I saw this within the last a couple weeks. Could help isolate trigger pull vs. anticipation

We all try to cut the corner (my description) and force the shot.
Slow down.
Fire one shot at a time, very slow and smooth pull on the trigger. Concentrate on keeping your sight on the target.
Pull so slowly that when the shot finally goes off, it should surprise you. If it wasn’t a surprise, slow down even more.
Repeat X a bajillion. Then increase your speed a little.

So many right answers that i’ll try to provide a different one…

SHOOT WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED!
Remove everything but your trigger work from your mind. Dry fire first if you feel more comfortable.

Muscle memory should put you back on target after each round so forget about aiming or correcting after firing.
Had amazing results teaching this to total strangers.

Just realized the video above my post, haven’t checked it but looks just like what i say. Ayoob beat me to it

Let me add a true story to make it more interesting and funny.
Twenty or so years ago i was invited to shoot at a neighboring province by some online friends.
One asked me if i was willing to provide a “helping hand” to another guy and he led me to another firing lane. The shooter was one armed. I was in shock, was this a sick joke? The first thing that came out of my very embarrased mouth was “Hey, i’m a southpaw too!” I felt so stupid…
The one armed guy had a buddy. A one armed buddy! Couldn’t decide if i should get angry, laugh or get busy.
I watched the guy shoot and reload with admiration. His rounds were spead but nothing terrible.
Then i retrieved the target and replaced it for a new one, this one displayed on the back, blank side. I declared there was NO TARGET! and to focus only on trigger work. Some arguing from the buddy followed but i left. A while later the shooter joined me and showed me a very tight group and a very large smile. Last i heard, years later, was that both one armed guys taught others the NO TARGET! technique.
Same day, same friend, introduced me to a cop friend asking for tips. She first blamed the gun, saying she was unfamiliar with her issued Hi-Power. Told her the unfamiliar gun was not to blame and it was a lame excuse and made her try my P7M13. A most unusual gun. She did fine with it. Then i asked her to shoot with her eyes closed and “feel” the gun. She argued for a while and i told her some activities are more enjoyable with eyes closed…. Her smile told me she caught my drift. She then proceeded to make impressive shots with her eyes closed and a completely strange pistol.

These are probably my best shooting anecdotes, hope you enjoy them and put them to good use.
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I just hang my target a little more to the left and down.....

I actually used to work with a guy like that... He refused to work on improving his fundamentals, so when it came time to qualify, he would just aim at the target's shoulder to get some/most of his shots in the center mass scoring ring as he repeatedly shanked his shots low and left. And then boast about doing it like that was something to be proud of.

Thankfully I never had to actually work directly alongside him or rely on him in a dangerous situation.

quote:

dry fire, dry fire and dry fire some more.
But again, you got to be 100% honest with yourself on where that front sight is during and after the trigger break.

Hard to believe it took almost to the bottom of the first page to get the answer.

This is one great thing about red dot sights - when the dot goes skittering away as you oress the trigger it makes it pretty easy to see what’s going on.

Edit to fix typo on phone. QUOYE != QUOTE

This message has been edited. Last edited by: slosig,

Dry fire! Practice daily.

My first marksmanship training was with Grayguns -- primarily pistol, but some carbine work. Down the road as I transitioned to clays competition, I trained with some of the best shooters in my region. After that it was on to precision rifle, training with some of the best shooters out there, and with Rifles Only. Each instructor added to my skillsets. Dry firing, live-round practice, and competition enhanced the base skills. But I must state that precision rifle training is really what put it all together.

Let me try to start with the fundamentals.
- Align gun to the target, align body to the gun. Body must be in position to support & stabilize the gun all the way through the recoil cycle.
- Breathe as normally as possible, given the shooting position & conditions. If possible, break the shot at the bottom of the respiratory shot.
- Press the trigger straight back, so you don't disturb the sight picture. Maintain the sight picture as best as possible all the way through the recoil cycle.

As stated earlier in this thread, many right-hand pistol shooters pull shots low and left. The primary factors are:
- Not pressing the trigger straight back. There's pressure to the left during the rearward motion. If one curls the trigger finger around the trigger, then it's harder to control the force straight to the rear.
- Anticipating recoil. IMO this is generally a more accurate term than flinching. Since pistols (as with most guns) tend to recoil up and back, the shooter tries to compensate for the anticipated recoil as the trigger is being pressed. This tends to be a downward push on the pistol.
- Voila, a downward and left bias for POI.

Dry fire. Dry fire a lot. Concentrate on your front sight. The front sight must remain absolutely still and on target while dry firing. Absolutely still and on target, the whole time.

Fire live rounds with a purpose, and complete attention to the process. Start from a somewhat stable position. Maybe with your hands on a sandbag. Maybe with your forearms on bags or bench. Practice until your POI is POA.

Transition to off-hand. Maintain the fundamentals learned in dry fire and supported fire.