Its really no big deal as long as it hits the target at 20 feet. This is good enough for SD IMO. Me & my son whom is a better shot hit the target in the same slightly low & to the left area on the target. Any suggestions? I can't believe we are both doing something wrong in the trigger pull department.

Most likely its both of you getting use to the trigger. I started out low and now I'm dead on. Get a few hundred more rounds through it and you will be shooting flies off your target.

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The kool-aid Sigma drinker

sometimes ( not saying you did do this ) but sometimes if you dont cover the bullseye and lollypop it this will happen

It'll be the reaction to the trigger. You'll get better.

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_It was love at first shot_

do a search on "my pistol shoots low and left" you will find and endless stream of threads on this. You just need more trigger control

I would tend to agree, a new pistol, it's one of those 'common' problems folks have- snatching, pulling instead fo squeezing, the muzzle takes a lefthanddive. Even after learning with one pistol, I had the same problem with my next. Think it just comes naturally. Regardless, I'd wait, shoot plenty of rounds THEN consider adjusting sights.

Very good short replies
Now here is a long one
Not necessarily better
Practice, and repetition works well when targeting........just like the NRA says over and over and is always reminding us of the rules: Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction...Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot....Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.......

When targeting always keep your sight picture, always have a good stance, always keep breath control, and always keep trigger control.



If that fails, then try this. The SW9VE has a Drift-Adjustable Rear Sight.



A minor adjustment may help. Keep in mind there is no height adjustment.

If that fails, and your still shooting low and to the left, I highly recommend you aim high and to the right for a perfect shot, at least until you get a new gun.



Tip: Fine tune your stance. Take aim and then close your eyes. Take a deep breath or two and then open your eyes. Chances are your slightly to the left of the target, but that's the natural place according to your stance. Make a minor adjustment, kind of like a golfer does with his stance just before a shot. Repeat the exercise a couple of times until your dead on the target when you open your eyes. Now your stance is aligned and you are in a natural position to hit that target (even with your eyes closed).

I have to make sure I'm pulling straight back with the trigger on the end pad of my finger and NOT into the first joint or I'll always shoot low left.

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Steve Sprague
SWCA 1400

Ditto everything said - I did the same thing - now fine. My 17 year old daughter even had the problem as is now dead on.

Its so common, this question is asked once every 3-4 weeks at least.

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VE40 2010 22A 1110 MPc40 706

OK OK.......Trigger control .......then all that other stuff. But what is trigger control?
So many things.......

I read somewhere, (and I'm paraphrasing)

It's a smooth press where you let the gun fire when it wants to, and you don't force it to fire when you want to.

Don't worry about slight wobble as your taking the shot. Smooth trigger equals good grouping.

For good targeting, put smooth press first, and then perfect site picture second. Then all that other stuff.

If your putting site picture first you will always, look for, correct and re-correct the sights at the expense of good trigger press. An example of this is the “trigger snatch” where, after you diligently and momentarily get that perfect sight moment, you snatch or yank the trigger to unleash the bullet before you loose that perfect site.

Giving up a little control to get control ?
Sounds like faith to me.

See if this helps any:

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Might mention that one of the experts suggests we grip the pistol as tightly as possible. Ya know, when you pull the trigger finger the rest of the fingers naturally tighten as well, pulling the gun down and left. If you are already squeezing the other fingers as tightly as possible, then the adjoining fingers have nowhere to move to- they're already in that death-grip.

I took mine to the range the other day for the first time and found mine to do the same thing and I'm a left handed shooter, I wonder if it maybe the gun and accuracy improves with breaking in. How many of you who have had this problem are right handers and new guns or left hander with new gun and those who bought theirs second hand did you have this problem or was it pretty dead on when you got it?

Every class, some of the people have a "combat tupperware" that shoots low.
It's never been the gun so far.
By the end of the class, the gun has either fixed itself or vastly improved. Hmmmm....
I have used Sigmas for loaners and trainers for over a decade, and many people have at first wanted the sights "adjusted for them." Slip a dummy cartridge in the mag and watch the gun jerk down on the click...."Oh, did I do that?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yohikhl9_c

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Science plus Art

Yup the triggers the ticket . I was having the same problem . As I get used to the trigger I am gaining better hits .

Thanks this helps alot! I'm use to revolvers and single action pistols and DAO takes a little getting use to... 8}

This is a great article by Massad Ayoob you should read.

The Weaver Stance doesn't require much practice and really works.

How to shoot a handgun accurately by Massad Ayoob Issue #85

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Take your time..quickly.

When I bought my Sigma 40VE used from a gun shop the first thing I noticed when I took it to the range was that the rear sights were pushed all the way to the left (I think left, don't really remember). I'm thinking the previous owner had the same problem.

I put a laser bore sighter in it to line the sights back up and had no problem with being on target.

Yup - trigger control.

All the above advice is very good but I have a suggestion that helped me improve my trigger control overnight, install a laser sight and practice dry firing. If you can press the trigger without that dot moving you will have better groupings on target, it's a great tool to learn and maintain trigger control when used with the good advice already given here.

Can there be a "sticky" thread on this subject so that every "new" sigma owner will see it a not post "another" thread on low & left?

