Shooting technique advice

[chutestrate]

I hope this is the right place, if not please delete

i have a bobtailed 1911 in 357 sig(scorpion fastback carry commander size). I'm finding that when i shoot the poa is constantly low by 2-3 inches at about 8-10 yds. Windage is fine and the groups are good. I "think" I've discovered the problem. Just as I'm shooting I must be doubling down on the lower part of the grip with my ring and pinky fingers grip which is pulling my poa down. The bobtailed design doesn't have the squared off grip that pushes off of the heel of my palm. So I've been playing around with my shooting grip. If I hold the grip any tighter I start to shake. So I'm not sure how to fix the problem. I'm also considering adjustable sights which may allow to compensate for the low impact.

Has anyone experienced this type of problem. I also have the same issue with bobtailed .45's so I don't think it is a caliber problem. Love the gun and want to keep it.

[DougGuy]

Do the dry fire exercise. With an unloaded gun pick a spot or set a target somewhere and dry fire the gun. Take a mental "snapashot" of the sight picture when the hammer falls. If the sights do not remain motionless, it's likely you are pulling the shots. Practice until you can hold them motionless in dry fire then remember the grip and placement of the finger on the trigger and go try live fire again.

[Rick Hodges]

What Doug says:
I learned more about how to shoot a handgun by dryfiring than I ever did with live ammo. Where the sights are when the hammer strikes is what is important. If you are clutching and pulling the shots down or not will become apparent.

[Groo]

Groo here
If you bench the gun [with a rest] does it shoot POA?????????
If someone else shoots your gun , due they hit the same place as you????????
My first though is you are pulling the shot down.
First try one handed shooting [removes off hand problems]
The gun "Might" shoot low because the 357 sig is faster than a 45acp.
But I doubt that is the problem.

[ReloaderFred]

In our Handgun Safety Classes, this is pretty common among the students. It's caused by tightening the whole hand as you pull the trigger, rather than just moving the trigger finger straight to the rear. As distances increase, the group will probably move low/left for a right handed shooter, and low/right for a left handed shooter.

Dry firing will help with this. Just concentrate on the front sight and with moving just the trigger finger when making the shot.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[bobthenailer]

adjustiable rear sights to fit the novak rear sight cut from midway or brownells will solve your problem

[bgw45]

It might be just me but dry fire was always easy for me to hold the sights steady. Now, get on the range and still low/left. I'm ld and can't hold the x-ring at 15 yrds. So what I was trying to do was release the trigger when the x floated in the sight pic. That resulted in pulling the sights off the x.

So, now I accept the float and start the trigger press before I'm actually on the x. The result is much tighter groups along with a much higher x count. I just press the trigger as if I was dry firing and accept the results. Best I can do at my current age and physical condition.

[EMC45]

Pulling down in anticipation of recoil?

[Love Life]

First thing I would do is bench the gun and accuracy test it at 25 yards. If it's dead on at 25, but a couple inches low at 8-10 yards, then I wouldn't make any changes.

If it stayed low, I wouldn't buy an adjustable rear sight. I'd just file the front sight down a tad and be done with it.

[500Linebaughbuck]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPtTs42sVAM

this is a great starter.

[chutestrate]

Thank you everyone. Dry firing is easy. Nothing moves it's definitely recoil anticipation I think. So I'll try just moving the trigger finger and see what my results are. Thought that was what I was doing, but obviously not.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

It could be your sight picture too

[Bigslug]

1. Tighten your grip a little bit. What you may have going on is a sympathetic tightening of the entire hand as you contract the trigger finger. If you tighten up to where you're at the point of a firm handshake, the rest of the hand will be less likely to come along for the ride, and the movement will be isolated to that finger alone.

2. Get some dummy rounds and have a buddy load them into your mags along with live ones. This is really the only solid way I've found to spot mild anticipation issues and trigger slap issues, because if you KNOW the gun is NOT going to go off, they aren't likely to appear.

3. Have someone else shoot it - benched and bagged - on a target that gives you the best possible contrast with the sights. The thing with Novak sights is they make different heights for BOTH the front and rear, and it is easily possible to get the wrong combo (seen it happen plenty), and you need to chat with your manufacturer.

[Dave C.]

Learn to shoot NRA Precision pistol. And you will improve all your hand gun shooting.
Find a Precision pistol shooter and let them know you are interested they will help you get started.

[Mytmousemalibu]

If you have a flat front sight, do some dime drills. Balance a dime on the sight, you should be able to dry fire and the dime should not fall/move if your trigger manipulation is clean. I would highly recommend someone load dummy round mixed with live ammo at the range, that will quickly tell what you are doing. I would not at all be surprised that you are pulling the gun off when you break the shots. I have this problem too.

[bigboredad]

What helps me is lots of dry fire then when I get to the range only load one rnd at a time until I'm hitting consisistly where I'm aim then add around and then another until you can shoot a full magazine. For me try to keep the gun flat for the next rnd caused me to over cooperate for the next. Hope this helps even a wee little bit

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[10-x]

Dave C is correct. Basic marksmanship skills cure most folks grip, anticipation, sight alignment and trigger control issues. Our AMTU instructor jokingly told us to chop off your pinky if you are serious, causes problems.LOL Grip with your 2 middle fingers!

[Texas by God]

If you are grouping your shots tight, you may just need a heavier bullet to raise poi.

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