Shooting a handgun may look easy when you see it in movies and films, but the reality is that it’s much more difficult. Even if you’re a quality shot with a rifle, you may find difficulty when it comes to accuracy with a handgun. If you’ve found this out the hard way or simply want to improve your shot, read through the pointers outlined below.
Grip Tight and High
The gun holding technique is essential because it helps mitigate the effects of recoil and improves accuracy. However, this is one of the most common mistakes made by gun owners. When it comes to holding your handgun, you need to hold it tight and high, which means there should be no spaces between your skin and the gun. If you’ve got slack in your grip, the gun has more space for recoil, which will likely lead to a missed target. Further, the web of your hand should be high up, and the less dominant hand comes in to fill the spaces.
Proper Stance
Having an accurate shot at the range will call for the correct stands. There are many different stances you can take, but the most effective is the Weaver, the Chapman, and the Isosceles. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages, so play around until you find one that works for you.
Squeeze Trigger Properly
Pulling the trigger helps launch the bullets, which you can buy over at Bulk Munitions – they carry Remington, Blazer, Speer and more. Using the correct stance and the target lined up in the front sight, you can use the center of your first knuckle and your fingertip to squeeze the trigger. However, you may need to adjust the technique depending on your hand size.
Use Front Sights
Beginner shooters have a tendency to stare down their target instead of using the front sight, which will lead to target misses. If you’re working towards accuracy at the range, you should align the front and rear signs. Keep in mind that the front sight is clear and the rear fuzzy. Never pull the trigger before you have the target in your front sights, otherwise, you will develop bad habits and struggle to break them.
Anticipate Recoil
Lack of recoil anticipation will only hinder your target practice session, but it’s among the most common issues found in newbies. Before you put ammo into the gun, you should practice dry shooting (ammo-less firing). Doing this will help your body to build up muscle memory of the gun’s kick. Although dry firing doesn’t use bullets, you still need to follow the essential gun safety regulations including returning your handgun to the case after use.
Breathing Control
You will need to focus on your breathing to get an accurate shot – we’ve listed the four breathing techniques below:
- Inhale, exhale halfway, pause, and fire.
- Inhale, pause, and fire with full lungs.
- No pause – shoot while breathing.
- Exhale, pause, and fire with empty lungs.
If you choose to breathe while you shoot it can reduce your target accuracy. That being said, many shooters prefer it because it follows the natural flow of the body, which makes shooting more controllable. The key to breathing for target practice is to stay calm. Like with other points above, you need to try different stances to find out what works for you.
When you first start shooting a gun, you will discover how hard it is in reality. Fortunately, by paying proper attention to everything outlined above, you can improve your target accuracy significantly.
Remember, whenever you’re at the gun range, you need to practice proper safety – whether you’re dry shooting or not. Keep an eye on your children for any signs of depression or suicidal thoughts and never leave a weapon where they can find it and use it. You could also think about getting an 80% lower receiver to build a firearm with your child in order to teach them gun safety that way.
