I shoot low

[AlphaKoncepts aka CGS]

I'm perplexed. With a hand gun it seems I shoot low with nearly every gun I own, except my XDM which has adjustable sights. Obviously I adjusted out the low shot Also with my BHP I shoot right on target.

 

With my S&W M&P pro 9mm I shoot low. With my Baretta Cheeta 380 I shoot low. Last range trip at 25' my 380 was shooting about 4" low. I tried a tight grip, loose grip, really focused on trigger control, slow deliberate squeezes, single action, double action.

 

Hoping someone can tell me what I am doing wrong. I didn't use to shoot low it seems to have developed in my lack of training in 2011 and 2012 due to being financially broke. Finally having a little extra spending cash and trying to get back into a training routine. I'm guessing the problem is the loose nut behind the trigger (Me). Any advice?

 

 

FWIW my rifle skills are still dead on.

[patriot1776]

Without seeing you shoot , if you have a correct sight picture i would guess you are anticipating recoil and the gun / trigger break.

[TacticalVideo]

I find that most handguns are setup for a combat sight picture or a 12 o'clock hold. If you are shooting with a 6 o'clock sight picture, your shots are all going to be low. My XD came from the factory with a 6 o'clock sight system. Personally for target shooting that's what I prefer. For self defense I prefer the combat setup. Meaning you cover your target with the front sight and you kill what is covered.

[Matt B]

Ever try to mix snap caps in with live ammo? Have someone else load the magazine so you don't know what round will be coming next. You'll easily detect a flinch if that's the case.

[AlphaKoncepts aka CGS]

Without seeing you shoot , if you have a correct sight picture i would guess you are anticipating recoil and the gun / trigger break.

Yeah that was my first thought as well, I really did my best to focus, but maybe I was still anticipating recoil. Maybe I need to try with gloves and what not, I used to be really good and am a little p***** at myself.

 

I'm lining up the top of the sights, I don't know how else to explain it without a pic.I grabbed this from someone's website... http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/sightimages.jpg

 

I'm using the sight image in the middle. FWIW according to the XDM manual this is the suggest sight picture.

[AlphaKoncepts aka CGS]

Ever try to mix snap caps in with live ammo? Have someone else load the magazine so you don't know what round will be coming next. You'll easily detect a flinch if that's the case.

Yeah I used to do that. Time to try again. I guess I've just got to start back at the basics from scratch.

[Livewire18]

Change your grip a little. Shoot low in my experience is because you are pulling the trigger instead of squeezing it. How low are you shooting and do you wear glasses?

 

Edit. From the pic posted, also the way I have always been thought is to use the far right option in the pic.

[AlphaKoncepts aka CGS]

Change your grip a little. Shoot low in my experience is because you are pulling the trigger instead of squeezing it. How low are you shooting and do you wear glasses?

 

Edit. From the pic posted, also the way I have always been thought is to use the far right option in the pic.

I hate the far right hold because I can't see what I'm shooting (kinda why gang bangers hold the guns sideways) . Maybe that's the problem. But it is interesting that you mention, do I wear glasses. No I do not and I have been having a hard time checking out girls butts. Not to be crude, but that's how I noticed my eyes weren't the same. Time to get my eyes checked.

[GlockShooter]

Without seeing you shoot , if you have a correct sight picture i would guess you are anticipating recoil and the gun / trigger break.

Yeah that was my first thought as well, I really did my best to focus, but maybe I was still anticipating recoil. Maybe I need to try with gloves and what not, I used to be really good and am a little p***** at myself.

 

I'm lining up the top of the sights, I don't know how else to explain it without a pic.I grabbed this from someone's website... http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/sightimages.jpg

 

I'm using the sight image in the middle. FWIW according to the XDM manual this is the suggest sight picture.

Sounds like what TacticalVideo described above. Your guns with non-adjustable sights may be sighted in so the dot on the front sight covers the target. (Sight pic #3 above)

 

If that's the case and you are using sight pic #2, you will shoot low.

[Livewire18]

Change your grip a little. Shoot low in my experience is because you are pulling the trigger instead of squeezing it. How low are you shooting and do you wear glasses?

 

Edit. From the pic posted, also the way I have always been thought is to use the far right option in the pic.

I hate the far right hold because I can't see what I'm shooting (kinda why gang bangers hold the guns sideways) . Maybe that's the problem. But it is interesting that you mention, do I wear glasses. No I do not and I have been having a hard time checking out girls butts. Not to be crude, but that's how I noticed my eyes weren't the same. Time to get my eyes checked.

