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Correcting low left hits for right handers

HayesGreener

HayesGreener

Ronin
This is a long post so fill your cup.

Some thoughts on how I address this issue with new shooters. Reverse for left handers. This assumes a properly zeroed gun.

So you are a right hand shooter. First extend your arm like you are holding a pistol. Watch your wrist and make a fist, as if gripping a pistol. Note that your wrist bends slightly to the left when you make a fist. Body mechanics, it's how we are made. Once you see how it works, you need to compensate for it.

Now look at your grip and trigger finger placement. Your hand needs to be high on the backstrap and it should create a straight line from the front sight to your elbow.

Support hand comes into play here. Note that when gripping a cleared pistol in your gun hand, there is open space on the opposite side of the grip that we want to take advantage of. While holding your cleared pistol on target, extend your support hand alongside and bend your wrist downward as far as it will go, pointing your thumb at the target. When done properly you will feel a pull in the muscle atop your forearm. Now put your two hands together giving you a thumbs forward grip in full contact with the pistol's grip. This grip with your thumb against the frame also counteracts pushing the gun to the left by right handed shooters.

Gun ergonomics is important here and some folks have trouble here with clunky pistols. Everybody is different but your pistol needs to fit your hand for good results.

Trigger management is the most troublesome skill to master. You may have perfect sight picture and sight alignment but poor trigger management will screw that up at the point of firing. Two subtle techniques can help. First in where your finger contacts the trigger. With a semi auto, we normally teach using the center of the first pad in contact with the center of the trigger. What's important is being able to exert pressure straight to the rear without pushing or pulling laterally. At the same time, with your finger on the trigger in proper position, note your trigger finger in relation to the side of the frame behind the trigger guard. There should be space between your trigger finger and the frame. If it is tight against the frame, you will exert pressure on the frame in the opposite direction.

Now to get some feedback on your technique in dry fire with a cleared pistol. We are going to use the Wall Drill. Put a small dot on a vertical surface and assume your best grip and shooting position where your muzzle is just a few inches from the dot. With proper sight alignment dry fire the pistol and note movement of your front sight in relation to the dot. You are getting immediste feedback on your trigger press. It won't take a lot of repetitions for you to see improvement in your trigger management.

Now to go live fire at the range on paper. Using a small dot for a target, shoot 5 round groups from 3 yards, taking time and focusing on precision. Again you are looking for feedback on your technique. You should see your groups tightening.

A final point I make here is anticipation of shot. You can use a ball and dummy exercise to identify it. Another check is to have a trusted shooting partner stand next to you and work your trigger while you work the grip and sights. If you are shooting better with your partner pulling the trigger you have the answer.

Hope this is helpful
 
I find that most low left (or right) shooter it’s usually either the grip isn’t tight enough OR trigger finger placement.

On grip there’s a bunch of different ways it sort of is dependent on hand strength, size gun size yada yada (I will say we didn’t have the low left thing in the revolver and DA/SA days with revolver grips as it made hih hold the gun tight)

While we all should know to use the tip as a handgun is not a sniper rifle folks get it wrong trying to get that perfect comfortable feel at the start of the trigger pull. When in actuality they should find the most comfortable where they can pull it or the rear as the shot breakes. What is called “sticking the landing” like a gymnastic champion does!

I picked that up from Justin Dyal
Who if you don’t k ow him is a phenomenal instructor and human being and was the Commanding Officer of the USMC MARSOC School house and created the 5 yard roundup, double add one and several other drills on B8’s that separates the novice from the proficient firearms folks and it works wonders!
 
HayesGreener said:
This is a long post so fill your cup.

Some thoughts on how I address this issue with new shooters. Reverse for left handers. This assumes a properly zeroed gun.

So you are a right hand shooter. First extend your arm like you are holding a pistol. Watch your wrist and make a fist, as if gripping a pistol. Note that your wrist bends slightly to the left when you make a fist. Body mechanics, it's how we are made. Once you see how it works, you need to compensate for it.

Now look at your grip and trigger finger placement. Your hand needs to be high on the backstrap and it should create a straight line from the front sight to your elbow.

Support hand comes into play here. Note that when gripping a cleared pistol in your gun hand, there is open space on the opposite side of the grip that we want to take advantage of. While holding your cleared pistol on target, extend your support hand alongside and bend your wrist downward as far as it will go, pointing your thumb at the target. When done properly you will feel a pull in the muscle atop your forearm. Now put your two hands together giving you a thumbs forward grip in full contact with the pistol's grip. This grip with your thumb against the frame also counteracts pushing the gun to the left by right handed shooters.

