Why am I missing?
“Why am I missing?” This is one of the most common questions I get from students. There are three things that can impact your shot. I call it the triangle of accuracy.
These are the three things that can impact your accuracy
The firearm and ammo – Is your firearm capable of being accurate? Does it rattle around a lot and have loose parts or is it tight? You need to keep your firearm clean. It should be cleaned after each use and lubricated well. Friction can cause slowed or erratic movement in the action. It can also cause damage to smaller or softer parts. The second part of this equipment equation is the ammo. You should try to find reputable ammo that shoots well in your gun. From there be consistent with purchasing that. It doesn’t need to always be the same brand, but try to at least get consistent weight.
The weather – How’s the weather where you’re shooting? You would be surprised how much weather can impact your shot, especially at long distance. Strong wind can push slower heavier rounds more than you think. The longer the distance, the higher the wind, and the direction of wind can all be factors to consider. Rain or heavy fog and humidity can also affect your shot.
YOU – Here is the most likely answer to the question “Why am I missing”? Being consistent comes with focused practice and repetition. There are unfortunately so many things that you personally can do to change accuracy.
– Grip – How you grip your pistol can really make a difference. The type of firearm makes a difference in how you grip it. Check out our article “How to grip a Semi-automatic Pistol” for a deeper understanding.
– Aim – There is a real science to aiming a firearm. If don’t have a proper sight alignment or sight picture then accuracy is not possible. For more aiming knowledge, check out our article “How to properly aim a pistol”
– Trigger pull – Are you slapping the trigger or a nice smooth even pull? You want that break to surprise you. A fast trigger pull can often times invoke extra movement from other muscles in you arm. That can make slight movements or even large ones in most cases.
– Firing sequence – Do you have a consistent checklist you go through? I sure do. I make mental notes of my breathing, my grip, my aim, my stance, my trigger pull, and what is beyond my target during each shot. Make one for yourself. I promise it will help.
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