handgun shooting advice needed

ginger49023

I have several handguns which I shoot for pleasure. As I have gotten older, I have noticed less accuracy, etc. Shakier arms and hands and so forth; eyes a bit less than "they were."
So, any tips on better shooting from this group?
I have both wheel guns and semi autos; .22 to .45LC, 9mm to .45ACP.
Normally, at the beginning, I shoot more accurately than as I tire and, as I believe, the barrel warms to a higher temperature [correct?]
I have tried different stances, slowing my speed of fire. I seem to have a windage problem more so than an elevation problem if that makes sense.
A pretty genreal description but bet there are some who may help.
Thanks much!

E.Williams

Once you start to get tired sit and shoot from a rest.The problem with windage could be due to your sight or maybe a problem with balance.If slowing rate of fire doent help sit back and take it easy from the rest.The accuracy is affected when your arms get tired yu cant keep the gun as still the rest will remedy most of that.If its your sight not being able to focus on sighting as before you could maybe mount a pistol scope to one of your pitols you shoot the most.

Eric S. Williams

Edited by - E.Williams on 08/19/2002 16:41:40

jdb123

being good with a rifle and a shotgun only, i cant help you on this one however with the amount of "expert" shots im sure everybody else here is, so you can expect a little more help i hope. BTT



Edited by - jdb123 on 08/19/2002 22:50:57

E.Williams

so far thats as good as it gets.gfys.

Eric S. Williams

robsguns

When shooting offhand I think the most important aspect of the proper stance is natural point of aim. In doing this you go about it like so. Aim at your target, close your eyes, relax, do not force your body to do anything but hold the gun up where it belongs, and let your body position naturally swing whichever way it wants until your torso muscles are relaxed, you will normally move inches either left or right with the muzzle of the gun, now open your eyes. If the gun is not pointing on target still, adjust your stance so that the gun is on target and repeat the above procedure again, till you have it right. Now that is the biggest thing for me, maybe not everyone, but if you will practice this, you may see an improvement in your shooting, as it sounds as if muscle fatigue is really taking its toll on your offhand shooting. Forcing the gun left or right is much worse for your shooting than a lot of people realize. Which stance you use plays an important part also, weaver or isosolese(?) stance? Spelling sucks lately. Try both and see which works better for you.

SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

offeror

I think you need to try to relax a bit more. You don't have anything to prove out there, and it's supposed to be fun. If you're shooting so much that you feel the barrel getting hot, I would say that it's partly also that your hands are sweating from tension, probably from trying to hold the gun up and steady.

Try changing to different two-hand holds and see if you can find something more comfortable; try resting your forearm against the wall of the shooting booth now and then -- after all, it is practical to learn to shoot using available objects to steady your shots.

You may find you shake more the harder you grip and the more you tense up. I think if you "lighten up" your attitude, go for the fun, shoot in a little more off-handed way (figuratively speaking), and shorten your range sessions a bit, you'll find your anxiety level going down and your hits going up.

Other helpful hints could include choosing lighter loads to shoot, choosing thicker Pachmayr grips (they're almost always thicker than the manufacturer's grips), choosing lighter weight guns (easier to hold up longer), and trying compensated or ported barrels for a change to reduce recoil and muzzle flip. Also, use the heaviest spring that will cycle the gun (in the case of a semi-auto, of course) to reduce recoil a bit more -- Wolff makes heavier springs for nearly every gun under the sun.

You never need to cease enjoying shooting. Concentrate not so much on whether you're in the 10 ring, but whether you're accurate enough -- for defense, for practical shooting, for utility. The bottom line is, and I say this in all good spirits, lighten up!

One footnote: There's a chart somewhere that tells you exactly what each lateral motion means, left or right, terms of a bad shooting habit. Somebody can probably tell you what the chart says a left or right lateral drift means according to the chart. Could be you've just picked up something that needs an adjustment in your firing routine.

- Life NRA Member
"If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878

pickenup

If you are a right handed shooter and your windage problem is consistently to the left, (opposite for left handed shooters) it might be that you are using too much "finger" on the trigger. (Some) people will pull the handgun slightly to the left when squeezing the trigger. If this is the case, move your finger on the trigger out, so that you are just using the (pad) of the finger.

If I knew then, what I know now.

ginger49023

Thanks to all of you. I tried Pickenup's suggestion and corrected part of the problem immediately.

Nighthawk

Im glad you got your problem solved,but I have one more suggestion.Most people will shoot better when their by theirselves.Dont depend on someone to watch and tell you what your doing wrong(assumeing your an experienced shooter)try to find what stance such as the weaver position,feels best to you you can usually tell if your pulling the trigger or squezing it.Hope this was of some help.This is a tried and proven method have a friend go with you to the range.Let him do the loading but not tell you when you are shooting live ammo or Dry fireing,always assume you are shooting live ammo.You will see if you are jerking the gun or not when you squeeze a empty chamber and the gun moves usually to the right.That is the best way you can Diagnose jerking.

Best!!


Rugster


Toujours Pret