# Improving accuracy



## DrSharkey (Dec 23, 2008)

Forgive any stupid questions, but this is the "new to" section!!!

Any tips for a new guy on improving accuracy at the range? Other than keep shooting alot (which I plan to do!) I have a Taurus PT111 9mm and a Browning Buck Mark 22. 

I got the Taurus about a month ago, and the Browning a week ago. 

I go to the range once or twice a week.

Will shooting the 22 improve my aim with the 9? I'll probably shoot the 22 much more often than the 9, since the ammo is so much cheaper.

Overall, I don't guess my aim is horrible. When I took the concealed carry class with my PT111, I hit the sillouette every time at 15 yds, in the center 3 circles 17 out of 18 times at 7 yds, and the center 2 circles every time at 3 yards.

With my Buck Mark, at 15 yds I hit the center 3 circles every time, and can hit the sillouette every time at 25 yds with appx 75% in the center 3 circles.


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## FlaChef (Dec 31, 2008)

that ain't doing bad. keep at it. Yes .22 time will help overall skill level. So will dry fire, in fact dry fire can ba almost as beneficial as range time. Do not dry fire the .22 without snap caps, use the 9 for most of your dry fire (i assume the taurus like most modern centerfires is safe to do so, if not a taurus owner can correct me).

Will your range allow rapid fire?
Ever cosider something like idpa or ipsc?


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

I don't see how shooting a .22 more often than a 9mm will improve your skills with a 9mm. I don't have much experience with shooting a .22 but it seems to me that shooting a .22 more often will improve your skills with a .22. Maybe I'm wrong but if I was more concerned with with improving my skills with a 9mm, then that's what I would practice with more often.


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## Gearheart (Nov 21, 2008)

I dont know how much experience you have with 9s but the Millenium Pro is a bad choice for a beginner. It's very light and has a short sight radius. If you really want to carry it, keep practicing with it.

Print this and take it with you to the range.
http://www.is-lan.com/challenge/images/Pistol-Correction.pdf


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## Naterstein (May 15, 2008)

Get snap caps, practice dry firing alot while focusing on the front sight trying to make sure it doesnt wobble too greatly when you pull the trigger.

Saves money and you can focus on trigger discipline at home without loud distractions like other guns.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

unpecador said:


> I don't see how shooting a .22 more often than a 9mm will improve your skills with a 9mm. I don't have much experience with shooting a .22 but it seems to me that shooting a .22 more often will improve your skills with a .22. Maybe I'm wrong but if I was more concerned with with improving my skills with a 9mm, then that's what I would practice with more often.


+1 there.
I tried doing the Ruger MK III thing being it really a lot like a 1911 as to grip angle, balance etc. All it did was cause a couple bad habits. I developed a small flinch when I was shooting a 45. I noticed it be putting a snap cap/dead round somewhere in the mag. I would have someone else do it and I wouldn't know where it was. Then when I got to where the no fire round was you could see the flinch plain as day. It took a while but I broke myself of that habit and am shooting all calibers just to shoot that caliber. heh..I like my Buckmark better anyway :smt023


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## tekhead1219 (May 16, 2008)

unpecador said:


> I don't see how shooting a .22 more often than a 9mm will improve your skills with a 9mm. I don't have much experience with shooting a .22 but it seems to me that shooting a .22 more often will improve your skills with a .22. Maybe I'm wrong but if I was more concerned with with improving my skills with a 9mm, then that's what I would practice with more often.


I agree with pec on this, but, practicing with the .22 firing can help you learn trigger control which can be transposed to the 9mm. If the 9mm is going to be your EDC, then by all means, practice with the 9 as much as you can.:smt023


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## RevDerb (Jun 4, 2008)

FlaChef said:


> that ain't doing bad. keep at it. Yes .22 time will help overall skill level. So will dry fire, in fact dry fire can ba almost as beneficial as range time. Do not dry fire the .22 without snap caps, use the 9 for most of your dry fire (i assume the taurus like most modern centerfires is safe to do so, if not a taurus owner can correct me).
> 
> Will your range allow rapid fire?
> Ever cosider something like idpa or ipsc?