 

I understand what you are saying about not seeing the target, but at 7+ yards the center dot in the target should be visible still with the firearm at arms length. Anything closer than 7 yards forget about the sights. Also the reason I asked about glasses is because some proscription glass can through off angles a bit. I wear different glasses when shooting then I do when reading because of this.

[patriot1776]

On most of my handguns, i have the xs big dot sights , but they are not target shooting sights. They are combat sights , i do fine when target shooting and like those sights.

[AlphaKoncepts aka CGS]

So what I am thinking right now is make sure I'm not flinching or yanking the trigger and then maybe if I eliminate that from the equation I will change out sights so I do not like the "combat setup" tactical referenced. But before I go spend money I want to make sure it's not me. I'll go back to using snap caps, and try the combat hold. If it shoots on target with the combat setup maybe I know what the problem is. I see another range session in my near future.

[patriot1776]

I use to go nuts when wearing shooting glasses over my prescription glasses , I broke down and bought prescription safety glasses and it really helped .

[patriot1776]

I am not a big fan of the 3 dot set up and also have a tendency to shoot lower most of the time .

[AlphaKoncepts aka CGS]

On most of my handguns, i have the xs big dot sights , but they are not target shooting sights. They are combat sights , i do fine when target shooting and like those sights.

I wouldn't mind having combat sights on my carry pistol(s), except that I would like to have a consistent setup, in terms of POA POI, across all my pistols.

[sirflyguy]

Without seeing you shoot , if you have a correct sight picture i would guess you are anticipating recoil and the gun / trigger break.

This. Probably. Practice dry firing, and you can shake it up some by balancing a coin on the front of your slide or front sight (if possible) and practice your trigger squeeze without disturbing the coin.

[sirflyguy]

Ever try to mix snap caps in with live ammo? Have someone else load the magazine so you don't know what round will be coming next. You'll easily detect a flinch if that's the case.

And this...

[Dwe]

Without seeing you shoot , if you have a correct sight picture i would guess you are anticipating recoil and the gun / trigger break.

Yeah that was my first thought as well, I really did my best to focus, but maybe I was still anticipating recoil. Maybe I need to try with gloves and what not, I used to be really good and am a little p***** at myself.

 

I'm lining up the top of the sights, I don't know how else to explain it without a pic.I grabbed this from someone's website... http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/sightimages.jpg

 

I'm using the sight image in the middle. FWIW according to the XDM manual this is the suggest sight picture.

 

Most of my guns with 3 dot sights shoot POI with sight image 3. including Glocks and XD

[jester121]

My XDm, 1911s, and revolvers are all closest to #2 (adjustable sights on all but the XDm, but it's the same, regardless of dots). The old "pumpkin on a fence post" sight picture.

 

May I also suggest you have a friend try out your gun, one who you trust to be a good shot? I've had other friends check guns for me, and have done the same for them. Nothing worse than screwing around with your sights to fix an error in your mechanics. A few weeks ago at the range, a buddy of mine didn't know he was milking the trigger and had his rear sight drifted almost all the way to one side, he was convinced it was an inaccurate gun. A couple us put nice right groups clustered about 6" to the right of the bullseye and convinced the guy that it wasn't the gun!

 

That, in addition to the snap cap trick, are excellent ways to find problems, and they crop up all the time, even Tom Gresham talks about doing it a couple times a year just to keep himself honest.

[output]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/Jeff82/correction_chart.jpg

[Mr_Rich]

I had the same problem with my Sig and found it to be a grip issue. I could shoot a revolver dead center but the 9mm was consistently low. I fixed my issue by griping the Sig tighter with the left hand and making sure the left hand was rotated farther forward in a two thumbs forward grip.

 

I still need to get some snap caps as I'm also anticipating the recoil.

 

Rich

[patriot1776]

I had the same problem with my Sig and found it to be a grip issue. I could shoot a revolver dead center but the 9mm was consistently low. I fixed my issue by griping the Sig tighter with the left hand and making sure the left hand was rotated farther forward in a two thumbs forward grip.

 

I still need to get some snap caps as I'm also anticipating the recoil.

 

Rich

That is very common , i find for some reason more so in a striker fire auto . When you get the snap caps place a coin on the front of the slide and try to dry fire keeping the coin balanced on the slide without falling off. This and other drills can be found on you tube.

