Cure for Shield shooting left

[Old TexMex]

There's a great thread right now called " custom grips. Let's see your favorites "
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...-lets-see-your-favorites-2.html#post138978333

 

[Bob O]

LOL!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bkreutz]

Aim more to the right?

 

[notaliberal]

It's how far you stick your finger into the trigger guard.

Most people do well by placing the middle of the fingerprint pad on the trigger. However, if your rounds are impacting to the left (for a right hand shooter) move the finger closer to the first joint on the trigger. If they are impacting to the right, move the contact closer to the tip of the finger.

It's not a magic cure, but it can help you with left/right POI issues.

I have been shooting left for a couple weeks now. I just could not figure it out. You suggestion by moving my trigger finger closer to the joint was perfect. Today I shoot my tightest groups ever. Thank you!

 

[Rastoff]

You suggestion by moving my trigger finger closer to the joint was perfect. Today I shoot my tightest groups ever. Thank you!

Music to my ears. It's always a good day when I hear that some small tid bit has helped someone become a better shooter.

Thank you for the report.

 

[cp2146]

It's how far you stick your finger into the trigger guard.

Most people do well by placing the middle of the fingerprint pad on the trigger. However, if your rounds are impacting to the left (for a right hand shooter) move the finger closer to the first joint on the trigger. If they are impacting to the right, move the contact closer to the tip of the finger.

It's not a magic cure, but it can help you with left/right POI issues.

Hmmm, maybe that's what helped me too. I thought it was thumb placement (thumb forward), but maybe I was subconsciously moving my trigger finger more toward the joint, or maybe a combination of both. Dang it, now I'm gonna have to go to the range and experiment.

 

[Magload]

Music to my ears. It's always a good day when I hear that some small tid bit has helped someone become a better shooter.

Thank you for the report.

Check my post #23 I brought up the trigger finger placement Rastoff you just did a good job of explaining it. Don

 

[jbtrucker]

I don't know much about much and have no where near the experience as the majority of the fine folks on here.I can relate to the low left hits from my Shiled. Here's my first time out with it



Look familiar ? I knew it was partly(mostly)me since I haven't shot a handgun in many years and knew I needed to work on grip and trigger squeeze.Got some good advice from folks and worked on it and still on other outings not much improvement

I wasn't thrilled with the sights that came on the gun and had some AmeriGlo I Dot sights put on and I noticed before having them installed it appeared the front sight was off center to the right. The Gunsmith confirmed it when installing the sights and he asked me are you hitting Left ? and I said Yep.

I also got the Hogue Handall Jr. grip because of the slight palm swells. Even though I have small hands the thicker grip helped with my grip and also gave me a much more solid and secure feel in my hand.

Here's the last time out(the first hits were the hits to the left and after a very small tweak with my grip and trigger finger placement --- well the results speak for themselves This is at 7 yards 50 shots fired.



Sorry for the long winded post,but sometimes the gun needs some tweaking and not just the shooter.I know I am still a work in progress but it's getting there

That's the way mine are with different pistols. My problem was grip and dominant eye, Army Vet advised me to grip higher on pistol ,thumbs forward and switched to left eye , still practicing and have improved a lot. Good Luck

 

[buzzwindrip]

I've been to the range three times with my 9mm Shield, and I still find myself shooting left no matter what my trigger finger placement is. I've tried to modify how I grip the Shield, and I still shoot to the left. I was going to try to do what the OP did: pad with grip tape. Here is a target from from first outing in early December:

 

[agksimon]

Before I bought my shield, I tried my nephew's shield out at 7 yards. I used an IPSC target and loaded my 4.25 FS and the shield, and ripped off sbout three fast shots from one, than the other, then back and forth until empty. It convinced me that I wanted a shield. I did notice that the gun shot left for me.

After I bought my shield and I was spending my obligatory time in front of the tv, dry firing and shooting bad guys, I noticed that when I gripped the gun in a shooting grip, that the front of the barrel pointed a little to the left.

If the gun is pointing off in one direction, instead of straight ahead, check to make sure your bore axis is in line with your elbow. If not, practice holding it that way, until it's automatic.

 

[ShieldUser]

Simple recommendation: use what works for you.

I shoot low and left ( on 8 inch target at 7 yards away) only with the Shield 9mm when firing rapidly, but no problem with larger handguns. The fix for me was to pull the trigger with the joint of the index finger and hold the Shield really tight.

Another "fix" that worked was to pull the trigger with the third ( middle ) finger with the index pointing at the target and touching the top of the right side of the frame.

 

[Crabo]

Shot a bunch of steel Friday and the palm swell and Talon grip did what I hoped it would. So far quite a success. I have a 10-8 rear sight on the gun and need to change out the front sight. I have the 10-8s on my FS and I love them.

 

[cardguy]

You could just move the rear sight to the right until you hit center with your shots.

 

[CBStuard]

Shot a bunch of steel Friday and the palm swell and Talon grip did what I hoped it would. So far quite a success. I have a 10-8 rear sight on the gun and need to change out the front sight. I have the 10-8s on my FS and I love them.

