Shots always lean to one side

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Shots always lean to one side

Post by Pewpew » 02 Aug 2018, 10:32 am

Hi guys,

I’m relatively new to shooting, I’ve only been down to the range twice but I love it, plan on doing it weekly. Mainly started because of ambitions to join the army, therefore I’ve only used 9mm hi-browning.

I’ve noticed that my shots always lean to the left. I try to be as conscious as possible of my stance, trigger finger, speed of my trigger finger, my sights, tencing ect.

I’ve had a few good shots, but yea, more times than not my shots are firing left than anywhere else.
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by sungazer » 02 Aug 2018, 9:28 pm

You probably dont have your rifle level. A bubble level on your scope will help. Just open one eye to give it a quick check.
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by No1_49er » 02 Aug 2018, 9:42 pm

sungazer wrote:You probably dont have your rifle level. A bubble level on your scope will help. Just open one eye to give it a quick check.


I have a suspicion that OP is shooting pistol.
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by pomemax » 02 Aug 2018, 11:48 pm

If they are low on left may be finger on trigger placement use closer to the 1st joint
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7xGDNNKrpc
http://is-lan.com/challenge/images/Pist ... ection.pdf
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by wrenchman » 03 Aug 2018, 9:06 am

i agree with staff and its common work on tigger control hand guns are hard to master and takes time and practice dont worry about going fast
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Pewpew » 03 Aug 2018, 9:56 am

sungazer wrote:You probably dont have your rifle level. A bubble level on your scope will help. Just open one eye to give it a quick check.

9mm browning, no rifle
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Wylie27 » 03 Aug 2018, 10:29 am

Could be also the sights are a little off and you will need to hold to compensate if they cannot be adjusted.

FYI the Australian Army is phasing out the Hi-Powers and i believe glocks are the front runners..

There are charts on the net that help you with why your having issues with shot placement too..

Do you have a picture of the target we could look at?
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Stix » 03 Aug 2018, 3:33 pm

Try shooting with an inch of packing under your left foot & from there adjust packing as necessary...

I know...completely inappropriate...but i could resist no longer... :D
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Pewpew » 03 Aug 2018, 4:07 pm

Wylie27 wrote:Could be also the sights are a little off and you will need to hold to compensate if they cannot be adjusted.

FYI the Australian Army is phasing out the Hi-Powers and i believe glocks are the front runners..

There are charts on the net that help you with why your having issues with shot placement too..

Do you have a picture of the target we could look at?


https://ibb.co/mwiqfe
This is the only photo I have (was very proud), note the shot the left, majority are like this.
Yea my instructor said that too, and he also said it wasn’t the most efficient choice they had haha, unfortunately no glocks at my range
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Wylie27 » 03 Aug 2018, 6:34 pm

Hey mate,

Most of those shots look good but yeah i see what you mean.

Have a look at this chart..

0B51F494-7B94-448B-AB2D-2039AFBE03F6.jpeg
0B51F494-7B94-448B-AB2D-2039AFBE03F6.jpeg (32.76 KiB) Viewed 5039 times


Also have a read of this

http://www.shootsmart.com/a-little-to-the-left/
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by No1_49er » 03 Aug 2018, 9:51 pm

Wylie made mention of it, but have you confirmed that the pistol actually shoots to Point of Aim, with you chosen ammo?
Before going down the track of looking for faults in your own performance, what about having somebody who shoots seriously high scores, or borrow something like a Ransom rest, and check that the sights are correctly aligned.
When that is proven to be correct, then you can work on your technique.
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Pewpew » 03 Aug 2018, 10:11 pm

No1_49er wrote:Wylie made mention of it, but have you confirmed that the pistol actually shoots to Point of Aim, with you chosen ammo?
Before going down the track of looking for faults in your own performance, what about having somebody who shoots seriously high scores, or borrow something like a Ransom rest, and check that the sights are correctly aligned.
When that is proven to be correct, then you can work on your technique.

These are all most certainly words, I’m just starting out so I haven’t much of a clue with terminology. Could you break this down for me?
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Pewpew » 03 Aug 2018, 11:05 pm

Wylie27 wrote:Hey mate,

Most of those shots look good but yeah i see what you mean.

Have a look at this chart..

