question: shooting to the left......but only.....

[jimb16]

Ok, here we go. This one has me scratching my head. I have quite a few handguns. Revolvers, single shots and autoloaders. I am a very good shot with all of them except my two SAAs! IF I sandbag them, they shoot right to point of aim. BUT if I shoot them offhand, they both shoot to the left, not very far, but enough to frustrate the H*** out of me! I have a Blackhawk too, but that shoots to point of aim. What am I doing wrong??? I can't figure it out. Suggestions welcome (Except for the send them to me kind! *LOL*)

[M-Tecs]

I don't how you fix it, but, it is grip, trigger pull or follow through issues.

http://discussion.ccwguardian.com/uploads/default/53/a980a53fad41e9dc.jpg

http://www.handgunsmag.com/reviews/how-to-cure-common-shooting-mistakes/

[BK7saum]

Are you shooting one hand or two-handed? If two-handed and you are right handed, grip more with your left and relax the right hand a bit. That should allow the muzzle to rise upward and and not torque to the left and upward. The grip works better with semi-autos, where you typically put more of the non gun hand on the grip, but is applicable to SAA also. Another possibility is how much finger you have on the trigger. The trigger funger should travel straight back. Too much or too little finger on the trigger will push or pull the pistol to the left or right. Shooting from bags masks mistakes in form because the pistol is stabilized by the bag.

Brad

[wv109323]

It could be several things. Shooting lower left is usually trigger jerk. It could be grip, it could be trigger over travel or lock time which means the gun is moving in your hand before the bullet exits the barrel. You did not mention caliber or barrel length but the slower the bullet and longer the barrel the more time for misalignment.

[Whiterabbit]

My vote is the gun. You say you are a good shot. I believe you.

Guns recoil different off bags than offhand. revolvers are not unknown to torque, that can cause a shift.

How confident are you it is you? Based on your description, seems to be it might be shooter, but might be gun.

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edit: I have the test you can use to prove it too, and it involves your blackhawk that shoots to point of aim. Why is that one OK? easy! adjustable sights.

Here's your test:

Put the blackhawk on bags. If it's the gun (and the rest method), the BH should shoot slightly right. Not much, but enough to drive you nuts! That proves the difference between bagging and offhand is a slight left POI. The solution is to turn the barrel on the SAA till it shoots correctly (aka adjust the sights).

If the BH shoots to POA on bags and offhand, then it's you. perhaps caused by familiarity as those above suggest, or maybe a bad trigger that can be smoothed out, or something else. but definitely shooter involved.

[BwBrown]

Try these targets. Night help,

172644

172645

[Whiterabbit]

Or this one

http://www.gunnuts.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/qualification-target-you-suck.jpg




:D:D:D:D:D:D

[Blackwater]

You've received some good info above. Sometimes, we forget that recoil begins the instant the bullet starts to move, so it affects the bullet's path by how much we let it "kick" up and to the side. If you shoot well off the rest but to a different POI offhand, it's most likely because of some probably subtle difference in your grip. I've seen a number of people, when shooting off a rest, make sure they grip the gun in a certain way, usually with the long bones of the arm directly behind the centerline of the bore, then, when shooting offhand, they'll pick up and grip the gun much more casually, usually (for a right hander), gripping it with the long bones of the arm more in line to the right of the centerline of the bore. This generates a different POI, and is always left.

The principle is really simple. We know a gun recoils away from whatever it's rested on. Our grip and wrist and the long bones of the arm are, in fact, a kind of resistance to recoil, and if we align them to the side or in the center of the grip, they'll shoot center or to the side accordingly.

Solution? Start watching closely how you grip the gun, and grip it the same way every time, whether shooting off a rest or offhand or whatever. Shooting a pistol is much more sensitive to differences in how we hold the gun than long guns are. When you think about it, how could it not be so?