I am glad your grip mod is working for you. Some of the posters above sure wouldn't like a lot of my pistol grips. Most have patches of grip tape at certain spots. A couple have a thumb rest made from PC7 epoxy on the left grip. Some have something similar to what you did by using more than one layer of grip tape.These same posters could read and learn how grips are made to suit the shooter's hand here.
Randall Fung Match Grips

 

[madams91]

New Shield owner here.

+1 on the grip mod. I'm in the same boat.

Working on grip, finger placement and trigger draw. These are buggaboos on all 3 of the pistols I shoot. There just a lot worse with the Shield because it is A) brand new and B) really narrow in the grip.

I'm watching threads like this one hoping to solve some problems, and mist of the advice here is reflected elsewhere. To my eye, that means it's likely to be good advice.

 

[davemil9mm]

I try to use the 60/40 split. 60% of pressure. From my support hand and 40% from my trigger hand. Do not squeeze the grip when you squeeze the trigger.Just squeez quickly focusing on that front sight and you will hit bull at least a couple times at 7yds. Practice practice practice.

 

[madams91]

Quick update for the zombie thread. The adjustment in my case seems to be more trigger finger. I find that poking more finger into the trigger guard leads to a substantial reduction in the delivery of rounds well left of POA. Still a lot of work to do, but getting there.

 

[Execpro]

Execpro

There are some good suggestions on this post, but give this some thought. If you are carrying concealed and have to draw your weapon to save your life, you don't have ANY time to think about your grip or trigger finger placement. NONE!!! Try this. With a SAFE gun, draw it many times from different positions. You should find that you will grip and press the trigger the same way. When you get to this point,go the range and from a standing position draw and fire. Do this a number of times and see where your shots go. Adjust the sights so you are hitting what you are aiming at. This is real life. Stay safe!

 

[madams91]

Just now seeing this. Good advice. Once things settle down a bit I intend to spend time drilling the draw from concealment with the Shield.

Right now, I'm working on drawing my 1911 from concealment. CCW class is this weekend. Then I switch to the Shield.

Aside: I'm also going to move the Shield from my home defense gun to carry, then mount my M&P FS with rail-mounted flashlight under my headboard with magnets.

It's a tactical water bed!

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[kramden]

I too was shooting low and left with my Shield. The "thumbs forward" grip really corrected my shooting left . The low part was a simple adjustment of the sight picture. In other words it was ME!

 

[Slingn]

Man, sure wish I would have seen this thread a couple months ago. It would have saved me over a hundred bucks in bullets. I was a way left shooter initially. Not so much low. I finally figured out my own grip and finger placement thru trial and error. That's exactly what it was. Shoot my shield 40 nice and straight now.

 

[rchaddock252]

Sounds like you might be sticking too much finger in the trigger. I have seen a guy on YouTube that says he sticks as much finger in there as possible and it works for him.

Sent from my SCH-R890 using Tapatalk

 

[Mal Cap]

When I see my shots going "left," I usually adjust my standing position more to the right. Also, my spine bends to the left...maybe that's it.

 

[vortex360]

Crabo, I really don't care how many steel targets you've shot. Not all guns are made for all people. Some adjustment can be made. But when you start to jury rig a firearm like you do. It's a ticking bomb waiting to go off. If you were to show up on my range with a pinned back strap safety. You'd be banned for life. Membership paid or not. What you do to firearms, and you are unsafe.

Ranges suck and are a waste of money anyway. Too many know-it-alls and range nuns.

 

[walleyeb1]

Low left

For what it's worth, I was shooting low left consistently. Got this advice "Ok, possibly 2 things. First, check where your trigger finger is making contact with trigger. Should be bout halfway on your fingerprint. If you're using tip of finger, that can push gun left. Too far in, like first knuckle will pull right. Second, try loosening grip with left hand, take index and middle finger off grip and just use ring and little finger. You might have too strong a grip with left hand."

Turned out to be more #2 than #1. Of coarse I reintroduced my index and middle finger, just less pressure.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Ranges suck and are a waste of money anyway. Too many know-it-alls and range nuns.

Duly noted . . .

 

[pittpa]

I am glad your grip mod is working for you. Some of the posters above sure wouldn't like a lot of my pistol grips. Most have patches of grip tape at certain spots. A couple have a thumb rest made from PC7 epoxy on the left grip. Some have something similar to what you did by using more than one layer of grip tape.These same posters could read and learn how grips are made to suit the shooter's hand here.
Randall Fung Match Grips

I know what you mean. Excuse me while I whip this out. This photo does not show the rubber bands I keep on it for additional grippage; heavy gun.

 

[Cackmandu]

Another good thumb forward explanation video!

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kGUDpHCVcM"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kGUDpHCVcM[/ame]

 

[cardguy]

Mine shot to the left so I moved the rear sight to the right. Problem solved.

 

[kramden]

I shoot alittle left and low. I have 2 Shields and on both I adjusted the front sight just a tweak to the left. Moved my group right where it needed to be. Of course the low was just a matter of remembering to aim a bit higher. Works for me.