Hi guys, wondering if you could give me a bit of advice. I bought my M11 A1 used almost two years ago, and have never been able to shoot it worth a darn. This is my first and only Sig.

I am a competent shooter, though do not consider myself an expert. I can usually call my shots, but not with this gun. At 30 feet it shoots a 4-5" group and I am able to do significantly better with my S&W's. The last time I encountered something similar is when I purchased a used S&W 686, which ended up with S&W replacing the barrel. I now shoot that gun much better.

Does anyone have any recommendations for me? Ammo or technique? I am wondering if I have another bad barrel on my hands. Thanks for any comments!

What ammo are you using? Have someone else (or more than one person, if possible) shoot it.

I have seen a lot of posts here about folks having issues with the SRT (Short Reset Trigger) that comes on the M11-A1. That may also be an issue for you.

quote:

Originally posted by cyberiad:
What ammo are you using? Have someone else (or more than one person, if possible) shoot it.

Great advise. You want to eliminate as many variables as you can. Since there are basically three main variables, gun, ammo, shooter switching the shooter can save a lot of time and money.

Call Sig, ask them to take a look at it.

Once you have tried other things to shoot better with the gun, try having the barrel recrowned. It worked wonders for my P-228. Chris

BEFORE you call Sig and tell them your gun wont shoot straight, please follow the sage advice of a few before me and have someone competent shoot your gun.
As a RSO/instructor I hear this problem all the time and two or three shots later the 90% of the time the customer is satisfied he/she has a good gun but just has to learn how to shoot it.
Possible that familiarity with the SRT is an issue as well as the barrel crown or it's just plain dirty. I once has a customer that shot a box of overly hot handload lead rounds and the rifling was literally so packed with lead the bullets were keyholeing at 30'.

Shoot it from a decent rest to see if it really is the gun.

Bob

I love the SRT and shoot mine very well. Certainly as good as my Legion 226. Not quite as well as my X5 B&W, though.

Thanks guys, for all the advice. I intend to have the range officer shoot it when I bring it to the range (for possibly the last time)on Friday. However, I cleaned the barrel real well today, and didn't find anything wrong with. The bore appears smooth and shiny with good rifling and the crown is smooth. The problem is likely with me or the ammo.

I shot some 115 grain stuff in the beginning, but I don't recall the manufacturer. Since then I've shot mostly 124 grain stuff; some Winchester NATO, Blazer Brass and PMC Bronze. All factory stuff. All shoots the same - not very well. Does anyone know, what typically shoots well in this gun?

As far is the trigger is concerned, I generally find it good. It occasionally pinches the pad of my trigger finger though. Not sure if this is some sort of symptom of the larger issue I am having? Other than that, the gun seems to be in excellent condition and relatively tight. The more I write the more I think the problem is me. Like I said, this is my first Sig, and maybe I'm not used to the high bore axis?

The pinching is what is called a Short Reach Trigger, replace with standard one or Gray Guns Intermediate Reach, that will solve the pinching.

As far as preferred ammo, I've used Speer, Federal, Magtech, Blazer, Geco, Fiocchi, Armscor, random reman ammo, Remington, and Winchester in 115gr, 124gr, and 147gr as well as four or five SD ammunitions with zero problems.

If you have mildly large hands and have the short reach trigger you can be wrapping the finger too much during the trigger press and move the gun a slight amount.

The issue may not be inherent to the gun's accuracy, but the fit of the gun. I can't shoot a sig with the thin trigger for beans.

After shooting my CZs into one ragged hole at 7yards(offhand) I did think my first Sig was a POS! Something about a Sig trigger took me awhile to master, but now I shoot them the same as my beloved CZs. Good advise above on letting someone else shoot it.

Now I am beginning to understand. You mentioned trigger finger pinching and my mind flashed back to my first impressions of my M11A1. After shooting a box or two of ammo and comparing it to my old W.German P226, I realized how much I disliked the shape and reach of the stock M11A1's trigger. A quick jump to e-Bay and a very few bucks, a few minutes with no particular skill needed, I installed the fatter P226 trigger.
For me, a world of difference in the shootability of that gun.
BTW, look into a set of Hogue G10 grips. Expensive, but I find them to be well worth it compared to the stock grips on that gun.

Thank JDG and PM9, for your trigger comments. I plan to skip out of work early and go shoot it again, paying extra attention to trigger control, and also letting the range officer shoot it.

I really like this gun for a number of reasons, and have been really disappointed that I haven't been able to accurately shoot it. If I make some progress Friday, I just may spring for that 226 trigger and G10 grips (I have a pair on my Beretta Brigadier that I really like! )

kas

I have found that many issues or uncertainties can be assuaged by simple letting someone better than I, and there are usually plenty of those at the range, shoot my guns. I have yet to have one that was actually faulty.

quote:

Originally posted by kas9412:
Thank JDG and PM9, for your trigger comments. I plan to skip out of work early and go shoot it again, paying extra attention to trigger control, and also letting the range officer shoot it.

I really like this gun for a number of reasons, and have been really disappointed that I haven't been able to accurately shoot it. If I make some progress Friday, I just may spring for that 226 trigger and G10 grips (I have a pair on my Beretta Brigadier that I really like! )

kas

This is the GGI Intermediate Reach I have installed on mine. $39.00.

In my case I shoot classic P-SIGs with the short reach trigger just as well (or poorly, if I'm feeling particularly critical about myself on a given day) as the same guns with the standard trigger shoes. Part of it may be due to my small hands and in particular my short fingers. The short trigger is slightly more comfortable to reach but the trigger slap (or pinch sensation) annoys the hell out of me so I seek out factory standard triggers--particularly the older solid ones--for all of my P-SIGs.

I do have a shooting buddy who has a devil of a time with the short trigger. For some time I left a short trigger on one of my P226s; when it was still legal here in WA I'd let him borrow that gun to do some plinking on his property. Curiously he never had any issues with it pinching his finger but he complained constantly that he couldn't hit anything with it. I didn't understand the problem (thinking that he just didn't like the P226 in general) but I let him try my Mk25 with its standard profile trigger and to both our surprise he did much better with it, zapping 12oz cans at 15-20 yards with regularity. Since I shot the same with either, up until then I really hadn't been aware as to how much difference the trigger shape makes for others.