# Consistent pulling to the left



## kg333

I recently started going to the range more often, as I've finally gotten this wonderful thing called "disposable income" to go shooting semi-regularly. On my last couple trips, though, I've noticed I have a problem of pulling to the left. My groups are fairly consistent, although they could use improvement, but the center is a good 4-6" left of point of aim at 10 yards.

I've had friends shoot this gun (CZ-82) before with no issues, so I know there's nothing wrong with the weapon. Per the "Shooter's Wheel of Misfortune" which is floating around, pulling to the left is a sign of too much trigger finger. I have big hands and long fingers, so I decided to try a bit less trigger finger for a few magazines on my last trip, with no effect.

Are there any causes other than too much trigger finger which could cause this problem? I'm at a bit of a loss.

KG


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## denner

I believe you have it backwards and I assume your pistol is sighted in. If you benchrest the pistol I assume your getting center shots. If your right handed and shooting consistently left of center then you may be shooting with too little trigger finger, for a lefty it would be too much trigger finger if you're shooting left. Other possibilities are pushing, anticipating recoil or no follow through; tightening fingers; and/or slapping or jerking the trigger which may get you left if you're a right handed shooter, just the opposite if you're left handed.


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## JBarL

May I offer a small piece of advice. when you hold your hands on firearm let your strong hand thumb rest on top of the weak hand thumb, gently push with your strong arm and gently pull back with the weak arm and make sure your pulling straight back on the trigger and not jerking it. jerking will cause you to hit left or right depending on right or left handed. pushing and pulling will control some of the movement caused by the heart beating and nerves. remember to breath in hold squeeze and exhale.


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## Steve M1911A1

denner said:


> ...If your right handed and shooting consistently left of center then you may be shooting with too little trigger finger...


Quite the opposite.
If you're right-handed and are shooting to the left, you are wrapping too much of your trigger finger around the trigger, which ends up pushing the pistol to the left. (Or, you may indeed be using very little of your finger, but you are pressing with it against the side of the trigger.)
*JBarL* has good advice, to which I add that the proper word for trigger control is "press," not "pull." _Press_ straight back. Don't pull.


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## kg333

denner said:


> I believe you have it backwards and I assume your pistol is sighted in. If you benchrest the pistol I assume your getting center shots.


Fixed sights on this pistol, but I've had a friend shoot center with it, so I assume it's about right.

@JBarL and Steve, I do use the push-pull model, but I'll make sure to pay particular attention to the points you've mentioned. My basics are probably sloppy at this point, as I haven't been able to do much shooting for a while.

Thanks for the tips everyone, I'll give that all a try on my next trip.

KG


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## jeffreybehr

JBarL said:


> May I offer a small piece of advice? When you hold your hands on firearm, let your strong-hand thumb rest on top of the weak-hand thumb...


This describes at least part of the 'thumbs-straight' grip, which also requires one to rotate (at the wrist) the weak hand forward to get the ball of the hand squarely on the open side of the grip and then allows you to get 7 fingers around the grip. If it is, it's a very effective grip. Most right-handers push the pistol down and to the left when pulling the trigger; I sure do it when I'm not concentrating.

I suggest that you test the sights from a rest again, be sure they're dead on, and then work on this thumbs-straight grip while pulling the trigger more gently.


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## JBarL

YW KG let us know how its goes also like another person mentioned try shooting it from a bench rest to make sure the sights are on. good luck and happy shooting.

JBarL


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## kg333

Sorry it took so long to update. I focused on push-pull tension, squeezing the trigger straight back, and putting much less of my finger on the trigger, and things seem to have improved quite a bit. I'm still pulling a little left, but it's only 1-2" left at 10 yards now. 

I'll keep working with that, and work in more dry fire practice, since I also saw that recommended in another thread recently.

Thanks again to all for the help!

KG


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## recoilguy

Good, every gun is different so just because you shoot one good doesn't mean you can shoot everyone good. Most guns are true and the shooter needs to find how to work the gun to its fullest potential. Every trigger is different.

Trigger control is paramount. Until you have it, there is nothing else to fix. My opinion only.

RCG


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## FNISHR

Sounds like too little trigger finger to me. I had the same problem, and it comes back sometimes if I let my concentration get off.


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