First time shooting Springfield XD9 4"

[srhadden]

This is my first 9mm gun. I went to the range on my own and shot off about 100 rounds.

I am use to shooting a .22 and I am very accurate with that.

This gun has iron sights that are not adjustable. So, I used the sights, but the hits were landing to the left. Later on I started ligning up the front with the right side of the rear "field goal" and my shots were more accurate than if I put the front sight right between the rear sights.

So, either I need more practice, or the sights are off?? I dunno what to do, they aren't adjustable, and I was shooting pretty consistently once I favored the right rear sight.

Hope I explained that right. I don't know the terms.

thanks

[russ69]

Kentucky windage.

[CGT80]

factory sights suck, especially with light hand loads. I have dawson adjustable fiber optic sights that are bomar cut into the slide. Actually, all three of my pistols and my 22 rifle have adjustable FO sights. I like them much better than fixed sights.

Did you like shooting the XD? I love mine and have roughly 30k rounds through it with about $1k of upgrades and accessories for it. It is now a limited competition gun. Check out pistolgear.com if you haven't already. They have almost everything xd related.

[tradecraft]

Bench it and see if it still shoots left.

[ChrisTKHarris]

Shooter.

[jyo]

OK, "fixed sights" are generally NOT fixed! They are usually mounted into a "dovetail"---that is they are driven into a tightly fitted slot---windage can be adjusted by moving the sight itself in it's dovetail---usually using a tool called a brass drift---brass being softer than steel will not mar the sight. If your gun shoots to the left, simply drive the rear sight a tiny bit to the right---gun now shoots to point of aim. Hope this helps---oh, and if you don't feel up to making this adjustment, take to gunsmith---he can do it in seconds.

[TNP'R]

You sure your iron sights aren't adjustable? My XD .40 subcompact's sights are adjustable, mine hits dead on without any adjustment though.

[forgiven]

Congrats.

[TheExiled]

I had the same thing with my XD40 when I got it, did the above mentioned technique and its good to go now. Felt like an idiot before not being able to hit a B27 in the black at 50 feet

[CGT80]

My 2005 xd 40 service bi-tone had fixed sights. It shot point of bull (IIRC) from the factory with factory level loads. With light loads it was off a bit. I much prefer to have adjustable sights on any gun (for sporting purposes).

A friend of my brother bought an xd 9mm recently and the sights were either off, or the gun was very inconsistent. We were shooting steel plates and I can do pretty well with just about any gun I pick up if the sights are set correct. My brother and I had an awful time with that one for the few mags we ran through it and the friend (new to shooting) couldn't hit crap. I have tens of thousands of rounds through my xd, so I should have been able to do much better since I have the muscle memory to aim that pistol.

Some people file down the height of the sights if necessary as well as drift them left or right.

[Taildraggerdave]

Try a couple different brands and types of ammunition before you make any sight changes. Also, have another shooter try it and see if the result is the same.

Take care,
Dave

[Bunsen]

Try a couple different brands and types of ammunition before you make any sight changes. Also, have another shooter try it and see if the result is the same.

Take care,
Dave

[srhadden]

Yep, thanks for the replies. I am new to shooting a 9mm, and unlike my browning .22 which has basically no recoil, I have been watching videos on holding the gun properly or at least better. Then I started reading the very common "low and to the left" complaint, which is pretty common!

So, it's me! I went to the range today and I did better, watching my pinky finger and using the pad of my index on the trigger finger, etc... Practice with the snap caps. Very fun to shoot this gun. I love it.

Cheers

[easy]

Use this chart for correcting your grip and actions.

http://is-lan.com/challenge/images/Pistol-Correction.pdf