[ragsbo]

Dry fire pratice will help you get the correct trigger pull. Also be sure you are following through the shot; concentrate on the front sight; before the shot, through the recoil (don't fight it, roll with it) and back on target for a second sight picture even if you are not going to shoot again. Forcing the concentration that way will help prevent anticipation. Also video yourself from different angles and watch in super slow mo and see if you can tell what is going on.

[Rockdiver]

You mentioned that you wear corrective lenses, by any chance...might they be progressive

, bifocal?

 

If you are manipulating your head and neck and looking near the partition at an angle you may be experiencing a parallex effect...it is a problem with some competitive shooters. If this is the case you can get three level lensea cut that allow you to more comfortably line up your eyes. If you are consistently hitting low, but grouping well with different types of firearms this would be my first suspect.

 

Although adjusting the height of your rear sights might be a more viable option if you know that your current specs ae what you will be wearing if the SHTF

 

Rocco

[sirflyguy]

You mentioned that you wear corrective lenses, by any chance...might they be progressive

, bifocal?

 

If you are manipulating your head and neck and looking near the partition at an angle you may be experiencing a parallex effect...it is a problem with some competitive shooters. If this is the case you can get three level lensea cut that allow you to more comfortably line up your eyes. If you are consistently hitting low, but grouping well with different types of firearms this would be my first suspect.

 

Although adjusting the height of your rear sights might be a more viable option if you know that your current specs ae what you will be wearing if the SHTF

 

Rocco

My wife, who is a pretty good shot, all of the sudden started not being such a good shot. I watched her and saw nothing. Then, after a few days, i had an epiphany: she had just got progressive lenses. We went back out with her other glasses and she did just fine.BTW, try some bench rest bags and see how you do.

[MINOOKAJOE]

I find alot of times when you start to shoot low,it is a result of dropping your head.Make sure you are not dropping your head,which will change the angle,Thus causing you to shoot low,keep your head up.

 

We could speculate what is going on but if you are serious and want to correct your problem seek out a quality instructor,someone who can pick out the problem and save you time and money,and a whole lot of grief.

[AlphaKoncepts aka CGS]

Dry fire pratice will help you get the correct trigger pull. Also be sure you are following through the shot; concentrate on the front sight; before the shot, through the recoil (don't fight it, roll with it) and back on target for a second sight picture even if you are not going to shoot again. Forcing the concentration that way will help prevent anticipation. Also video yourself from different angles and watch in super slow mo and see if you can tell what is going on.

That's for the tip, good advice on the video, but LOL I wish.

[AlphaKoncepts aka CGS]

You mentioned that you wear corrective lenses, by any chance...might they be progressive

, bifocal?

 

If you are manipulating your head and neck and looking near the partition at an angle you may be experiencing a parallex effect...it is a problem with some competitive shooters. If this is the case you can get three level lensea cut that allow you to more comfortably line up your eyes. If you are consistently hitting low, but grouping well with different types of firearms this would be my first suspect.

 

Although adjusting the height of your rear sights might be a more viable option if you know that your current specs ae what you will be wearing if the SHTF

 

Rocco

No I do not YET wear glasses.

[Fuse]

I've been dealing with this recently as well. I shoot my MP pretty damn well with the 2nd figure above ("action shooting" sight picture as I've seen it referred to) and prefer that, especially when shooting longer ranges. As mentioned, I like to see what i expect to hit.

 

I recently bought a Springfield EMP and it has consistently shot low for me - and I suspect it's because it's sights are made for the "shoot the dot" sighting. Pretty upsetting, actually. This is one of the biggest reasons I'm thinking of switching to my SR9c for carry - it has elevation adjustable sights.

[Drylok]

I know it's hard to find but try to get some dummy ammo and do some ball and dummy drills. I bet your shots come up after a few of those. Adult males have a hard time admitting that they anticipate the recoil, but there is nothing to be ashamed of everyone does or did it but it can be overcome. Remember you can't just do one drill and never do it again especially if you switch guns. If you switch guns your first shot will be right on because you don't know when the shot is going to break (which is what you want). After the first shot with the new gun you will start pushing again, so just do some more ball and dummy and it will go away again. You're not making the gun go off, you're waiting for the gun to go off. I do ball and dummy drills somewhat reguarly.

Also you need to have someone watch you, to make sure you're not looking at your shot. My brother is terrible about that lol