Pistol Technique

1
As part of my ongoing struggle to hit the target... consistently, I had an epiphany yesterday when I shot the Postal Match 2.

Targets 1 and 2 were the 15 yard range, and after blazing through those. I paused and took the time to analyze the pattern. Ok, I thought, not bad... for a shotgun pattern.

A few more moments reflection as I loaded target 3 for the first 7 yard string brought me to the conclusion that it wasn't my stance, modified isosceles, or my grip, two-handed isometric opposition from my off-hand arm vs the shooting arm.

As I stood there with the target in my sights I went over my firing position and the light bulb went off.

My firing arm had a flexed elbow. Thinking about how my arm moved during firing I straightened that arm and locked the elbow.

The next two strings showed a very welcome improvement. The 3-shot groups tightened to a very acceptable degree, and produced very good results.

With the increased control in the firing arm, the recoil ceased to move the barrel significantly from the point of aim. To verify the results, I put a B2 target down range at 15 yards and put another string of 12 into it. I was rewarded with a 3" x 3" shot group.
If you want to be a leader, lead from the front, and don't look back.

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Re: Pistol Technique

2
Hmmm...

Every body is different, and whatever works for you etc.

But I can't even straighten/lock my shooting arm elbow in my modified isosceles shooting stance. I don't think I've seen any pictures or videos of top shooters doing so. [Edit: ...other than one-handed Bullseye shooters.]


I'd like to hear from others on this.
"To initiate a war of aggression...is the supreme international crime" - Nuremberg prosecutor Robert Jackson, 1946

Re: Pistol Technique

3
Nice!

I have all sorts of tiny flaws in my shooting technique - elbows is part of it.

As soon as I focus on eliminating one, the others start creeping back in.

Good work on the improvement.
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Re: Pistol Technique

8
I was shooting my Beretta 92FS, 9mm.

The way it feels to me is that the recoil is absorbed by my shoulders, there is backward movement there and limited transverse or upward movement. I have long arms, being 6'1". Not excessive but enough that I need to control the floppies that a relaxed elbow induces.


As to the timed and long distance shooting at small targets, I have more consistency when I relax to a ready position, rather than try to continue to hold POA. This reduces tremors and allows my muscles to relax and recover for the next shot.
If you want to be a leader, lead from the front, and don't look back.

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Re: Pistol Technique

12
Hmm, I know I keep my arm pretty straight, but I'll have to check the next time I go out to be sure I don't lock it. Loosening that up some might help my consistency.

Maybe the key is to hold your arm as straight as you can, but not lock.

I took a marksmanship course a while back that really helped me improve my groupings. If anyone is interested I can post the steps they taught.
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Re: Pistol Technique

17
leitmotiv wrote:
Fukshot wrote:Didn't you just out shoot me in a match?
:oops: Just barely, but I only speak the truth! Based on my observation :shifty:
Wait! Was that literal rings? Wouldn't that be a very wide shot group?

:sarcasm:
If you want to be a leader, lead from the front, and don't look back.

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Re: Pistol Technique

18
I modified it some since it was a very basic course with a lot of safety instructions. It was my introduction to handguns.

-Place your firing hand as high on the back of the grip as possible.
-Place the heel of your support hand on the grip, wrap your fingers around on top of the firing hand’s
fingers.
-Make certain your fingers are close together and all of them remain below
the trigger guard.
-Place your thumbs one on top of the other and hold them away from the
gun.
-Get into your firing stance (Modified Isosceles)
-Bend your support elbow down.
-Lock, then relax your firing elbow.
-Very lightly, push forward with your firing hand and pull down and back with
your support hand
-Put some pressure on the grip with the heel of your support hand
-Take up the slack in the trigger
-Breath and relax your muscles
-Press the trigger smoothly and slowly waiting for the "surprise release". (In the classroom portion he had us use a small pretzel stick to simulate this)
-Wait for the gun to fully cycle and return to battery. before releasing the trigger.
-Trigger Reset: Ease pressure off the trigger until you hear a click (This is
the reset point on the Glock. (It should be back to the point where the slack
is taken up). Reset procedures on other gun models may vary.
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Re: Pistol Technique

20
leitmotiv wrote:I modified it some since it was a very basic course with a lot of safety instructions. It was my introduction to handguns.

-Place your firing hand as high on the back of the grip as possible.
-Place the heel of your support hand on the grip, wrap your fingers around on top of the firing hand’s
fingers.
-Make certain your fingers are close together and all of them remain below
the trigger guard.
-Place your thumbs one on top of the other and hold them away from the
gun.
-Get into your firing stance (Modified Isosceles)
-Bend your support elbow down.
-Lock, then relax your firing elbow.
-Very lightly, push forward with your firing hand and pull down and back with
your support hand
-Put some pressure on the grip with the heel of your support hand
-Take up the slack in the trigger
-Breath and relax your muscles
-Press the trigger smoothly and slowly waiting for the "surprise release". (In the classroom portion he had us use a small pretzel stick to simulate this)
-Wait for the gun to fully cycle and return to battery. before releasing the trigger.
-Trigger Reset: Ease pressure off the trigger until you hear a click (This is
the reset point on the Glock. (It should be back to the point where the slack
is taken up). Reset procedures on other gun models may vary.
This might also be useful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iQb8j_hXnM

Re: Pistol Technique

21
leitmotiv wrote:I modified it some since it was a very basic course with a lot of safety instructions. It was my introduction to handguns.

