# Whats your wrist action when double tapping?



## sig09 (Nov 10, 2008)

Next time Im at the range I want to begin praticing double taps. So Im looking for opinions on what works for you. Do you try and control the recoil by pulling down on the nose or let the recoil happen naturally and resight on the way down. Any advice is welcome. Thanks


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## Growler67 (Sep 8, 2008)

Don't concentrate on your wrist. Don't concentrate on your left pinky toe, the neighbors dog having kittens or anything else other than the front sight. DO NOT pull or force any movement or actions to attempt to compensate for the recoil as you WILL over-correct and your shot will miss it's mark.

Focus on the front sight. Acquire your sight picture. Fire the first shot and maintain your focus on the front sight. Get it back on target and alligned with your sight picture and squeeze off the second shot. Your stance, sholders, elbows, wrists and grip should NOT have changed or been altered while firing the first shot. If everything was proper and in allignment, the front sight will return to target and you should be just fine. Do not over think or over compensate for anything. It should all happen as naturally as possible. Practice through repetition will imrpove your performance with this particular skill within the realm of handgun marksmanship.

The basic premiss holds true, though there are some techniques for competition type shooting that alter the basic rule a smidge. If you are set up correctly for the first shot the second is just a matter of resetting the front sight on target and veirfying your sight picture before letting the second go. Aim fast, squeeze slow.


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## sig09 (Nov 10, 2008)

thanks, I look forward to practicing


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Growler gave you excellent advice on this subject. And, yes, it takes lots and lots of practice.


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## BeefyBeefo (Jan 30, 2008)

4th time out to the range and practicing double-taps? Wow, you progress quickly. :mrgreen: It can be fun and expensive at the same time. :smt023

-Jeff-


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

Agreed above... except.

Speaking to the guys who shoot REALLY fast... Like 24 AIMED shots in 14 seconds, on 12 targets in 3 groups of 4, with running (3-10yds) in between... Yes... fast...

Double tap = 2 shots off one sight picture = "hammers".
Controlled pairs = 2 shots off 2 sight pictures, as fast as possible.

Unless the range is reach-out-and-touch-it close, the fast shooters are shooting controlled pairs.

The grip is a "crush" grip, to limit muzzle rise as much as possible, but NOT an attempt to pull the muzzle back down. There's no way you can consciously manipulate the muzzle as fast as required. You must grip the gun firmly, so that it does not move in your grip, and focus completely on the front sight, ALLOWING the gun to return to it's original position, not FORCING the gun back down. When the front sight returns, on it's own, to the target, you squeeze again.

The only manipulation, other than front sight focus, you can work on, is trigger control. Squeeze the trigger to the point of sear release, then relax the trigger finger only until the reset point, and be ready to squeeze again. Your finger should never leave the trigger, and enough pressure should be kept on the trigger for it to be controlled at all times.... THIS is the hardest part of shooting fast accurately.

First, if the finger leaves the trigger between shots, you are going to "slap" the trigger for sure, resulting in a low left follow-up. Also, the more time your finger spends off the trigger, the slower you shoot. This is why dryfire is soooo critical. Pull the trigger all the way to the rear, and then only let it out to the reset, and pull again. WITHOUT moving the sights. It's only going to snap once... but you have to find that feel.

"Trigger jobs" that you hear about for competition triggers are to reduce the weight of pull (because a lighter trigger takes less manipulation to pull), reduced travel (beacause every tenth of an inch of pull is more time), over-travel stops (beacause every tenth that the trigger travels after sear release is wasted movement, TWICE), and reset distance (same reason... the shorter the reset, the faster the trigger cycle).

Trigger jobs are GOOD in target guns, and BAD in defensive guns. My M&P Pro has a 4lb trigger with an ultra-short trigger cycle. My XD9SC is a mile of pull, at around 6lbs. I don't want a short light trigger if I'm making a shoot-no-shoot decision with another man's life in the balance. Many police guns are 10lbs...

When my score is based on points per second (as in USPSA), I want a light, and very fast trigger. 8 aimed shots on 4 targets spaced 2-5 ft apart in 4 seconds is par...

Back to the point... Practice controlled pairs, not double-taps. Double-taps are for inside 10 ft...

JW


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## sig09 (Nov 10, 2008)

BeefyBeefo said:


> 4th time out to the range and practicing double-taps? Wow, you progress quickly. :mrgreen: It can be fun and expensive at the same time. :smt023
> 
> -Jeff-


 Ive put @700+ rounds through her in those trips and Im trying as many techniques I can find to challenge and help my progess as a shooter,,, maybe a little eager but I like a new challenge.


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## oak1971 (Apr 28, 2008)

I just focus on keeping the front shight on target, tight grip arms slightly bent and rigid. I can empty a 18 round clip into a paper plate at 21 ft double tapping. It's fun but requires total focus and a fat wallet.


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## BeefyBeefo (Jan 30, 2008)

oak1971 said:


> I can empty a 18 round *clip*:bio:


:mrgreen::smt170


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## proguy (Sep 30, 2008)

Jeff ward said it best.


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## Slowfire (Dec 22, 2008)

My follow up shot tends to travel to the right between 3:00 and 5:00 about 6 to 8 inches at 21 feet. Sometimes more, any suggestions to help me cluster would be appreciated? I'm right handed, shooting a 1911 with 200 gr semi wad reloads.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Slowfire said:


> My follow up shot tends to travel to the right between 3:00 and 5:00 about 6 to 8 inches at 21 feet. Sometimes more, any suggestions to help me cluster would be appreciated? I'm right handed, shooting a 1911 with 200 gr semi wad reloads.


I believe that you may be clenching your entire hand, along with your trigger-pull.
Hold tighter during both shots, and try to isolate your trigger finger so it doesn't choreograph your other fingers into misbehavior.


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

Interesting post on Brian Enos's forum about double-taps.

Many people, myself included, hit lower, sometimes 3-4 inches with the follow-up shot. Many shooters have found a solution (competition gun, NOT carry gun), of swapping to a slightly lighter recoil spring. The stronger factory spring can actually cause the gun barrel to OVER-rotate downward, because the slide moves back forward with such force. When it slams back home, the momentum causes the barrel to overshoot the original position. The lighter spring will reliably return the slide to battery, but not with so much force as to cause the barrel to dip.

In my M&P Pro, the standard swap is from the factory 16lb spring, to a 13lb spring... I got one for $9 this week, and I'm giving it a try.

Cool concept.

I doubt I'd mess with recoil springs in a defensive gun, for reliability reasons, but maybe with enough reps too assure function...

Jeff


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