How to be more accurate ?

[twostrokeking13]

I am 21 and just got my first pistol. I've shot rifles all my life but I am new too hand guns. I bought this m&p shield 9mm from my dad. I find it so hard to be accurate. It has factory sights on it and everything else is also factory. Any tips ? I keep practicing but it's getting so frustrating

 

[bigwheelzip]

Howdy from South Carolina, and welcome to the forum.

Youtube has tons of offerings demonstrating different technique's. Watch some and try them out. It will all come together if your patient.

 

[shotgun693]

Get someone to help you with techniques, a coach. When you know the basics then shoot, shoot a lot. There ain't nothin' better for a horse than wet blankets.
BTW, once a week save your target. After about a year compare'm. You should see a steady improvement. You won't be Wild Bill in a week.

 

[MyDads38]

You're new to handguns and your starting out with a compact pistol, that even "seasoned" shooters sometimes have trouble adjusting to. Ah, Grasshopper-so many things to learn, patience and practice

As mentioned above, find someone to help with the basics and maybe take a basic handgun course, if offered in your area. Learning to shoot a handgun well takes time, patience and practice. You'll need to know your firearm, and find a technique that works with it. Be safe, but also have fun!

 

[Narrowback]

First determine which eye is dominant. I found I'm left eye dominant and shoot right handed. That was part of my problem. Work on grip and trigger control a lot. Use snap caps or dry fire it while watching your sights. If they jump around on you, work on squeezing the trigger slowly. I've gotten much better, but still need to work on speed.

 

[Ranger17]

My first handgun was a .22 and i was already in my 50's. That is what i learned the basics on which helped when i got my first 9mm (a MP compact). Took me awhile to gain confidence and some level of proficiency with it; a combination of practice and help at the range made a big difference. And the proper grip for you can mean big changes in accuracy.
Same for my wife when she goes with me, she enjoys the .22 more and is better with it but can hold her own with my 9's.
My .02 is to not just practice but to learn correct techniques to practice with. I still save targets to see how i did vs the last time and what i may need to still improve on. Thousands of rounds shot the past 3 years and i only consider myself a newbie who can be pretty decent at the range lol.
Lastly, consider taking a look at the SW compact .22, it is similar in size to a Shield and it can be a cheaper practice handgun to learn on with lower ammo costs. Still take both to the range but get some time in wih a .22 to help the learning a bit. Just a suggestion anyhow.
Good luck!

 

[murphydog]

A second for having an experienced handgun user observe your stance, grip and trigger pull and plenty of dry fire practice. Also, if you are not already doing so be sure to start your targets at 3-5 yards (hard to fathom for a rifle shooter, but easier on your ego ).

 

[walkin' trails]

Seek professional training. Local ranges may offer it and the price is not always outrageous. Consider it a necessity. Get Andy Standford's book, Surgical Speed Shooting. Books by Massad Ayoob are also good. Still, seek a professional instructor.

 

[427mach1]

What distance are you shooting? The Shield is not intended to be a long-range pistol. It is meant for close-up self defense, so don't expect 1-inch groups at 25 yards. As mentioned above, 3 - 5 yards to start with the goal of keeping it in the critical zones (center mass and head shots) at probably no more than 7 yards.

 

[MSG Glenn]

As someone has mentioned a good instructor will help a lot. If you can't afford it check YouTube for hints on proper grip & stance. Of course don't take everything you see there as gospel but you'll find useful info there. Focus on the front sight. Once you start getting a better group you need to practice, practice, practice.

 

[old&slow]

1st, find someone that knows something about pistol shooting. Rather than some one that thinks they know something about pistol shooting. Lots of self proclaimed experts out there that can't hit the ground with their hat.

2nd, Dry Fire. Make sure the firearm is empty. Make sure it's in a safe area and pointed in a safe direction. Use safety snap caps if you want. When you can pull the trigger, and drop the hammer ( striker) without the front sight moving,, you are getting there.

Then go to the range and practice with real ammo.

Hitting a wash tub at 7 yds. means you know how to yank a trigger.. Shooting a group the size of a tennis ball at 25 yds. means you're getting there.. Have fun and enjoy the learning curve..

