Personal Breakthrough at the Range

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This past weekend, I went to the range to practice and test some reloads. A few weeks before that, as I shot the last few rounds of the day, I had an ah ha moment. I was jerking the gun as I anticipated the recoil. I know it's a pretty well known issue, but I'd watched many youtube videos and spent many hours dry firing with the laser cartridge to the point that I though I wasn't doing it.

I noticed as I concentrated to pull the trigger smoothly and truly let the gun surprise me when the round fired, I could see muzzle flip. Previously, as I got to the point where the trigger was about to break, I would anticipate the shot, jerking the gun down, and the picture looked completely different as the muzzle never flipped up because I was already fighting the recoil/flip.

I know this is nothing new to most everyone, but it was a breakthrough for me. I spent the entire time at the range this past weekend paying more attention to my shooting and did MUCH better than I ever had. The targets below are not be super great (about 8 yards), but they're 2-3 times tighter than my previous trips, plus previously the "group" was always scattered on the bottom left (classic trigger jerk symptom). If I recall correctly, the right target was shot with my G19, the one on the left with the G19 and G20.

One thing that's new to me is that I think I understand a little better some of the complaints about Glock triggers. As I smoothly pulled the trigger, I noticed distinct rough patches in the take up that threw my sights slightly off as I had to change the force on the trigger (I assume that's where the safeties are disengaged). I had previously performed the 25 cent trigger job, but I might do it again now that I better understand the mechanics.

Anyhow, thanks for listening to my ramble!

 
Honestly though if you shoot a glock you are not "target shooting". The idea in SD shooting is not make love to the trigger..you pull it...quickly.
You will know if you are "getting there" if you can put say 6 shots in a 6"circle in 6 seconds at 25 feet. At that point you can actually "feel" you are reasonably trained to come out on top in concealed carry in an SD event.

Looks like you got a start!!
 
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Looks like you would give an intruder a personal breakthrough...somewhere in the upper chest area.

Good job.
 
Some of the best advice I can give someone who wants to shoot fast and accurate is to work on grip strength as you work on the basics. This idea of a "surprise break" and imperfections in the trigger pull isn't as import once you can really control the guns movement.
 
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Thanks for the comments, guys!


Originally Posted By: Al
Honestly though if you shoot a glock you are not "target shooting". The idea in SD shooting is not make love to the trigger..you pull it...quickly.
You will know if you are "getting there" if you can put say 6 shots in a 6"circle in 6 seconds at 25 feet. At that point you can actually "feel" you are reasonably trained to come out on top in concealed carry in an SD event.

Looks like you got a start!!


Yeah, I still have a long way to go. I definitely had to slow things way down to get the surprise break. I'd like to work on speeding that up while keeping the sights on target.



Originally Posted By: MarcS
Some of the best advice I can give someone who wants to shoot fast and accurate is to work on grip strength as you work on the basics. This idea of a "surprise break" and imperfections in the trigger pull isn't as import once you can really control the guns movement.


That's interesting that you mention grip strength. I noticed some sore muscles in my right hand earlier this week that were new to me.
 
Originally Posted By: EdwardC



Originally Posted By: MarcS
Some of the best advice I can give someone who wants to shoot fast and accurate is to work on grip strength as you work on the basics. This idea of a "surprise break" and imperfections in the trigger pull isn't as import once you can really control the guns movement.


That's interesting that you mention grip strength. I noticed some sore muscles in my right hand earlier this week that were new to me.

MarcS is exactly right on his advice. Tight high grip, both arms totally stretched out, crouuch way down keeping left foot front, get the head down so you see through the sight, when you push out the firearm to shoot SD get your front sight on the threat even before your arms are stretched out, pull the trigger straight back finger stays on trigger as long as firearm is pointed at threat.

Forget totally the "surprise break"

I pay dearly for this advice every month..free for you..lol

You will feel your marksman ship is going backwards...for like months even if you shoot a lot. But it recovers..and you are better off.
 
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For anyone fortunate enough to have either trained on the M14 or own a Springfield M1A (or similar platform) you'll experience the two stage trigger and the reset.

Transpose it from the rifle to the Glock and things will fall into place nicely.
 
A few years ago I did some training with a guy named Todd who is in Georgia he is one of the lead firearm Trainers for the ATF in a town nearby. I have also trained with a guy who is sponsored by Smith & Wesson and,other, he has traveled all over the world in shooting competitions. I am not the greatest shot in the world by any means one piece of advice I can give is this

Practice your follow-up shot by not letting the trigger out all the way find where your trigger resets so you do not have to do a full second trigger pull beat that into your brain.
Happy target practice none of us will ever be as good as the next guy
 
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Originally Posted By: NStuart

Practice your follow-up shot by not letting the trigger out all the way find where your trigger resets so you do not have to do a full second trigger pull beat that into your brain.

yup..so many things to learn as you try to unlearn bad habits.
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Thanks again, guys! Fortunately (I think), I'm fairly new enough to shooting (only for about a year and a half now) so hopefully those bad habits aren't too engrained. Luckily, I've learned to keep the trigger held after the shot so I only need to let it out to where it resets. I can probably still be faster on that too though.

I will have to work on not thinking of it as a surprise break, it's probably just a conceptual stop gap for me to get to the real issue of a smoother, more controlled trigger pull. Again, more stuff for me to work on!
 
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