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VE40 2010 22A 1110 MPc40 706

When I first shot mine it was low and left. I did research and found out why. Shot it again, low left again. I started consciously snapping up and right on the trig pull. That helped, but I was not happy with the solution. Through lots of use and NO sight adjustment I am now dead on. I still shoot my other pistols equally well which was a concern.

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Hold on. SWAT's at my door.

The Sigma is a very accurate pistol. Matter in fact, most pistols are very accurate with some variables tossed in of course, but generally this is true. Ninety percent of the time it is the shooter. Shooting accurately is like playing a guitar. You have to build your foundation first then play a melody. Those targets up above are very accurate. I would recommend everyone use those.
When I was in the Marine Corp we spent countless hours snapping in. That is dry firing our weapons. This served the purpose of building muscle memory and is a great way to build good trigger control, sight alignment and sight picture. Find your foundation and practice, practice, practice. Generally you can dry fire any centerfire design with exception to some older revolvers that had the firing pin on the hammer. Those could break or bend and were expensive to replace is all. There is no more wear and tear to a firing pin with or without ammo. Those snap caps are good for practice but not needed.
If you can't get beyond shooting low and to the left try different foundations.
For instance:
Cross thumbs or stack thumbs.
Instead of wrapping both hands try resting shooting hand ontop of palm of other hand. You might be squeezing with offhand!
Do not or do squeeze trigger with fingerprint, try using crease between joint.
Let up on your grip and squeeze with one finger, let pistol complete its recoil. Like holding an archery bow with your forefinger and thumb but do not let pistol squirm in your hand. Make sure weapon is aligned with your forearm. A good foundation is key.
Or, increase squeeze. Generally squeezing causes poor control as the the hand tends to follow the forefinger, relax and breath. Dry firing will reveal this.
When you become better, try doing different advanced things like breathing hard or doing jumping jacks to build up your heart rate before you fire. (in civilian terms I guess this would simulate SHTF moment).
Once again, practice, practice, practice.
Stay away from the cool matrix double, triple tap, upside down, side ways, Anni Oakley bull**** at first and build your foundation. Put three rounds in your magazines and find where your group is, then continue to practice some more.
At 7 meters I can set 3 rounds in a 3 inch group. Which is a great heart shot. I'm happy with that and thats all that matters to me.

Last but not least and most important of all. Relax and do not fear or anticipate the loud bang. Refrain from flinching, closing your eyes, breath, relax and breath some more. Let out your breath half way and trigger should be at the release point, bang! Breath some more.
Then when you get good, then you can start tapping like matrix.
(Dont mean to be sarcastic, just humorous)

Hi Chuck , new here and new to shooting , just one year so far bought 2 guns so far sigma 9 and ruger lcp . I found myself doing the same low/ left with my sigma Im glad to find this on the gun in the forum . I guess I can learn a lot of usefull info here. Oh also the trigger pull was lightened up some, feels better than factory. Love the gun and the price did not break the bank either.I thought it was time to buy some guns due to the way thing are going here in our home lands latley. Its funny Im 53 and just bought my first guns. Thanks Chuck.

good stuff for you .

I found just the opposite, if I dry fire it, put the muzzle right up against a spot on the wall, within an inch or so, using the pad of my finger the muzzle would twitch just about every time. Using the 'power crease' as Ayoob calls it, the joint, the muzzle was dead on, no twitch. To the OP, try this, see what works for you. I think we all agree for a right hand shooter, low-left is trigger control.

My first revolver instructor was one of these irritatingly wonderful people who would have us leave one chamber in the cylinder unloaded (had us put a fired shell in it). While shooting, when we snapped on that he would say ah-ha you pulled it downward (or whatever).

Got past all that by dry fire, practicing trying to pull trigger a little to the right while squeezing. Then trying to push finger a little to the left while squeezing so front sight snaps to left. Then get the front sight to snap upward, then not.

I found that the extended (longer) revolver grips on one little J frame that is rounded inward at bottom is bad for me. Tightening just a little on little finger, or two littlest fingers, when squeezing trigger rocks it inward, at bottom, in my hand pulling barrel downward.

Then I noticed that outdoors, the time of day made a difference. Which side of sights the sun was on, particularly with stainless, was important. When out in the wild you can turn and try both directions to see if you hit on different sides of that tin can.

My brother passed me up when he was teaching his son to shoot a CO2 pellet pistol revolver. And he had bought the varilux progressive eye glasses that are like trifocals without the lines. Easier for some to see front sight.

Shooting pellet pistol in my basement - again which side was the light bulb on. Or do I just need to hood the front sight? Maybe florescent?

Finally I found that the modern 3 dot sights work for me all day and into dusk. Putting left hand fingers in front of right, and putting downward pressure against them, (left index finger against bottom of trigger guard) locks me up good also. Naturally thumbs side by side away from hammer (or away from slide on semi-autos).

I heard a story about an old retired policeman that always carried a revolver and always, when shooting single action, cocked with his left thumb then crossed his thumbs behind hammer. When he tried his fist glock he damaged his left thumb really bad when the slide came back.