Hello all, I consider myself a very good shot especially for my experience level. Full size handguns and rifles are easy for me to shoot but I am struggling with my mp 9mm shield. I pretty much always shoot to the left slow or fast shooting. Btw I am left eye dominant and right handed. I have absolutely no problems with full frame handguns. I'm wondering if the shield is just not for me and should try another carry size gun???
-
If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over.
Cant shoot my carry pistol well
- Thread starter Joseph Bonavita
- Start date
headednorth
NES Member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2012
- Messages
- 26,636
- Likes
- 49,139
Maybe take a class, get the fundamentals down pat and then make a conscious effort to practice them rather than just shooting. Grip, sight alignment, sight picture, breath control, trigger press, follow through. Go right down the line during each shot when youre shooting rather than just shooting. My biggest gains came when I made a conscious effort to focus on the front sight rather than the target. I always knew that was what I was supposed to be doing, but found I would sort of drift away from that.
Personally I think that if anyone shoots any gun often enough theyll become good with it. Cant say if being left eye dominant has anything to do with it or not, i dont know. Take a class, retain what they teach you and then practice what youve learned rather than just shooting.
Shooting Left of Center: Training Tips to Get on Target
SIG SAUER Academy
Personally I think that if anyone shoots any gun often enough theyll become good with it. Cant say if being left eye dominant has anything to do with it or not, i dont know. Take a class, retain what they teach you and then practice what youve learned rather than just shooting.
Shooting Left of Center: Training Tips to Get on Target
SIG SAUER Academy
Last edited:
Have you tried relaxing your grip pressure a little ? Sometimes when you squeeze too hard with the subcompact your hand twists to the left and low. Try using your middle finger for the majority of your grip pressure . Light pressure with bottom 2 fingers. Worked for me with my PPS M2.
bottle-cap
NES Member
Do you still have the MA crazy-a$$ heavy trigger or has yours been upgraded with Apex type trigger components?
I bought the Shield 9 when they first came out to use as edc. I kept the factory trigger in place on purpose until I was comfortable and pretty damn accurate shooting it. I had similar accuracy and control issues at first.
Then I had Apex trigger job done on it. Makes a world of difference and now a lot more fun to shoot. Accuracy and groupings improved as well.
If yours already has a free state trigger, then I’d say keep on practicing. 9mm is a whole lot cheaper to shoot than it was 3-4 years ago, buy in bulk and go for it.
I bought the Shield 9 when they first came out to use as edc. I kept the factory trigger in place on purpose until I was comfortable and pretty damn accurate shooting it. I had similar accuracy and control issues at first.
Then I had Apex trigger job done on it. Makes a world of difference and now a lot more fun to shoot. Accuracy and groupings improved as well.
If yours already has a free state trigger, then I’d say keep on practicing. 9mm is a whole lot cheaper to shoot than it was 3-4 years ago, buy in bulk and go for it.
If the grip is small its hard not to naturally tighten up your grip when pulling the trigger.
The fatter the grip the less your hand wants to help your finger..well thats what I have noticed. Its also why several target rifles and pistols have fat grips, palm swells and other gismos.
Also what distance. I thought I seen something about the shield being zeroed for 5 yards or so?
The fatter the grip the less your hand wants to help your finger..well thats what I have noticed. Its also why several target rifles and pistols have fat grips, palm swells and other gismos.
Also what distance. I thought I seen something about the shield being zeroed for 5 yards or so?
Headednorth. I spent some time with an nra instructor when I first got my ltc very helpful in fundamentals. I will admit I get lazy on them at times. It's funny how you mentioned front site over target cuz I always have to remind myself too. I have 1500 rounds through it now and will admit I still get better everytime. Maybe it's just me making an excuse to buy a new gun!
Jimnasuim I havent herd of that and will try that.
I definitely have a flinching problem with fast shooting but I practice my precision shooting with the theory of "squeezing" so slightly I dont know when the striker will hit.
Any more advice is much appreciated
Jimnasuim I havent herd of that and will try that.
I definitely have a flinching problem with fast shooting but I practice my precision shooting with the theory of "squeezing" so slightly I dont know when the striker will hit.