Good advice on the snap caps but they're hard to find at LGS (at least up here). I finally found them by Pachmayr from MidwayUSA.com this week. Cheap too! $7.49/pkg of 100. Keep shooting and it sounds to me like you're doing fine.:smt083


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

unpecador said:


> I don't see how shooting a .22 more often than a 9mm will improve your skills with a 9mm. I don't have much experience with shooting a .22 but it seems to me that shooting a .22 more often will improve your skills with a .22. Maybe I'm wrong but if I was more concerned with with improving my skills with a 9mm, then that's what I would practice with more often.


Shooting your Buckmark will DEFINATELY make you better with your 9mm.

90% of accuracy is trigger control. If you can break the trigger in your 22 without moving your sights, you can do it on your 9mm.

I shoot 200-300 rounds of 22 (with a Buckmark) per week, and about 100 with my 9mm(s). And I dry-fire my 9mm competition gun about 300-400 times per week.

Both do sub-1-inch groups at 7-10 yards.

JW


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

Thanks for the info Jeff. :smt023


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## buck32 (May 26, 2008)

Welcome from Big Sky Country and good info above.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

I haven't had to start over every time I got a new gun so those others must have helped.

Get a .22 and have a blast it will help overall for considerably less cost.


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## DrSharkey (Dec 23, 2008)

Thanks for the advice! One thing I did was trade the Taurus in on an M&P 9c, and that improved my accuracy a bit! I really liked the Taurus, but bought it primarily because it was inexpensive and I truly didn't know if I'd enjoy shooting; turns out it's addicting! So I got a little higher quality handgun, and it shows!


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## BAB 78 (Feb 23, 2008)

Gearheart said:


> I dont know how much experience you have with 9s but the Millenium Pro is a bad choice for a beginner. It's very light and has a short sight radius. If you really want to carry it, keep practicing with it.
> 
> Print this and take it with you to the range.
> http://www.is-lan.com/challenge/images/Pistol-Correction.pdf


GearHeart how accurate do you think that chart really is? Because I just shot my new Kimber Ultra Crimson Carry for the first time today. And when I was aiming for the center I was hitting low and to the left around the "Jerking or slapping trigger" box. Do you think thats what my problem is?


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## zhurdan (Mar 21, 2008)

BAB 78,
I'd say that jerking or slapping the trigger is the most common problem for shooters, especially as they climb up the caliber tree, and when people go to shorter barrel lengths. The bigger the caliber, the more people do it, unless they are disciplined and practice. The shorter the barrel, the more people tend to compensate prior to the shot. The chart is frighteningly accurate with new shooters, and with those who've never been shown what causes what. 

I knew a guy that wouldn't accept that he was the cause of his pistols inaccuracies. I could shoot his pistol just fine, so could the range officer. He kept saying that it was "bad ammo" or the "sights are off", or "it's this new magazine" all the time.

One thing to make sure of though, shoot the pistol off of a rest, a good rest, to make sure that the pistol is indeed printing where it's supposed to. Then work that chart repeatedly, focusing on sight picture and trigger control. If you are shooting more than a magazine a minute (8-10 shots) I'd say slow it down until you get it to print where you want. Go slow, learn the in's and out's then work on speed and distance.

Zhur


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## DrSharkey (Dec 23, 2008)

Gearheart said:


> I dont know how much experience you have with 9s but the Millenium Pro is a bad choice for a beginner. It's very light and has a short sight radius. If you really want to carry it, keep practicing with it.
> 
> Print this and take it with you to the range.
> http://www.is-lan.com/challenge/images/Pistol-Correction.pdf


So, in your opinion Gearheart, did I make an improvement by going to the M&P 9c?

Also, based on that diagram, I am "tightening grip while pulling trigger" and "breaking wrist down, pushing forward, or drooping head".

Any tips on how to correct those moves?


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## Gearheart (Nov 21, 2008)

DrSharkey said:


> Any tips on how to correct those moves?


What Naterstein and JeffWard said about dry firing without moving the sights sounds good.

I haven't seen you shoot, but if the chart is right, I would suggest that you relax and let the recoil surprise you. Don't anticipate it, and don't try to counteract the muzzle flip.


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