View Full Version : Things you've tried.
I know I've spent a lot of money, far more than I would like to admit, trying various things to make me a better pistol shot. I'm by no means an expert shooter, nor do I get paid for my opinions. These are things that have helped or hindered me along my quest to be a better shooter.
Of the things that didn't work out so well, here are the top few:
-Ghost ring sights. For reasons that I won't get into here, ghost ring sights on a pistol don't work like they do on a rifle. I wish they did. They do help you focus on the front sight, but they don't offer the accuracy I desired.
-Front sight paint. I read an article a while back about front sight paint and what colors work the best. They said green was easy for the eyes to pick up, so I painted my entire factory front sight green. Yep, it did help me pick it up, but it didn't do much for my accuracy.
-Decal grips. I thought the aggressive grip would be just the thing for helping me control recoil. Nope, and they seem to come off if you use certain cleaners.
-Dual recoil springs. I had one assembly for a Glock 19-don't laugh. It did slow recoil down, but it also made my Glock unreliable.
Some things that did work?
-Agrips. Yes, my Glock looks like a velvet Elvis painting. No it doesn't help control recoil, IMO. What it does do is help you keep a good grip on the gun even when you're sweaty.
-Extended slide release, for a Glock, and extended mag release. Both of these are the type you'd find on a G35/G35. As a lefty-yes I'm wrong handed too-I find that I can easily trip the slide release with my trigger finger, and the extended mag release helps tremendously.
-Race cut sights/thinner front sight. An instructor at a recent class said he didn't like them because they lost precision. I respect his wealth of knowledge, his experience and his opinion; however, in my limited experience, I find them to be fast and precise. The best shooting I have ever done is with race cut sights, and a thinner front sight. The only thing I would change is maybe increasing the width of my front sight from .090 to .100 to aid in front sight acquisition.
-Practicing focusing on the front sight. Sounds crazy right? I mean all you have to do is look at it. However, I've found that looking at it and focusing on it are two different things. When I first started focusing on my front sight, I thought I was crossing my eyes. That's what it felt like to me. I noticed that practice each day helped at the range later. Maybe I had to do this because I'm slow. :D
So what has or hasn't worked for you?
I'm no expert either.
Practice and training with some of the best helped me the most.
I haven't tried a bunch of stuff like sights, slip on grips or extended whatchamacallits but I have tried several different handguns thinking it was the gun, not me.
I've come to the conclusion that the only way I'll improve is to practice, practice, and practice.
Mine is real simple, Practice and watch the front sight. Practice with the particular platform plays a role in it for me. I'm not good enough to pick up any pistol and outshoot anyone, I find if I stick to one platform for a while I improve with it faster than taking 4 or 5 to the range and shooting them all.
IndianaJeff
06-07-06, 16:18
I haven't added anything to any of my Glocks, so I can't sppek for upgrades. The one thing I've done that has helped my shooting is buying one of Matt Burkett video's. I know people say you can't learn muchfrom video's but his helped me alot. I used to crush grip the pistol. Now I grip with the same strength in my right hand, my gun hand, about the same pressure you would grip a hammer. My off hand applies the majority of the grip pressure. I also learned to focus on the front sight and let the trigger break suprise me, I've really improved in the last few weeks.
I would say practice and training. I'm not much for all the add on stuff.
What doesn't work (for me) is changing guns in search of the "perfect pistol." I have a bunch of pistols that I've tried. None made me a better shooter.
Also what doesn't work is getting older. Wrist injuries make it difficult to make it through a day of pistol shooting with my .45. Advil or Celebrex helps! My eyesight also make it difficult to focus clearly on the front sight. I'm 20/25 uncorrected and clear focus on the FS is a challenge.
What works? Finding one gun that fits my hands as well as possible. That would be a 1911. After I retire I'll only shoot 1911s and my Kahr PM9 (great carry gun). HiPowers fit great as well.
The best thing to do? Get top notch training and practice. I qualified 3 days after the Vickers' class in May. I shot my normal score with my issued 92f, but my group was 1/4 the usual size.
Glad to be here.
Mike
P.S. Why are all of the VA boys have positions of power on the forum? :confused:
No means an expert...but when I worked at an indoor range, I got into reloading my own ammo. I was shooting 200-300 rds a day trying to become proficient and it became real expensive, real fast! Reloading not only saved money, but also allowed me to customize my own "low recoil" load, using "Clays" powder. The biggest problem I had was anticipating recoil, my reloads did alot to remedy that. I also spent alot of time dry firing and concentrating on the basic fundamentals of marksmanship.
I would like to think that I am an "above average" pistol shot now.
