Shooting range Tips
 

Hello all, I've crossed over the line to the dark side.

I've bought a pistol. Just something I've thought about doing for the past 20 years or so. I am a newbie, never fired anything before.

Actually I've bought two pistols, those little .380 automatics by Kel-Tec. One will be an anniversary present for my wife if I can get her down to the police station and get it transferred to her name. We plan to take the CCW (Concealed Weapons Permit) course together. I doubt that I will be walking around with it, just makes getting to the range easier.

I blew off my first 50 rounds at a indoor range on Sunday (mother's day). I kept two hands on it, the proper footing stance, and unlocked elbows.

However, I seem to be hitting the target down and to the left consistently.

At 12 feet I aim at the upper right hand corner and hit pretty good.

At 25 feet out I aim 4 inches above, and 2 inches to the right of the target. Went from 1 out of 6, to 5 or 6 out of 6.

I am right handed, small hands, small gun.

What I'm thinking is that the trigger finger is pulling the same way the aim is pulling.

How do I prevent this?

Should I bother to correct this, or just keep aiming high and to the right?

Re: Shooting range Tips
 

...back to the "why are you still single" thread...

Take a class.

I might do that in addition to the CCW.

I talked to my father-in-law, his target shooting has the same problem. I think this is a typical problem, is there a typical answer other than "take a class" or "practice, practice, practice"?

PS: I'm not single silly - small fingers are better for detailed work.;)

Breath! Relax.... Squeeeeeze!

http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/uzi.gif

Low left is very common for new shooters. Whether you realize it or not, you are anticipating the recoil. The giveaway would be if a round misfired (gun does not fire), and you see yourself flinch downwards, and to the left (because you're right-handed). Relax your right hand, and squeeze the trigger. You are most likely sqeezing your entire hand to anticipate the recoil.

Take a class and get with a good instructor. Also, starting with low power rounds helps because the noise and recoil is less than the more powerful rounds.

All in all this really worries me. Next we might hear from you that you are intending on defending your house and home and thinking of voting conservative... :)

JoeA

What Danskman said, very common for new shooters. Another thing is to shoot slowly, I've seen alot of folks squeeze rounds of like they're in a Dirty Harry movie - and their groups always suck.

Don't leave the weapon out of the equation; are you sure it's sighted right? The range should be able to sight it in (if it wasn't done at purchase), or if you have a buddy who's an acomplished shooter he should be able to get you there.

Flinching or a very hard trigger pull. Get a good 22 pistol (Ruger Mk II, Browning Buckmark, S&W 422, etc) and practice practice practice.

Re: Shooting range Tips
 

LOL, good one...

Probably the best advice you will get. Those Ktechs are light and it would be easy to get the "flinch effect". Practice IS important. I go to the range once a month at least. I took the NRA newbie class as a refresher BEFORE I took the CCW class. It helped a lot. That way when you walk in the door for your CCW class you can focus on theh techniques and laws rather than "getting to know you" with your weapon. I think it's great that your wife and you are doing this together. Have fun and be safe.

Oh and yes you will carry it......because you can!

Don't change your point of aim to compensate for flinch.
Pratice, relax, practice, RELAX!
Don't expect tack driving accuracy out of a .380.

How tight should one hold the gun?

Firm ...............or extra tight?

Firm.
Extra tight will bring a tremor.

Relax, enjoy your range time, get an instructor.

Do not try to compensate by adjusting your point of aim. Once you are really consistent you can start making adjustments to sights.

relaxed, not too firm but controlled, just the tip of the finger on the trigger no further than the first knuckle. It won't bust your lip if you relax. It's not a cannon.unless it's a desert eagle or the likes of that. Overcoming the flinch will come with familiarity with the weapon. In a self defense situation it's more point and shoot anyway. The front sight is all you use in that type of situation. My CCW instructor told us all day one that if we thought we were gonna be taught "Hold your breath, aim, squeeze." go home, you're in the wrong place. Plus any self defense shooting would be at 7 to 10 feet anyway. Not much time for hold, aim, squeeze.

Here's a great site for shooting and general gun discussions.

http://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?

