The Gun Counter

I've finally got to a point in my life and career where I have time and money to start shooting again (first time I've been able to go even semi-regularly since 2009). I joined a local sportsman's club near where I work, and have been able to get to the club range about four times so far. I've never had any real shooting instruction other than minimal safe-handling stuff, plus what I've been able to read and watch. (Yeah, I know I need to do something about that, and next summer is when I'm looking at it.)

I've been shooting mostly .22LR and .38SPL at 10-15 yards to get re-familiarized with my handguns. Putting it plainly, I'm not completely awful but not very good either. I get the 8-ring pretty consistently, but don't hit the X much at all. The .22 is an SAA with stock sight and the .38 is a Taurus 85-3 (so sue me, I like it and the price was right at the time) with stock sights. I don't work in my home state so I'm gonna run what I brung for the next couple of whiles. I figure if I'm getting 8, 9, and some 10 but no X, something may be off in my sight picture (among other potential issues).

I intend to keep practicing, continue my own research, and get some instruction when I get a chance, but any pointers or thoughts would be welcome.

Can you post a photo of a target? Are they all consistently low?

Throw a snap cap somewhere into the mix and watch your front sight every time. Especially note what it does on the snap cap. Did the sight drop? It's very common to see that either with anticipating recoil or pulling oddly on the trigger.

On the revolver, you could just leave one chamber empty. Spin the cylinder without looking at it when you close it, so you don't know where the empty chamber is.

As an exercise in humility, I'll put 'em up. At least no one got hurt.

Both were August 28. First picture 38gr Aguila at 10 years, second pic 40gr. Norma at 15 yards. Was out of .38SPL that day.

Looks like mostly low, a little left (I'm left-handed), and impatient.

Pulling the trigger and anticipating recoil, maybe? I'd try some dry fire (safely!) while keeping your eye on the front sight to see if it's dropping or moving. I'd also try changing trigger finger position to see if however deeply or shallowly you have it inserted is causing you to pull the gun to the left.

There's an exercise I've read about but not tried. Put a small dot (1/4"?) on a piece of paper. Tape the paper so the dot is eye height. Put the muzzle about an inch away from the paper while you're in your shooting stance. Watching the front sight, dry fire for no sight movement. As I understand it, having the dot that close lets you see it without its being blurry. It gives you a reference point for the sight. Has anyone tried this one?

I still like the dummy round drill, too. It can be very informative. When I'm shooting with someone, I tend to watch their front sight, especially on the last pull when they're dry. It's amazing how often it drops. To join in the humility, if it's been a while since I've shot, I notice it on my own sight, too.

Thank you kindly -- several possibilities there. I do need more dry-fire practice. I plan to get Annette Evans's Dry-Fire Primer, just trying to decide whether to get Kindle or dead-tree. The 1/4" dot drill you suggested along with testing trigger-finger placement sound good, and I'll try those. I also downloaded a PDF of the "diagnostic" target, but I keep forgetting to print off a few copies.

I actually just received that in dead tree, but I haven't started reading it yet.

Here's my favorite diagnostic target. I leave clean spares hanging at the range.

Weetabix wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:49 am I actually just received that in dead tree, but I haven't started reading it yet.

Here's my favorite diagnostic target. I leave clean spares hanging at the range.

Damnit! Beat me to it!

Are you squeezing the entire grip instead of just holding tight and pressing the trigger?

Made progress on sight picture (also learned how to use a speedloader properly, though it's still a slowloader in my case). Traveling this weekend -- next live session next weekend. Just got Dry-Fire Primer and have started reading.