I just noticed something...

[ez bake]

When I draw and aim my handgun, I drop my right (strong) shoulder pretty hard and raise my left (support) shoulder. I don't know why it is that I do this, but it seems like a very hard habbit to break for some reason - I can draw and present properly 30 times in a row watching myself in a mirror and if I turn away and do it 2 more times, I catch myself doing it again.

I was told by a friend to (first make sure the gun is clear) and then practice drawing and presenting to a mirror and take aim at the reflection of myself (center of mass). Its helping me with my grip and proper stance, but its showing me a few things I do wrong that I never knew.

 

[okie98]

That is a very interesting observation. I guess I should try the mirror.

 

[grwd]

Try to assume your shooting stance before the draw. Dont move your head during the draw; go for smooth, rather than fast. If you practice fast, youll never be able to correct the mechanics youre wanting to tweak. If your shooting weaver, I think a little shoulder drop is going to happen, same with drawing from concealment or while moving off the "x".. I learn more by watching my draws in a mirror sideways. It helps me get the gun up and then out, as opposed to bowling the gun out, or casting it like a fishing pole.

 

[DC]

Try to assume your shooting stance before the draw. Dont move your head during the draw; go for smooth, rather than fast. If you practice fast, youll never be able to correct the mechanics youre wanting to tweak. If your shooting weaver, I think a little shoulder drop is going to happen, same with drawing from concealment or while moving off the "x".. I learn more by watching my draws in a mirror sideways. It helps me get the gun up and then out, as opposed to bowling the gun out, or casting it like a fishing pole.

mike; when ya coming back to town again?

 

[ez bake]

Try to assume your shooting stance before the draw. Dont move your head during the draw; go for smooth, rather than fast. If you practice fast, youll never be able to correct the mechanics youre wanting to tweak. If your shooting weaver, I think a little shoulder drop is going to happen, same with drawing from concealment or while moving off the "x".. I learn more by watching my draws in a mirror sideways. It helps me get the gun up and then out, as opposed to bowling the gun out, or casting it like a fishing pole.

Haha - I just got through watching Magpul Dynamics Art of Dynamic Handgun, so I actually know what bowling/casting is

Thanks for the input man.

 

[Perplexed]

Haha - I just got through watching Magpul Dynamics Art of Dynamic Handgun, so I actually know what bowling/casting is

Thanks for the input man.

I first heard those two terms in the recent ACP class held by TDSA. Marshall just mentioned them in passing, but I got a chuckle out of it

 

[ez bake]

Yeah ok - so I'm not going to lie, I haven't even gotten all the way though Art of Dynamic Handgun yet (had to stop it most of the way through it the other night before I could finish it) and I went to the range tonight and put some of the mechanics-corrections to the test and damn...

I may be ready to shoot a match pretty soon (I've never shot a pistol match due to my hand-gun inferiority complex). I've always felt that the pistol was a mystery that eluded me to get proficient with (I could always shoot, but I was doing a great number of things wrong and couldn't get over a certain hump of limitation).

Watching Todd Jarett Youtube videos and looking at various free online teaching aids has been good, but there's a ton of little things that you miss out in going the cheap route. The Magpul Dynamics videos are very good.

I always felt like I could shoot well enough that the basic pistol courses at TDSA were too expensive to justify since I already knew the basics (or thought I did) and yet I probably wasn't good enough to take a more advanced class without looking like the goofy guy who didn't know what he was doing.

I'm finding out more and more that I could have gone the simple route and taken one of those beginner classes and saved myself some wasted ammo and training scars (and time spent re-learning things).

Carbines / bolt-guns have always felt easier to me than handguns, but its really kind of cool to begin to get the hang of pistols to the point that I feel proficient enough to do most of what I want to do on the range during a training session.

Now I find myself doing those things faster, or under more pressure until something goes wrong and then seeing how I handle those situations.

Its like a revelation - handguns are finally fun now.

 

[FAL guy]

I always felt like I could shoot well enough that the basic pistol courses at TDSA were too expensive to justify since I already knew the basics (or thought I did) and yet I probably wasn't good enough to take a more advanced class without looking like the goofy guy who didn't know what he was doing.

Take one...you will not be sorry.

 

[ldp4570]

EZB, Here's one we used in our department for training. Granted some of whats on these is geared to competition, but his basic's are solid, and following along with these you'll see a dramatic change in your shooting.

http://www.jerrybarnhart.com/tapes.htm

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

EZB, come out to USSA on the 1st Sunday of the month and join us for the steel challenge. Its low pressure, inexpensive, you will draw & shoot, and most of all you will have a good time. If you join the FGST for the June match I'll buy your breakfast.

Disclaimer: I can't be held responsible for the match addiction that will follow.