IThe one thing I've done that has helped my shooting is buying one of Matt Burkett video's. I know people say you can't learn muchfrom video's but his helped me alot.
It was Matt's Pratical Shooting Manual that helped me diagnose that I wasn't really getting a good focus on the front sight. It's very good in other ways to. It is what prompted me to start planning practice sessions and recording their results.
All was going pretty good, until I moved, was put into a job where I traveled up to 20 days per month, and generally wasn't able to live fire practice as much as I had been. Totally forgot many of the lessons I learned then, and I'm having to relearn them all over again. :(
I've found that alot of people "overlook" constantly reviewing the basic fundementals. Once these are looking good, then progress and build on them. Yes it's important to conduct various drills to increase ones skill level, but not having the ability to hit a 3" dot at 7 yards standing still with no time limit and starting off running a run and gun course throwing lead doesn't really teach you much other than how to miss real fast.
I see it like any sport, warm up then tailor the drills accordingly based on the intended use. Know what you are capable of so when the time comes, you know what and how to do it.
Keeping that in mind, forget the gadgets and practice with what you will carry.
Don't get tied up in a competition based mindset that will not work in reality. This includes gear set up, etc. Use the gear how it was intended, such as retention devices on holsters, mags, etc. Yeah, you might be a tad quicker on the draw or reload, but will it be there when you need it after a struggle, run, etc.
Will it work?
Is it necessary?
Can I duplicate it under stress?
Mark
hi all glad to be here! I think going to a shooting school and practice are the go. Lately, I've been having consistancy problems with pistol shooting and have increased the amount of practice I was doing. Some days I would shoot the way I want and expect to and others I was all over the place.
About 3 weeks ago, I was shooting with a buddy and his dad (a former IND State Police pistol team member for 20+ years) and his dad saw problems with my grip and stance. The next mag, all were in the black. Now I am having to relearn the correct way to make it memory.
Somewhere, I picked up a bad habit and had to overcome it.
I guess I have been lucky with the few mods that I've tried on Glocks. So far, every one of them has worked for me and they are still installed. Mind you, I only used Glock factory parts and had them installed by a competent Glock gunsmith (M4arc). In making the decision to do these modifications I was smart enough to only listened to guys who have vast experience with Glocks (David Pennington, M4arc, Hotrod9mm, plus a few others). After owning a G34 for awhile I grew to like it's extended slide stop/release and the extended mag catch. While training with Larry, Dave, and Simon I learned to use the slide stop/release to drop the slide during reloads and this was a big factor also. So I basically turned my G19 into a G34 replica and I have been very pleased. I have never accidentally dropped a mag or slide with it installed. I never even notice them when actually shooting the pistol. While mods do not make a shooter, they do help me make faster & more consistent reloads. I also installed the non-skid tape on the frame. It works like a champ. I find the stock Glock frame can get slippery when my hands get sweaty.
My G19 modifications:
(1.) Glock factory extended slide stop/release
(2.) Glock factory extended mag catch
(3.) Non-skid grip tape – I cannot remember what brand, but it came as a kit
(4.) Warren Tactical “Carry” night sights.
You need to find what works for you, which isnt always what you "want". I "want" to carry a .45, but I've damaged my wrist enough over the years that after 2-300rds, I cant hold the pistol the next day. 9mm recoil doesnt bother me, so I can practice more - and besides pistols just poke holes, rifles tear $hit up.
People think too much about what pistol they want, and what they want to do with it, when they should be out practicing with what they have. Front sight, squeeze. I dont mean to sound cockey, but I can out shoot most folks with their own guns. I'm nothing special, but I shoot more practice rounds than all my friends combined. It does help to buy in bulk, wholesale:)
I've tried lots of ammo and lots of time spent on the range. Also lots of time bringing the gun up at small targets in the house like a door knob ( unloaded of course). That helped me practice on finding and focusing on the fornt site. Dry fire drills to practice trigger press, often times in conjunction with the above frontsight drill. I can't complain with the results. I'm by no means a champion shooter but, I do pretty well with my duty gun.
The things that have worked for me:
1. Using one brand and model of pistol, carbine and shotgun
2. Quality instruction
3. Training
4. Dry firing.
Things that have not worked for me
1. Modifications
2. Fad products
3. Cheap accessories
The best two things that have worked for me are:
Practice.
Reloading my own ammo.
Shooting IPSC and IDPA matches did more than anything else. I watched the topdogs work their pistols.
One of the reasons I became a RO was to watch what worked and didnt. Follow Todd Jarrett and the like around a few stages and you would have to be blind to not pick up something.
Have one platform and stick to it. A P220 was both my carry gun and gaming gun, not perfect for either job but it worked well for both.
