Shooting handguns for the first time

Very cool that you got to get out and have some fun. And shoot some guns! Completely understand the flinching but that will go away quick. Grab a sand bag to rest it on next time to clean up your groups and then step out from there. You'll see major improvement.

Right on! Glad you had a good time!

Unfortunately that gun will cause you to commit mass murder soon. I hear they have a way of doing that to people.

Cheers for the comments everyone!

Hold the pistol angled sideways and close one eye. Nothing to it.

pew pew mother fuckers!

Dirty Britches wrote:

Hold the pistol angled sideways and close one eye. Nothing to it.

pew pew mother fuckers!

A few years ago before the Dodger Stadium rounds of the SX series, a bunch of riders and media got to tour the L.A. Police Academy. Christian Craig went through a video training simulation doing the sideways pistol grip. The training officers were cracking up.

That flinch is really difficult to tame permanently. At least for me. If I don't go once or twice a month, I have to make a really conscious effort to not flinch.

When I was teaching my wife, she didn't believe me that she was anticipating/ flinching. I told her to line up on the target, then watch her hands when she pulled the trigger. It's very apparent how instinctive it is to flinch.

shot a pistol a handful of times in my life. I don't think I ever hit the target once. I'm a pretty good shot with a rifle...well...a shotgun, but seriously, shooting a pistol accurately is much harder than it seems.

IWreckALot wrote:

That flinch is really difficult to tame permanently. At least for me. If I don't go once or twice a month, I have to make a really conscious effort to not flinch.

When I was teaching my wife, she didn't believe me that she was anticipating/ flinching. I told her to line up on the target, then watch her hands when she pulled the trigger. It's very apparent how instinctive it is to flinch.

Anticipation is a huge pain in the ass. I use dummy rounds in the mag mixed with real ones when I feel like I need the work.

As mentioned above, the dummy rounds are a good practice tool even if you’re not shooting live rounds. Also, work on a clean trigger pull.

IWreckALot wrote:

That flinch is really difficult to tame permanently. At least for me. If I don't go once or twice a month, I have to make a really conscious effort to not flinch.

When I was teaching my wife, she didn't believe me that she was anticipating/ flinching. I told her to line up on the target, then watch her hands when she pulled the trigger. It's very apparent how instinctive it is to flinch.

I am the same way. I hadn’t shot anything in a long time (other than a raccoon with a .22 a few months ago). Went to the range last week on lunch break to blow the pocket lent out. It took a minute to blow the rust off.

Dirty Britches wrote:

shot a pistol a handful of times in my life. I don't think I ever hit the target once. I'm a pretty good shot with a rifle...well...a shotgun, but seriously, shooting a pistol accurately is much harder than it seems.

Interesting, I'm awful with riffles but I'm pretty good with the pistol.
I'm "mix handed" and recently learned we aren't so good at aiming things. I shoot right handed but maybe I'm left eye dominate, making the pistol easier.

Dirty Britches wrote:

Hold the pistol angled sideways and close one eye. Nothing to it.

pew pew mother fuckers!

GuyB wrote:

A few years ago before the Dodger Stadium rounds of the SX series, a bunch of riders and media got to tour the L.A. Police Academy. Christian Craig went through a video training simulation doing the sideways pistol grip. The training officers were cracking up.

Mama says guns are the devil.

Got too many already but not near the amount that I want to have, on second thought nah, I don't have too many. So much cool stuff out there now.

Cool new ammo choices too making the smaller calibers more effective. Add that to the ever changing addition of new calibers, its not a poor man's sport.

Motocross83 wrote:

Cheers for the comments everyone!

Glad you had some "gun fun".
Practice is the cure for anticipation movement.
With work, you never even notice it going off, at least I don't, and I shoot .40 and .45 mostly.

I'm lucky to get to shoot whenever I feel like shooting, but just concentrate on where you want it, with a slow squeeze. Don't hang on to tight, and you'll be winning.

JRT812 wrote:

As mentioned above, the dummy rounds are a good practice tool even if you’re not shooting live rounds. Also, work on a clean trigger pull.

JRT, a local range sells targets like that except it says "You Suck" in every pie place. Says "Correct" in the bullseye.

JRT812 wrote:

As mentioned above, the dummy rounds are a good practice tool even if you’re not shooting live rounds. Also, work on a clean trigger pull.

SEEMEFIRST wrote:

JRT, a local range sells targets like that except it says "You Suck" in every pie place. Says "Correct" in the bullseye.

Appreciate all the advice guys! Will be difficult with the lack of practice, but actively trying to go in the right direction with technique can only be a good thing for my shooting (regardless of range time). I'm already chomping at the bit for another go tbh, it was just amazing fun. Not that I don't hugely enjoy shooting the rifles also, but those handguns (partly due to normally being forbidden fruit for me, I guess) were something else...

neverwasfastenuf wrote:

Mama says guns are the devil.

Got too many already but not near the amount that I want to have, on second thought nah, I don't have too many. So much cool stuff out there now.

Cool new ammo choices too making the smaller calibers more effective. Add that to the ever changing addition of new calibers, its not a poor man's sport.

You can say that again. Im just now getting into it. I purchased 1000 rounds recently and about pee peed my pants when I saw the price.

neverwasfastenuf wrote:

Mama says guns are the devil.

Got too many already but not near the amount that I want to have, on second thought nah, I don't have too many. So much cool stuff out there now.

Cool new ammo choices too making the smaller calibers more effective. Add that to the ever changing addition of new calibers, its not a poor man's sport.

motosmith wrote:

You can say that again. Im just now getting into it. I purchased 1000 rounds recently and about pee peed my pants when I saw the price.

1000 rounds of what?

motosmith wrote:

You can say that again. Im just now getting into it. I purchased 1000 rounds recently and about pee peed my pants when I saw the price.

Peed in a good way or bad way? I buy online and 9mm is dirt cheap right now. I won't even bother reloading 9mm.

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/9mm-luger-ammo-c-51.aspx

IWreckALot wrote:

That flinch is really difficult to tame permanently. At least for me. If I don't go once or twice a month, I have to make a really conscious effort to not flinch.

When I was teaching my wife, she didn't believe me that she was anticipating/ flinching. I told her to line up on the target, then watch her hands when she pulled the trigger. It's very apparent how instinctive it is to flinch.

a good way to show someone that they are flinching is to hand them an unloaded gun. works every time.

We have compulsory military service here. Many have not fired a gun when they enroll. That’s a pretty good first try I reckon!
After a while a year of shooting I got pretty good at firing the Ag3 and MG3 (mg42 with slower rate of fire), and thought I was the shit.
Then we had an interactive exercise with the Norwegian special forces on securing an object. Holy crap. I thought I was good, but the shit these guys did was just unreal. Sure they used 5,56mm and we used 7,62, but omg. There was no way I ccould replicate what they did with 5,56mm. It looked like someone who had shot 2 bullets, yet they fired 10 shots in succession within 1second all within a 10 at a regular target. And this was a filmed screen with a simulated terrorist case of a loony jihadi driver. These dudes had done it secveral times live in afghanistan alleready.
Sorry for rambling. What I’m trying to say is: good ahooting for a forst try mate! With practice you should do well!