0B51F494-7B94-448B-AB2D-2039AFBE03F6.jpeg


Also have a read of this

http://www.shootsmart.com/a-little-to-the-left/

This is super helpful, I’ll let you know how my shooting goes tomorrow with these pointers
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by pomemax » 03 Aug 2018, 11:06 pm

Easy Pewpew get someone who shoots pistol ok have a go then if its all over the place you know its the gun , if its ok ITS YOU then work on your stance trigger control more than likely your not even holding it consistently yet .
iIs a funny sport pistol shooting you can not learn it in a day , that,s why in movies when the guy gives the girl a gun and asks can you shoot its normally bull what they come out with
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by No1_49er » 03 Aug 2018, 11:20 pm

Different makes/types of ammunition, and your own reloads (when you get that far) will often have the shots arriving at different places on the target. Added to that is that some will shoot excellent groups whilst others will be "all over the shop". So, the first two variables can be ammo which might shoot a good group, albeit not to Point of Aim, and another which might shoot a generally centralised group, but not tight enough to put them all in the ten ring.

If you are just starting out, it would make good sense to get the help of a good shooter/couch and have them explain what you should be looking for with your sight picture. Are you area aiming or trying to hold centre? The type of target may have some bearing on that.

Stance and grip are vitally important if it is you wish to achieve good success. Again, a known good, successful, competitive shooter might help, if you ask for guidance.
Be aware though that, as with a lot of sports, a good couch need not be a good performer in that sport, just as a supreme champion might be a totally incompetent couch. Ask around.

Regarding the Ransom rest, it is a device into which you clamp your pistol, which will show you what your ammunition is actually doing in your pistol, and whether it is making its mark at the place you aim it, without being influenced by your stance or grip. Think of it as a bench-rest for pistol. When you have found ammunition that consistently shoots the group size that you need/find acceptable, you can then adjust the sight/s to place the shots at your Point of Aim. Or, if the sights are not adjustable, keep a mental picture fixed in your head as to where you need to aim.
Also a good idea to keep a notebook/shooting diary. You will learn from those notes by re-reading them that you might have ventured down that blind alley before, so not much point going there again.

Hope that has expanded on my previous post and that i have explained sufficiently.
Proud member of "the powerful gun lobby" of Australia :)
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Pewpew » 04 Aug 2018, 11:06 am

No1_49er wrote:Different makes/types of ammunition, and your own reloads (when you get that far) will often have the shots arriving at different places on the target. Added to that is that some will shoot excellent groups whilst others will be "all over the shop". So, the first two variables can be ammo which might shoot a good group, albeit not to Point of Aim, and another which might shoot a generally centralised group, but not tight enough to put them all in the ten ring.

If you are just starting out, it would make good sense to get the help of a good shooter/couch and have them explain what you should be looking for with your sight picture. Are you area aiming or trying to hold centre? The type of target may have some bearing on that.

Stance and grip are vitally important if it is you wish to achieve good success. Again, a known good, successful, competitive shooter might help, if you ask for guidance.
Be aware though that, as with a lot of sports, a good couch need not be a good performer in that sport, just as a supreme champion might be a totally incompetent couch. Ask around.

Regarding the Ransom rest, it is a device into which you clamp your pistol, which will show you what your ammunition is actually doing in your pistol, and whether it is making its mark at the place you aim it, without being influenced by your stance or grip. Think of it as a bench-rest for pistol. When you have found ammunition that consistently shoots the group size that you need/find acceptable, you can then adjust the sight/s to place the shots at your Point of Aim. Or, if the sights are not adjustable, keep a mental picture fixed in your head as to where you need to aim.
Also a good idea to keep a notebook/shooting diary. You will learn from those notes by re-reading them that you might have ventured down that blind alley before, so not much point going there again.

Hope that has expanded on my previous post and that i have explained sufficiently.


Amazing, thanks for this
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Re: Shots always lean to one side

Post by Joffa » 06 Aug 2018, 5:42 am

Early on, try not to focus too much on actually hitting the bull. If you’re aiming at the bull and the majority of the shots land in a group elsewhere on the target the you can just adjust your sights across to the group.
Obviously if it’s not your pistol you can’t go changing the sights.
The main thing to worry about is that you are consistent.
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