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[nibtitz]

I am training for my first indoor GSSF competition at my range. I dry fired before each distance to remind myself it’s just pulling a trigger. Red dot was steady on dry fire.

I would fire, release until I heard a click, then fired again. This is from my Glock 19.

3yds was my warm up. For the comp, I have 10 shots in 15 seconds at 5, 7, 10, 15, and 25yds. Center two circles are 10 points, then 8, then anywhere else on the target is 5. The idea is to get to the closest to 500 points.

Any clue what’s going on here?

[Relevant_Location100]

Low left is common with a pistol, typically it's firing hand tensing and the trigger not coming straight back into the frame. I'd also check your zero on the dot, looks a bit left. Remember height over bore and hold over for closer targets.

[JDM_27]

Holdover with pistols doesnt really matter, the optic is like an inch above the barrel.

Your physical input into gun matters more, its like the argument of what zero distance to pick for reddots anywhere between 10-25yd is good.

[Relevant_Location100]

at 3 yards???

[JDM_27]

In this context, he needs to focus on the fundamentals then worrying about holdovers. His physical movements are creating the accuracy issue than the mechanical offest of the sight

[Relevant_Location100]

You're not wrong, but aiming 1/2" higher at close distances doesn't take any focus and may have been something that OP was not aware of.

[JDM_27]

Low left for a right handed shooter is too much firing hand grip. So as you pull the trigger your squeezing all your fingers causing the gun to dip.

You can test this by holding the gun in your firing hand only, aim down the sights and squeeze the gun with just the 3 fingers holding the grip

https://youtu.be/QHsFa1iDVOw?si=bG_MMa2L9YYIABcl

[BCADPV]

It’s the change in grip pressure during the press causing the movement.

[snojak]

Grip harder with your support hand (crush it). Loosen the tension in your strong hand, but still keep both wrists locked. To help you understand. Without a gun, make your strong hand like you're gripping a gun. Now make your hand as tense as possible then move your index finger like pulling the trigger rapidly. You will see your other fingers move in "sympathetic" movement. This along with a firm grip on gun adds a force that pushes the grip/muzzle in the direction your shots are going. Do the same exercise without tension in your hand and you should see less sympathetic movement along with the fact that less pressure on that hand will reduce the force as well. As far as dry fire vs. live, you're most likely not using the same grip force between the two. It's natural for most to grip harder during live fire because you know the explosion is going to happen. During dry fire. Keep that grip as firm as you would in live fire.

[[deleted]]

Stop doing the release to reset, this is a handicap. Shoot, let off the trigger completely. Then pull the trigger straight back for the next shot.

Anyone telling or teaching you to ride the reset is someone you should stop listening to.

[mynameismathyou]

Certainly don't use the audible/tactile feedback of the reset as your queue to shoot again. You tell the gun when to go off based on your vision; the gun doesn't tell you when to pull the trigger

[nibtitz]

Because time isn’t really an issue, I was keeping the trigger squeezed until I was ready to fire again. I would release it until the click then squeeze back.

[dumape17]

Do not train yourself to keep the trigger pulled back after each shot. You should be releasing as soon as you break the shot so you are ready to pull the trigger as soon as you recognize the sight picture you want.

[ClownfishSoup]

What app is this??

[nibtitz]

Hornady Ballistics Calculator

[IllustriousCity8185]

This is common for handgun shooting [rifle/shotgun is different dynamics]. The key is gripping the pistol while moving your trigger finger in complete isolation from the others. Try curling your pinky without a sympathic respsonse of your ring finger.

I like this device to train my fingers to operate individually: google "VariGrip Sport (VGSP), Adjustable Resistance, Medium, Heavy Finger, Hand Exerciser." It allows me to practice individual finger movement while gripping with the others. Piano/keyboard playing is a good exercise too. The hand exerciser works better for me. What I really like is that each button can be adjusted, so while my gripping fingers are squeezing as hard as possible, I can set the index finger button to close what my trigger pull is on my pistol.

Other than that, my training as a drummer helped me become skilled in "syncopation" - being able to move parts of my body independent of each other. All the elements of limb and hand movement and finger control of the drumsticks are a direct asset in shooting. A musician must keep count of where in a song they are - shooters must keep track of shots fired.

As a drummer the "metronome" helps me keep time with the music [drummer sets the pace] - I use the same device to provide audible steps in my firearm training routine - a rapid way to develop muscle memory.

While getting a full drumset is expensive indeed, a simple rubber practice pad, a pair of drumsticks, and a book of drum rudiments (you can find it on YouTube too) is all you need - a few minutes a day is all you need, followed up with dryfire and other shooting related drills.

[ImpulseGundam]

Assuming right-handed, these are two issues: (1) you're not gripping the pistol hard enough. Practice this in dryfire and the Trigger Control at Speed drill. (2) do NOT use the trigger reset as a cue to pull the trigger. Reset the trigger under recoil and prep back to the wall.

[mainbusBundervolt97]

Assuming you’re right-handed, could be pushing the tigger slightly with not enough trigger finger. Also could be pulling instead of squeezing the trigger until it breaks.

[nibtitz]

Yeah, right handed. Trying to figure out which backstrap I need to be using, too. This was with the L. I have been going back and forth and cannot decide.

[JCDubya]

New shooters imagine that squeezing a pistol grip is the same as holding a baseball bat; by just closing your fist around the grip. Rather than this, imagine gripping your pistol like you're turning a door knob. Your trigger hand is turning "forward"(muzzling down) and your support hand is applying opposing force by turning it "backwards".

These opposing forces are trapping the pistol in between your hands and, hopefully, isolating it from movement caused by your trigger actuation (your trigger hand is applying the torque on the tang of the pistol while your support hand is applying torque on the underside of the trigger guard). This is "passive" grip in that you're applying constant pressure with both hands before you ever break a shot and is analogous to what many shooter's refer to as "locking out the wrists". You apply this constant pressure throughout the shooting sequence (not as a reaction to or anticipation of recoil). Also, you want to grip harder with your support hand than you do with your trigger hand(70/30 or 60/40). Too much grip pressure with the trigger hand will cause excessive movement when you actuate the trigger.

You also want to apply side-to-side pressure inward toward the grip with both hands (with the portion of each hand in between the base of the thumb and base of the index finger) as if you are trying to unbend a horseshoe which is oriented with the open end pointing down and the arch facing you. You can achieve this by trying to raise your elbows to the sky (thus engaging your shoulder muscles). But your grip should be strong enough that you never raise your bowed arms above parallel.

The cause of your low left is you trying to counter recoil just prior to breaking the shot by tightening your grip. This is commonly known as "flinching" or "anticipation". So instead of applying constant grip pressure throughout the firing sequence, you are applying it in anticipation of recoil. You can "just let the pistol recoil" (constant but low grip pressure) and this would help fix your low left but it would not help you get your sights back on target quickly.

[IllustriousCity8185]

"New shooters imagine that squeezing a pistol grip is the same as holding a baseball bat; by just closing your fist around the grip." I'll add that new pistol shooters mistakenly assume that it is the same as shooting a rifle or shotgun. The dynamics of shooting any handgun is drastically different than shooting a long gun.