My First Gun

[Sherlock40]

If you don’t want to buy the little stickers that cover the holes you already made, get a magic marker. I’m a cheapskate, so I like to just mark a small X on top of the bullet holes. But on the smaller targets, don’t put anymore then rounds 9 rounds into each target. Also, if I can suggest a couple of other things.

Do not fill, shoot and empty 15 round G19 magazines at one time. If you shoot 3 magazines to empty, you just threw 45 rounds down range.

While trying to learn to form groups, just load each magazine with 6 rounds. But only shoot each target with 3 rounds. Once you finish all the small targets with three rounds, mark the holes that you shot, reload and shoot them all again. 9 rounds in each target, would be three groups of three tries, in each target.

Also, slow down and take your time. Focus on each shot. You should be gripping your pistol harder with your support hand than your shooting hand. This will allow you, to relax your shooting finger as you pull the trigger to the rear.

Even though you are putting the front sight in between and level with the rear sight, do not focus on the rear sight. Do not try to focus on the rear and front sight together.

Only focus on the front sight. This is hard to remember when your Glock is going bang. So as you’re shooting, continually whisper to yourself under your breath, “ front sight, front sight, front sight.” As you are slowly squeezing the trigger to the rear.

When you line your sights up on the red X in the middle of your target, put your front sight at 6 o’clock on the X.

Keep having fun. You should get better and more accurate with each visit. It looks like you shot a 100 rounds your last visit. But if you loaded 15 rounds 3 times in those G19 magazines. You shot almost a box of ammo pretty quickly.

Let’s slow it down, only load a few at a time and make each shot count by concentrating on the fundamentals you read here, and taking the time to be focused.

You are correct in the fact, that it just goes to show, nothing beats live shooting.

However, if you are spending putting in quality time dry firing your pistol, paying attention to all the above details, stance, proper grip, sight alignment and picture, front sight focus and squeezing the trigger to the rear with a relaxed trigger finger, you won’t have 40 bullets to the left of your target.

I live in NJ, so my magazines can only hold 10 rounds. But I did load all 10 rounds at a time.

 

[OkieStubble]

I live in NJ, so my magazines can only hold 10 rounds. But I did load all 10 rounds at a time.

Man, that sucks. If you only had ten rounds in each magazine? Then that shows you, the advice of everyone here saying you need to slow down when shooting is great and accurate, spot on advice.



7 yards is a good distance to shoot from for beginners. That’s in the range of distance most defensive shootings happen.

And while encouraging you to be patient, because you will get better if you are heeding the advice and determined to not give up.

But it is imperative to form an accurate picture of where your shooting is ‘right now’’ in order to break down what is happening in your shooting now, so you can know what to focus on in your dry fire time at home and to make sure your next range outing, that you can see the dividends from the advice and the focus and practice you are putting in from said advice.

I would suggest, if you are doing your part of listening and practicing and still not getting better?

Then the only option left, is our advice sucks and you should seek new advice elsewhere from people who know what they are talking about.

3 to 7 yards, is where most self defense shootings happen. You hear a bump or crash wake you up in the middle of the night and grab your pistol to investigate? That creepy dark silhouette at the end of your hallway which intersects the various rooms in your house, most likely isn’t longer than that 7 yards.

This means, the 80 shots you fired at that target that didn’t hit the X? They still hit the silhouette of that boogeyman you were shooting at.

While that’s all good and dandy, let’s throw in some variables that can give a better realistic picture of approaching our training.

1. What if the hallway wasn’t that eery and scary silhouette was coming down wasn’t 7 yards but 10 yards instead?

2. Most of those bullets would have missed.

3. The further the distance, the further low and left those shots would have been. The few that did hit? The possibility of them not striking anything major to stop the threat would be greater than stopping the threat.

4. At the 7 yards you were shooting, were you calm? We’re you nervous? Were you profusely sweating? Were your hands uncontrollably shaking?

Was your breathing heavy? Heart pounding out of your chest? Did your peripheral vision totally shut down to where tunnel vision took over and it felt like you were looking thru the small cardboard center of a toilet paper roll?

