I am not an expert shooter but I am very comfortable with rifles and slightly less comfortable with pistols but still proficient. I have a 357 revolver that I am quite effective with out to about 40 yds or so without much issue.

I recently got a p226 elite (6 months ago) and I have always struggled to get used to the combat sights. I was struggling the other day and was blaming my bad form or shooting habits but picked up a buddies 1911 and instantly drilled down the plates. Went back to mine and couldn't hit anything. I thought maybe it was my sights or something. Two others shot my gun and mowed down the plates with ease.

What should I be doing different? I am lining up the posts and covering what I want to hit, is that not correct?

Are you using sight picture #3? Both eyes open?

In my experience, only the bar-dot sights are combat. Night sights seem to be traditional 50/50.

Still, that shouldn't change too much depending on what range you're at. Hard to say what you're doing without watching you. Try shooting paper at 7 yards first and see where you group (assuming you group). That'll help you figure out how it's sighted and maybe what you're doing.

It doesn't matter where the sights are hitting if you can't shoot a good group. Use a 6 o'clock hold, center hold, whatever, just be consistent and see if you can shoot a good group. The group doesn't have to be where you're aiming because the sights might be off for you. If you can't shoot a good group then you are doing something fundamentally wrong.

Figure out what you're doing wrong, then when you are shooting a good group you can adjust the sights so that the point of aim and the point of impact is the same. Sig has a great system of switching sight numbers for elevation then drifting the sights left or right for windage.

The Sig Bar and Dot sight are my favorite style of combat sights. I have several sets of sights and when I get a new Sig pistol I may swap sights to get the point of aim and point of impact working for me. I prefer a center hold or a very slight high hit. I want to see sight picture 2 from above and have the bullet hit dead center. If it's slightly high I can live with that too and when I mean slightly high I mean to have the bottom of the bullet hole hit the top of my sights.

I practice this by shooting once into a target then aiming for the bullet hole I just made if I'm shooting at 10 to 12 yards. I like to shoot at further distances too 25 to 50 yards with my Sigs. I laugh when people show these nice cluster of hits they made when shooting at 7 yards.

Back to my original point, if you can't shoot a good group, and there's nothing really broken in your pistol than the problem is with you and not the gun or the sights.

Are having problems with both double-action and single-action shooting?

The 'combat' sight picture (that current SIGs use) is #3. Every classic SIG I own starting from about 2007 on (the time of my first NIB SIG purchase) uses this sight picture. Of all the SIGs I own only my KE P228 and a circa 1999 P226 is set for POA #2. If you're using the #3 sight picture and are still missing your target yet others are having no problem doing the same, I would suspect that there may be other considerations affecting your accuracy ability with your P226, namely focusing on trigger control with your relatively new acquisition more than with anything else.

Instead of steel plate, if I were you the next time out I'd set up paper targets with clearly defined aiming points and see just how far off I am with POI from my POA. It can also simultaneously be used to check my trigger control if the shots are not grouping tightly.

This post is so similar to my first post in SF. The "Pumpkin on a Post" sight picture that I have been used to, isn't the sight picture that works with the SIG three dot sights. After I went into despair after buying a P229 that I couldn't shoot I called SIG Customer Service who explained my problem wasn't uncommon.

I've considered changing the sights but elected to spend time in practice hoping my results would improve. I'm seeing vast improvement but I'm still way short of meeting my expectations. In the past two years I've bought other 9mm pistols and shoot them much better than my SIG.

There's a robust market for SIGs, if this doesn't work out, sell the gun...but stay involved with the forum.

I picked up my first Sig this year, which also is a P226, and I'm having issues with accuracy also. Im not new to shooting pistols but as much as I really like this gun it is driving me crazy. I have good groups at 15 yds but is extremely low in my opinion (4-5") with a hold in your #3 pic. Even let two other experienced shooters take shots and they were doing the same thing. Called Sig and had it sent back to them. Got it back saying everything was within spec and a test target that came back with it, showing center group. I go and shoot it and still shoots the same as before, extremely low. My other Sig purchase was a P320 carry and that has been very accurate with only a slight adjustment since it was shooting left. Really like my P226 but hope I can get my accuracy issue resolved also.

OP- where are you holding? Also, have you checked as to where you're hitting on paper?

quote:

Originally posted by newtoSig765:
Are you using sight picture #3? Both eyes open?

