SA - I pull to the left - how to correct it?

[tacotime]

I almost always shoot any revolver slightly left and slightly down. Maybe 2 to 2.5 inches left at 20 yards and .5 to 1.0 down with several revolvers, even with semi-autos.

How do I correct this?

Thanks.

 

[arjay]

If your a righty ,move your trigger finger slightly right so the trigger is a tiny bit closer to the tip.I have no idea if this is legit but Ive used it for years to adjust my windage.Hitting right? bring the trigger slightly closer to the first joint.

 

[snubbyfan]

Sounds like you're tightening your fingers when you're pulling the trigger. Try lotsa dry fire practice isolating your trigger finger.

 

[gnappi]

Assuming you're shooting right handed and someone else has tried your gun and shoots it straight...

Beside the previous replies being a good start, what's your normal sight picture look like? Are you shooting with both eyes open? Are you right eyed dominant? Has anyone looked at your grip and stance? Do you do the same pull down and left shooting from a rest?

If you can answer these questions it may shed some light on the cause.

 

[Realgunner]

Sounds like you're putting movement into the gun at the moment of discharge. At least your errant shots go consistently to the same place. Dry fire or ball-and-dummy practice is warranted. The ball-and-dummy drill is this: Load a live round into the cylinder, skip a chamber and then load two live rounds next to each other. Without looking at the cylinder, give it a little spin and close it. Start firing and when the hammer falls on an empty chamber, the gun should remain almost motionless. Any gross movement will be seen easily.

 

[RGMoore]

Some experimentation during dry fire practice will help you find the cause. Shooting low and left is typically caused by trigger technique with right handed shooters. Make sure your strong hand is gripping as high as possible on the grip. Now wrap your weak hand around your fingers on the front of the grip. Your strong hand should push forward and your weak hand should pull back firmly. There should be no side to side pressure. Both thumbs are up on the left side if you are right handed.
Your trigger finger needs to come straight back. If you are pulling right or left with your trigger finger, that's where the shot will go. For SA this usually means the trigger is on the pad of your finger but experiment with moving it towards the tip or towards the joint during dry fire to determine what works best for you.
For DA the trigger is typically on the joint.
Dry fire is some of the best practice.

 

[tacotime]

Good advice, I'll try it out this weekend! Thanks.

 

[329]

For me it helps to focus in the front sight blade through the shot. More than anything this "follow through" works well for me but there are some great tips above.

 

[edslow]

Sounds like you're tightening your fingers when you're pulling the trigger. Try lotsa dry fire practice isolating your trigger finger.

+1 also might not have enough trigger finger. To little makes your finger slip a bit an pull left.

 

[tacotime]

Tried less finger and it pulled further right and low. Forgot to try more finger...

Also shot left hand, pretty well, and it centered the rounds, but lower. I guess I pulled it down. May just shoot left handed from now on...

Thanks.

 

[gtmtnbiker98]

Low and left is due to jerking or hesitation. The diagnostic chart above is for one handed shooting, only. Dry fire, dry fire, and dry fire some more.

 

[Bajadoc]

Aim slightly right and slightly up.

 

[fyimo]

It can be also caused by the fact you are pushing forward on the gun while you are squeezing the trigger. This results in a shot left and usually low for a right handed shooter.

 

[27 Man]

My old bullseye pistol coach, from days gone by, told me those errant shots were the result of jerking the trigger. Dry fire and ball and dummy practice as noted above were the prescribed regimens.

 

[AveragEd]

Your old coach was right - I shoot to the left when I hurry or don't squeeze the trigger correctly.

Ed

 

[iwanna]

For me, some days at the range are better than others. I take that into consideration. Hurrying the shots will cause me to shoot left as was suggested above.

 

[Samsonxd]

A lot of good suggestions if your trigger press follow through is spot on you could be taking your eyes off the front sight and acquiring the target subconsciously as you press the trigger.

Another out there thought is cross eyed dominate seen that a bunch people think right handed right eye. But I found years ago in a academy. I have to shoot left eye right hand made all the difference in the world. Usually if that is the case you shoot to the side and high but I was shooting low and to the side until I switched eyes.

Good luck dry fire and dummy rounds are your friend or have another friend stand by ur side while you have the sights on target have your friend press the trigger clean break you have no idea when it will break so no anticipation. I have seen a lot of people find out its their trigger press that is the problem. Good luck.