No? But that’s exactly what’s going to happen when you confront that dark silhouette in the middle of your living room?

5. So while you still were on target at 7 yards at the range? If you incorporate and add everything described above? That added stress, is going to magnify those low and left shots times 10.

In order to be a police officer, officers in my state have to qualify with their duty firearm with a minimum score of no less then 72. Think about this for a moment. 72? That’s a pretty low score, isn’t it?

So if we think about it, take an officer who shoots a perfect score of a 100 at the range and then put that same officer in a shooting, where the heart pounding, hand shaking, heavy breathing, tunnel vision and everything I described above is happening?

Add in other factors like getting shot back at, while people are screaming and ****, spit & *** is flying all around them? That officer who shot the perfect score at the range, is probably now, maybe capable of shooting a 72?

Which is again a minimum qualifying score. So the officer who regularly shoots a 72? While calm and relaxed at the range? In the above described, what is he shooting? Is he missing instead? Is he getting lucky with a few? Has he already lost and is dead?

I get that beginning shooting should be fun! But we also cannot overlook why we purchased our pistol, and why we are so determined to get and be better with it.

When I want to go to the range and have fun shooting, I grab one of my nice target pistols. When I go to my gun safe at night, to grab a pistol to put on my nightstand before I go to sleep? I grab my Glock.

What pistol did you buy again? I forget?

 

[Sherlock40]

Glock 19 gen 5

 

[Sherlock40]

All of this insightful advice is awesome. I am so appreciative for everyone’s input. I have a lot to digest here, but I am really looking forward to implementing the suggestions and getting better.

 

[OkieStubble]

All of this insightful advice is awesome. I am so appreciative for everyone’s input. I have a lot to digest here, but I am really looking forward to implementing the suggestions and getting better.

I think you are exemplifying the perfect attitude about and positive outlook towards all the different kinds of advice coming at you from so many different people. That is definitely a recipe for success.

It’s all, great advice, but can be overwhelming. Your positive responses is very commendable.

My compliments sir.

 

[martym]

Amen!!

You got this!!

 

[Ad Astra]

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I yelled "Hey, Alexa! Play the Hu!"

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AA

 

[oc_in_fw]

I yelled "Hey, Alexa! Play the Hu!"

"Love Reign O'er Me" starts playing ...


AA

It’s only teenage waste land.

 

[Ad Astra]

It’s only teenage waste land.

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AA

 

[Bob L.]

My musical tastes are all over the map. Check out the Hu- a Mongolian metal band that uses traditional instruments.

Excellent!

 

[Sherlock40]

Thank you!

 

[Filudo]

1) check the rear sight is centered. I have had 2 recently, different brands, both w sights off center...

2) instead of using the tip of your finger on the trigger, just move it further IN

3) if this continues to be a problem, (hitting left) just push your rear sigh to the right....w Glock you can push them w your finger


With the price of ammo and the shortages......it isn't easy to "really" practice ....

 

[Filudo]

So I just returned from my trip to the range. It was fun, but you can see from my targets that there is a tendency for my shots to go to the left. The first picture are the first 20 rounds I shot, all from 7 yards and I was aiming for the X in the center. The second target picture shows my next 80 rounds fired. 30 of them I was aiming for the head, and the rest I was aiming for the center X. Again, all fired at 7 yards. Why are my shots drifting left, and what can I do to improve? I had a lot of fun, though, and any suggestions are appreciated.

View attachment 1444533

View attachment 1444534

 

[Sherlock40]

Thank you. This is an outstanding video, very informative.

 

[sucker_dad]

You know, I have had a similar experience with my Glock 21 and It was driving me crazy. The first time I got it back together and did not realize how. The 2nd time I figured it out. Its just like taking it apart. I knew I was doing all the right things(I was not) but could not get that slide to come off. I finally figured out that it would not allow you to take it off when it was cocked. I have ownd a S&W 1911 I have a S&W Governor and my Glock along with a few other guns, my Glock is my everyday carry. It's just a good gun. I don't think a bad guy is going to care how pretty or expensive the gun is if he gets shot.