I cant be the best I can be by switching pistols types, muscle memory has alot to do with a fast and accurate shot. If I take a 1911 and the P220 with me to the range for pratice Im not doing myself any favor by splitting my time between two different platforms.
hireforfire
06-17-06, 19:09
just sold a USP expert because I wanted to stick with sigs because I think they are more comfortable, buying a different gun thanwhat I am used to was teh biggest(ok mabye not the biggest but definatly not smart) mistake I made soon to have a new sig on order and I think I will be alot happier
muscle memory has alot to do with a fast and accurate shot.
Muscles dont have memory, You're experiencing training through repetition. ;) Also, be careful considering game playing as defensive training. Its not even the other side of the same coin. In a stressful situation you'll default to your level of training. Its not hard to find a story of someone who defaulted to "game" instead of "fight", and lost the "fight".
I have had great success with:
Rear sights with wide notches. Heinies come with .125," mine are .140," which leaves enough light on the sides of my front sight.
A dot in the front, which helps me focus on the front sight.
Gripping front to back. I barely touch the sides of my pistol. I use smooth thin grips when possible.
Front sight focus. It does wonders.
I shoot best from Modified Weaver. YMMV.
Dry fire and training, of course. Once I got over any inclination to flinch, I shot very well. Now I consciously focus on aiming, and some part of my subconcious seems to pull the trigger. It's kind of trippy...
Things that didn't work:
Double action triggers suck. I can manage them, but prefer not to.
Isoceles does not work for me.
Guns with poor ergonomics, like berettas, suck.
I bought used guns with different sights, Ghostrings, 24/7 regular and Big Dots, and recently Truglo Fiberoptics with Tritium.
While none of these brought any real increased speed, they did not give me an allround good sight picture. The Express sights were much slower on any aimed shot, the Truglos gave me no crisp sight picture.
On Glocks I like aggressive stippling, on 1911s a good checkering job. On S&W revolvers customized stippled Hogue grips but none do a "magic" job. I still have to practice regularly or slide downhill.
Robb Jensen
06-25-06, 09:01
On most of my Glocks I have Scott Warren rear sights, Dawson fiber optic front sights, Eric Wesselman grip tape, Glock extended mag catches. On my G34 I also havea KKM barrel because some of my 147gr reloads were tumbling out of the stock barrel.
Yeah I'm a competitive shooter, and people who are 10x better than me both 'train' and 'compete'. I find that the two disciplines compliment each other. Some of the guys you take training from are competitive shooters. Guys like Todd Jarrett, Scott Warren, Phil Strader, Simon Golob, Larry Vickers to name a few.
Scott and Phil are LEOs.
Wesselman tape.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/gotm4/b2442b35.jpg
Warren rear sight on the two left pistols, Sevigny sight on the right one.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/gotm4/f2f66790.jpg
Warren night sight fronts on the left and right pistols and Dawson fiber on the middle.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/gotm4/59567b04.jpg
I have only added a couple of things to my G19. My biggest improvement was to change out the front factory white site for a HI Viz fiber optic site. During the day it's amazing how fast I can get on target and get follow up shots quickly, at nigh it's not a big advantage but I beleive it is better than the factory one. I also added a bigger slide stop which I really love compared to the smaller one and lastly I added a jentra plug, only to stop any debris that will go up in their while carrying concealed because all kinds of things like lint seem to find their way into the hole when the plug is not installed. So basically it is still a stock G19 but it is set up perfect for my likeings and works really well for me. It is by far the handgun I shoot the best
I put Heinie Straight Eight Slant Pros on my G22, and have used skater tape / step tape on the grip. The only other additions are 7 normal cap mags and ammo, that's all it needs...
The G26 will get sights just to get rid of the OEM plastic disgraces, already have 5 mags for that with a bunch of extensions as well.
The Kimber Custom 25th Anniv. has needed the most work. So far I've done:
Ed Brown GI length guide and plug
ISMI 16# recoil spring (for kicks)
ISMI 19# mainspring (also for kicks)
Nowlin extended mag catch, with the OEM spring. The nowin spring wouldn't hold the detent and it would get stuck out regularly...
S&A arched MSH
Simonich Gunner grips
Ed Brown FP stop
a bunch of powermags
Nothing failed or gave me trouble on the Kimber, and it still needs sights.
My Sig has only needed maintenance via spring replacement when they broke (unk round count 3rd owner).
Practicing the basics (trigger control, front sight focus etc.) and sending a lot of rounds downrange will make you a better shooter.
I don't care for all of the "extra" stuff on pistols. My P226 is bone stock except it has n/s and a factory Sig short trigger. Since I have smaller hands, the short trigger is the best thing I've done to a pistol.
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