Question About Accuracy

[Frank D]

I would like your opinions regarding accuracy error.
I prefer Revolvers, but I also shoot semi-autos. All in various calibers.
I mostly shoot indoors at a 25 foot distance, at small bullseye targets.
If I experience an error in point of impact, the bullet impact will almost always be 1 to 1 1/2 inches left of center (Usually near center vertically).
My question is: Why the tendency for the bullet to strike left of the target with such frequency, regardless of the type of firearm?
Old eyes? Hand Grip? Trigger Control? Sight Alignment?
I will appreciate all of your thoughts.

[1stmar]

Most likely trigger control. Are you right handed? Is the miss at 7:00 or 9:00?

[osbornk]

It's probably a combination of trigger control and grip. I have the same problem I am working on. I went searching when I found I was doing it on both my semi-autos and revolvers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0ePGCmML00

[Frank D]

1stmar.......
Yes I am right handed.
(I shoot using a modified Weaver stance/Two hand hold)Left eye closed.
Most errors result in a 9 o'clock strike.

[DaleA]

You can Google 'Handgun Diagnostic Target' and get several targets that will tell you common reasons for why you're shooting off target. There's a couple fun ones too.

[1stmar]

Frank check your body alignment. Set up on target, close both eyes for 30 sec and see where your sights drift to if they drift left or right adjust your feet and retry. If it's 9:00 it's probably not trigger, I'd say strong hand grip (weaver stance) or body alignment.

[Bob Wright]

If you are consistant, that is, getting good groups, then your sights need adjusting. Move you rear sight a couple of clicks right windage and see if that doesn't solve yor problem.

Bob Wright

[22-rimfire]

Consistency is the key. If you are consistent (and I am not), I would adjust the sights. But shooting to the left and low is a common problem for right handed shooters and it is usually related to grip and trigger control.

[pilpens]

1st guess: too little finger on the trigger; for right handed shooters, this could push the handgun to the left.

Check grip and trigger reach specially at trigger break point.

[Frank D]

Thank you for responding. I will consider your suggestions.
Sight adjustment ? - several of my revolvers have fixed sights. (S&W 1917.Mod.60, etc.) so I probably won't modify them.
One friend suggests " No Follow Through". Maybe!!
An early Instructor said, "Using Weaver-If bullet strikes slightly left, Move trailing foot (Right foot) slightly more to rear.
Most diagrams suggest " Too little trigger finger" ???
I think I am too old to consider changing to 'Isosceles' or 'Both eyes open" ???
My initial thought is "Stance".
I guess I will have to burn some more powder ( And contemplate )
Let me know if you have additional thoughts.

[HighValleyRanch]

Do some dry firing drill and follow the sights through the trigger break and see if the front sight moves after the break.
Concentrate on the grip consistency and do no rely on the trigger finger to help in the hold. Otherwise when the trigger breaks, there will be movement.

The dry firing will help to see if this is the cause.
If you have good alignment through the shot process, then proceed to ball and dummy exercises to see if flinch or shot anticipation is the cause.
If in dry fire you have good sight alignment through the shot, then the ball and dummy is the next check to see if live fire is the same or different.

The dummy round will definitely show if you have movement during the shot break.

On a revolver it's easy for you to do the ball and dummy exercise yourself by loading a few live and a few dummy and then closing the cylinder so you don't know when the dummy comes up. On a semi auto, just load random into various magazine, put them into a range bag, pick out a magazine and load it and the dummy will come up randomly.

Remember the rule of good marksmanship.
90 percent dry fire and 10 percent live fire. The live fire is to check if your dry fire is consistent.

[osbornk]

I think I am too old to consider changing to 'Isosceles' or 'Both eyes open" ???

Have you tried. I have been learning it for the last 6 months and even though it is hard, it is working and it helps. I will be 68 in September but I have been determined and 60+ years is a long time to do something that you want to change.

[dahermit]

Before you get all nuts following suggestions about hold and stance, shoot it off sandbags to see where the sights are putting the bullets. Then, you can worry about those other things.

[WVMountaineer]

Well, going by the opening post and what was written, I'll assume it is just an errant shot that occasionally hits 9 o'clock left. Therefore, I wouldn't adjust the sights, as no sane person would adjust sights based on an occasional errant shot. I would do as suggested above and realize it was probably associated with the mechanics of my shot. Most likely strong hand grip. To correct it, I would shot with an open thumb on the strong hand. And pull back with the fingers of the strong hand against the front of the grip, versus trying to wrap my strong hand thumb around the grip and squeeze the gun with my strong hand thumb.

I don't know if the terminology I used is correct but, I do know doing as I described fixed the same problem for me. God Bless

[1stmar]

Body alignment = stance. Moving the right foot back will help with shots hitting left. Finding the right body alignment is not guess work.

[Frank D]

I didn't want to suggest that I am too old to learn.
That's why I asked for your opinions.
It's just that I sometimes find it hard to UN-Learn some of the things I have picked up over time.
I appreciate your suggestions, and I will begin tomorrow to try some of the things you have suggested.
I'll let you know the results.

By the way.-- I am 85 years old now.-- Still shooting frequently.
Hopefully I am still learning. Thank you.

[Skeets]

Congrats Frank D,I hope that I am still shooting,still asking questions,and still trying to get better at your age.I salute you!

[Bob Wright]

As far as your feet are concerned, they can be up behind your head as long as you have your sights aligned. Concentration on sight alignment and trigger squeeze is the whole wagon load.

I took you post to mean you are grouping to the left. If its an occassional stray shot, then forget what I said.

Bob Wright

[1stmar]

Bob body alignment is pretty important especially during sustain shooting. You can overcome poor body alignment with good sight picture/sight alignment and trigger control however it makes is much easier to stay on target if you body is proper aligned.

[JeffK]

Before you get all nuts following suggestions about hold and stance, shoot it off sandbags to see where the sights are putting the bullets. Then, you can worry about those other things.

This.

[HighValleyRanch]

No, not this.

If I experience an error in point of impact, the bullet impact will almost always be 1 to 1 1/2 inches left of center (Usually near center vertically).
My question is: Why the tendency for the bullet to strike left of the target with such frequency, regardless of the type of firearm?

OP states that it's regardless of various firearms, pointing to a random error in his shot going off occasionally to the left.
This is not a sandbag sight in error, it's a shooter error.
Otherwise he would be shooting consistent tight groups all to the left.
OP is asking why the majority of his errors is always to the left, I believe.

This is not corrected by shooting off a sandbag.

[sw282]

The only sure way to test the true accuracy of a firearm is to test it in a machine rest.. The way factories do handguns is a machine rest..The best known and used is the Ransom Rest..

[Bob Wright]

This was my original statement:

If you are consistant, that is, getting good groups, then your sights need adjusting. Move you rear sight a couple of clicks right windage and see if that doesn't solve yor problem.

And here is an example:



The first target, on the left, is the very first firing I did with my new Ruger. As you can see, group was off to the left. After making some adjustment in the rear sight, target on the right was centered, except for three wild shots.

Bob Wright

[sw282]

Great groups Bob.. Sadly IMR has discontinued SR4756 powder