handgun shooting...
 

so ive been doing somewhat serious handgun shooting as of late...alot more than usual...i cant figure things out...at 3 and 7 or so yards my shots are great...even 1 handed shooting out at 7yds...

i practice at those ranges pretty regular...anytime im at a range or place i can shoot i'll shoot out to 21ft as if your in a gun fight its likely to be within 21 feet...

15-25yds my shots are LOW...real low...and all over the place when im standing, drawing and shooting...

i found a place i can move and shoot and also shoot at night if my heart desires....i have nite sites so i figured why not try it right???

so i did some moving and shooting and multiple targets and shot in VERY low light..i could see my sights better than the target...

to my surprise, even on the move out to 25yds and at night out to 15yds, my shots were all where they should have been..

im scratching my head...i can move and shoot good out to 25yds but put me standing at 15-25 and my shots are low...

im thinking its over thinking or something...i had some VERY trained and expirienced handgunners and range masters watch me and they all said the same thing...good grip, good stance, good natural shooting...they didnt have much to say on why my shots shouldnt be where im sending them...

if i stand there and take a real long time at 25yds i can draw a smiley face...if i draw and shoot quick at 25yds i can make headshots...but standing, drawing and shooting a few shots somewhat quick, like id assumingly do if i was in a shooting situation, they all fall low...

thoughts???

seems im best under pressure or naturally point shooting and such...i need to fine tune the "target shooting" i guess?

i am VERY pleased with my shooting as i know if im ever in a gun fight, i like my shooting very much and am confident..

maybe just more training at 15-25yds? i mostly train out to 7-10yds or so and its normally draw and get off a double tap or 3 rds quick and make em count...

im just stumped as to why i can shoot pretty dang well out to 7yds and can move and shoot or shoot in about pitch darkness but cant stand there and shoot well.....

seems i got the hard part down well but skipped the easier part of the process..

you are shooting at very close ranges, but not target shooting. Go back to the basics. Slow, methodical paced shooting, making each one count.It can take years to become truly proficient. Competition shooting indoors is usually done at 50 feet. Forget about the draw and shoot thing, and concentrate on sight picture and breathing, slow squeeze and stance. Sounds like you are putting the cart in front of the horse.

the cart is well infront of the horse...and personally, im FINE with it...if im in a gun fight i aint gunna be standing there taking my time...if i was having an issue making hits when i NEED to make hits, on the move, running to cover, in a quick fashion etc, id be worried about my shooting...but under pressure and in a rush i make hits...

doesnt make sense...but im not lying or exaggerating...

i think its all focus and overthinking if that makes any sense...which then leads to anticipation which then leads to the dropped shots..


at 3-10yds my shooting is fast and the hits count...im not tooting my own horn..but thats whats goin on..

im nowhere near great...but theres somethin goin on when i stand and shoot at 15-25 that doesnt go on when i shoot on the move or in low light or quick snap shooting..(for kicks n giggles i was drawing and shooting asap for the head of a silloute at 15 and 25yds and if i was missing the head i was giving him a serious windburn..) if i drew and shot in a fashionable amount of time, i was lucky to hit him center mass (i shoot that low) and taking my time, i can paint a smiley face...

so, i guess i never passed up the basics..i can stand there and take my time and put out eyeballs..but cant draw, settle in, squeeze and make that shot...but i can draw and snap shoot as soon as the front sight is on the head and make the shot pretty consistently..

gotta be overthinking and thinking too fast causing anticipation (which i know leads to dropped shots..)

frustrating...im just gunna keep at it all summer...i know if my target and bullseye type shooting improves everything else will follow...

i have to admit, snap shooting, shooting out of the holster, and quick shooting is alot more fun...and more practical...most guys dont train like that or even have an opprotunity to...if you drew out of a holster on a range and sent 3 down range as the gun broke leather youd likely be sent off the range...moving and shooting FORGET it..same with low light...so im lucky to have places to shoot like i do..and i know its more practical..amazing what your heart rate will do just when you syke yourself out...GUN! run to cover drop down to a knee and send a double tap down range..

i never wanna be in a gun fight...but i own guns and feel its my duty to beable to use them..stuff ever hits the fan and i find myself in that situation i wanna feel like i am a little prepared..not a fumbling fool...hence drawing out of a holster...thats all muscle memory and if it isnt done or you get lazy and dont snap the snap on the range etc, your gunna find yourself fumbling if your ever in a fight...

Try some competitive shooting, then you'll find out how bad you really are.

Sounds like you need to sit at at the bench at 25 yds, use a solid rest and see where your groups are, then make your adjustments and zero it in.

bb