 

[gwpercle]

Practice , sorry but there is no magic you can buy that will make you a good shoot, There is a rear sight , a front sight and the target , holding the perfect sight picture and squeezing off the perfect shot is the trick. I will tell you a properly adjusted trigger will do worlds for accuracy. I bought a Ruger MKII 22 pistol that had a trigger job by Clark Custom Guns, and that immediately improved my scores, I mean big time !
So , get a good trigger job and practice...that's the secrete.
Gary

 

[cb4017]

There is a lot that goes into shooting a handgun accurately. Basics like stance, your grip on the weapon, sight picture, breathing, trigger press. Good shooting is a skill that has to be learned, practiced and then maintained.

Find an instructor or course that can teach the basics then go from there.

 

[Ed Fowler]

You are in the right place if accuracy is what you seek. Smith & Wesson is the king of good triggers in production hand guns. A good trigger is essential to accuracy as mentioned above. A lousy trigger makes accuracy impossible for me, while you can learn most triggers, a good one makes life much easier.

Dry fire is essential, after 65 years of shooting I still dry fire as much as I can.

Coaches are a dime a dozen, but good coaches are hard to find.

Books are also plentiful, one of my favorites is "The Pistol Shooter's Treasury" by Gil Hebard. There is nothing in this book that will steer you wrong. The information will also be beneficial in knowing what coaches to listen to and those to ignore. Mr Hebards advice - "Experience is only a good teacher when you are a good student." is one statement that I still hear. By your questions I feel you are on the way to being a good student.

I wish you good times.

The book is out of print, but you can find used copies on the net, Abe Books has 3 available, it may seem expensive, but I assure you it is worth it.

 

[BigDog48]

Also, in addition to what everyone else said, focus on the front sight. I other words, find the target, then align your sight picture then as you squeeze the trigger keep your focus on the front sight. I'd suggest loading 3 rounds at a time and shooting at 10 ft. to start. Once you get the hang of it (by seeing groups of 3 inches or so), move the target to 7 yards, then 10 after 3 inch groups at 7. 10 yards is about what the Shield is designed for. If you get comfortable, move your target out 2 or 3 yards at a time. Especially if shooting alone, you want to be able to keep everything on the target (2 feet x 3 feet cardboard) so you can tell where off any offline shots go, and make corrections.

 

[smitty42]

A lot of good information and suggestions in reply to your post.
Have a couple of questions.
1. What was the distance you started at.
2. What do you think your accuracy should be at various distances.

As mentioned previously start a 3-5 yards. If you are having problems keeping a fairly tight groups, say 6", then you are having technical problems that need to be looked at. Before paying for instructions, is it possible that your father is good enough to take a look at your technique? If not then you do need to sign up for training at a professional course.

 

[varmint243]

You have the wrong firearm type for learning to shoot handgun.
I qualify shooters for our local club range and see it all the time.
I suggest getting yourself a Ruger MKii Slabside or Government Target.
I also suggest getting yourself a 6" 586, or 686.
Shoot 38 wadcutters in the revolver and standard velocity ammo in the MKii.
Shoot one iron sight and shoot one with a dot sight.

You cant make chicken salad out of chicken poo.
trying to learn to shoot handgun with a compact semi will only frustrate you.

 

[Ed Fowler]

Do not let anyone discourage you from getting the most out of the pistol you have. I have some great target pistols and revolvers, I also have some handguns many would call junk. There is a special kind of reward for me to be able to enjoy them all.

You do not have to spend big bucks for accessories, they can come later. It all starts with the basics, knowledge, devotion and time. The most important aspect - enjoy what you are doing.

 

[Rastoff]

Lots of advice here on how to get better, but we don't know where you are now. So, I have some questions that will help us focus our help:
What distances are you shooting now?
Can you post a picture of a normal target?
How large are your groups?
Are they centered? A little left? Right? Low? High?

Let's start with those. Once we have these answers we can tailor how to help you and be more specific with our help.

 

[Biggfoot44]

As multiply noted subcompact pistols have a built in trade off of ease of carry vs ease of shooting. The Shield is one of the more accurate/ easy to shoot accurately of the catagory, but that is relative. A service size pistol of similar operating system ( such as service size M&P in this case) will help you while developing basic skills that will later transfer to your Shield.

And to continue with the theme, learn the basics of trigger control and sight alignment, and several stances to see which work better for you. This could be a basic level class, or one on one with either Instructor or highly knowledeable mentor.