 

[Champion of Capua]

Good stuff! Explains a lot for me. Last training class, I did remarkably well with my weak hand. I’m not exaggerating when I say my left hand is damn near useless. I once stabbed myself in the eyeball brushing my teeth with my left hand while recovering from wrist surgery. I swear the only reason God gave me a left arm is not to swim in circles. So it just makes sense that my brain had no idea what my left hand was doing to give it the “flinchies”.
Thank you for the video

 

[Rob72]

Glock DryFire Mag , Glock E-Trainer are two options. I have used the DryFire mag, and an earlier dry fire modified trigger bar/connector assembly, but not the E-trainer. For $25, I would try the E-trainer, as the functional concept works (i.e., how the trigger and striker interface) so the only problem you might have would be an out of spec piece, which you could exchange.

Get the E-trainer, a 9mm bore sight off Amazon, a fistful of batteries, and practice your draw, sight alignment, and trigger pull. Google "Paul Gomez drawstroke" for some videos. He had some of the best, easiest to follow processes for pistol handling.

Short version: Draw stroke and sight alignment first. Spend a couple of weeks practicing drawing your weapon, from varying positions, and aligning your sights (with the bore laser). Spend 5-10 minutes, with some slow down and relaxation between draws. Concentrate on each component of your action.

1. Are you grasping your weapon solidly?
2. Is your draw unhindered?
3. Are you indexing on your pectoral, with muzzle orientation on target?
4. Are you coming to (arm) extension smoothly?
5. Is your muzzle indexed on the target from pectoral index through extension?

In this, you are learning a clean draw, and orienting your weapon to the threat consistently. Start slow, and slowing increase your speed, planning on moving from about 5 seconds down to 2, e.g., 1-hand on grip, 2-grip is solid, 3-smooth removal from holster, 4- index muzzle towards target with your wrist/heel of the hand on your pec, 5-extension, moving directly forward with muzzle facing target, support hand coming up and grasping around gun-hand, sights aligned, trigger pressed. Progress through this, until on your last couple of days, it is down to 1- grasp/draw/index, 2-extend/align/press.

It takes concentration and repetition, don't be in a hurry.

You can also practice your draw stroke with a 5-10 pound dumbell, your goal being to present it so that something in your line of sight sits centered atop the weight. This _can_ help with concentration on your grip, in case you get lazy with your FFG (Firm Fighting Grip, or something like that ). This will make your dry practice more relatable to firing recoil control of the pistol.

Brain Enos' Maku Mozo forum is an excellent place for info on training, as well.

Edit yet again to add:

Always always always do one drill and one drill ONLY on one day. DO NOT spend more than the 5-10 minutes, if that much, on the practice. AMMO/LOADED MAG(S) ALWAYS in another room. Once done, put your weapon down, take a breather, drink a Coke, whatever, but take a few minutes to get out of trigger pulling mode. Reload your weapon, holster it, and PUT IT AWAY for the day.

 

[Rob72]

From the above, you progress to firing at the range, loading only 1-2 rounds at a time. Pick your loaded pistol up from a low-ready position to about where it would be mid-way in your extension process (above). Grasp with support hand, go full extension, align your sights, press the trigger. WATCH YOUR SIGHTS COME BACK DOWN INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE TARGET. Then..

Where did you hit?

Repeat with a single round for several cycles, until you are getting closer to where you want to be. Assess each shot and its placement. Adjust your sight alignment, or trigger press, accordingly.

Now, go with 2 rounds. Same process, as above. Shot. Sights back on target. Assess. Shot. Sights back on target. Assess.

Do this for a few cycles/range trips. When you eat out the X at 7 yards doing this consistently, step up and do quicker one-two shots. When they're on target, do shoulder/shoulder/head on a B27 target, or put dots on a bullseye at 9-12-3, and do double on 9-3-12. Now, run your target out to 15 yards...

 

[FarmerTan]

Excellent advice above, @Rob72. Thank you.

 

[Rob72]

Of course, your goal is to make your buddies cry, when you dump a mag into the 100 yard target (the 5 guy in the upper right) with the target at 25 yards.