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Old February 19, 2012, 03:46 PM   #1
Roundeye
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cant hit target with my xd

I have a xd45 service and I shot it for the first time a couple days ago and kept aiming for the bullseye but kept shooting way to low. I changed up my trigger pull a couple times and still had trouble. Then I borrowed my buddies 1911... no problems. I bought the gun from a good friend that really liked the gun and he had no problems with it. Im thinking of selling it and buying a 1911 chambered in .40. What's a decent one around $400-500?
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Old February 19, 2012, 04:36 PM   #2
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It's unlikely you will find a 1911 in .40 at less than $500. Are you aiming the XD, 'point of aim' or '6 o'clock' sight picture?
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Old February 19, 2012, 04:42 PM   #3
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First off, you're going to have a hard time finding a 1911 in .40, especially at that price range. I'm not even sure if any of the major manufacturers put out a .40 in that price range (someone else will invariably know if there is one).

Second, what's your shooting experience? The issue here is not the pistol, but is your technique. I don't say this to undermine your decision and the fact is that you may in general shoot the 1911 more accurately than the XD; the 1911 is a great pistol that's easy to shoot well for many people due to the trigger pull, grip, and weight distribution. However, the XD you have is most likely capable of excellent accuracy and hitting exactly where the sights point. Shooting low is a very common technique flaw often caused by unknowingly flinching, squeezing the non-trigger fingers on the shooting hand when squeezing the trigger, or jerking the trigger as well.

Sorry that I can't recommend a .40 in 1911 at that price range. Again, someone else will likely come along and know of one if there is one made. I would encourage you to not give up too quickly on the XD unless you really just don't like it; otherwise, good luck finding the best pistol for you. If you can find a range that rents different models that's always a great way to try before you buy.
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Old February 19, 2012, 05:19 PM   #4
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I also have a gp100 .357 that I have no problems shooting, I've been to the range about ten times, but this is the first time in about a year.
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Old February 19, 2012, 05:22 PM   #5
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I do know what you mean. I used to shoot my revolvers and 1911 very well but struggled with the other autos. I think it's because the triggers on the revolvers and 1911s are often times so light that it helps mask issues that arise with guns possessing different style triggers. But, again, that's just my opinion.

GP100 is a fine gun.
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Old February 19, 2012, 05:22 PM   #6
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First off xds have a lot of takeup in the trigger pull compared to a 1911. That alone can throw you off. Are getting groups or are they kinda of all over low? Try shooting the gun from some kind of a rest so you can concentrate and hold it still. If it still shoots low and groups ok there are different height rear sights available. You can also upgrade you trigger which makes it easier to shoot. I have an xd9 that I put a powder river trigger kit in and the trigger pull is great now.
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Old February 19, 2012, 05:25 PM   #7
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Someone should post the picture of the difference of the three sight pictures. I would if I had it. Ill look around and hopefully report back
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Old February 19, 2012, 06:15 PM   #8
Sheep Doggy Dogg
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Try each of these before you give up:



If none of those work and you do sell, you may be hard pressed to find a 1911 in 40 S&W for $400-$500. However you can find a RIA 1911 Tac model in 9mm for under $500. I hear good things about RIA.
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Old February 19, 2012, 06:24 PM   #9
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Quote:
I bought the gun from a good friend that really liked the gun and he had no problems with it
If your friend didn't have the same issues with the gun, unless you've changed something on the gun (like the sights), then it's most likely you.

Not a judgement, but an observation. It sounds like you need to practice your trigger control. Buy some snap caps and practice with them, you should immediately be able to tell if you're flinching or pulling the shot. Better yet, get someone else to watch you while you're doing this. Also, like another said, make sure you're getting the correct sight picture.

A lot of people harp about a gun not being accurate "because of the crappy trigger".....but trigger control is trigger control regardless of the firearm. You either have good control or you don't. Yes a nice trigger that breaks like glass is always lovely to have, but it is not inherently necessary in order to be accurate. The handgun I am most accurate with has a HORRIBLE trigger in either SA or DA. It makes the stock trigger on either of my XD's seem like a custom competition trigger by comparison. FWIW I am NOT claiming to have perfect trigger control by any means, we are all students.

Anyway, hopefully you can figure out what's going on, let us know how it works out
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Old February 19, 2012, 06:42 PM   #10
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Try a different grain bullet. Sometimes bigger grain bullets shoot more to point of aim.
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Old February 19, 2012, 09:10 PM   #11
Roundeye
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That's for all the pointers...I was getting groups just really low.
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Old February 19, 2012, 09:27 PM   #12
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Can't believe nobody said this yet.

Shoot if off sandbags for group at a range so close that there's powder burns on the target.

Then call Springfield Armory and tell them your gun needs a new front sight.