Yeah, I am using picture three but have found if I give the front site a little bump up it starts to hit better for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Wasabibill:
This post is so similar to my first post in SF. The "Pumpkin on a Post" sight picture that I have been used to, isn't the sight picture that works with the SIG three dot sights. After I went into despair after buying a P229 that I couldn't shoot I called SIG Customer Service who explained my problem wasn't uncommon.

I've considered changing the sights but elected to spend time in practice hoping my results would improve. I'm seeing vast improvement but I'm still way short of meeting my expectations. In the past two years I've bought other 9mm pistols and shoot them much better than my SIG.

There's a robust market for SIGs, if this doesn't work out, sell the gun...but stay involved with the forum.

This is EXACTLY how I feel. I know the pistol can outshoot my abilities so I a, not blaming the gun per se. I am just having a hard time with the sights. I will be doing a lot more paper this next weekend but I was switching between plates and paper to check this weekend and I was getting good groups that were actually pretty close to center but couldn't translate that over to steel. I am sure I just need to work on my form.

When most shooters suspect the problem is the sights, it isn't the sights.

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Originally posted by Young man:

quote:

Originally posted by newtoSig765:
Are you using sight picture #3? Both eyes open?

Yeah, I am using picture three but have found if I give the front site a little bump up it starts to hit better for me.

Based on this, I'll bet one of three things is happening. Either you're anticipating the shot and dropping shots low and probably left, you're jamming the trigger instead of pressing straight back, or you're trying to see where you hit instead of staying focused on the front sight.

Rifles are very forgiving of trigger press compared to pistols, as they're just bigger and heavier and don't move as easily. 1911 triggers are very light and also very forgiving. Dry fire practice can help if your issue is trigger press. Practice by balancing a spent case or a coin on the front sight while using the DA pull.

If you're anticipating, you can diagnose this my having someone mix snap caps/dummy rounds in with live rounds. You may see you're dipping the pistol down on the dummy rounds. If this is the case, you need to practice more live fire. Doubling up ear pro can help, but you just need to get used to the bang.

If you're looking over your sights, you have to force yourself to focus on the front sight only, and not let yourself look up until after you've fired a string of shots (say 5 to start).

My best suggestion is to get training from a reputable instructor. Good luck!

quote:

Two others shot my gun and mowed down the plates with ease.

That right there tells me the problem is not with the gun itself. Shoot some groups on a paper target. If you are shooting tight groups but the center of the cluster is at some place other than your point of aim, this means your trigger control is good and the sights may need to be moved. If your shot grouping is all over the map, however, you need to work on your trigger control. You shoot better with the 1911 because of its short, light, straight-to-the-rear trigger pull, but a SIG (or any other double-action gun for that matter) is not like that. Also, the 1911's grip is slimmer, which, in combo with the shorter reach to the trigger, may fit your hand better. IMO this is critical.

Personally, I wish every pistol was set up for image #2.

quote:

Originally posted by BuddyChryst:
Still, that shouldn't change too much depending on what range you're at.

Exactly.

The difference between #2 and #3 sight picture at 15 yds is about an inch, so if an 8" plate is being missed completely, it's far more related to your trigger finger than the sight picture being used.

The sight picture always seems to take a lot more blame than it deserves for poor shooting!

The "combat sight picture" was something that was dreamed up by SIG customer service to answer complaints about the gun not being zero'd when it leaves the factory.
The SIG Academy never taught it, and to my knowledge never has unless it is really recently. Their manuals only do not show it, but instead teach holding the tip of the front sight on what you want to hit.
All the dots, bars, etc are there for decoration. The entire front sight should be used for aiming.
And to echo what others have stated, if you can't shoot a group, somewhere using the front sight, the sights aren't a problem.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I was amazed to see so many responses. Very indicative of the kind of community this forum represents. I will keep working on it and use the tips given. Someone mentioned the slimmer grips and I am sure that has some good play into as well as the trigger. My trusty security six revolver has super skinny grips and I am quite proficient with that. I wouldn't dream of blaming the gun especially after seeing what others could do with my gun so the tips of how to improve are greatly appreciated. Now I have to wait until next weekend to shoot more... the torture. Dry fire practice it is until then.

quote:

Dry fire practice it is until then.

Use a snap cap!

quote:

Originally posted by Dan:
When most shooters suspect the problem is the sights, it isn't the sights.

Oh ya! 10-4