Shooting to the left

[BeerSlinger]

I have had my XD-4O for a few months now and have taked it to have range a half dozen times.
I have noticed I am hiting to the left of where I aim. Does anyone have some tips on my grip or how I line up my sites.

[penguin0123]

Bench it / use a Ransom rest to isolate whether it is the gun or the shooter.

Are you left or right handed? If you don't do a trigger press, you could be pulling the gun sidewards.

[razr]

Are you ok vertically? If so then you might not be pulling the trig straight to the back. Dry fire and pull it evenly and straight to the back. If you are left and low, right handed I assume then you are anticipating the recoil . Also look at your finger placement on the trigger. Over grip could cause some of it as well. Given that your sight is good. Its muscle memory and gets better with dry fire and practice. Once you stop it goes south again. Get training if you are new to FAs.

[Tlc.norcal]

Oddly I have a similar situation just when I first warm up... I think it's something to do with my my finger ratio on the trigger.

I have noticed when shooting with one hand and with non dominant hand no matter what weapon I use, I do not ever pull left. Kind of a random thing since I stay within the center ring or at most second ring on all groupings. I just notice a slight shift to the left.

[9mmepiphany]

I have noticed when shooting with one hand and with non dominant hand no matter what weapon I use, I do not ever pull left. Kind of a random thing since I stay within the center ring or at most second ring on all groupings.

That means your two handed grip is applying incorrect pressure to the gun

[9mmepiphany]

Does anyone have some tips on my grip or how I line up my sites.

It would help if we could see how you shoot.

A video would be great, but at least a picture would help

[penguin0123]

It's not the gun.

Right. Cuz you own said gun and you know the sights could not have been out of alignment.

[Gryff]

Is it your first striker gun with a "same action" type trigger (same trigger pull on every shot)? If so, it is VERY common for even experienced shooters to push left as they press through that longish trigger process of the XD/Glock/M&P.

If this is the case, then try making sure that you are only putting the pad of the first joint of your finger on the trigger, and focus more on a smooth press rather than sight alignment (which does not mean don't align your sights...just don't over-think it while trying to focus on the trigger press). It takes a while to learn a consistent press, but most new XD/Glock/M&P shooters don't realize how critical a proper press is.

Also, have another experienced shooter try to the gun to see if they get similar results.

[Sunday]

It is most likely you. I have an XD 40 and it is the way you grip the pistol and maybe where your trigger finger is. Right hand shooter http://reloadbench.com/pdf/files/TargetRightHanded.pdf or left handed shooter http://reloadbench.com/pdf/files/TargetLeftHanded.pdf When I switch to s single stack the group moves to the right.

[myk]

If you are left and low, right handed I assume then you are anticipating the recoil . Also look at your finger placement on the trigger. Over grip could cause some of it as well. Given that your sight is good. Its muscle memory and gets better with dry fire and practice. Once you stop it goes south again. Get training if you are new to FAs.

I think I'm starting to correct the left-wards tendency, so what can I do about shooting low? Even when I "think" I'm aiming higher the shots still come out lower than anticipated...

[BeerSlinger]

Thank you guys for the help.
I will try and get some pictures or video next time I am at the range. I do notice that I try to conpensate for the recoil and I am not overlly fond of the trigger pull. I am right handed and I have large hands.
Do you guys shoot with one eye open or both?

[9mmepiphany]

I think I'm starting to correct the left-wards tendency, so what can I do about shooting low? Even when I "think" I'm aiming higher the shots still come out lower than anticipated...

Don't tighten the fingers of your strong hand as you press the trigger

[9mmepiphany]

Thank you guys for the help.
I will try and get some pictures or video next time I am at the range. I do notice that I try to conpensate for the recoil and I am not overlly fond of the trigger pull. I am right handed and I have large hands.
Do you guys shoot with one eye open or both?

I shoot with both eyes open, but I'm only aiming though one eye.

How are you trying to compensate for the recoil. Recoil occurs after the sear releases, there is nothing you can do after the shot breaks that can affect the shot.

Well, you could not follow through with the trigger press...but that is something you usually address after you get your trigger press down.

It will also help is we knew how far your target is, how small a group you're shooting and how fast you're shooting. If you aren't shooting 1" groups, at 5-7 yards, it is pretty hard to correct for being 2" left

[myk]

Don't tighten the fingers of your strong hand as you press the trigger

Wow good suggestion, now that you mention it I can see myself doing that.

Jesus whatever happened to just picking up a gun and pulling the trigger, lol...

[penguin0123]

Thank you guys for the help.
I will try and get some pictures or video next time I am at the range. I do notice that I try to compensate for the recoil and I am not overly fond of the trigger pull. I am right handed and I have large hands.
Do you guys shoot with one eye open or both?

Do you place the joint of finger on the trigger? That will cause sideways pressure as you pull the trigger. Put the pad of you finger on the trigger.

Try a dry fire exercise, press the trigger sloooowly with your finger pad all the while consciously making sure that this is a straight back motion with no sideways pressure. Don't worry about when the shot breaks, just don't rush the shot.

It doesn't sound like you are flinching. But a good way to check is to have a friend load a mag for you with a dummy somewhere in there. If you see yourself jerking the gun in anticipating of recoil, you are flinching and need to train yourself out of it.