Any more advice is much appreciated
greencobra
NES Member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2011
- Messages
- 27,196
- Likes
- 26,679
might be...mine shoots point of aim at 7 yds.
headednorth
NES Member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2012
- Messages
- 26,636
- Likes
- 49,139
Thats another point I meant to make. Those tiny compacts are assumed to be used for self defense at close range (theoretically) and not shooting tight groups at a distance. I have a Kahr PM9 that I pocket carry depending on whatever. I dont really bother shooting at over 15-20 feet because I know that Ill never really need to shoot at anything irl further than that most likely.
This is your problem.
Seriously, can you pull the trigger straight back when you dry fire. Can you keep the gun on the target while dry firing? If yes to both of these, then the problem isn't the gun or the trigger or the distance...it's that you are moving the gun off the target before the shot breaks.
greencobra
NES Member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2011
- Messages
- 27,196
- Likes
- 26,679
this ^
off topic but...how many posts do we have every year with people asking advice on range guns and they mention micro guns as choices.
if someone mentions they shoot well but can't handle a heavy trigger pull, i'm of the school of thought that maybe that person doesn't really know as much as they think. using myself as an example, my shield was an early Massachusetts version with a horrible trigger. I could keep it in a respectable center mass group at 20 yards but it was work controlling the let off, and i'm an older guy and my skills have deteriorated over the years. why can I do it and not people half my age? my answer is education. i learned to shoot a handgun from some of the best pistol shooters in the area that came through my club when i was younger. i was never shy to ask about trigger control and shooting in general when i found one of them sittin' around relaxing. just my opinion.
I do have the apex trigger installed on it. I think my problem is the thin blocky grip. I dont think theres enough meat for me to grip to prevent it from shifting when the striker hits. But hey that's why I bought it because of its narrow profile! I'm not sure if this is true but it feels like after the pin strikes the gun jolts. I'm just not sure if the round left the barrel before that jolt.
cockpitbob
NES Member
I had exactly the same problem when I got my first little carry gun, a Ruger LC9s. It's about the same size as the Shield. I found I had 2 issues:
1) I had a flinch with that little gun. {There, I said it and I'm not ashamed.} I was sure I don't flinch, but I mixed 2 snap caps in every 7rnd mag. On the snap caps, guess where the muzzle went. Yup...down and to the left.
Get a mag loader. It makes it easy to load the mag without looking so you don't know where the snap caps are in the mag. Or, if you have 2 or 3 mags, load them with snap caps mixed in, then shuffle the mags so you don't know which is which.
2) "Self taught grip". Some reading and talking with experienced shooters helped with this. Mainly I was squeezing too much with my right hand and only steadying with the left hand. When the other 4 fingers are gripping that little gun hard, your trigger finger can't be relaxed and independent. An IDPA competitor said he does 60% of the squeeze with the left and 40% with the right. I also wasn't pushing forward with my right and pulling back with the left.
1) I had a flinch with that little gun. {There, I said it and I'm not ashamed.} I was sure I don't flinch, but I mixed 2 snap caps in every 7rnd mag. On the snap caps, guess where the muzzle went. Yup...down and to the left.
Get a mag loader. It makes it easy to load the mag without looking so you don't know where the snap caps are in the mag. Or, if you have 2 or 3 mags, load them with snap caps mixed in, then shuffle the mags so you don't know which is which.
2) "Self taught grip". Some reading and talking with experienced shooters helped with this. Mainly I was squeezing too much with my right hand and only steadying with the left hand. When the other 4 fingers are gripping that little gun hard, your trigger finger can't be relaxed and independent. An IDPA competitor said he does 60% of the squeeze with the left and 40% with the right. I also wasn't pushing forward with my right and pulling back with the left.
Chevy 2 65
NES Member
This
Chevy 2 65
NES Member
$20 a yr to support the site.
Ignore that chart.Maybe take a class, get the fundamentals down pat and then make a conscious effort to practice them rather than just shooting. Grip, sight alignment, sight picture, breath control, trigger press, follow through. Go right down the line during each shot when youre shooting rather than just shooting. My biggest gains came when I made a conscious effort to focus on the front sight rather than the target. I always knew that was what I was supposed to be doing, but found I would sort of drift away from that.
Personally I think that if anyone shoots any gun often enough theyll become good with it. Cant say if being left eye dominant has anything to do with it or not, i dont know. Take a class, retain what they teach you and then practice what youve learned rather than just shooting.
Shooting Left of Center: Training Tips to Get on Target
SIG SAUER Academy
You are flinching. If you haven’t already, fix the trigger on the Shield. If you are in MA, it comes with a 10+ lb trigger which is unusable. You can get a drop-in kit from Apex which will greatly improve the trigger.