That's what I'd look at and try first, anyway, and in my experience, is the usual cause of what you're describing. Handguns are harder to shoot well than long guns, and require more attention to detail. Pretty simple, really, once you realize the source of the problems that come up.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

make yourself up some light loads and see if that helps you if that helps you out then you have a flinch

[FergusonTO35]

Do you have big hands? Those little grips on SAA's can make it hard to grip and pull the trigger properly. I love my little Single Six but that small and somewhat oddly shaped grip has caused me alot of problems compared to other wheelguns I have owned.

[OS OK]

172649

There are many aids like this one here at this link...

Images for pistol chart, mistakes, trigger (https://www.google.com/search?q=pistol+chart,+mistakes,+trigger&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiy3LG3loLOAhUFwmMKHVCuBDMQsAQIHQ&biw=1715&bih=883)

[44man]

I have a friend that shoots everything to the left. He has short stubby fingers and can't get his finger to the trigger without it being on the frame, then he flinches to add to it.
Revolvers do torque, have had the gun spin under scopes and red dots so they turn in the rings. The .475 is the worst and can hurt the wrist from bags.
I found the hog leg needs held lower with my pinky under the grip off hand, NOT FROM A BAG, it will hurt. That puts my finger straighter to the trigger so I get a straighter pull. Hold the gun very firm so it does not ROLL. If you need to adjust your hand every shot, you do something wrong.
I see pictures of gun writers with the finger 45° to the trigger. NOT!
Some complain of being hit in the web by the hammer, what in the world are you doing up there?
I also read of rubber grips peeling skin from the palm. What is THAT?
Proper hold is the most important thing you can do. I can not shoot a S&W 29 because of the grips. I will shoot 1/2" groups from Creedmore at 50 meters but when I ground the gun for target setters and pick it up again, the next 1/2" group will be 10" from the first. I can center the first 5 chickens and miss the next 5. A Bisley will do the same for me. In thousand of rounds I have ONE good group with a Bisley, time to apply super glue when right! [smilie=l:
Trigger guard bash to my big knuckle is another thing. I have an MOA in the little 7BR that drove me nuts. I had the closed loop and bought the open loop, just as bad so I made my own from stainless that shoots like a dream now.172648
The grip is near Bisley but just the little change fixed it. The hole I made is for looks and to reduce weight. My gunsmith friend gave me the steel and I took it to him to sandblast for me. He could not believe I cut it by hand from the tough metal.
You need to figure .001" of an inch with hold, we can't feel that. Hand pressure also comes in.
Welcome to the crazy world of the revolver.

[44man]

That little MOA has put 5 shots into 3/8" at 100 and under 1" at 200 meters. My Wichita International in 7R has equaled it.
Many of my revolvers have done to 1/2" at 100. Remember the search for the 1 moa revolver? A great amount of money spent with special barrels and custom work and they did it once. I have done it with out of box guns. Ruger and BFR's. Granted I change the hammer springs to over power and do the triggers to as low as 19 oz. Make my own, longer transfer bars to stay on the firing pin if needed. Holy smokes, take thick tool steel and cut a transfer bar, harden and temper it. Screwed one up and had to heat it to fit but failed to redo the whole thing and it broke. Hard lesson. I have made many mainsprings and frizzen springs for flinters that have lasted years.

[.22-10-45]

Funny thing about firearms..each is a law unto itself...my experience with a Colt 2nd. gen. S.A.A. in .38 Spec. 7 1/2" is just the opposite..if sandbagged..P.O.I over 2' low and 6" left..tried heaver bullets..up to 200grs...brought p.o.i. up a little..was almost ready to grab file, when the dim bulb finally flickered on...Cowboys didn't tote sandbag rests in their saddle bags..so I stood up on my hind legs and shot like Col. Colt intended it to be shot...P.O.I. right on top of front sight..with perfect windage! Even a firm two hand hold will bring impact down..this one likes to be shot dueling style or at most, non-shooting hand suporting a limp wrist..go fiqure!

[Half Dog]

Or this one

http://www.gunnuts.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/qualification-target-you-suck.jpg




:D:D:D:D:D:D

I love it. HaHaHa - smiling face -