I've got ugly groups (no, not the SF kind)
 

Alright gentlemen, help a sistah out. Went to the range to qualify the other night, and as usual I shot rather well (96 out of 100), but my grouping is just ugly, ugly, ugly. My shots are scattered all over the 8 and 9 ring, no apparent drifting to the left, right, up, or down. We shoot a SW99 .40 (ugh, I know, I don't have a choice) and was wondering if anyone could recommend any drills when I hit the range on my own time to improve my grouping.

Thanks!

I'd help but you need to bring yourself here.
(I teach cops for free.)

I cannot evaluate without watching you shoot. (No-one can..)

There's more than one on this board that has received my training. Some will tell you they can now shoot bullet hole through bullet hole, and they can....;)

Team Sergeant

I'd love to (any excuse to come to AZ!), but being a cop means I'm also a broke ass :). If I work enough OT for a trip west, I'm there.

Check your cartridges, do they have little plastic covers with lots of BB's inside?

AAAAAHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!! Now who did that to my weapon???

Understand.

Next time you shoot place a movie camera in front of you, bout 5 feet to left or right, enough to see your torso to head. Shoot as normal, say 15 minutes, send me the tape. I'm betting I can make you a lot better.

TS

Will do. Although my boyfriend will probably attempt to use the tape as a porn substitute. "Oh yes, my chick with a gun..come to Daddy!!"

FYI, my accuracy with my weak hand at a distance (25 yds) is just as good as strong handed, with less practice. I do have that old injury to my strong arm, so I wonder if that has anything to do with it. Just random thoughts in my head....

I'm a much better shot with long guns..maybe I'll just jump out with the shotgun on every call :lifter .

Videotaping yourself is great. I'm a fairly proficient handgun shooter, as well as with a carbine/shotgun, but I always catch myself doing something. It's helped reload and transition drills a lot as well.

A few questions though...

Have you changed handgund types within the past several years? Naot a major issue if you are tuned in right, but grip angles can affect things.

One static distance for all shots? or varying (3-25yds?) moving? type of target?
From the ready? holstered? you see the drift here...? I call it chasing the zero, where on some qual targets, the large 5 ring zone offers a large point of aim, and hence a large varied grouping of shots.

Try some drills from the ready on some 3x5 cards from the 5, working back to the 10yd lines at 1 yd intervals.

SGMCat,

I'm guessing this officer is asking "us" a question for a reason.
Might be that we go head to head with dozens of heavily armed terrorists on a regular basis. Might be because we're constantly attending classified shooting schools. I don't know. But do me a favor and wait. Wait until we've taken a look and accessed this officers skills before you decide to offer your opinion.

TS

Now I've just got to find a camcorder...sheesh. Nobody I know seems to have one. Too bad you're not at Bragg, TS! I'll endeavor to find one and get a tape out to you as soon as possible.

Feel free to let me know when you are free to come to Jim's in FayetteStan. I will be more than happy to show you a few pointers. Ask TS if I can shoot. I practice weekly at the least, multiple calibers. I spent one week in AZ with TS and came away shooting expert on my qual. Can't go wrong there.

a good digital camera in video mode, zoomed in, might work...

You spent a week here but we were only on the range two days? (IIRC you went sight seeing:rolleyes: ) You did how ever go from not being able to hit the water if you fell off the boat to outshooting the cops that were shooting with:D

LOL - I'll have to remember that one !:D (No reflection on you, AngelsSix)