[gadrooning]

I was out shooting with a friend just ot varify something that has been nagging me for awhile. A while ago I was shooting with another friend and I handed my handgun to him. He consistantly shot high with my firearm. So I tried his gun and I shot consitantly low with his. Well that just won't do so I brought out the 38, 357, 40 and 45. Same thing. I do recall when I first fired off each gun after purchase I shot low. I just chalked it up to the sights are off. The 38 is fixed sights and I still shoot low with it, while I have adjusted the back sights on the other guns, which shoot perfectly for me. Now I'm second guessing. The thing is I can shoot consistantly. I can shoot a 2.5" group with a .22 at 25yds and a 5" group with my 40 and 45 at 25 yds, and a 6" group bare sight with my 357 with a 8 3/8" barrel at 50yds. Is it possible that my eyesight is that different, or have I possibly nurtured a bad form while shooting. Any thoughts?????

[NGIB]

This may be a silly question but do you use the "6 o'clock" hold or POA?

[Missileman]

I've had some students with that problem, and I've had it myself occasionally. Most of the time it is caused by the person gripping the pistol too strongly with your shooting hand (althought this may not be your problem--could be any number of different things) and pulling the trigger with too much of your finger. A good test to see if this is the case is to grip the pistol as loosly as you can with your shooting hand, and then grip it tightly, around the front of the grip, with your supporting hand. Basically you're sqeezing your shooting hand with your supporting hand to provide control. Then try and use the tip of your trigger finger to fire off a test round while doing your best to keep the front sight on the target. You have to keep your shooting hand relaxed for this test to work--it is best to concentrate on squeezing with your supporting hand, as your natural inclination will be to squeeze harder with your shooting hand. If you do this, and you hit on or above the target, then you're probably gripping the pistol too hard and/or pulling the trigger with the middle of your finger instead of the end.

[gadrooning]

That thought accured to me as well. We are all shooting POA.

[gadrooning]

missleman that is some great advice. I do grip the pistol really tight. I will have to try this test.

[Missileman]

Originally Posted by gadrooning

missleman that is some great advice. I do grip the pistol really tight. I will have to try this test.

Good luck--this technique usually fixes it for me when I'm shooting low, but it's a hard habit to break.

[jpattersonnh]

Not only the POA such as the 6 o'clock, but how you are aligning the sights also will change POI.
http://www.targetshooting.ca/docs/pistol_sighting.pdf

[Mr. Bluesky]

When I got my M&P a while back, I was shooting low, too. Turns out, I was using WAY too much finger on the trigger, and it didn't much affect me with my Ruger Mk III because the pull is so short. Adjusted my grip, and I'm right on the money, now, so try dry-firing your fierarm a bit. If the muzzle dips every time you pull the trigger, that's your problem.

[Rentacop]

The answer is almost always flinch. You are likely fighting the recoil by pulling down as the shot goes off. Work on surprise break. Watch where the front sight goes as you fire.

You can grip as tight as you want as long as you don't increase your grip as you pull the trigger.
Helpful vids : http://www.myoutdoortv.com/video/videoBCID.php?v=59619949001
Also try to find Bruce Gray's " Bump Drill " video.