Losing my trigger technique and accuracy

[Strykeback]

Hey guys. I started getting into firearms after an outdoor outing with friends and family last february. Ended up with an HK p30 9mm v3 as my first handgun and love it. I had gotten used to the heavy da trigger pull and the long takeup. However a couple months ago if I went by myself to focus on accuracy and trigger pull I could carve out a 1 to 2 inch group at 10 to 15 yards. Now Im all over the place. Tonight i took my father along with 2 friends that had just received a sig 1911 and a cz sp-01 along with 2 very different glocks. I enjoy getting a handle on every different feel I can but differrnt triggers and sights has me shooting horribly with my HK.

Can anyone point me to some good resources on beginning techniques and ways to improve?

[willerfortheworld]

Looks like your going to have to just give up, and sell me your hk for a good deal...that's the only logical solution I see.

[Snoopy47]

US Army Marksmanship Manual

http://www.saveourguns.com/Ar_Marks_Un_Pistol_Train_Guide.pdf

[LOW2000]

Lots of dry fire drills is the cheap way to go about it, otherwise, if you have the time and money, time at the range working on fundamentals. If you have a lot of magazines, load them all before you go, go to the range, go through the loaded mags, don't bother reloading, and when you're done, leave. Your hands, eyes, and mind will be fresh, and the limited ammo will force you to concentrate on making each shot count.

[Strykeback]

I knew Id get someones comment like that...lol thanks for the laugh. Yes a fundamentals is what i need since Ive had no actual training other then one military friend and a ton of youtube videos lol

Ironically any of the ranges Ive been to, all pistols and magazines must be empty entering or leaving.

[9mmepiphany]

You likely owe it to yourself to get some formal instruction. With good instruction, you'll be able to evaluation what you are doing wrong and self correct.

There is no book or video tape you can read or watch that can really teach you to shoot correctly, as it can't critique and evaluate what you are doing or offer corrections.

Dry fire or live fire won't help if you aren't using the correct techniques...they will just ingrain bad habits

[MA2]

sig 1911 and a cz sp-01 along with 2 very different glocks.

How did you group with those guns?
For the most part, they are all different guns (feel and trigger).
You are still new, it takes practice and some time to transition back and forth.

Try another range session with your gun only.
Only real advice is to shoot more, practice, practice.

ya might have been spoiled with the better target trigger (shorter pull/reset), on those other guns

[Lugiahua]

Fastest way is taking your HK to an intro level handgun class, followed by lot of dry practices.

[Strykeback]

Im definitely going to look into some proper training.

His new sig target's rear sight was set way to low but as soon as I noticed that I adjusted and put together a clean 2 inch grouping. Actually so used to prepping the pretravel on my HK that i double tapped on accident by not being used to the trigger. (Ive done this on the glock as well but the pre travel and reset on the HK definitrly leaves something to be desired.) Also my uncles glock 22 has dot over line night sights much like what i was looking into heini straight 8s for the HK and those seem to work a lot better. However a friends glock 17c with his polished trigger internals definitely aquired and shot the best groups.

Thanks for all the insight and recommendations guys!

[SilverTauron]

What's also necessary is monthly practice, at minimum. Dry firing helps with the fundamentals, but you can't simulate the recoil and the blast. Those two factors are why people flinch and end up throwing the shot, and monthly range visits will help prevent that.

Last year I wound up so busy I couldn't hit the range for two months. Wound up going back when I bought a new pistol, and on the first shot I flinched so badly I didnt even hit the paper. I wasn't shooting a hand cannon either, but a lowly 115 grain 9mm out of a S&W handgun.The thought process in my head was , what if that was a bad guy in my home instead of a static range?

[Snoopy47]

[pipboy]

I understand what you are getting at but this won't work. The slide will lock back when your mag is empty and you wont have your hammer fall on an empty chamber. You need dummy rounds or snap caps to do a proper ball and dummy drill.

I would also submit that the anticipation of recoil does matter and is why many shooters (especially beginners) throw shots an have flyers.

[Snoopy47]

I would also submit that the anticipation of recoil does matter and is why many shooters (especially beginners) throw shots an have flyers.

Yes, I use dummy rounds, sorry about that. My .22 conversion doesn't lock back, so i can mix up the mag loads with that.

I'm also saying recoil needs to be ignored. One shouldn't be pulling the trigger any differently than on a loaded or empy gun. That little bit of flinch is done while the trigger is pulled and effects the bullet befor it has had a chance to clearn the barrel.

I've found practicing with 45 more and more doesn't help nearly as much as practicing with .22 or dry fire.

I find a good clean trigger pull results in a gun that goes straight up, and when I bring it back down the sights are still aligned.

Grip is also another astronomical factor in my accuracy pursuit, but that is a topic unto itself.

[Jet Setter]

Fortunately, I was recently at a range getting some practice with my M&P40. I ended up chatting to a bloke next to me. I let him know that I am trying to get used to my new pistol but needed a lot of practice as I seem to be all over the place. So, he said he is an instructor and suggested this - "concentrate on the front sight and pull the trigger very slowly. If you think you are pulling the trigger slowly, you are not! pull even slower. After doing this, you will see your groupings close in at every range trip." I stepped up to the firing line and did exactly what he said. My first 3 shots, dead center. The rest of my day consisted of clearing the center of the target away from the rest. Worth a try.

[latigidyblod]

With my limited experience, shots should be a surprise as you hold the sights on target and slowly put pressure on the trigger from the resistance point. I've only been shooting for less than a month so I'm working on fundamentals myself. I've gotten a private session done with an instructor before I even fired my first bullet and been going to the range around 2 times a week. My hits were towards the 4-5 o'clock position of the target but that was due to a combination of recoil anticipation and finger placement on my trigger. Plenty of live fire and dry fire practice and getting use to ignoring recoil. Now I can get a 3 to 4 inch grouping at 21 feet.