Gun ergonomics is important here and some folks have trouble here with clunky pistols. Everybody is different but your pistol needs to fit your hand for good results.

Trigger management is the most troublesome skill to master. You may have perfect sight picture and sight alignment but poor trigger management will screw that up at the point of firing. Two subtle techniques can help. First in where your finger contacts the trigger. With a semi auto, we normally teach using the center of the first pad in contact with the center of the trigger. What's important is being able to exert pressure straight to the rear without pushing or pulling laterally. At the same time, with your finger on the trigger in proper position, note your trigger finger in relation to the side of the frame behind the trigger guard. There should be space between your trigger finger and the frame. If it is tight against the frame, you will exert pressure on the frame in the opposite direction.

Now to get some feedback on your technique in dry fire with a cleared pistol. We are going to use the Wall Drill. Put a small dot on a vertical surface and assume your best grip and shooting position where your muzzle is just a few inches from the dot. With proper sight alignment dry fire the pistol and note movement of your front sight in relation to the dot. You are getting immediste feedback on your trigger press. It won't take a lot of repetitions for you to see improvement in your trigger management.

Now to go live fire at the range on paper. Using a small dot for a target, shoot 5 round groups from 3 yards, taking time and focusing on precision. Again you are looking for feedback on your technique. You should see your groups tightening.

A final point I make here is anticipation of shot. You can use a ball and dummy exercise to identify it. Another check is to have a trusted shooting partner stand next to you and work your trigger while you work the grip and sights. If you are shooting better with your partner pulling the trigger you have the answer.

Hope this is helpful
Click to expand...
Very helpful.
 
HayesGreener said:
This is a long post so fill your cup.

Some thoughts on how I address this issue with new shooters. Reverse for left handers. This assumes a properly zeroed gun.

So you are a right hand shooter. First extend your arm like you are holding a pistol. Watch your wrist and make a fist, as if gripping a pistol. Note that your wrist bends slightly to the left when you make a fist. Body mechanics, it's how we are made. Once you see how it works, you need to compensate for it.

Now look at your grip and trigger finger placement. Your hand needs to be high on the backstrap and it should create a straight line from the front sight to your elbow.

Support hand comes into play here. Note that when gripping a cleared pistol in your gun hand, there is open space on the opposite side of the grip that we want to take advantage of. While holding your cleared pistol on target, extend your support hand alongside and bend your wrist downward as far as it will go, pointing your thumb at the target. When done properly you will feel a pull in the muscle atop your forearm. Now put your two hands together giving you a thumbs forward grip in full contact with the pistol's grip. This grip with your thumb against the frame also counteracts pushing the gun to the left by right handed shooters.

Gun ergonomics is important here and some folks have trouble here with clunky pistols. Everybody is different but your pistol needs to fit your hand for good results.

Trigger management is the most troublesome skill to master. You may have perfect sight picture and sight alignment but poor trigger management will screw that up at the point of firing. Two subtle techniques can help. First in where your finger contacts the trigger. With a semi auto, we normally teach using the center of the first pad in contact with the center of the trigger. What's important is being able to exert pressure straight to the rear without pushing or pulling laterally. At the same time, with your finger on the trigger in proper position, note your trigger finger in relation to the side of the frame behind the trigger guard. There should be space between your trigger finger and the frame. If it is tight against the frame, you will exert pressure on the frame in the opposite direction.

Now to get some feedback on your technique in dry fire with a cleared pistol. We are going to use the Wall Drill. Put a small dot on a vertical surface and assume your best grip and shooting position where your muzzle is just a few inches from the dot. With proper sight alignment dry fire the pistol and note movement of your front sight in relation to the dot. You are getting immediste feedback on your trigger press. It won't take a lot of repetitions for you to see improvement in your trigger management.

Now to go live fire at the range on paper. Using a small dot for a target, shoot 5 round groups from 3 yards, taking time and focusing on precision. Again you are looking for feedback on your technique. You should see your groups tightening.

A final point I make here is anticipation of shot. You can use a ball and dummy exercise to identify it. Another check is to have a trusted shooting partner stand next to you and work your trigger while you work the grip and sights. If you are shooting better with your partner pulling the trigger you have the answer.

Hope this is helpful
Click to expand...
Thanks Hayes, I'm going to range this morning and will try all this out.
 
