I then slow down and deliberately go through the proper first half of a fail to fire drill (tap, roll, rack) then pause and deliberately go through an out-of-battery reload focusing on all key points. I usually repeat for 20 reps for twenty rounds fired. It takes about 10 minutes and I find it focuses me for follow on stuff.
Another thing that I do is shoot with my eyes as wide open as I can. Really try to bug them out. I find this helps me to see the slide and follow the front sight. If I’m not focused on this I blink during almost every shot.
It is hard to diagnose without seeing the shooter.
Personally I find that my biggest problem when I start driving shots off and don’t consciously feel anticipation is that I am not shooting with a tight enough grip. A crush grip with both hands works best for me - my analogy is that with the crush grip I don’t have anything left to tighten up during the press - that may or may not work for you.
These are some things that help me clean up my act.
Not to put words in your mouth but I think it might be important to note that these aren’t skills/drills you master and then quit doing. At least for me it is ongoing no matter how good you get.
You have to master the fundamentals before you start running around like John Wayne.
Just Sayin’