You should drop by this site and look into the SAFEAIM.
www.wallerandson.com

Ok I'll add to that www.packing.org

One trick people do is get a 'snap cap', which is a dummy round, and have a friend put it in a magazine, in a random place, so that when you shoot, you don't know when the snap cap will be chambered. Then you'll be able to tell if you're flinching.

Get a few snap caps and try that. Also, just dry fire with a snap cap chambered, and pay attention to your movements and motions.

Remember, you SQUEEZE the trigger, not pull it.

At this point, you should focus almost entirely on safe gun handling, and almost not at all on shooting skills.

Every person I know who owns pistols has had at least one incident when they accidentally fired a round and/or when a friend accidentally fired a round in their vicinity. Every one.

A class would be a very good idea. Failing that, here are my personal rules:
- Every single time the gun is picked up, check if there is a round in the chamber, if there is a loaded magazine inserted, and if the gun is cocked. Even if you just set the gun down for a second, you check again when you pick it up.
- Forefinger is never inside the trigger guard unless you intend to fire the gun right now. At all other times, the gun is held with the forefinger alongside the guard.
- At the range, the gun only points in two directions - downrange towards the target, or straight down at the floor. It is never held in such a way as to point anywhere else, even if unloaded. Only exception is when it is being placed in the case or being removed from the case.
- At home, the gun is only pointed in a direction in which it could be safely fired. This usually means towards to floor or at least at a downward angle (such that the bullet would penetrate the floor rather than the wall).
- Anyone who owns a gun must be completely and instinctively familiar with how it works, meaning they can decock, unload, field-strip, clean, re-assemble, reload, cock - preferably with eyes closed. The point is not to be a gun mechanic, the point is to know the mechanism so well that you instinctively know when the gun is cocked and ready to fire.
- A first gun should not, in my opinion, be a semi-auto. People should start with revolvers, because there is less room for confusion on whether the hammer is cocked. If it has to be a semi-auto, then one with a visible hammer. Semi-autos with concealed hammers are deceptive - people often have no idea that a round is chambered and the firing pin is cocked. Also, some women don't have the hand strength to safely pull back the slide on a semi-auto. Some revolvers also let you practice with light loads and then work up to heavy loads. My first pistol, at 12 or something like that, was a single-action .22 revolver - an ideal starter gun IMO.
- Your gun has no safety lock. Doesn't matter whether it does have a safety, or whether you engaged the safety - you have to act as if it does not. People who rely on the safety are asking for it.
- Gun storage depends on who has access to your house. If kids visit even occasionally, the storage has to be as kid-proof as if kids lived there full-time.

When you get to shooting skills, I think starting with fewer variables is a good idea. If you start shooting from a rest (forearms supported), one shot at a time, aiming deliberately, there will be fewer variables. Then add shooting without a rest, shooting faster, etc. Make sure to grip the pistol the same way every time - if you reposition your grip with each shot, it is hard to be consistent. Finally, a compact .380 isn't an easy gun to shoot accurately anyway.

Edit: I forgot another rule. At first, avoid wearing shirts that are wide open at the collar. Every now and then some newbie at a range will have a hot, just-ejected brass bounce off the divider and fall down his Miami Vice-style open shirt. Then he jumps around, pawing down his cleavage, squeaking "ow ow" and waving his loaded and cocked gun in the air. Everyone (who has a clue) gets scared.

Treat a gun as if it is always loaded.
Always point your gun downrange.
Do not rapid fire.
Wear safety glasses.
Wear ear plugs.
Trigger control is important.

Have fun out there. Think Safe.

Agreed with the sentiments regarding safety.

Safety should be paid attention to RELIGIOUSLY. It's not difficult to be safe and conscientious with a firearm.

I think John has given you the best Crash Course of all of us. safety first. So very true on all points. many of us here should read his post at least twice. Thanks John

Yeah and don't hit the clip that holds the target; it will seem like hours that that things swings back and forth, range gets quiet, snickers start....

Thanks for the tips and links everyone, I'll be taking it to heart.

Take it seriously. Not only is ownership a big responsibility it is also a giant liability. Know the laws inside and out. Have fun..be safe.