"I think my gun is off, can you shoot it and tell me?"

[C4IGrant]

So one of the things I have learned about teaching new gun owners how to shoot is that at some point they will question whether it is the gun or them. "I mean, can I really aim here and then have rounds impact a full foot low and to the left?? "Something HAS to be wrong with my sights right??" Uhm, no, you are jerking the HOLY HELL out of the trigger and are just barely missing your own foot. "Prove it!"

Oh the joy of this! Ever wanted to shoot a SIG, HK, M&P, Glock, 1911, XD, hi-point, Jensen, Ruger P85, Taurus Judge, revolver, LCP, etc, etc, etc??? Well now is your chance! Just as an FYI, you ALSO have to shoot the gun well because if you do not, the student will get it in their head that the gun is inaccurate and not their fault (which is almost never the case).

For me, I enjoy the challenge of this for two reasons. The first reasons is that it allows me prove the theory that it is always the singer and never the song. So if I want to prove that I am as good a shooter as I THINK I am, I have to perform on cue.
The second reason is that it gives me a chance to see just how F*CKED UP some of these guns really are. Horrible sights, 12lbs triggers, mile long trigger pulls, etc, etc.

So if you want to see just how good you are, start teaching new shooters and pretty soon you will be out of your comfort zone and exploring new things!




C4

[kartoffel]

This is one of the reasons I keep going to the public range on weekends, despite deer season coming up and the risk of someone going full retard. Last week some poor guy went through a whole 20 round box of full-retail .270 trying to sight in his new Savage. It was shooting about 8 inches low and right at 25 yards. He'd unscrew the caps to his Barska scope, turn it 1 or 2 clicks up and left, and shoot another 3 rounds....

[Kchen986]

I actually had a G19 which had sights that were off. Drifted them a little to the right...and Voila. Fixed.

But usually you're right. It's the Indian, Not the Arrow.

[RPD03]

I had a student/officer who "knew it all" (at least according to them). Shooting 8 inch steel plates at 15 yards and was continually missing low & left (right handed shooter). Said officer comes to me and says "my sights are off" so I shoot their weapon and wow, the sights were perfect but I still couldn't convince them that it wasn't the weapon. Some just never learn.

[C4IGrant]

I actually had a G19 which had sights that were off. Drifted them a little to the right...and Voila. Fixed.

But usually you're right. It's the Indian, Not the Arrow.

Oh ya, I have seen sights that have drifted, bit this almost never the case.


C4

[C4IGrant]

I had a student/officer who "knew it all" (at least according to them). Shooting 8 inch steel plates at 15 yards and was continually missing low & left (right handed shooter). Said officer comes to me and says "my sights are off" so I shoot their weapon and wow, the sights were perfect but I still couldn't convince them that it wasn't the weapon. Some just never learn.

This is when you say; your gun is "broke," want to sell it for $200?


C4

[JeepDriver]

I worked part time for 7 years at an indoor public range.

I couldn't even guess how many guns I've shot for that exact reason. Everyone automatically thinks the fault is in the gun. They could never be at fault.

[C4IGrant]

I worked part time for 7 years at an indoor public range.

I couldn't even guess how many guns I've shot for that exact reason. Everyone automatically thinks the fault is in the gun. They could never be at fault.

Fun isn't it! The down side is that I never get to shoot a gun that I like. For instance, I would love to see some old historical firearm ora gun that I cannot afford.

What do I get? Well, last month it was an XD. For the record I shot it very well (not well enough to make me want one though).



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[ColtJ]

It all depends on the individual and how honest they decide to be with themselves...

Being on the other side of this topic, i had a few days where I swore it was the rifle or the ammo and not me. Calmed down, thought things through, dry fired the **** out of it. Read a book or two and a ton of posts.

Went back and improved triple fold with the same rifle and ammo which then allowed me to improve with practice (still improving).

If you think about it, even bad guys and terrorists believe they are in the right, whether over religious beliefs a moment of need/self preservation or a feeling of self appointed rights, etc... So imagine how stubborn people will be when it comes to small things... Plus it's not cool to be a bad shot so it must be the gun/rifle.

Once you realize you know nothing, you'll learn something everyday. The moment you think you know everything you start working backwards everyday from then on regardless of what the topic is.

It's just now honest you decide to be with yourself.

With that said, I still tell myself I am handsome... Sometimes you just have to lie to yourself.

[48J]

I had a new Colt XSE that I was shooting. The previous range session, I had done well with that pistol. On this session, I was shooting a pattern instead of a shot group. My inner child was suffering extreme emotional distress. On my last string, the target had zero hits. While I am not a pistol ace, that was not at all like me. I started the assessment, looked at my pistol and saw that the screw holding the rear sight in place was gone and that the sight had shifted left to the point that the sight was two thirds out of the dove tail. Having not noticed the movement to that point, I really felt stupid. Same thing happened on a second XSE. Both have been to Sandy Garrett for some rework since then.