winchester21 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 There may be options for a shorter trigget comfig. I will ask around There are some pistol targets available on the market divided up into zones that list trigger squeeze errors according to the point of impact. I totally agree with the concept of starting close and moving back as skill level develops. Another exercise- if you have the option- is to set a gallon milk bottle off at 100+ yards and shoot at it with a small handgun such as yours- off the front sight.. This excercise is a total blast in the fun dept and it teaches the shooter front sight awareness. You would be surprised how good you can get in a short period of time. this will greatly increase the confidence level of the shooter and will result in better scores on paper at normal ranges. Dont be embarassed to start off with a newspaper size target and graduate to a smaller one. Seeing the impact even if it is way off is always helpful in getting better.same effect as starting closer if not practical to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Another exercise- if you have the option- is to set a gallon milk bottle off at 100+ yards and shoot at it with a small handgun such as yours- off the front sight.. This excercise is a total blast in the fun dept and it teaches the shooter front sight awareness. You would be surprised how good you can get in a short period of time. this will greatly increase the confidence level of the shooter and will result in better scores on paper at normal ranges. When I think of shooting off the front sight I think of instinct or "body memory" shooting. I learned to shoot when I was 14 with a Winchester single shot 20 gauge. For trapshooting we would swing through the target and fire when the lead was correct. This was all done in one flowing motion. Also the follow through was important so you don't stop. But you are describing a 100 Yd shot with a pistol and sighting of the front sight. Could you explain that concept further. And yes Amy we can take this off line if we have to but I would hope we could keep politics out of shooting techniques at inannomate objects. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchester21 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Yes I would hope that discussions of equipment dont classify as political. We are adults and I have not seen anybody get abusive or ugly.Everyone is entitled to an opinion. The front sight exercise is something I ran across in an old Guns & Ammo article back in the 70s or 80s. I may have left out an important detail. You need a dirt berm to visually check the impact of your shots with a buddy as a spotter. There are many outdoor ranges with 100 yd or longer scenarios such as this. the concept is learning to "walk" your shots onto the target by making adjustments. Within a very short period of time you will amaze yourself by hitting or coming very close to the gallon jug. In this scenario typically with a short barrel auto or snubbie the rear sight would be lower due to compensation for the drop at that range. The intended result of this is to learn to make adjustments of the attitude of the front sight in fast shooting combat situations.You will find that also as you learn to use this skill a controlled weave or float across the x ring. I got so good at this 100 yard thing with a 2" Colt Diamondback that it was fiarly easy to hit the jug 3-4 times out of a 6 shot cylinder. I shot competitively for a while and I was a decent pistol shot back when my eyes were good. Andy is also exactly right about the tight grip. I have never been able to "pull through" shooting trap. I always had to use the sustained lead. Different thing work for different people. Try the 100 yd deal if space permits. If nothing eles it is a blast- great informal father/son competiton for bragging rites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchester21 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Oh yeah - one other thing that sort of goes along with something Andy said. No matter if is is a pistol tagret, or a clay bird,or a game aninal or whatever- concentrate on making the shot- breaking the bird- or hitting the x ring with your eyes the instant before pulling the trigger/as you make the shot, I took some lessons from Marty Fisher when my sporting clay scores were suffering and this piece of advice from his helped me pick up 5 extra clay birds in a round almost immediately. It sounds dumb but it really works.. Break the bird with your eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Congrats on the new toy! I never was a real fan of the 45 ACP, don't know why, just never was. I shot Cowboy for a few years (ya I am a blacksmith so I guess it all ties in) and you basicly learn to shoot with only the front sight. If your grip is right, and the front sight is where you want the round to go, squeze the trigger and many more times than not, you will get a hit, even rapidly moving from one target to another. I shot .45 colt Single Action revolvers (imports, not the real thing as I don't have that much money!) I did once own a 357 Dan Wesson with an 8" barrel, it shot sweet but had a problem with the grip screw that I was never able to iron out. If the screw (allen screw through the grip to the frame) was tightened too tight, the hammer would not lock back in the full back position (the censor program did not like me using the nickname of a rooster for the last position of the action lock up GRIN). It did this from new and I just learned to not tighten the screw so tight, not that it was all that tight to begin with. It sure was a funny situation though, I can't see how that screw affected much of anything. Thinking about it now though, it might have been that the screw was too long and if it was screwed in too far, it would prevent the main spring from being fully compressed by the pin that goes down the center of the spring. I can't remember for sure how that handgun came apart as I sold it many, many years ago. I did have to replace it though when the wife found out it was gone, she really liked it and was bummed it was sold. That year she got a 357 Ruger GP100 with an 8" barrel for Christmas That gun had to go back to Ruger as it was a lemon new from the box, a rather rare thing for Ruger. It was miss timed and was shaving lead from the first round we put through it. Ruger was great about it though and basicly hand built the gun over in the repair center. They replaced over half of the parts in the action including the cylinder crane and latch then reblued it. It shoots darn nice now I do like the M1 Grand (I have one) and the M1A1 (mine is the National Match version, it basicly is a semi auto version of the M14) they both will drive tacks quite a ways down the range. I also have a SKS that has been modified to a hunting rifle, I removed the bayonet and replaced the stock with a fiberglass sporting stock and changed the mag to a fixed 3 round version that is flush to the bottom of the rifle. At the same time, I had an action job done to it and I must say that for a low buck rifle, it is pretty sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Cal, just to clarify. Thumps son David got a XD-9 which is a 9mm. I was simply mentioning that I would like to try the .45 because I'm a fan of the larger ole slug tossers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 ...and.45ACP is a LONG way from .45 Long Colt if that is what you shot in you S.A.A.s...but to each his own...I wouldn't get to hung up on caliber except for the grunting...modern handgun bullets have closed the gap between 9MM, 357SiG, .40 S&W and .45 ACP...notwithstanding .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Another weekend... Another shooting experience... This time we went to Danville with Simple, Melissa and Frank and some mini people (Frank's and Simple's little army). The kids were of course first given the ground rule of shooting... Sit on the bench and be quite, when you are shooting you NEVER cross the line of fire, treat every gun as if it was loaded, muzzles pointed down range only, breeches always open and unloaded unless in use, bobbers in the breaches, Ready on the Line...Fire At Will... you get the idea. The kids were little angels... I don't think those are theire parents because I know how the parents act. [8-)][bs][bs] Notice the pink 22 cal rifle. Aubrey loved that little plinker after her first shoot with Daddy. The grin on her face was priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 I shot Mel's 22 Walther. I couldn't shoot it well though. Maybe the handle was just too small but it was cute. So then I shot Frank's XDm 9mm. The trigger is stiffer than my XD sub but great sites and an accurate barrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 I tried the new concept for form with the left hand pulling and the right arm extended straight through the gun. This eliminated the left/right sway that I was grouping to. These shots were from 75 feet. You can see the straight line group, so I have corrected one problem of horizontal wandering. Now to work on the vertical. I couldn't find a focal lock on my head because my progressive lense glasses were making my head do strange things to focus on the sights. Shooting isn't as easy when your site starts to decline. But you know... I shouldn't complain. That is a good group for me from that distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Cease Fire! Time to check the targets. Here is the 50 foot target. Frank is marking off the bullet holes so we can shoot the same plates again. Notice how attentive the kids are. Good job little people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Another great day in a free America! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelA Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Another great day in a free America! Amen brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 / Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchester21 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 My sentiments exactly- Great!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 / Classic. You mean that gun kicks back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just_Strummin Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Congrats! I own a S&W and a Taurus. Love them both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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