If you're consistently shooting very low like that, try a taller front sight.
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Old February 20, 2012, 07:30 AM   #13
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Old February 20, 2012, 08:20 AM   #14
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the XD is generally very accurate and since your friend had no issues it might just be with your technique. if you are used to shooting revolvers and 1911s and haven't been to the range in a while you probably are going to have problems at first. polymer pistols behave differently than steel frames and require just a slightly gentler touch. if you are still making groups but low I would recommend either hotter loads or aiming higher. also one thing I've learned helps a lot, no matter what handgun it is, whenever I shoot a new gun I always start at 3-5 yards(depending on range rules) and move the target out progressively until I hit my max comfortable distance at 20-25 yards and then if I am not hitting paper plate sized targets with it I move it back to my happy zone, usually 10-15 yards.
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Old February 20, 2012, 09:08 AM   #15
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Buy some snap caps. (You need them anyway for malfunction clearance drills, you do practice Tap/Rack/Bang drills don't you?).

Load them randomly into your magazines.

Shoot slow focusing on your trigger control and watching your front sight.

When you hit a snap cap expecting a live round, you will see what your are doing wrong, if anything. If your sights are perfectly aligned when you the trigger breaks and there is no movement, you might need a taller rear sight.

It works even better if you can shoot with a buddy that can load the mags for you and watch your technique.

I have used this to diagnose my own and many others shooting/gun problems and it works.
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Old February 20, 2012, 09:24 AM   #16
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ive never seen a 1911 chambered in .40
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Old February 20, 2012, 09:30 AM   #17
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If you want buy a 1911 for under $600, you're options will be very limited at best. The XD is a fine pistol and is capable of shooting almost as accurately as a 1911 based on my firsthand experience as an owner of both weapons.

One thing that makes the 1911 easier to shoot well is the short SA trigger pull. An upgrade that I recommend for any XD owner is a Powder River Precision trigger kit. It greatly improves the trigger of the XD and makes it by far the nicest feeling of any polymer pistol.
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Old February 20, 2012, 12:22 PM   #18
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I hear practice helps. Honestly from someone who started with revolvers, semi-autos are quite different. If your past experience is in revolvers, and you haven't shot this XD much, then I think throwing in the towel at this point is kind of silly Not trying to be an a-hole, just trying to be honest.
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Old February 20, 2012, 12:25 PM   #19
Clifford L. Hughes
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Roundeye:

Shooting a rifle or a pistol requires good sight alignment and trigger control. Your eyes can't focus on more than one point at a time. A diagram of a perfect sight picture showing the sights and the target in perfect focus can't be had. Some shooters focus on the rear sight, some on the front sight and align them The results are that the target will blur. Remember, the target will be stationary before the shot, during the shot and after the shot. The sights are the only thing that moves, so there's no reason to have a clear target and trying to see where the bullet hits diring the shot is counter productive. Cneck the bullet hole after the shot.

Try dry firing it helps with trigger control and sight alignmant. Here's how I dry fired when I shoot on several Marine Corps rifle and pistol teams. I stood in front of a blank white wall without a target and Practiced grip, trigger finger placement, sight alignment and trigger release. I experimented untill I developed a grip that let me release the trigger without the sights moving. Any sight movement is apparent on the blank wall.

One more tibit. If the sights are aligned at the break of the trigger the pisoto can be moving the size of the bulleye and you will still hit the ten ring. No one can hold a firearm perfectly still.

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Old February 20, 2012, 12:56 PM   #20
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Another dryfire tip.

Place a dime flat on your front sight so it looks like a "T".

Practice keeping that dime on the front sight. If it falls off, you are doing it wrong. Usually the direction the dime falls off will tell you want you are doing wrong.
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Old February 20, 2012, 01:23 PM   #21
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Hi, I also have an XD 3" subcompact. Its not quite a "gut-buster" gun but certainly not in the ballpark of a 1911. Coming from a long-time 1911 shooter, it took me a while to get used to the trigger of an XD. Now that I have, I can shoot with as much accuracy as can be expected with a gun with a 3" bbl. Furthermore, XDs do not have match grade bbls. However, for the $$ its a great gun and with some getting used to, you will learn to enjoy it like i have.
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Old February 20, 2012, 01:46 PM   #22
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Blackops_2 posted this earlier in a pistol grip thread.. Not sure if you saw the thread so I will just post the main vid about it here. Most of your accuracy comes from the way your holding your firearm as follow through is just as important as lining the sites up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm9uG5bPubw
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Old February 20, 2012, 02:17 PM   #23
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Your going need some of these to shoot.




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Old February 20, 2012, 05:42 PM   #24
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I can say shooting my XD45 at first did not produce the best results. I was way too stiff. I had to learn to relax, bend the arms a bit and not hold so forcefully and straight out. I developed a smooth movement of raising the pistol above target, letting it lower, then squeeze off a round as I intersected the target. I had really good tight groups.
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