Handgun shooting is a different animal from rifle shooting. While the fundamentals of breathing control, recoil anticipation, and trigger discipline all apply, learning how to stand, hold the pistol, and control muzzle jump are all entirely different.
Consequently, first-time pistol shooters tend to have a tougher time developing confidence, proficiency, and accuracy - even if those same shooters are capable, accurate shots with shoulder-mounted arms.
That said, here are 5 helpful tips that can help even the greenest beginners learn the ropes of pistol shooting.
1. Adopt a Proper Grip
This is one of the most important bits of advice we can offer. Holding the pistol correctly is absolutely paramount when it comes to control, recoil mitigation, and accuracy.
Think “high and tight.” Your shooting hand should be as high on the frame as is possible, with the crook between your thumb and forefinger right up at the base of the slide. Extend the thumb of your shooting hand forward along the frame right underneath the slide to maximize surface area and absorb recoil.
As for your support hand, give up the “cup and saucer” approach. What you want to do here is wrap your support hand entirely around the front of your shooting hand, with the fingers of your support hand coming right up to the bottom of the trigger guard. The thumb of your support hand should lay right alongside your other thumb, extending far forward along the frame, right at the base of the slide.
This grip creates the greatest possible surface area interface between you and the pistol, giving you far greater control over recoil.
2. Adopt a Proper Stance
Adopting a proper stance is every bit as important as holding the pistol properly, and can also help you improve accuracy and control recoil.
There are multiple popular and effective pistol shooting stances, such as the Weaver, Chapman, fighting, and isosceles stances. None of these is “best”; they all offer different advantages.
Each of these stances helps you balance your weight, exercise good trigger control, and practice effective sight alignment.
Whichever stance you choose, be consistent. Don’t mix stances, and focus on proper form when you’re drilling at the range.
3. Slow Down
This is helpful advice, too, as far too many shooters rush the shot without paying attention to breathing, stance, grip, or sight alignment. Rushing the shot is a recipe for poor accuracy and wide-open groups, even at close ranges.
Shooting too fast will often place your shots low on the target, either because you fired before the muzzle had risen completely, or because you’re forcing the muzzle down in anticipation of muzzle jump.
Each shot should be deliberate; take your time to raise the pistol, acquire the target, line up your sights, and then slowly, intentionally squeeze the trigger, as though you are trying to draw your finger backward through thick peanut butter.
Most shooting instructors will also coach you to contact the trigger with the pad of your index finger right where it meets the joint of your first knuckle. Shooting with your fingertips, or too far up on your finger, can skew your shots off to the right and left.
4.Focus on the Front Sight
Too many shooters get lost looking at their rear sights and trying to line them up. Once aligned, your focus should be next on your front sight.
Focusing on the front sight as you acquire the target will align your point of aim with the point of impact. With your sights aligned, your focus should be on the front sight and your rear sight should be slightly out of focus, sort of like when you draw a shotgun bead across a target and there is no rear sight.
5. Brass on the Front Sight Drill (Stop Flinching)
One habit you need to break (if you have it) is flinching.
Flinching occurs when you anticipate recoil so you either jerk your wrists slightly or push the muzzle down before the trigger breaks. This hardly needs an explanation; it has a terribly adverse effect on accuracy.
One way to help break this habit is with the “brass on the front sight” drill.
Clear your weapon and load a snap cap. Have a friend take an empty brass casing and balance it on the front sight of your pistol.
Practice pulling the trigger, with the focus on preventing the brass from falling off of the front sight. Drill until you can routinely break the trigger without knocking the brass off the sight.
If you can do this, you can be fairly confident you’ve broken the habit of flinching.
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We hope you found these tips helpful and put them into practice the next time you are at the range.
Shooting reliable, consistent loads can also potentially help your accuracy. Bucking Horse Outpost carries a wide range of high-quality, reliable loads such as Remington, Federal American Eagle, Norma, and Venom 9mm ammo.
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