Then start dry firing. A lot.
When you finally get back to the range and shoot, watch for flinching. If you see the empty case being ejected, then you probably didn’t flinch. If you don’t see the case being ejected, then you probably blinked and flinched.
Mtn_Guy
NES Member
Check your grip — I know it was already recommended to check your grip pressure, but also really focus on hand placement.
In my own personal experience, on my full-size polymer pistols, I’m able to take a traditional grip with both thumbs pointing forward and support had fingers wrapped around my fire control grip without riding the slide stop (FYI, I have medium-size hands).
However, on my M&P Shield 9MM with it’s narrow and short grip (even with the Pearce pinky extension), I find that I tend to place my support hand pointer finger (non-dominant hand trigger finger) around the front bow of the trigger guard. Depending on my grip pressure, this change in my grip placement can inadvertently push or pull my shot left or right of center. Lazy habits create training scars, so try focusing on your grip placement and grip pressure and see if that helps.
Keep us posted and “Go-Green”
In my own personal experience, on my full-size polymer pistols, I’m able to take a traditional grip with both thumbs pointing forward and support had fingers wrapped around my fire control grip without riding the slide stop (FYI, I have medium-size hands).
However, on my M&P Shield 9MM with it’s narrow and short grip (even with the Pearce pinky extension), I find that I tend to place my support hand pointer finger (non-dominant hand trigger finger) around the front bow of the trigger guard. Depending on my grip pressure, this change in my grip placement can inadvertently push or pull my shot left or right of center. Lazy habits create training scars, so try focusing on your grip placement and grip pressure and see if that helps.
Keep us posted and “Go-Green”
bfm
NES Member
I strongly disagree with all of this. The whole 60% - 40% business just doesn’t make sense. Grip the gun firmly. Learn to operate your trigger finger independently. The most important thing is to not increase your grip as you pull the trigger, as that will disturb the sights.
The isometric push pull crap came from the Weaver devotees. It is very hard to do under stress or while moving. It is very hard to do when shooting around cover. Use modern isosceles instead.
xtry51
NES Member
While I would agree the gun is likely amplifying some deficiency in your shooting, do this. Find someone with a pistol rest, or better buy one for yourself. Go to the range and bench fire each gun from the rest at 10 yards with 10 shots and make sure the gun will group center without you being involved.
Sometimes, especially with new shooters, it is an important psychological step to mechanically demonstrate a firearm is accurate.
Here's one under $50 on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/HYSKORE-1003...p_QL65&keywords=pistol+rest&dpPl=1&dpID=41ABn
Sometimes, especially with new shooters, it is an important psychological step to mechanically demonstrate a firearm is accurate.
Here's one under $50 on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/HYSKORE-1003...p_QL65&keywords=pistol+rest&dpPl=1&dpID=41ABn
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2014
- Messages
- 639
- Likes
- 808
There is a neoprene "boot" which will fit on the grip and fill the hollow of your hand. It makes a big difference for me with that pistol.
AHM
NES Member
It has been said that one of the ways one can see a flinch is to watch what happens
during dry firing to the red dot from a target laser beam or even a boresighter.
If the dot moves on the wall, the bullet moves on the target.
One of the two rudimentary misteaks so obvious that even I was able to self-diagnose over the course of a few uncoached range sessions was the difference in my yaw error between using the pad on my trigger finger vs. the first joint of the trigger finger to pull the trigger. It happens that using the finger pad is right for me, although some have said that no two people pull the trigger the same way. So at worst, if you can afford the ammo, systematically experiment with different deliberate finger/trigger placements.
But other guys' comments are more likely to be relevant...
slap shot
NES Member
I'd get the trigger fixed. My shield was tough to shoot until I had Dave Santurri do his magic. Saying this not knowing your training, experience etc. I know what worked for me.
Edit: see you have the Apex. Next have someone knowledgable fix your grip.
Edit: see you have the Apex. Next have someone knowledgable fix your grip.
Wickedcoolname
NES Member
This is complicated but here is what I'd do. If I was hitting low and left I'd aim high and right.
A right handed shooter hitting low and left with a striker fired pistol is almost always flinching and not a problem with the sights. Furthermore, a pistol used for defensive purposes needs to hit at point of aim.