-Place your firing hand as high on the back of the grip as possible.
-Place the heel of your support hand on the grip, wrap your fingers around on top of the firing hand’s
fingers.
-Make certain your fingers are close together and all of them remain below
the trigger guard.
-Place your thumbs one on top of the other and hold them away from the
gun.
-Get into your firing stance (Modified Isosceles)
-Bend your support elbow down.
-Lock, then relax your firing elbow.
-Very lightly, push forward with your firing hand and pull down and back with
your support hand
-Put some pressure on the grip with the heel of your support hand
-Take up the slack in the trigger
-Breath and relax your muscles
-Press the trigger smoothly and slowly waiting for the "surprise release". (In the classroom portion he had us use a small pretzel stick to simulate this)
-Wait for the gun to fully cycle and return to battery. before releasing the trigger.
-Trigger Reset: Ease pressure off the trigger until you hear a click (This is
the reset point on the Glock. (It should be back to the point where the slack
is taken up). Reset procedures on other gun models may vary.
Yes, yes, that's all very well but where's the bit that says 'stop the front sight wandering all around the bullseye.........somehow.
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Chamber's empty, magazine's full, safety's broken.

Re: Pistol Technique

23
nigel wrote:
leitmotiv wrote:I modified it some since it was a very basic course with a lot of safety instructions. It was my introduction to handguns.

-Place your firing hand as high on the back of the grip as possible.
-Place the heel of your support hand on the grip, wrap your fingers around on top of the firing hand’s
fingers.
-Make certain your fingers are close together and all of them remain below
the trigger guard.
-Place your thumbs one on top of the other and hold them away from the
gun.
-Get into your firing stance (Modified Isosceles)
-Bend your support elbow down.
-Lock, then relax your firing elbow.
-Very lightly, push forward with your firing hand and pull down and back with
your support hand
-Put some pressure on the grip with the heel of your support hand
-Take up the slack in the trigger
-Breath and relax your muscles
-Press the trigger smoothly and slowly waiting for the "surprise release". (In the classroom portion he had us use a small pretzel stick to simulate this)
-Wait for the gun to fully cycle and return to battery. before releasing the trigger.
-Trigger Reset: Ease pressure off the trigger until you hear a click (This is
the reset point on the Glock. (It should be back to the point where the slack
is taken up). Reset procedures on other gun models may vary.
Yes, yes, that's all very well but where's the bit that says 'stop the front sight wandering all around the bullseye.........somehow.
Wandering POA means you need to relax to a ready position and start again.

You shouldn't hold the sight picture for more than a few seconds.
If you want to be a leader, lead from the front, and don't look back.

Image

Re: Pistol Technique

24
sturner wrote:
nigel wrote:
leitmotiv wrote:I modified it some since it was a very basic course with a lot of safety instructions. It was my introduction to handguns.

-Place your firing hand as high on the back of the grip as possible.
-Place the heel of your support hand on the grip, wrap your fingers around on top of the firing hand’s
fingers.
-Make certain your fingers are close together and all of them remain below
the trigger guard.
-Place your thumbs one on top of the other and hold them away from the
gun.
-Get into your firing stance (Modified Isosceles)
-Bend your support elbow down.
-Lock, then relax your firing elbow.
-Very lightly, push forward with your firing hand and pull down and back with
your support hand
-Put some pressure on the grip with the heel of your support hand
-Take up the slack in the trigger
-Breath and relax your muscles
-Press the trigger smoothly and slowly waiting for the "surprise release". (In the classroom portion he had us use a small pretzel stick to simulate this)
-Wait for the gun to fully cycle and return to battery. before releasing the trigger.
-Trigger Reset: Ease pressure off the trigger until you hear a click (This is
the reset point on the Glock. (It should be back to the point where the slack
is taken up). Reset procedures on other gun models may vary.
Yes, yes, that's all very well but where's the bit that says 'stop the front sight wandering all around the bullseye.........somehow.
Wandering POA means you need to relax to a ready position and start again.

You shouldn't hold the sight picture for more than a few seconds.
I'm old (70) and have lost some fine motor control. My technique is learning to "time the jitters" as best as possible so as to fire at the correct sighting position. :) So far, I can keep most of my shots within the 7-8 ring at seven yards while firing at a rate of about once per second. Also training to shoot while keeping both eyes open.

The upside is that timing to shoot with the "jitters" may be closer to a real life SD situation. ;)

Re: Pistol Technique

25
sturner wrote:
nigel wrote:
leitmotiv wrote:I modified it some since it was a very basic course with a lot of safety instructions. It was my introduction to handguns.

-Place your firing hand as high on the back of the grip as possible.
-Place the heel of your support hand on the grip, wrap your fingers around on top of the firing hand’s
fingers.
-Make certain your fingers are close together and all of them remain below
the trigger guard.
-Place your thumbs one on top of the other and hold them away from the
gun.
-Get into your firing stance (Modified Isosceles)
-Bend your support elbow down.
-Lock, then relax your firing elbow.
-Very lightly, push forward with your firing hand and pull down and back with
your support hand
-Put some pressure on the grip with the heel of your support hand
-Take up the slack in the trigger
-Breath and relax your muscles
-Press the trigger smoothly and slowly waiting for the "surprise release". (In the classroom portion he had us use a small pretzel stick to simulate this)
-Wait for the gun to fully cycle and return to battery. before releasing the trigger.
-Trigger Reset: Ease pressure off the trigger until you hear a click (This is
the reset point on the Glock. (It should be back to the point where the slack
is taken up). Reset procedures on other gun models may vary.
Yes, yes, that's all very well but where's the bit that says 'stop the front sight wandering all around the bullseye.........somehow.
Wandering POA means you need to relax to a ready position and start again.

You shouldn't hold the sight picture for more than a few seconds.
Also be aware of your Natural Point of Aim. It's an undervalued element of shooting instruction but can make a big difference. Most muscle tension is the enemy. Also why I'm not a fan of any push-pull techniques.

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