June 10, 2013, 01:11 PM | #1 |
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Natural aim to the left?
Hey guys,
Not sure what the proper name for this should be but I am sitting here practicing dry firing my Glock and trying to obtain my target naturally, like pulling my pistol from holster then pointing at target before looking down sights. Every time I do this though my aim is always left, I point at the target the acquire the proper sights and I am always to the left. Tried it with my wifes pistol to which is an XD and I do the same thing. Is this normal? Any one know how to properly fix it? |
June 10, 2013, 01:16 PM | #2 |
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Simple fix, adjust your trigger finger like you would your sights.
If as indicated, you are shooting left, slide the trigger finger out of the trigger guard to the right. You can really see this if with a laser sight on the pistol. Dry fire using the laser, move your finger back and forth and see what happens when the hammer falls. You'll see by the way the dot moves right and left as you slide your finger left and right.
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June 10, 2013, 01:21 PM | #3 |
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No no sorry, maybe I didn't make myself clear. I was practicing dry firing when I realized I am doing this. When I am pulling from holster and acquiring my target my finger isn't on the trigger, its on the slide.
I am just pulling my gun and trying to acquire the target in the sights naturally without having to actually align the sights. But after I draw and attempt to aquire the target, Ill look down the sights to see if I got it right and I am always to the left, like the gun is angled to the lift kinda in my hand. If this makes sense? |
June 10, 2013, 01:24 PM | #4 |
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Like this is what my sights look like normally when I actually line them up.
| | | See how its lined up perfectly when I actually aim down sights? This is what it looks like when I just pull and aim without sights, | || As you see the front is always to the left? Sorry bout the terrrible example just trying to help everyone understand lol EDIT: Nvm site wont let me use my drawing as I tried to draw my sights, hope it makes sense though. Top is meant to be lined up perfectly and bottom is meant to have the front sight to the left, kind of like how it is as your seeing it now |
June 10, 2013, 01:33 PM | #5 |
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My understanding of that problem is that you are not gripping the pistol correctly. Most people have the gun centered in their hand and pointing down range with a straight arm and grip. The pistol should be straight down range from your body not your arm. If you pull the gun straight from your side and point down range you will note that you can not see your sights since the gun is off to your right (if you are right handed). When you bring the pistol up to acquire the front sight the pistol is pointed a little left in stead on straight from your body. You need to bend your wrist a little to the right to straighten out the pistol to be pointing perpendicular from your body.
To correct for this I use a set of Houge grips with the finger groves to orient my hand into the correct position to have the gun pointing 90 degrees from my body when the sights come into view. It takes practice, practice, practice and more practice until it becomes second nature when you draw that pistol. Jim
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June 10, 2013, 02:11 PM | #6 |
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Consider doing the movements in REVERSE. That is, get your sights on target, where you want them, THEN figure out how to smoothly reholster. As you feel it getting more intuitive - Start on target again, move TOWARD holster, then move BACK to on target.
It's the feel of where the gun is once it's on target that counts. That's the muscle memory to try and build. The movements to get there are just the taxi. At least for me. Sgt Lumpy |
June 10, 2013, 02:38 PM | #7 |
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Try it from the low ready, instead of from the holster.
You may be sweeping the gun into position in an arc, instead of straight up. Also make sure the web of your gun hand, between trigger finger and thumb, is in line with the grip of the gun and with your forearm bone and wrist.
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June 10, 2013, 03:14 PM | #8 |
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Yep, sounds like a grip issue. You just about have to be taking a grip that points the pistol left, rotated that direction in your hand. I wish I had thought of SgtLumpy's solution - it sounds simple and effective.
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June 11, 2013, 07:30 AM | #9 |
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if you have a gun with adjustable backstraps try a different size.
When I was acclimating myself to my PPQ I found that the grip that felt the most "perfect" comfort was was not the grip that was the most naturally pointing.
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June 11, 2013, 03:27 PM | #10 | |
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Quote:
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June 11, 2013, 05:42 PM | #11 |
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Easy fix. Concentrate on your front sight.
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June 11, 2013, 06:09 PM | #12 | ||
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June 11, 2013, 08:57 PM | #13 | |
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Try it again with your finger on the trigger. Make sure it is not loaded first.
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June 11, 2013, 09:03 PM | #14 | ||
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The trigger finger indexed along the frame should not be exerting any pressure. Also, when I present, with my trigger finger indexed along the frame, the sights are aligned on target and remain so when I move my trigger finger to the trigger.
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June 11, 2013, 09:19 PM | #15 |
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I would agree with Frank Ettin's post.. check your feet you may be standing farther sideways than you think, and it will shift your natural point of aim. Also try with both eyes open or try changing eyes, have you done a lot of shooting in your life? Have you ever done the two-hand triangle test for eye dominance? Many people who are left eye dominant don't know that they are, and it has an effect on your point of aim. Also have someone look at your stance and see what you are doing with your head, you might be tilting it and not meaning to, blocking your view of your front sight.
Once you establish what you are doing to pull your sights or head out of alignment, I agree with the steps posted above. You have to establish muscle memory. In the military we called it Crawl/Walk/Run.. You are at the crawl phase, you do something slowly and repeatedly (dry firing) until you can do it by muscle memory.. then you "walk" by adding an element, such as ammo at a range and concentrate on smoothness and accuracy, then when you can go through the motion while thinking about it, you start picking up speed until you do all of it fast, smooth, and without thinking about it (running). Last edited by SVTCobra306; June 11, 2013 at 09:25 PM. |
June 11, 2013, 09:26 PM | #16 | |
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June 11, 2013, 09:33 PM | #17 | |
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If that is not the issue, I would also suspect eye dominance or a need for grip/stance adjustments.
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June 12, 2013, 09:24 AM | #18 |
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A quick word about the natural point of aim.
Finding it while standing square to the target is different than finding it when shooting from other positions. Like at a target far to the right or left, or around and under stuff, kneeling, prone, 'etc.
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June 12, 2013, 09:41 AM | #19 | |
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June 12, 2013, 09:54 AM | #20 |
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If point shooting hasn't been mentioned, it should also be included in a practice routine for developing a NPOI.
An important part of developing a dependable point of aim, is to reduce the sights to less importance. They become more of a reference than a dependence.
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June 12, 2013, 04:27 PM | #21 |
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Natural aim to the left?
There are several posts on here with good info (I stopped reading them halfway through). I'm no expert, but I would suggest researching, learning and memorizing the fundamental techniques of pistol shooting. Then practice at like 10% speed consciously fine tuning each step/technique. Once you get your sight picture and sight alignment straight, slowly start increasing your draw speed. If u notice that you are starting to veer off to the left again, slow back down and remember to focus on each step until u can build up some speed effectively.
Good luck ! |
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