No problem hitting with 22LR but 40 S&W something else?

[bill warren]

From 25 yds, I can usually place 9 of 10 shoots within a 4 in radius but can't even hit the paper with my new 40 S&W semi using a 2 hand position. I then moved to about 20 yds and still missed entire sheet! I'm relatively new to pistol shooting and am looking for some suggestions. I realize it's harder to be accurate with my center fire 40VE but was quite disappointed with poor results after 20 shoots. Any suggestions are most appreciated.

 

[GTOShootr]

Try ear plugs and ear muffs.

 

[Mike-Mike]

Try ear plugs and ear muffs.

Good one!..

Get real close and see if you can make a group.

If you can... your half way there..

If you can't... OH... Where do we begin?

 

[MFP4073]

Bill-

The fundamentals are the same whether you are shooting .22 or .500S&W. If you can shoot nice groups with your .22 then there is no reason you can not do the same with a .40 - Barring any problem with the firearm -

I suspect you are anticipating the recoil of the larger caliber and flinching or yanking the trigger or trying to push against the recoil. Concentrate on the sight alignment on the target and squeeze (dont yank or pull) nice and steady. Let the gun go off. Do not try and fight the recoil with your wrists or arms.

You may just need a little trigger time to get accustomed to the bigger recoil and louder noise.

Hope this helps.

 

[Another_David]

Take a class or get some coaching.

Dry fire a lot. Practice with the barrel about an inch away from a wall (be safe--clear the pistol twice, etc.). As you pull the trigger slowly use the wall as a reference point--the pistol should stay steady and straight.

Add snap caps (plastic blanks) to you mags. When you're shooting and get to the snap cap unexpectedly you'll probably find you're flinching way more than you expect.

Check your grip. With a two hand parallel thumb hold you shouldn't be able to see any of the rear grip. Don't squeeze too hard either.

 

[Ninsho]

The first time I went from .22 to anything bigger (9mm in this case) my performance changed a lot. This was the first time I was shooting but the instructor predicted where the shots would go. Try moving in to 5 yards and work your way back out, I bet most of your misses are down and to the left.

 

[jhblaze1]

Bill, I posted here about having a smiliar problem with my new M&P40. I got the trigger fixed to about 5lbs and am shooting better. I'm a newb and still horrible, but the fixed trigger made a world of difference. I believe my main problems are anticipating the recoil combined with poor trigger control.

I find myself not allowing myself to be surprised by the break. Rather than my trigger pull being a smooth consistent, i think I'm pulling it too light and slow so i can feel when it's about to break after I take up the slack. The result is that I know it's about to go bang so I'm not surprised.

The last few days, after i leave the range I've been writing down my thoughts on what i think I'm doing wrong so i have something to work on the next time.

 

[BaldAssCat]

I’ve bee n fighting the same problem with my S&W 9gve. I beat the hell out of a can at 25 yds with my S&W 22a but can’t hit it to save my life with the 9gve and I miss all around it, no real pattern. You’ve probably already read about the sigma’s and there heavy trigger pull. That’s the issue for me, the long heavy double action trigger. I’m used to using a Beretta 9mm with a double / single action and only about 3 or 4 lbs of pull. I’m guessing your .22 has a lighter trigger than the 40ve.

I’ve been working on it in 2 directions myself. First, like mentioned above I’ve been trying to get back to the basics. Controlled trigger pull is the big one. If you have a bore laser sight or a rail mounted laser sight for it use it to find a spot on the wall and dry fire a lot keeping the laser on that spot. The second thing I’ve been trying is staging the trigger. I’ve heard people swear by it and others say it’s a bad habit. I haven’t got good enough at it to say if it works or not yet but I’m still trying.

 

[TY43215]

From 25 yds, I can usually place 9 of 10 shoots within a 4 in radius but can't even hit the paper with my new 40 S&W semi using a 2 hand position. I then moved to about 20 yds and still missed entire sheet! I'm relatively new to pistol shooting and am looking for some suggestions. I realize it's harder to be accurate with my center fire 40VE but was quite disappointed with poor results after 20 shoots. Any suggestions are most appreciated.

Where are you?

 

[JGG]

suggestion

I like to take people up to shooting 38 special in a revolver as an intermediate step, before going to 40 or 45 semi auto. It seems to be easier to build skills and confidance. I like to use light target loads first.

 

[Chuck Would]

Sounds like a flinch for sure. The .40 is a great caliber but I find it has a lot of "snap". Much more than any of my .45 ACP's. Actuallym after a day at the range with any one my lighter .40's, my right hand hurts. A .40 is not my idea of a target or range gun.

What bullet weight are you shooting. Find ammo with the lowest bullet weight and try that. However, if you do not correct that flinch, it will only get worse. On the range wear plugs and muffs to minimize the sound.

At home, get some snap caps and start working on the wall drill.

Hope that helps,

 

[CRR]

From 25 yds, I can usually place 9 of 10 shoots within a 4 in radius but can't even hit the paper with my new 40 S&W semi using a 2 hand position. I then moved to about 20 yds and still missed entire sheet! I'm relatively new to pistol shooting and am looking for some suggestions. I realize it's harder to be accurate with my center fire 40VE but was quite disappointed with poor results after 20 shoots. Any suggestions are most appreciated.

It sounds like your flinching with the 40 - sorry if other responders have made the same comment. Try loading a couple of dummy rounds in the mag, that's the best way of curing a flinch.

 

[groundedclk]

There is so many different reasons it could be for this. You need to get together with another shooter from the forum and work it out one on one.

Are you in New Hampshire and near the Concord area, we can go shooting if you would like?

 

[doobie]

What type of hearing protection do you use? You may want to try to double up (ear plugs and muffs).

 

[Mr Weebles]

+1 on the flinching causing this.

Check your grip, too. A quick and easy way to do this is to grip your gun (unloaded!) in your usual shooting position. Now, without changing your grip on the firearm, bring it down alongside your leg, pointing down. Try to do this without tensing up at all. You should be fully relaxed.

At this point it should be pointed directly at the floor. If it's cocked towards or away from your leg, you need to adjust your grip.

 

[P-14]

http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=290695

I use this chart to try to analyze my shooting errors. It usually helps.

Make sure you are holding the 40 with a grip as firm as a firm handshake. Also, just like with the 22, sqeeze the trigger and don't "torque" it.

Regards,

Bob