HayesGreener said:
This is a long post so fill your cup.

Some thoughts on how I address this issue with new shooters. Reverse for left handers. This assumes a properly zeroed gun.

So you are a right hand shooter. First extend your arm like you are holding a pistol. Watch your wrist and make a fist, as if gripping a pistol. Note that your wrist bends slightly to the left when you make a fist. Body mechanics, it's how we are made. Once you see how it works, you need to compensate for it.

Now look at your grip and trigger finger placement. Your hand needs to be high on the backstrap and it should create a straight line from the front sight to your elbow.

Support hand comes into play here. Note that when gripping a cleared pistol in your gun hand, there is open space on the opposite side of the grip that we want to take advantage of. While holding your cleared pistol on target, extend your support hand alongside and bend your wrist downward as far as it will go, pointing your thumb at the target. When done properly you will feel a pull in the muscle atop your forearm. Now put your two hands together giving you a thumbs forward grip in full contact with the pistol's grip. This grip with your thumb against the frame also counteracts pushing the gun to the left by right handed shooters.

Gun ergonomics is important here and some folks have trouble here with clunky pistols. Everybody is different but your pistol needs to fit your hand for good results.

Trigger management is the most troublesome skill to master. You may have perfect sight picture and sight alignment but poor trigger management will screw that up at the point of firing. Two subtle techniques can help. First in where your finger contacts the trigger. With a semi auto, we normally teach using the center of the first pad in contact with the center of the trigger. What's important is being able to exert pressure straight to the rear without pushing or pulling laterally. At the same time, with your finger on the trigger in proper position, note your trigger finger in relation to the side of the frame behind the trigger guard. There should be space between your trigger finger and the frame. If it is tight against the frame, you will exert pressure on the frame in the opposite direction.

Now to get some feedback on your technique in dry fire with a cleared pistol. We are going to use the Wall Drill. Put a small dot on a vertical surface and assume your best grip and shooting position where your muzzle is just a few inches from the dot. With proper sight alignment dry fire the pistol and note movement of your front sight in relation to the dot. You are getting immediste feedback on your trigger press. It won't take a lot of repetitions for you to see improvement in your trigger management.

Now to go live fire at the range on paper. Using a small dot for a target, shoot 5 round groups from 3 yards, taking time and focusing on precision. Again you are looking for feedback on your technique. You should see your groups tightening.

A final point I make here is anticipation of shot. You can use a ball and dummy exercise to identify it. Another check is to have a trusted shooting partner stand next to you and work your trigger while you work the grip and sights. If you are shooting better with your partner pulling the trigger you have the answer.

Hope this is helpful
Click to expand...
Thanks Hayes! Good information!
 
HayesGreener said:
This is a long post so fill your cup.

Some thoughts on how I address this issue with new shooters. Reverse for left handers. This assumes a properly zeroed gun.

So you are a right hand shooter. First extend your arm like you are holding a pistol. Watch your wrist and make a fist, as if gripping a pistol. Note that your wrist bends slightly to the left when you make a fist. Body mechanics, it's how we are made. Once you see how it works, you need to compensate for it.

Now look at your grip and trigger finger placement. Your hand needs to be high on the backstrap and it should create a straight line from the front sight to your elbow.

Support hand comes into play here. Note that when gripping a cleared pistol in your gun hand, there is open space on the opposite side of the grip that we want to take advantage of. While holding your cleared pistol on target, extend your support hand alongside and bend your wrist downward as far as it will go, pointing your thumb at the target. When done properly you will feel a pull in the muscle atop your forearm. Now put your two hands together giving you a thumbs forward grip in full contact with the pistol's grip. This grip with your thumb against the frame also counteracts pushing the gun to the left by right handed shooters.

Gun ergonomics is important here and some folks have trouble here with clunky pistols. Everybody is different but your pistol needs to fit your hand for good results.

Trigger management is the most troublesome skill to master. You may have perfect sight picture and sight alignment but poor trigger management will screw that up at the point of firing. Two subtle techniques can help. First in where your finger contacts the trigger. With a semi auto, we normally teach using the center of the first pad in contact with the center of the trigger. What's important is being able to exert pressure straight to the rear without pushing or pulling laterally. At the same time, with your finger on the trigger in proper position, note your trigger finger in relation to the side of the frame behind the trigger guard. There should be space between your trigger finger and the frame. If it is tight against the frame, you will exert pressure on the frame in the opposite direction.

Now to get some feedback on your technique in dry fire with a cleared pistol. We are going to use the Wall Drill. Put a small dot on a vertical surface and assume your best grip and shooting position where your muzzle is just a few inches from the dot. With proper sight alignment dry fire the pistol and note movement of your front sight in relation to the dot. You are getting immediste feedback on your trigger press. It won't take a lot of repetitions for you to see improvement in your trigger management.

Now to go live fire at the range on paper. Using a small dot for a target, shoot 5 round groups from 3 yards, taking time and focusing on precision. Again you are looking for feedback on your technique. You should see your groups tightening.

A final point I make here is anticipation of shot. You can use a ball and dummy exercise to identify it. Another check is to have a trusted shooting partner stand next to you and work your trigger while you work the grip and sights. If you are shooting better with your partner pulling the trigger you have the answer.

Hope this is helpful
Click to expand...
Thanks Hayes!
 
Musashi said:
Gas pedals that replace the standard take down lever can improve one's overall grip, providing better purchase for the left thumb, further stabilizing the firearm. This is applicable to right handed shooters.
Click to expand...
Outside of a race gun for say USPSA or etc I have never been a fan of extra gadgets in a gun.

Especially as a gateway jnsteuctor most folks just want to learn how to shoot that one carry or house gun they bought. Like a M&P Shield EZ or a k frame wheelgun for that sock drawer. Last thjng they want to do is order a bunch of BS to add on.

But YMMV
 
Reordering the priorities :

The ultimate goal is Trigger to move Straight Back . With the pressure upon the trigger straight , and not to one side or the other . Everything else matters only to the extent that it facilitates this .

Finger Placement is highly important . If position of gun in hand has to be tweaked , so be it . In cases of either Big Gun in small hand , or tiny gun in big hand , this won't result in the prverbal " straight line from bore and forearm " , but if the Goal is proper Trigger Control , that's what has to be done .

If the Hand to Gun interface is too mismatched , decisions must be made :

1. Switch to gun that better ergonomiclly fits you .

2. Decide that there are other reasons that you really really want to shoot / carry that gun . And in light of those factors decide that Center Mass hits at ( what you feel is personal self defence distances ) is good enough .
 
I hear ya and many these days, while owning a firearm rarely practice enough to become proficient. The ones that do “take things seriously” though, and continue their training, find thru experience that some modifications can be helpful. Hogue hand grips and better sights on their Glock are good practical examples. Some manufacturers are now placing modified TDL’s on their products and they can be very functional. It’s great to have options these days.
 
Very useful. Everyone is different and every manufacturer is different with each product they make. The same time trying to go from one to another throws people off on which I’m guilty of. This is why I do promote renting it before buying it because I should have as new shooter. I’m still learning with different styles of “destructive devices” and wish they all could be a CZ P10C style grip.
 
KillerFord1977 said:
Only if you are thumbs forward. Not everyone uses that style. I’m thumbs up. Never did like forward. Each his own on thumbs 😏
Click to expand...
Same. No gas pedal for me.

I use the wall drill a lot. It is one of the more effective drills when you are looking for immediate feedback.

Also, as far as ergos go, it’s always nice when you find that gun(s) that seems to fit your hand just so (looking at you VP9 with finger grooves), but regardless, if your technique is good you should be able to get the same results with any gun. Granted, less experienced shooters may come across a gun type, or trigger type, and not find the vibe with it, but as experience takes over, IMO, a gun is a gun. If every gun you pick up shoot’s low and left, guess what? It’s not the gun. If you can pick up any gun sight unseen and still hit bull. Guess what? It’s not the gun.

Technique. Technique. Technique. *


*A good tree to lean on doesn’t hurt either! 😎
 
SimonRL said:
Same. No gas pedal for me.

I use the wall drill a lot. It is one of the more effective drills when you are looking for immediate feedback.

Also, as far as ergos go, it’s always nice when you find that gun(s) that seems to fit your hand just so (looking at you VP9 with finger grooves), but regardless, if your technique is good you should be able to get the same results with any gun. Granted, less experienced shooters may come across a gun type, or trigger type, and not find the vibe with it, but as experience takes over, IMO, a gun is a gun. If every gun you pick up shoot’s low and left, guess what? It’s not the gun. If you can pick up any gun sight unseen and still hit bull. Guess what? It’s not the gun.

Technique. Technique. Technique. *


*A good tree to lean on doesn’t hurt either! 😎
Click to expand...
I thought all you Brits shot with your pinky up?
images.jpg
 
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